Take 5:
Five tips for DVD menu design
by Rick Green

DVD continues to solidify its position as the delivery format-of-choice for most video producers, and more of us find ourselves authoring DVDs. Whether you’re a high-level designer or a DVD novice there are a few simple tips that can help you create more professional DVD menus. It doesn't matter if you are creating a DVD for a bride-and-groom or for a feature film; all good DVD menus have a few things in common. Here are five tips to help you make magnificent menus.

TIP #1: KISS THE BACKGROUND
First, keep it super-simple. Your background should be just that: a background. Remember, you’ll be putting text, buttons and other graphics on top of this background element, so make sure it is not too busy. A simple blur or crop can help create space for buttons, text or other graphics. Keep the background simple and your viewers will have a better DVD experience.

Fig. 1: Pick a simple background.

TIP #2: BUILD BETTER BUTTONS
Make the buttons on your menus simple, self-evident and self-explanatory. It’s a good idea to have them highlight when you roll over them. Make sure to lay your buttons out in a logical pattern so that each choice is easily accessible. And try not to include too many buttons on a menu. If the screen gets cluttered, it can be hard to navigate and will look unprofessional. Use additional menu screens if necessary.

Fig. 2: Add your readable title and simple buttons.

TIP #3: PUT TOGETHER TEXTBOOK TRANSITIONS
A transition is ‘the act of passing from one state or place to the next.’ Your DVD menu transitions should make it obvious for the viewer that they are transitioning from one menu to another or from the menu to the video. If you look at the DVD menu templates in programs like DVD Studio Pro you’ll notice that the transitions are clean, simple, and are consistent with the look and feel of the DVD. Avoid using crazy video spins and goofy wipes in your DVD menus. They just don’t look professional.

TIP #4: TEXT IS NEXT
Most menus require some kind of title text. Your text has two primary functions: to inform and instruct your viewers. Choose a font that matches the look and feel of your other graphic elements, and make sure it is READABLE over your background. Make sure your text is big enough, placed over a clean part of the background and is short and simple to understand. Using several font-styles or colors on one screen doesn’t look professional. Stick with colors that contrast with your background. I recommend using text sparingly on DVD menus. The less a viewer has to read, the better. For example, instead of using ‘Click here to return to Main Menu’ just put ‘Main Menu’. Some things can be implied.

Fig. 3: A simple background and readable text make for a nice menu.

TIP #5: MUSIC MUSTS Music can make your menus more memorable, just be sure the music you select matches the look and feel of your video. A cut of music from the production is always a nice option. So for a wedding DVD I may choose to use the couple’s official ‘song’ under the menu. Volume is always a consideration. I like to keep the volume lower than the volume of the primary video on the DVD. This way the viewer doesn’t have to adjust the volume if they let the DVD sit on the menu and loop over and over. I think it adds impact going from lower-volume menu music to full-volume primary video. If you are using music with vocals or a distinctive beat you may want to fade the music out before the loop starts again to avoid an obvious ‘cut’ in the audio.

While the design process will vary from project to project, these 5 simple tips will put you on the path to better DVD menu design.

Rick Green is an Emmy award winning producer/writer/director living and working in Columbus, Ohio.

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