iPhone/iPad authoring

[Guillermo Ibanez]

Hi everyone,

not sure if this has been talked over before.......
with the overwhelming amount of mobile devices around us these days, I'm starting to consider to deliver our films ready to be watched on iPhones/iPads,etc (on top of DVD/BD).....I think that could be a nice touch.
However I would like to retain the whole menus/chapters structure where possible and I don't know if this is even possible. How could you do something like that? Quicktime Pro? would I have to build my own App (pricey)? any other software........

thanks!

[James Manford]

To retain menus, chapters etc you will definitely need to build an app or something.

OR if there was a media player available that plays the 'whole' structure then your fine.

Otherwise, you can convert your media files to play on the ipod/ipad no problems - as long as it's just the video file without any chapters etc.

I convert my video using a program called 'Handbrake'

[Roger Gunkel]

I convert my video to mp4 but keep each chapter as a separate file using an appropriate filename. Most players, iPad etc will play the files sequentially, or the client can select individual files to play if they wish.

When I have completed the editing in the NLE, I simply tell the programme to save selected sections only as mp4, highlighting the next section as it finishes each one. That way there is only one lot of editing to do, as chapter points are for dvd are ignored by the mp4 rendering.

Roger

[Paul Wood]

I dont know about other NLEs, but FCPX allows you to export to Apple devices whilst retaining the chapter markers you added in edit.
These are then available on iPad etc when viewing.
MacBreak Studio had an episode about it a while back.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Roger

I do much the same but also give each MP4 and numerical header so it will play in sequence without any issues so it's almost a menu but without the icons/pretty pictures

So if I'm doing a wedding in shoot order the files would be 0001groomprep.mp4, then 0002brideprep.mp4, 0003arrival.mp4, 0004ceremony.mp4

The leading zeros make sure than they are kept totally numerical and you don't get file 1, then file10, then file 11 and 2 only appears after file 20. The sensible names should be common sense to any bride.

Chris

[Roger Gunkel]

That's the same for me Chris, numerical first to maintain the sequence, then a descriptive text.

Roger

[Nigel Barker]

Originally Posted by Paul Wood

I dont know about other NLEs, but FCPX allows you to export to Apple devices whilst retaining the chapter markers you added in edit.
These are then available on iPad etc when viewing.

The new version of Premiere Pro has the same option.

[James Manford]

I should of explained why I convert using Handbrake.

It retains all of the image quality but dramatically reduces the file size by half.

[Peter Riding]

I've been supplying MP4's in addition to DVDs routinely for a couple of years now but I have not yet found a way to provide chapters in the MP4's. I think some people may author as Flash to get around it.

However I don't think its an issue at all because invariably you can easily scrub to any part of the video you want in whatever tablet or phone or PC you are using. A Playstation 3 though requires that you fast forward it but you could use BluRay with chapters for that device.

Because of the ease of scrubbing I prefer to supply one big file rather than multiple smaller ones. I supply on DVD discs using dual layer if necessary.

James are you saying that you can make an MP4 file in Handbrake of the same quality as you might in Vegas Pro but at half the file size, or are there tradoffs? Could you post your settings - sounds interesting as smaller file tends to equal easier playback on a wider range of devices without the client having to use the devices downconversion software.

Pete

[James Manford]

Correct Pete

No settings neccessary, it's really straight forward.

The file size for example - 1 hour of footage is 6gigs when Vegas renders it into an .mp4 ... pop that into Handbrake, and it converts it to 1080p, retains the same quality from what I can see but now at 3.2gigs.

You literally select the device on the right hand side in Handbrake and it converts it. Moderately fast too ...

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Peter Riding

but I have not yet found a way to provide chapters in the MP4's

I was interested in adding chapters in mp4's and just had a look, I first use handbrake to make a high quality low bitrate file and change the extention from mp4 to m4v after I saved it, then I open Drax (Drax - Home) and open the m4v file and add the chapterlists from within Drax, when I then save the file (no transcoding time involved) I can jump to the different chapters when I view the file in vlc mediaplayer, not sure if it would work on a ipad? The only negative thing was I had to manually write down the timecodes in my nle to know where each chapter had to start as I needed that info to add to drax.

[James Manford]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

I was interested in adding chapters in mp4's and just had a look, I first use handbrake to make a high quality low bitrate file and change the extention from mp4 to m4v after I saved it, then I open Drax (Drax - Home) and open the m4v file and add the chapterlists from within Drax, when I then save the file (no transcosing time involved) I can jump to the different chapters when I view the file in vlc mediaplayer, not sure if it would work on a ipad? The only negative thing was I had to manually write down the timecodes in my nle to know where each chapter had to start as I needed that info to add to drax.

Sounds good. I know iPad, iPod and Android devices can download VLC Media Player! so if it works on desktop, it should work on your smart phone ...

[Guillermo Ibanez]

thanks guys for your replies....

I guess best option forward is to 'chapter' quicktime files as it's clear to me that having DVD menu structure is out of the question. I cant believe how no one has come with an app like that yet....

[John Knight]

I deliver DVD's only. I clearly state in my marketing blurb and quotes that my wedding videos are "iFriendly - No extra charges if you want portions of your wedding DVD delivered in alternative formats (ie: iPhone, iPad etc)

I've been doing this for about 18 months and not once in 40 weddings has anyone come back and requested it.

Might pay to test the demand first like this or you might be just adding work for yourself where there is no actual demand.

[Chris Harding]

Very good point John

It's the same as buying bluray burners and getting blank media in and spending hours getting them right on your system when bride's have never asked for a BD disk. I supply DVD only ... just for interest last year I tried a special by offering brides a free USB thumbdrive if they booked a specific package and they really were not interested.

No sense in spending hours getting all set up for iPad delivery when no-one wants it! Has anyone here been specifically asked "I want to have my wedding video on my iPad" ???

Chris