Regular backgroundProfessionally made DVDs, such as Hollywood movies, often incorporate audio and video on the menu screens. Most consumer DVD-authoring apps will let you do the same. For example, your menu can play a song, display a short scene looping in the background, and even play video clips inside the menu buttons that link to the video file itself.

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Production Notes

  • The audio and video used in multimedia menus require space on your DVD. If your project consists of a lot of data, such as large video files, you may have to compress your video so everything will fit on the disc.
  • If your video is over 80 minutes or so, adding lots of audio and video menus will require you to compress your project more than recommended. The result could be a noticeable degradation in quality.
  • When adding background audio to a DVD menu, keep the duration over a minute. Shorter clips are more repetitive and can quickly become annoying.
  • When inserting a video background, make sure it doesn't obscure other menu elements. If the background is busy or full of colors, you may have to fade or brighten the video clip slightly to ensure that buttons and other menu text are easy to see.
  • Like the special effects you can add to your videos, menu animations can be very irritating when overused. Don't use these effects just because you can. And when you do include animations, make sure the effect is aesthetically pleasing and matches the tone of the underlying video.