The Phantom Menace DVD is big winner at DVD Awards with 4 of them (1 Viewer)

[oscar_merkx]

Great news indeed about this DVD.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020822/nyth028_1.html
HOLLYWOOD, Aug. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace was the big winner at today's 5th Annual DVD Awards taking home four awards including "Viewers' Choice," "Best Menu Design," "Best Authoring" and Best Audio Presentation" (a tie with Pearl Harbor: Vista Series. The DVD version of Citizen Kane, the 1941 Orson Welles masterpiece, was named "Best of Show." The landmark DVD box set, The Godfather DVD Collection was named "Best Special Edition DVD." Benjamin Feingold, President of Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Division, was given the DVD Pioneer Awards for his contributions to advancing the format.
Winners were announced earlier this evening in a ceremony hosted by Leonard Maltin at the Universal City Hilton, during the 5th Annual DVD Entertainment Conference & Showcase.
The DVD Awards annually honor the best in DVD arts and sciences. Artistic categories include Best of Show DVD, Viewers Choice Award, Best Special Edition DVD, Best Standard Release DVD, Best Educational/Documentary DVD, Best Music Release DVD, Best Restoration DVD, Best DVD-Audio/Non Video and Best DVD-ROM Content. Craft categories include: Best Video Presentation, Best Audio Presentation, Best Packaging, Best Menu Design and Best Authoring
check out the link for all the awards
Star Wars is back once again

 

[Lewis Besze]

"Best Authoring" and Best Audio Presentation"

Oh boy now you've done it!

 

[HenrikTull]

They forgot to mention "Best Video Presentation".

 

[Terrell]

Pardon my ignorance, but what's best Authoring? As for the other awards, no doubt TPM should have won those, especially the audio. Now we can wait for the DD/DTS debate to commence.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Not sure what the timeframe is on eligibility, but if PH: Vista is a contender, I cannot see how TPM won either of those technical categories (menu doesn't count). PH:VS is a BEAUTIFUL presentation, and while the audio is debatable, I feel PH wins this easily.
To each their own. Being hosted by Leonard Maltin isn't a good sign
Take care,
Chuck

 

[Neil Joseph]

All I know is this is one of my favourite DVD's. Sure there was a bit of EE though.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Hear hear - great disc. Would love to see more of the behind the scenes footage! The best behind the scenes documentary I have ever watched.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

Yes, if authoring include adding EE, then the judges must be checking these on 12" screens.

 

[Luis A]

My most watched DVD. Glad to see SW getting it's much deserved props.

 

[William Ward]

They must have bumped up the volume to play the Phantom Menace's soundtrack at levels equal to the other contenders....

 

[Terrell]

Chuck, which categories do you mean? PH Vista and TPM tied on audio. Menu design is a no brainer for TPM. Viewers choice I assume is very subjective. As for authoring, I have no idea what what includes. Best video presentation went to Shrek.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Next guy who even utters the letters D T S in that order is getting a Lightsaber up the rear!
I agree that 'SW EP1' has a better DD track than 'PH VS' but not by much IMO.
I've always wondered about authoring myself.

 

[Brett C]

Yeah I agree with audio but people must have had rose tinted glasses on when they choose this for authoring in my opinion...

 

[Terrell]

WHAT IS AUTHORING?

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Authoring is the transfer and compression of the movie from the film master to the final DVD product. This is (I'd assume) measured by a combination of audio and video quality and by the lack of issues such as lip sync problems or otherwise.

There are defineately better transfers out there (though TPM was far from bad), so I guess the superb audio track must have tipped the balance.

 

[Terrell]

Thanks Adam. Well, I would say TPM is absolutely first rate in terms of lipsync and audio. As for video, I'd certainly say it's a good transfer, but not reference. So I couldn't honestly say it's the best in that regard. On the other hand, TPM didn't win for best video presentation. Shrek won that.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Makes sense, since it was a direct digital transfer. I agree that TPM deserved the Best Audio and I think it had the most elegant menus of last year, although that's more subjective and artistic tastes than video or audio.

 

[SvenS]

As bad as the video is on the Godfather DVD's I fail to see how this could even be considered a top SE let alone win it!

 

[Harry Callaghan]

couldn't disagree with the audio and menu awards, or the viewers choice either. good to see a very well presented dvd get its kudos.

 

[Marty Christion]

Authoring is the transfer and compression of the movie from the film master to the final DVD product. This is (I'd assume) measured by a combination of audio and video quality and by the lack of issues such as lip sync problems or otherwise

Umm...the transfer of film -> HD is usually referred to as mastering, getting from the HD master to a form suitable for compression is also mastering, and compressing to MPEG2 is, well, it's compression.

An authoring company may offer these services, but they don't fall under the description of authoring per se.

Authoring is the actual programming and building of the disc. The DVD Author takes all of the elements (compressed video, compressed audio, substreams, menu graphics and animations and audio, etc) and programs them into a cohesive format readable by set-top DVD players. Authoring is similar to building a web page in many regards.

The best authored disc would probably be judged by the complexity of all the elements involved, and the complexity of the programming needed to make it work on a wide range of set top players.