Encoding with SolidLine, From AVID to DVD

Encoding with SolidLine, From AVID to DVD
By Michael Kromm, Creative Director
SolidLine Media

As an Avid Editor for over 12 years, formats change, but one thing that hasn’t is providing my clients with a high-quality copy of their video production. These days it happens to be DVD or even more recently, Blu-ray. I will cover the Blu-ray encoding process in a later Blog.

The best way for me to cover this topic is in steps – 1 thru 9. For those visual learners, I have tried to include as many screenshots as possible to help you thru my process.

Before I begin, I want to discuss the importance of organization and consistency for all of your Avid editing projects. It doesn’t matter if you always edit all of your own High Definition Video projects, or if you work with a team of editors. You must always organize every project the same way. Why you might ask? What happens if a client comes back in 4 years and wants a new version of their video production? Are you going to remember how the project was setup, how the narration, graphics and footage were subcliped? No you are not, believe me. I know how editors work and think. We deal with so much information and data, and if it’s not organized it will get lost. I bet you don’t even remember what video production project you worked on this morning. Point taken?

This is how I organize an HD video production project that is ready for DVD encoding. I always have a client’s folder; inside that folder are all of my current clients/project folders that I am currently working on at different stages: rough-cut, final-cut, picture-lock. At SolidLine Media, we have an Avid Unity central media storage system, so this is where my client’s folder is. This file could even be stored on you local C drive. I will follow one project I am currently working on to keep things consistent. The project is called PressAPrint and inside that folder I always create a folder called DVD Files.

Inside the DVD Files folder I create 2 additional folders and name them QT REF and Squeeze. This will make sense later in this Blog.

The project I am going to step you thru is High Definition video production at Avid’s DNx220 HD resolution.

Let’s begin encoding for DVD:

1. Highlight your timeline using Mark in and Mark out indicators. Remember to make sure you also have all of the video and audio tracks highlighted.

 2. Export your timeline by going to FILE and select EXPORT. Navigate to the client folder we created above and go all the way until you are inside the QT REF folder. Now select Options in the bottom right-hand corner of the Export To window. Using the Export As drop down menu on the top – select QuickTime Reference. Use the setting I have selected in the screenshot below and hit Save. Two files will be made, one video and one audio. 

3. Open Squeeze 5, and select the icon on the top left-hand corner named Import File. Navigate until you are inside your QT REF folder and select only the QT Reference video file. The audio will always follow the video, but the video will never follow the audio.

4, Use the player to verify that your video file plays. Do not use this player for accuracy or quality, use only to verify that your file plays.

5. On the left-hand side of Squeeze 5, select the MPEG-1/2 (.mpg) drop down tab and select DVD_NTSC_Lg_169 – click the apply button. Double click the MPEG 2 setting in the Settings section of the window to verify you are using the correct compression settings.

6. Once you have verified the correct compression settings – click ok. Now we need to apply the interlace filter. Select Interlace under the Filter Presets in the bottom left-hand corner of the Squeeze 5 window – click the apply button.

7. The next step is saving the squeezed file in the proper place. Highlight and then right click the project in the settings window. Select Modify Output File Name and navigate to the Squeeze folder located in your client’s folder: > C Drive > Clients > PressAPrint > DVD Files > Squeeze > SAVE YOUR FILE HERE.

8. Click Squeeze in the bottom right-hand corner of the Squeeze 5 window. The fun part – watching the process bar moving from left to right while your High Definition video production encodes.

9. Once complete, close squeeze and open your desired DVD authoring software. I use Avid DVD by Sonic for most of my clients’ video productions, especially if I am authoring the video to only play as a first play.

You can contact Michael Kromm at mkromm@solidlinemedia.com.

To Learn more about SolidLine Media, visit us online at www.solidlinemedia.com. Or call 312-939-8600.

Copyright 2009 SolidLine Media, a division of KV Media Group, Inc.