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Question about making DVD and blu ray covers.

H

harmonica44

I would like to make the covers for a short film I helped some people work on. However, we have watched a few tutorials, and there is always one part left out. Here's a tutorial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QFS85cuH2E

In the tutorial, at the very end, it shows how to put the paper cover into the plastic slip of the DVD cover. But no tutorial talks about where to get the clear plastic sheet for the DVD cover to put it on the first place? Where do you get those plastic sheets from and how do you get them to stay on the dvd covers?
 
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harmonica44 said:
I would like to make the covers for a short film I helped some people work on. However, we have watched a few tutorials, and there is always one part left out. Here's a tutorial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QFS85cuH2E

In the tutorial, at the very end, it shows how to put the paper cover into the plastic slip of the DVD cover. But no tutorial talks about where to get the clear plastic sheet for the DVD cover to put it on the first place? Where do you get those plastic sheets from and how do you get them to stay on the dvd covers?
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There's nothing missing from these tutorials :lol: , the DVD covers come with the plastic covers built onto them. They're pre-made that way.

If for some reason, though, you've bought DVD cases that didn't have plastic covers already on them, then you apparently got ripped off, because every single batch of cases I've ever bought has them. Blu-ray and PS3 cases are the same way.
 
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A friend gave them to me, but not sure where he got them. It was from old movies, so it wasn't really a rip off. He must have torn the plastic parts off. So it's no rip off, I will just go get some unused ones. But thanks a lot for the input. I didn't know they came with them already on. I looked at a pack before in the store, but just thought, I could just use old covers of dvds for free.
 
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harmonica44 said:
A friend gave them to me, but not sure where he got them. It was from old movies, so it wasn't really a rip off. He must have torn the plastic parts off. So it's no rip off, I will just go get some unused ones. But thanks a lot for the input. I didn't know they came with them already on. I looked at a pack before in the store, but just thought, I could just use old covers of dvds for free.
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You certainly could if you don't have anyway to trade in or sell the films and would just rather throw them out. But you're probably right. Your friend just must not have known that the paper cover can come out from under the plastic and that the plastic should have stayed.

DVD cases that can be bought in surplus are usually lower quality than professional commercial ones. They seem to be made in an injection molding process, so they have frayed edges and a softer more pliable feeling to them. But they still serve just as good of purpose, and in some instances, the snapper in the middle that holds the disk can actually be of superior quality than commercial ones.

Here's a link to a set of 25 cases for just under $10: http://www.amazon.com/STANDARD-Black-Single-Cases-14MM/dp/B002ROEKBW/ref=sr_1_1?s=audio-video-accessories&ie=UTF8&qid=1438647947&sr=1-1&keywords=DVD+cases

Or here's a better deal with a pack of 50 for $14.59: http://www.amazon.com/Progo-Standard-Black-Single-Cases/dp/B00VS57EFA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1438648088&sr=8-2&keywords=14mm+DVD+cases
 
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harmonica44 said:
Okay thanks. When it comes to going to a copy shop and printing the DVD covers off on photo paper, is their anything I should be aware of, such as what photo paper to use, etc?
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Haven't been able to figure that out yet, honestly. I think you have to have a really good printer first to get the quality of commercial covers, so making them from home will always be a rougher process. Probably best to outsource them to a real print-shop with the right equipment and the right paper, and then get a box of the printed covers sent back to you to slip into the cases you end up buying. I plan to see about doing that for my latest film when it's ready for Blu-ray.
 
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harmonica44 said:
Okay thanks. When it comes to going to a copy shop and printing the DVD covers off on photo paper, is their anything I should be aware of, such as what photo paper to use, etc?
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Ask it at the copyshop.
You can even ask to print it on 2 kinds of paper, so you can compare. It might cost you $1,- extra... or $5, depending on the paper and prices.

I usually use normal A4 paper for covers, but I'm not pretending it is coming from a press...
It looks good enough to me.
I bring a PDF with me, where the cover has the right size and cutting lines, so I can use a papercutter to give it he right size. The cutting can also be done at most printshops/copyshops.
 
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