Video University: Video University Forums: Wedding & Event Videography: Interactive CD-Rom's

VideoUniversity.com
Home	Free Library	Store
Free Catalog Please support VU by making your B&H purchases and links through this B&H ad. Doesn't cost a penny more.

See The New VU Postcard Catalog

To post in the forums see the Forum Guidelines.

Join or Renew Today.
New Benefits for all VU Members

Forum Guidelines and FAQ
Main Index	Search Posts
Who's Online	Log In

Home: Video University Forums: Wedding & Event Videography:
Interactive CD-Rom's

X-Eric_Miozzi
Imported Account

Nov 11, 2002, 10:17 PM

Post #1 of 15 (1622 views)
Shortcut

Interactive CD-Rom's	Can't Post

Hi all,
I was wondering if anyone is using CD-Rom's for anything in their business. We offer the "Thank-You" cd's but never really got into it. Now, I just finally got a grasp on this new software we got, and it's incredible the things I could do. Fully interactive CD's with video, audio, graphics, whatever I want.
I am curious to get ideas here as to what this can be applied to, wedding and non-wedding related. Are there any forums you know of to share ideas, tips, etc?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Eric Miozzi

X-Ted_Jan
Imported Account

Nov 11, 2002, 10:55 PM

Post #2 of 15 (1621 views)
Shortcut

Re: Interactive CD-Rom's	Can't Post

Eric,
I make interactive cds...I'm curious to know what you are using?
Ted

X-Eric_Miozzi
Imported Account

Nov 11, 2002, 11:39 PM

Post #3 of 15 (1621 views)
Shortcut

Re: Interactive CD-Rom's [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hey Ted,
Right now, i am trying out 2 trial versions. One called "AutoRun Studio" and one called "Autoplay". So far, autorun is the easiest, but very limited and I didn't like that. Autoplay is the one I have been digging into and I love it.
What about you?
Eric Miozzi

X-Ted_Jan
Imported Account

Nov 11, 2002, 11:43 PM

Post #4 of 15 (1621 views)
Shortcut

Re: Interactive CD-Rom's [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hey Eric,
Autoplay is quite limited as well. I haven't had a chance to try out Autoplay 4 yet...but I did use Autoplay 3 for awhile. Most of the stuff, I do these days, I use Flash since I can make it cross platforum. If I'm trying to make something only for PC and need to make it quick, I'll make it in Autoplay.
Ted

X-Ted_Jan
Imported Account

Nov 11, 2002, 11:55 PM

Post #5 of 15 (1621 views)
Shortcut

Re: Interactive CD-Rom's [In reply to]	Can't Post

Eric,
Before I forget, you should also look at Microangelo Icon maker. You can edit the autorun.ini file and insert in your own icons. Gives it a more professional look when people look at the cd rom icon and see your own personal icon creation.
Ted

X-Eric_Miozzi
Imported Account

Nov 11, 2002, 11:56 PM

Post #6 of 15 (1621 views)
Shortcut

Re: Interactive CD-Rom's [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hey Ted,
I am trying to keep myself from emersing myself into another large program (such as flash). I "committed" myself to learning all I can about the apps. I use regulary first (AE, Premiere, PS7). This Autoplay was an off job as we do Virtual Tours for realtors and we needed to create nice CD=Roms. I really like the finished product I got and it only took me a few days to get it right (now it takes an hour or so from start to finish, so I guess I learned something, lol).
So, what do you make? What market do you have? I am looking to get some inspiration. Know any websites to check out?
Thanks,
Eric Miozzi

X-Ted_Jan
Imported Account

Nov 12, 2002, 12:09 AM

Post #7 of 15 (1621 views)
Shortcut

Re: Interactive CD-Rom's [In reply to]	Can't Post

Oh sorry...don't get me wrong...Autoplay is a great product. I started off using Autoplay. And like you said, found the learning curve to be very shallow compared to the other stuff that is out there.
What we do is make cross platform interactive cds with custom designed interfaces, unfortunately Autoplay doesn't allow you to do that. Autoplay makes you stick to a square interface at least version 3 did and like I said it's not cross platform.
One of the things that we've been trying to do is convince companies that it's more logical to put out interactive cds versus making tons and tons of paper brochures, afterall how many businesses these days don't have a computer of some sort? We've had some success in terms of making interactive business card cds. It's slowly becoming more and more popular as business people realize that business card cds are about the same size as a business card and now you can put 50 mbs of info on it. Which pretty much means, you can put a whole website on it, a really short video demo, etc...
Have you been making interactive buttons in Autoplay yet? Also which version are you using?
Ted

X-Eric_Miozzi
Imported Account

Nov 12, 2002, 12:24 AM

Post #8 of 15 (1622 views)
Shortcut

Re: Interactive CD-Rom's [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hey Ted,
I am using Autoplay 4.0 and it seems good. I believe you are right concerning the square interface though. What exactly are you referring to as "cross platform"? I know this has features to insert .avi, flash, graphics, etc. I am thinking you mean something else though. Also, what do you mean, "interactive buttons"? I can program the buttons to have actions for mouse click, mouse over and mouse leave, plus they have a whole back of actions and codes that i havent gotten into yet (I have only had it for a few days now).
Concerning you business card CD's, this is an area I was interested in marketing. Right now, we put the virtual tours on Mini CD's but IO want to do business card cut cd's as well. So, if you are selling them, what do you use as your selling points? I mean, what do you tell a person that they can, or should, do to make it worth their while?
Cya,
Eric Miozzi

X-Ted_Jan
Imported Account

Nov 12, 2002, 12:44 AM

Post #9 of 15 (1621 views)
Shortcut

Re: Interactive CD-Rom's [In reply to]	Can't Post

Cross platform means PC and Macintosh compatible. The problem with Autoplay is that whatever I make in it, I can't bring over to the Mac side.
Business card cds are pretty much not useable by Mac Users...since many of the Macintosh use front loading cd roms, where you push the cd into a slot. So you are stuck with making regular sized cd roms. Not really a big deal...just means more stuff you can put in.
Interactive buttons, I mean, when you do a mouse over/mouse click, something happens either a highlight or a sound file plays.
My selling points usually are...
1. it's very easy to update a interactive cd.
2. the client can make their own copies as need and thus don't have to worry about turn around times from a printer.
3. the cd is interactive or dynamic...meaning that you can provide a total sensory experience of your product or company something not possible with traditional brochures
4. overall cost for making a interactive cd is less than traditional paper brochures in the long run.

To make it worth their while, I usually tell the client that they should put everything and anything that they think might be of value into a interactive cd. One of the things that we help clients do is make a presentation that will open no matter what the viewer's computer might have softwarewise...this means usually creating different variations of the same presentation but in different formats (ie: flash, powerpoint, pdf)
Ted

X-Eric_Miozzi
Imported Account

Nov 12, 2002, 12:56 AM

Post #10 of 15 (1621 views)
Shortcut

Re: Interactive CD-Rom's [In reply to]	Can't Post

Ted,
I am not sure if it is cross platform, you probably know more then me. I use a PC so I never considered it. Yes, I can make interactive buttons as you described, very easily too. I haven't tried playing with video yet, but I am sure it shouldn't be too much.
I am curious what kind of price can I expect with a business card CD? You charge by the hour or flat fee? No charge for copies?
Thanks,
Eric

X-Ted_Jan
Imported Account

Nov 12, 2002, 1:03 AM

Post #11 of 15 (1621 views)
Shortcut

Re: Interactive CD-Rom's [In reply to]	Can't Post

Eric,
It depends on the project. When we make a business card cd, we do the following:
1. Custom Initial Interface Design
2. Voice Overs/Music for the Navigation
3. Prepare all documents for 3 different formats: Flash, PDF, Powerpoint
4. Custom Icon Design if necessary
5. Creation/Layout of the 3 different formats if necessary
6. Custom Graphic Design
7. First set of 10, we design and print a label for the cds.
So our starting flat fee is between $2000 to $5000. We do hourly usually at $100 per hour if they want us to update what we've done.
Ted

X-julian
Imported Account

Nov 12, 2002, 10:42 AM

Post #12 of 15 (1621 views)
Shortcut

Re: Interactive CD-Rom's [In reply to]	Can't Post

What can you do with autoplay? Is it DVD type click here for this movie - or more than that?

X-G
Imported Account

Nov 12, 2002, 11:01 AM

Post #13 of 15 (1621 views)
Shortcut

Re: Interactive CD-Rom's [In reply to]	Can't Post

Ted, do you use Flash MX or a previous version?
: Hey Eric,
: Autoplay is quite limited as well. I haven't had a chance to try out Autoplay 4 yet...but I did use Autoplay 3 for awhile. Most of the stuff, I do these days, I use Flash since I can make it cross platforum. If I'm trying to make something only for PC and need to make it quick, I'll make it in Autoplay.
: Ted

X-Ted_Jan
Imported Account

Nov 12, 2002, 11:01 AM

Post #14 of 15 (1621 views)
Shortcut

Re: Interactive CD-Rom's [In reply to]	Can't Post

Autoplay is for making autolaunching interactive cd roms. You probably could use it to make a autoplaying DVD rom but it wouldn't work in your standalone DVD player.
It's a lot more powerful than what Scott Brooks uses to make his interactive cd roms, since you have a variety of things that you can do with it and from what I read about the program that Scott Brooks uses. However in comparison to what the professionals use, it's still quite limited.

X-Ted_Jan
Imported Account

Nov 12, 2002, 11:05 AM

Post #15 of 15 (1621 views)
Shortcut

Re: Interactive CD-Rom's [In reply to]	Can't Post

I was using Flash 5 for awhile till Flash MX came out. Now I'm using Flash MX mainly because you can encode video directly from it. Before it was a pain to do and you had to do several things to work around the inability to encode video within Flash.