Creating themes for idvd 6

Can some tell me how to create a custom theme for idvd. what I mean is, I want to create my own Menu screen without the use of the themes that are provided, kind of make my own. does anyone know if its possible and how you can do it? I have found themes you can buy on line so I know there has to be away to do it. Thanks in advance.

mac pro, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Nov 6, 2007 1:50 PM

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19 replies

Nov 7, 2007 12:19 AM in response to kbkdad

in addition to SDM's excellent reply.. :

it is very difficult to create your own theme template ..
but it is easy to modify a template..

iDVD offers a bunch of buttons, you can select from many fonts, you can arrange them, and most unknown feature: you can for sure use your own backdrops, stills or even short quicktime movies as background..

just a few examples:

someone asked on this board about a 'family tree theme' ... just use a nice backdrop and add your buttons:

User uploaded file ..

another, tricky example from a German Mac Magazin:
use this original iDVD template...
User uploaded file

and change the background:

User uploaded file

just use the approbiate 'buttons' in iDVD.. this screenshot shows you a glimp of my own 'yoda' theme..

User uploaded file

Nov 7, 2007 4:35 AM in response to Karsten Schlüter

yeah I have modified the current themes, but I want to be able to create one special for the dvd that I am making. for example the dvd I am making is a highlight video of my son playing football. well i would like to have a football theme, where on the menu screen it will have like footballs as a pointer to the play movie or scene selection or whatever. something like that. the buttons i see in idvd don't offer anything like that, its mostly for the chapter selection area of your menu. i see in your yoda screen shot that you have extra buttons on your idvd on the lower left that i don't have. are you using idvd 6 or something else? if you are using 6 how did you get that on the screen?

Nov 7, 2007 7:08 AM in response to kbkdad

kbkdad wrote:
... are you using idvd 6 or something else? if you are using 6 how did you get that on the screen?


sorry for confusing you, that is a screenshot of an older version 5...
but iDVD6 has the same functionality..

.. I guess, one of the links SDM provided you, shows the 'customizing' of buttons, e.g. to get a circle one with a football motive..

Nov 7, 2007 7:14 AM in response to Karsten Schlüter

yeah i read those but they for idvd 4 and i can't find the some of the items when I follow along. for example it tells you go duplicate then change the name of formal to what ever, and then go into the root and add your new duplicated ones to the menu for idvd. well i can't find root in the area that it mentioned. so i went back to square one...lol. i am really surprised that they don't have a sports theme in idvd. oh well what to do?

Nov 7, 2007 7:56 AM in response to kbkdad

kbkdad wrote:
... i am really surprised that they don't have a sports theme in idvd. oh well what to do?


hm.. well.. ? define sports theme.. a quick'n dirty example, done in less than 5min:

User uploaded file

.. I prefer the lil' 'tubes' as a preview, no generic 'buttons' (my son is 7y, he likes to decide 'the one with me!', not 'Alex throw in' ...) ; adding a scenery shot from our soccer field.. done.

Nov 7, 2007 8:02 AM in response to Karsten Schlüter

well that is kind of what i did. but i guess what i am trying to do is more advance. like i said earlier. you have your main menu screen then you have a scene selection screen. on the main menu screen you select play or scene selection. i am trying to make it on the main menu screen where when you are selecting between the two to have a football beside play or beside the scene selection, or something like that, instead of the words being highlighted. as soon as i am done burning this other dvd i will take a screen shot and show yeah. what i am looking at

Nov 7, 2007 8:10 AM in response to kbkdad

kbkdad wrote:
... when you are selecting between the two to have a football beside play..., or something like that, ...


wow, BIG voodoo for a 20$ consumer app 😉

no, that goes down deep into the innerts of iDVD, way beyond my way of using it.. is there ANY iDVD theme offering a 'grafic' to highlight the selection < scraping head > ? if so, that would be my template to start 'haxxing' it ...

Nov 7, 2007 8:18 AM in response to SDMacuser

yeah i saw that, but i would really like to create my own. i like the freedom to express my self...lol no really, i have 3 kids and they are all into different things and i would just like to be able to customize and create my own looks... thats all, with out having to hunt and find themes and pay each time i find something. what is big voodoo. is that an app that lets you create themes and such?

Nov 7, 2007 8:54 AM in response to kbkdad

so is there any other programs out there that does the same thing as idvd but on a more advance level?








Yes. It's called Apple's Final Cut Sudio 2 / DVDSP .... might be easier to make your own custom themes within DVDSP, although there is a larger learning curve involved with this particular app (it also helps to have a working knowledge of Motion(included in Final Cut Studio 2) for creating motion graphics menus as well as Adobe PS). Or you can simply select from the many themes templates provided as a starting point w/in DVDSP.


You can do many of the same things within iDVD (to some extent) however button and text objects (and their associated links) are not as stable nor predictable as they are in apple's pro apps / DVDSP.... which IMO is one of the main reasons for having a DVD entry menu/s in the first place.




User uploaded file
By sdmacuser at 2007-11-07



User uploaded file

Nov 7, 2007 8:56 AM in response to SDMacuser

dvdsp only comes with final cut pro right? i have final cut express that i use right now, i haven't gotten the funds yet to get the big boy. but honestly i have been very happy with FCE so far, except for the crashes. i am fairly new to mac world, i made the jump last year after making dvd for a dance studio and the adobe program about melted my processors keeping them maxed out for extended periods during the rendering phase and the export phase, writing phase. so i made the leap to Mac and i haven't turned back, and won't. my mac is just awesome, and i love it. so i am learning as i go. so far i have made so many great dvd's for sports, dance, family vacations and they looks so good, i could never have done that on a pc. anyways i have gotten way off subject. i guess i will just stick with what i have for now, until i can get FCP.

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Creating themes for idvd 6

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