just watched THX 1138 Director's Cut and there is a feature in there where it's similar to the "follow the rabbit" thing where when you are watching the movie and an icon pops up when you enter into that you get a feature that explains how the film was made. i can't think of any DVD authoring today that can do that.

is this because professionals (movie studios/moviemakers) always want to have the upper hand or does it mean that sony or adobe or someone hasn't matured the DVD authoring yet? instead we're stuck with something that is only slightly better than software for consumers.

I'm not sure if it can do what you described, but Apple DVD Studio Pro is a pro grade DVD authoring program available to the public that will do DVD 5 and DVD 9 (if output to DLT), supports all channel formats from mono to 5.1 surround sound, multiple camera angles, language selection, and more stuff than I've used on any Hollywood DVD I've watched.

In all involves dollars. The programs that have the tools and feature sets to create the DVD's you're referring to cost thousands of dollars. Scenarist (http://www.sonic.com/products/scenarist/default.asp) would be one example. The last time I looked the costs was well in excess of $30,000.

You can do that and more in DVD SP 3! I've just completed afully interactive storybook DVD for kids, that uses such on screen, over video buttons for navigation through the storybook - 74 chapters, 4 buttons per chapter, and scripts galore to make the navigation work.

Such buttons use subtitle tracks to work - and work they do!

Graeme

Mediachance DVD-Lab Pro is almost there. It is $199.

Reel DVD by Sonic, is their posumer version of Scenarist. I think it will do what you want, and more. Cost $600

i've heard of DVD Lab, i thought they went out of business. they stable?

Highend, well spec based apps have a lot more control and you can buy them just like production studios do!

Scenarist is $4999 at the mo not $30000 for software only (Studio Version). Other options would be Sonic DVD Fusion/Creator. Spruce Maestro (still about if you search) but it's not spec based.

Just remember that wishing for a 'pro' 'spec based' tool is one thing but getting it and having to learn it is another.

I think it's been made clear that there are lots of options as far as buttons over video goes but if you want "follow the white rabbit" control you have to use a spec based app. Cause you need to be able to link to cells.

Jake