How do I create my own favorite template for DVD slideshows? I used to be able to select this from pulldown menu, but cannot now do so. I am directed straight to templates, which take more memory. I have a large slideshow, and need all the space I can get

Question

First, how do I create my own favorite theme template for DVD slideshows? I used to be able to select this from pulldown menu, but cannot now do so. I am directed straight to already existing themes, which take more memory. I have a large slideshow, and need all the space I can get. I just want to use a picture as my DVD cover, and then insert a slideshow. Also, when I try to burn my 8.5gb double sided slideshow, all that burns is the music. It is a large slideshow, a memorial on the life of my now deceased brother. This means a lot to me and to my family, and I am having so much trouble trying to burn it. I have gone into Project View and selected appropriately. The bar shows I have room to burn this DVD, but it does not burn.  I have burned so many DVDs in the past, but this one just will not burn. I am so confused at this point. I will say this is the first 8.5gb I have attempted to create and burn. My specs list a 7.7gb or 4.7gb as operable....but there are no 7.7gb dvds. I had to purchase 8.5gb. Help? What am I doing wrong? I have spent so much time on this, and just cannot figure it out.

Answer 1

Final Cut is a separate, higher end video editor.  The pro version of iMovie.
Give iPhoto a look at for creating the slideshow.  It's easy to assemble the photos in an album in iPhoto, put them in the order you want and then make a slideshow of them.  You can select from various themes and transitions between slides and add music from your iTunes library.
When you have the slidshow as you want use the Export button at the bottom of the iPhoto window and export with Size = Medium or Large.
Save the resulting Quicktime movie file in your Movies folder.
Next, open iDVD, choose your theme and drag the QT movie file into the menu window being careful to avoid any drop zones.
Then follow this workflow to help assure the best qualty video DVD:
Once you have the project as you want it save it as a disk image via the File ➙ Save as Disk Image  menu option. This will separate the encoding process from the burn process. 
To check the encoding mount the disk image, launch DVD Player and play it.  If it plays OK with DVD Player the encoding is good.
Then burn to disk with Disk Utility or Toast at the slowest speed available (2x-4x) to assure the best burn quality.  Always use top quality media:  Verbatim, Maxell or Taiyo Yuden DVD-R are the most recommended in these forums.
The reason I suggest iPhoto is that I find it much easier to use than iMovie (except for the older iMovie 6 HD version).  Personal preferences showing here.