Text size for use in the iMovie/iDVD chain.
 

These are my test assumptions to obtain maximum text readability:

  1. black background
  2. white text
  3. san serif text
  4. no scrolling text
 
I created a 640x480 pixel at 72 dpi black image in Photoshop and used Helvetica Medium at a variety of point sizes to create the test text.
 
I saved the image as a TIFF file and also as a JPEG file (Photoshop level 12 - highest quality).
 
I brough each still image into iMovie 3.0.2.
 
The "Ken Burns effect" was set to 1x for both start and finish and I set the duration at 15 seconds (you may want to adjust this depending on the amount of text to be read).
 

I saved the movie using the following settings:

  1. File>Export>To QuickTime

  2. Formats: Expert Settings

  3. click Export

  4. Export: Movie to QuickTime Movie

  5. click Options

  6. set Video Settings: Compression: DV/DVCPRO NTSC. Quality: Best, Frame Rate: 29.97
 
I brought the movie into iDVD 3 and burned a DVD-RW to evaluate the text sizes.
 
On both my computer screen and my TV set I would recommend using no smaller than Helvetica Medium 18 point. I could read smaller sizes - but with a little difficulty. Stick with 18 pt!
 
The JPEG file was a little easier to read (the compression process gets rid of some of the high frequency information and that probably helps the MPEG2 compressor in iDVD).
 
Remember that although a computer screen will show the entire frame, a TV screen cuts off the edges so stay in the TV Safe area.
 


Screen grab from Apple's DVD Player using SnapzProX.

Shooting-Digital.com is the companion site for a new book Shooting Digital: Pro Tips for Taking Great Pictures with Your Digital Camera written by Mikkel Aaland. I was the Technical Editor of the book. Shooting-Digital.com is also an educational site devoted to all aspects of digital imaging. Topics include shooting, acquiring, using and sharing digital images. Check it out!

8 August 2003, Copyright 2003 by Frederick L. Shippey, Electronic Imaging Consulting