DVD Menu Analysis (Part 1)

Shrek (2001):

Shrek is a computer-animated, fantasy-comedy film, adapted from William Steig’s book, produced by Pacific Data Images and DreamWorks and co-directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson and is known and considered as one of the best animated films of it’s time. 

I remember watching Shrek on VCR (it was released on both VCR and DVD) over and over when I was growing up. I was completely captivated. Not just by the story, by everything, the moving images, the characters, the detail, the music, everything. Although, I still think it’s just as good now as it was then, I’ve never really fathomed just how much of an impact it has had on the industry. Ultimately, it was a huge turning point for animation and I guess, storytelling through the medium of film in general. Not only were the visuals impressive throughout the entirety of the 90 minutes, but also the whole layout of menu set up and the other additional features too.

The most noticeable thing that sets Shrek apart from other DVDs released in the early 00s is how interactive it is. After the unforgettable DreamWorks logo, it begins with Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) leaving his house to find dozens of fairytale characters (exiled by Lord Farquaad) standing outside his door, in his swamp. This sequence is not only humorous but mirrors the exact plot of the film. When you select and option, one or several characters respond (video and audio), for example when you click Play, the three little pigs trot off into Shrek’s outside toilet. The third pig yells, “play the movie” the second says “Yah” (they’re German) and the other recites “play” again. One of the main reasons I believe that Shrek was and still is such a popular film is because of the incredible interaction between the characters. This is not only ever present in the movie, but the menu set up as well. Creating an animated DVD menu just makes everything more exciting, more interesting (especially for younger audiences) and generally more aesthetically pleasing, whilst also showcases just how much care and love goes into fabricating a film.

The menu set up consists of: A play button, scene index (otherwise known as scene selection), special features, subtitles and audio. It remains a particular visual style throughout. The text (the green, Shrek font) is relative to the main character and the buttons in ‘scene index’ are designed to look like something within the backdrop of the movie. When you move from button to button, they are either underlined or highlighted in orange, which simply makes it easy to navigate.Other than creating a more visually exciting experience, using animation can be a more efficient way of viewing. It is particular helpful for the scene index feature, as you are offered snippets from the film rather than just still images, therefore enabling you decipher what scene you desire.

Both VCR and DVD copies include the Shrek in the Swamp Dance Party! – A 3-minute musical short film where the characters perform a medley of modern pop songs after the ending of the film.

The special edition (DVD) includes other features such as:

A hidden karaoke video, which consists of characters singing various songs such as ‘YMCA’ and Who Let the Dogs Out’. To find this feature, make sure you’re on the main menu, and then press the Up button to highlight the musical note and press enter. This is considered an Easter egg. An Easter egg can be in the form of an inside joke or hidden message/feature. In films, they are usually accessed through a specific sequence of button clicks and user commands. However, they aren’t just created for films, they can be found in computer games, video games and books too.

Other bonus features; behind the scenes featurette, hidden fun facts, character interviews, ‘Game Swamp’ (over 15 interactive games and activities like ‘Shrek Pinball’) and ‘Shrek’s Music Room’ which includes videos from the band Smash Mouth (who’s songs feature of the film). The second disc offers filmmakers commentary, the ‘Tech of Shrek’, character design progression reel and much more. All of these extra features are another reason why Shrek was so well received and also why it’s still so memorable. 

The region code for the UK is 2 and the format used is PAL (Each region has a different code. Region codes are a way of managing digital rights; film distributors control all aspects of a release i.e. release date, price and content, which may differ with each region. A DVD player will only play DVDs that are encoded to it’s own region.

The format is DVD-R, which is generally the most familiar kind of DVD. It can record up to 4.7GB (which is roughly 90 minutes of storage). Much like the DVD+R it is not re-writable, meaning once recorded and finalised it cannot be erased. However, they were both developed by different software. DVD+R is considered more reliable as it uses more recent technology when burning information onto a disc, but as DVD-R is an earlier format it plays on nearly all DVD players. Other optional DVD formats are Dual layer and double sided DVDs.