This tutorial created for Pinnacle Studio 1-15 can also be achieved with new Studio version with some adjustments. These adjustements will be highlighted in bold and italic as follows: “If you are using a new Studio version, {...}”
Pinnacle Studio 1-15 and new Studio version come with an extensive library of DVD menus which can be customized with Eye Scream Factory content. Let's have a look on how to perform this customization. First, we will describe how to replace the background menu (fixed or animated). Then, you will see how to include buttons for menu.
Changing the background
When you've selected the Studio DVD menu of your choice, open the Video Toolbox or double-click the menu on the timeline. Click the Edit Menu button to change the background :
The Edit Menu Window will open. Next, click on the Backgrounds tab, and then click on the Folder icon and navigate to your images (that you download on Eye Scream Factory). It might be helpful to create a specific folder where you placed the images from Eye Scream Factory.
Caution : before opening the folder where the elements of Eye Scream Factory are, I urge you to watch and note the path for the backgrounds delivered in Studio (for Studio 12 and XP it is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\Pinnacle\Content\Backgrounds or C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\Pinnacle\Content\Backgrounds 16x9). Indeed, each time you open the Menu Editor, the default path for the backgrounds is the same than the last time you opened the Menu Editor. If so, you may have difficulty finding the backgrounds that come with Studio if you have not taken the precaution above.
Now I can choose a new background while keeping the chapters and buttons that are already in place :
Until you hit Ok, you can change your choice as many times as you want.
If you are using a new Studio version :
Switch to Disc Mode by clicking the Disc tab :
By a simple Drag'n'drop, insert the menu of your choice from the Menu Library to the Menu List above the Timeline :
Open the Menu Editor by double-clicking the menu thumbnail or clicking the Edit button under the Preview window :
At the top left of the Menu Disc Library open the explorer to select the Eye Scream Factory's background picture of your choice :
Drag'n'drop the corresponding thumbnail onto the background thumbnail at the right of the screen in the Background settings zone :
That's it !
Here are few examples:
Same but with an animated background
On the site you'll also find videos for making animated menu backgrounds. These videos are in MOV format. DVD Art Essential Volumes and DVD Art Professional Volumes do not contain animated menu background. You need to order them separately.
.MOV format is not supported by Title Deko, the titling module integrated in Studio. We will have to use trickery.
We follow the same steps as above, and when you click on the Background tab in the Menu editor, just make the background transparent by clicking on the checkerboard icon :
Valid with OK and return to Studio. Simply import into the timeline, on the Overlay track, the .mov and place it just below the menu. Set the clip duration or the menu duration to be identical. And that's it !
Check in the viewer that the background of our menu is now animated :
If you are using a new Studio version :
This is exactly the same as with the still backgrounds as Studio accepts any type of video file as input or so.
Finally, the buttons
Buttons are only included in DVD Art Professional Volumes.
Please refer to our tutorial Handling layers with Gimp to learn how to get the buttons to format tga.
Caution : The same warning as the one on the path to the backgrounds is valid here for buttons !
After loading a menu, press the Buttons tab in the Menu Editor :
Select the button(s) already in the menu and you want to replace :
Choose your replacement button through the Browse buttons icon :
For example the heart with the arrow saved in the tutorial mentioned earlier. This is what happens :
Until you hit Ok, you can change your choice as many times as you want.
If you are using a new Studio version :
Initially, the procedure is the same as for background, but Drag'n'drop the graphic element of your choice directly in the menu display window. Resize it and move it to your liking with the mouse :
For this graphic element to become a button, do not forget to assign the correct function in the Buttton Settings area :
