Scenarist Feature-Length Authoring

[mverta]

Guys -

I have a 90 minute feature with 5.1 ac3 to author. The audio has to be one contiguous, 90 minute file, or else it has bumps in it. That's no problem to create.

The video, however is another thing. It needs to have chapters, and I want to conform to DVD spec. For file-management reasons, I want to break the video down into segments... so do I:

1) Import the video as a multi-file data object, and insert "markers" or something like that, to indicate chapter stops?

OR

2) Create multiple seamless-play cells by dragging subsequent video tracks onto the first video track in the Title folder. If so, what about the single audio file in this case?

OR

3) Something I don't know about.

Thanks,

Mike

[Dimmer]

Originally posted by mverta
For file-management reasons, I want to break the video down into segments... so do I:

1) Import the video as a multi-file data object, and insert "markers" or something like that, to indicate chapter stops? Go with this one, otherwise you won't be able to add continuous audio. By the way, I don't see any practical purpose in splitting the video into pieces in the first place.

[mverta]

Originally posted by Dimmer
Go with this one, otherwise you won't be able to add continuous audio. By the way, I don't see any practical purpose in splitting the video into pieces in the first place.

Just 'cause the file sizes are huge - our source video is uncompressed prior to going to the MPEG-2 conversion.

About the markers ("New Scene" markers in Scenarist's Tack Editor window): Is there a way to type in frame-accurate locations for the markers? I tried entering timecode, and the video jumps to the correct location in the simulator window, but when I click on "New Scene" at the insertion point, it's usually several frames off!

_Mike

[cona812]

the timecode in Scenarist is hh:mm:ss:frames. For a chapterpoint you need to point an I-frame (cause of new cell). If your created chapter is some frames off the inputed timecode, you didn't point an I-frame.

Cona

[mverta]

Originally posted by cona812
the timecode in Scenarist is hh:mm:ss:frames. For a chapterpoint you need to point an I-frame (cause of new cell). If your created chapter is some frames off the inputed timecode, you didn't point an I-frame.

Cona

How do you do that? The term "I-frame" doesn't appear in the index or glossary.

_Mike

[cona812]

At the stream-encoding I already know the chapterpoints and I force the encoder to insert an I-frame for that point (and I force to close the GOP). Cause off that I know I can create a chapter at that point later. If you haven't done that I won't care cause the chapterpoint will (normaly) be only some frames off (usually maximal one GOP).

Cona

[Dimmer]

@mverta:
Originally posted by cona812
At the stream-encoding I already know the chapterpoints and I force the encoder to insert an I-frame for that point (and I force to close the GOP). Cause off that I know I can create a chapter at that point later. If you haven't done that I won't care cause the chapterpoint will (normaly) be only some frames off (usually maximal one GOP). Search the Scenarist's Help and the web for "I-Picture" (= I-Frame), "GOP", "Open GOP", "Closed GOP". I bet the "bumps" you encountered when splitting the audio is a result of non-seamless connection between cells, and can easily be prevented (search for "Seamless Play" and "Non-seamless Play").

Suggestion/warning: you must be very well familiar with all the terms above, DVD structure in general, and much more before expecting any success with Scenarist.