Create a DVD menu in Adobe Photoshop
5. Create video thumbnail buttons.
If you want to create a button that will play a thumbnail image of a video, make a new button layer set. Remember to name it using the (+) prefix. Insert a layer into the new button layer set and add the prefix (%) to its name, for example, (%) Thumbnail. This prefix signals to Adobe Encore DVD that this layer will be used for a video thumbnail. On this layer, draw a rectangle or paste an image that will serve as a placeholder for the video. The easiest way to maintain the correct proportions for the placeholder is to draw a box using the Rectangular Marquee tool and then fill the rectangle. You can set the tool’s Style to Fixed Aspect Ratio, and set the Width to 4 and the Height to 3 (or 16 and 9 respectively for widescreen video). Rather than distort the video to fit the image, Adobe Encore DVD sizes the video to fit the smallest rectangle that will encompass the image. While the video remains rectangular, you can use masks to overlay the thumbnail if desired.
Add a text layer or other elements to the button layer set if desired. Follow step 4 to create the highlight layers for the button.
We’ve created a simple rectangular thumbnail with text below it. Instead of drawing a rectangle, we used a still image for our placeholder. The highlight forms an outline around the thumbnail.
6. Add the remaining buttons.
Add additional buttons as needed by either duplicating the ones you already made and placing them in new positions, or by creating new ones. Edit any text within the buttons as needed to complete your menu. Save the file. You are ready to import your menu into a DVD project.
We’ve added two more video thumbnail buttons and changed the button text on each.
7. Import the menu into Adobe Encore DVD.
Open Adobe Encore DVD. Create a new project (or open an existing one), and import the menu (use the File > Import as Menu command). Notice that Adobe Encore DVD has replaced any video thumbnail layers with gray and that the highlight layers are not visible. Until you link the video thumbnail button to the video, you see only a gray placeholder. To view the button highlights, click the Show Selected Subpicture Highlight button at the bottom of the Menu Editor window. This button displays the highlight images of all the buttons.
If you want to modify the menu, you can jump back to Photoshop by choosing Edit > Edit in Photoshop. When you save the changes in Photoshop, the menu reflects those changes in Adobe Encore DVD.
