# DVD?



## Ipswichbabe (May 17, 2005)

We were approved in the summer. Need to set up a DVD. But dont know where to start.....
Been told a few mins of hi this is us and this is our home/garden.....
Not really liking the idea of being on film.
And also only have iphones to record, and they want it on DVD..... not idea how to do this..... 
Could some one tell me how you do you?
What Disc should i use? So many on the shelves, and i dont know, which one..... Help!


----------



## Caledonia (Sep 4, 2013)

I haven't come accross this before - but then I am at very early stages. Do they not offer to help at all? 

Hopefully someone else has had the same and can advise x


----------



## Jules11 (Jun 21, 2011)

Hi,

Microsoft Movie maker is very easy and free to use and you can upload clips from your iphone.

If you have a college nearby who have media courses you could consider approaching them and asking for help.  Many of the colleges jump on the opportunity to have a real life scenario for students to work on.

Good luck

Jules xx


----------



## sevsxp (Oct 1, 2012)

Ipswichbabe,

Dont fret , my wife and i agonised over this for  ages, but in the end just spent a day one weekend and got it done... remember they are not expecting a hollywood blockbuster.

This is what we did....

Scene 1, a short walk from the street to our front door, and then wife opens the door and says "hi xxxxxx, welcome to your new home"

Then various scenes of each room, we had things in each room that would get his attention.....in the front room we had a train set laid out on the floor, in our dining room, I was having breakfast and said "this is where we would have a family breakfast" a shot of the kitchen, the bathroom with a bath full of bubbles and toys and then we went into his bedroom, wifey was sitting there and said, "this is where we will have fun, read bedtime stories and and go to sleep"

Then a tour of our garden........

In each scene we had Peppa Pig and George somewhere, as we were told they were his favourite, so he would look at each scene to see if he could find him.

Finally we approached his cousins and asked them to do a little "talking head" section.

"Hi I am your cousin xxxxx and cant wait to met you and play football with you over the park"
"Hi I am your cousin xxxxx and cant wait to met you and play videos games"
etc etc ......

Our DVD was about 10 mins long in the end, but he loves it (we hate it and cringe everytime !!)

Hope it helps.....


----------



## Ipswichbabe (May 17, 2005)

Sevsxp- thanks for your message. Did u get someone else to film it so u could both be in it together?!


----------



## Daddyboo (Paul) (Dec 24, 2012)

We will probably be using our iDevices to do the video too, a quick search found this helpful guide on how to transfer and burn to dvd. http://www.wondershare.com/convert-video-audio/iphone-video-to-dvd.html

The least you will need is either a Mac or PC with a DVD writer drive and some dvd-r discs.


----------



## Daddyboo (Paul) (Dec 24, 2012)

We will be attempting to film our DVD tomorrow and I really need to know from others who have done it already the following...

a) How did you introduce the house/home? - This is your new house, this is your forever house, house or home, etc..
b) What are you called in this? - We have been told to introduce ourselves first as 'Forever mummy & daddy", and the just stick to mummy & daddy.
c) Did you film outside your house? at the local park?
d) Backing music?  LO loves the Wizard of Oz, so shall we put the theme music in the background.

Any tips?

We will be using an iPhone and then the above mentioned Windows Movie Maker.

Thanks,

Paul x


----------



## Ipswichbabe (May 17, 2005)

We completed our movie this weekend. in fact its taken all weekend. What a challenge!! Phew we are exhausted!!
It 3mins but shows us in our house playing with toys ..... However we had issues, and when we copied to disc, it copied but play back on our blu ray play is rubbish and its jumpppy and sticks. Audio is ok, but picture is bad. The only thing we have managed to do is send it to memory stick, which means the only way to view is to view on PC. I do hope this is ok and that our childs foster carer has a PC. otherwise we have an issue. This was fun making, but getting the IT sorted was stressy. used iphone, and that was a worse idea, as thats even more challenging getting it from iphone to pc to disc, and then tried movie option on camera. This option was best. but still cant get on disc. 
Really hope memory stick is ok.


----------



## summer girl (Nov 27, 2009)

Hi Ipswich babe, I'm sure this will be fine, if it's an issue I'm sure your LA/VA should have done software to put onto DVD. I had similar issues, but used iDVD to burn to DVD. Also another suggestion is that can you try the DVD in another player/tv, our quality I thought was really bad but when I took it to the VA to lay it was fine on computer and also fine on tv at FCs house. Good luck xx


----------



## Ipswichbabe (May 17, 2005)

THANKS X


----------



## Daddyboo (Paul) (Dec 24, 2012)

We spent all Friday filming and taking pictures, also using iPhones.

I spent a good deal of yesterday editing, now I'm VERY IT literate/Geeky, and yet I still had problems! Very similar to yours going from iPhone to PC to DVD.

We have finally finished the project, added photos into the video and even put intro and exit music on - so cheesy, but so cool! 

We also did a video of my DW and I jointly reading a bedtime story, which added about 5 mins taking the total length of the DVD to just under 9 mins.

The best way I found was to do the following:

0. Use DVD-R discs as these will be compatible with 99% of Bluray and DVD players
1. Film using iPhone/iPad
2. Edit films using Apple software / apps (iMovie is the best)
3. Transfer to PC using your normal USB cable and search for the iPhone under 'My Computer' OR just 'Sync' as usual
4. Download 'Freemake Video Converter' http://www.freemake.com/free_video_converter/
5. Open the program and add your video file
6. Put a blank DVD into the drive
7. Choose 'Burn to DVD' in the options on the 'Video Converter' software
8. Wait around 30mins for it to create your DVD!
9. Finished

I had very bad problems with Windows Movie Maker which made the video jump and skip and pixelate, the benefit of the above free software is that it converts the quicktime (iPhone) movie into a compatible format and also burns it to DVD in one hit.

Hope this helps.

Paul x


----------



## mafergal (Jul 31, 2013)

Thanks for that step by step detail Paul! We are a way off from having to do the DVD but this will definitely help us as we will be filming using an Ipad.    Plus me and windows movie maker do not get on


----------



## Daddyboo (Paul) (Dec 24, 2012)

We did the filming on DW's new iPhone 5C and then I used the app "Simple Transfer Wizard" to move the video from the iPhone to DW's iPad.

The iPad is excellent for video editing, you can add background music too - anything from your iTunes library.


----------



## Miny Moo (Jan 13, 2011)

Pauliboo - we chickened out of doing the video, but we did do a talking photo album, we used our first names, we did this also with our son when we did his intros book, we just said things like this is our house where we live, this is the garden, here is the living room, as both times we have not done their rooms till after MP wrote have just taken photos of their name plaques on the bedroom doors and said look who's name is on the door. Our children have been older though so we have felt it would be to much to introduce ourselves as mummy and daddy.


----------



## Daddyboo (Paul) (Dec 24, 2012)

We asked about the talking Tomy album but as LO will be 4 in March the FCs reckon she is too old.

We basically did what you would on that (talking) album on the DVD, plus a bedtime story as FC said she loves them.  We have also included a 24 page photo album showing different scenes from the DVD.

I'm glad we did the DVD, we showed it the family yesterday at our "Christmas meal" (DW and I are with the inlaws in London for Christmas) and judging by the laughter they really liked it  

I'm sure LO will want to watch the movie long after she comes home too    again, and again and again


----------



## Miny Moo (Jan 13, 2011)

We used an ordinary talking photo album and blinged it up with lots of sparkling flowers and butterflies and as our little one is 5, so the tommy album just was not apropriete for her, was good because we were all able to record our bits, we may do little bits of recording and email them to her FC so that she can see them.


----------



## Daddyboo (Paul) (Dec 24, 2012)

That sounds wonderful Miny, i'm sure your LO will adore it  

We didn't see any other talking albums.  My wife suggested that I should hire out my services in DVD creation  

Leaving shortly for the first panel slot of the morning!

Paul x


----------

