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Authoring DVD video requires software that creates a UDF file system and a VIDEO_TS folder with VOB and IFO files. It's not enough to burn an mpeg file.
He should be able to do just fine with iMovie (editing the film) and iDVD (putting it on the DVD, "burning it").
I've done this on a Windows platform, not Mac, but I've also read that iMovie is simple and effective. Perhaps we can ping you some help. Or maybe you could google "iMovie" for tutorials.
I'm not an expert, but a 45 minute DVD seems awfully long to put up on a website.
http://www.apple.com/support/imovie/tutorial/imovieTutorial_t9.html
Watch this video tutorial. If it doesn't answer all, do another search on apple's site.
iMovie + iDVD should be all you need.
Can't really tell ya how long it should take, but it shouldn't be that bad. :)
Housewife: the following link is an excellent resource for video / DVD / editing questions:
http://www.videohelp.com/
With regard to software, I think you have all you need - I've never used it, but I think iMovie should allow you to edit the movie fairly easily.
As for the mpeg-4 conversion, things may get tricky (refer to the above linked website for help with conversion).
Hope this helps.
Ripping DVDs, I use Mac The Ripper. Go to www.versiontracker.com, and download the latest version there.
Editting video, iMovie ought to fit the bil.
Uploading to the website, some type of file transfer capability, such as FTP on the host side will work.
I've not done much video editing, but iMovie, included with the built in software, should provide what you need. It is essentially a video editing studio. You can daisy chain movie clips together, including transitions, titles, etc; then burn the whole caboodle to disk.
In the Apple commercials you can do this in a couple of minutes without reading any instructions.
I suspect, based on one personal example, that the conversion to mpeg will take many hours. Depends on the speed of the CPU and the resolution you end up with.
Ping for some iMovie help.
I've never taken video off a DVD, so I can't help you there... I know it's simple to pull it off the a DV camera. You just plug it in by firewire, click the switch so that it's pointing to the drawing of the camera, and click the "import" button.
Once you get it into iMovie, you can edit it and make the intro title cards, etc.
The conversion to MPEG-4 is pretty straightforward. You go to the file menu and pick "Share..." In the window that comes up, select the QuickTime logo at the top, and pick "Expert Settings." Then click the "Share" button. In the window that then comes up, type the name you want to save it as, and pick "Movie to MPEG-4" as the export setting and click save. Viola!
To extract the video from the DVD, you'll need MacTheRipper:
http://macupdate.com/info.php/id/14414
(All the usual heartburn over copyrighted material go here). Then take the resulting file into iMovie, add the desired sequences and effects.
Lastly, export the file using the "Expert Settings" option. Select MPEG-4 as your video codec.
Have fun!
I work with video a lot, but have not ever worked with a Mac..so I dunno if this will help. But, here's what I do..first, I "rip" the movie from the DVD, using "DVDDecrypter", (this software will allow either ALL of the DVD to be ripped to a specified folder located on the hard drive, OR JUST the movie alone.) This process does not take any longer than 30 minutes or less.
"DVDDecrypter" is a free software, but it's difficult to find anymore, since MACROVISION now owns it, and has not allowed it to be distributed anymore. (the reason why, is that this software DEFEATS the older form of macrovision) which is why the Macrovision company used extortion on the owner-developer to take ownership of this software. BUT that's entirely another discussion altogether.
Regardless; in this case, this software would be perfect for you to use for this specific project. (if you can't FIND it, then use "DVDFabDecrypter"- it's a free software that you can find at www.videohelp.com . It works just the same as DVDDecrypter; but it'll "Rip" the entire dvd. It won't "Rip " just the movie.
Now, I understand that you wish to amend a PROLOGUE and a short ending to this movie..WELL.. it CAN be done. First of all, I would suggest that you buy a copy of "TmpgEnc DVD Author". This costs 70 dollars, but there is a 30 day free TRIAL download to try it out, so, that's good Here's the website =http://www.pegasys-inc.com/en/product/tda.html)
This is a software that will enable different video clips to be joined together and edited into ONE movie - in the DVD format. There are various DVD Authoring softwares available, some are even FREE.. BUT TmpgEnc DVD Author is the best one, simply because it's so EASY to learn how to use. And a DVD Authoring software IS a neccessity to have if you are going to be working with video.
If I wish to "convert" the movie into an AVI file, (the Xvid encoding codec is free- also, from what I understand..the Xvid format is ONE of the Mpeg 4 format containers)
You should put all of the IFO files, and the VOB files that are from your movie folder, directly through a software called "AutoGK"..this is a "One-Click" software that you really don't even need to "Configure", it AUTOMATICALLY works correctly, I have never had any problem with it. The "AutoGK" software, depending on the length of the movie, will do a 2 pass conversion to Xvid.AVI...usually takes MAYBE 2 and 1/2 hours, depending on the speed of your computer's processor.
Many people are happy to post the completed .AVI file on a website..and are satisfied with the results. However, many people want to have thier movie in the Mpeg-2 format; so we can do this by using another "One-Click" software called "DIKO" (DIKO is a FREE software)..it needs no special configuration..and it will convert your .AVI file directly into a SMALLER Mpeg-2 format file. This process, depending on the length of the original video, and again, on the speed of your computer's processor, may take anywhere from one to two hours. The final result is a movie file that may be a little over 1 gig, but look and sound perfect.
All of these softwares I've mentioned (with the exception of DVDDecrypter) can be found at www.videohelp.com as well as all of the GUIDES that you will need to read to learn how to use the various softwares.
Again, these softwares will work with Intel PC's..I have not worked with Macs, so I honestly dunno how to do video using a Mac. Or even if these softwares will work with Macs. (although, they probably will. Just read the website to make sure before downloading anything.)
Next, all you need to do is figure out HOW to POST it on the website. But since I've never done this, I dunno how to go about doing this. So, sorry, I can't help you there.
But..hopefully, if you use these softwares, and follow the step by step guides..you should have no problems completing your project.
I hope this has been helpful.
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