Effectively embedding videos in InDesign

The integration of videos in InDesign can significantly enhance the content of your documents. Interactive documents allow for the efficient use of not just graphics and text, but also multimedia content. In this guide, you will learn how to integrate videos into an InDesign file and export them as an interactive PDF. Additionally, I will show you how to use page transition effects for a more engaging user experience.

Main findings

• Videos can be easily placed in InDesign just like images.
• The suitable format for video files is Flash (FLV).
• The control settings allow for user-friendly playback in the PDF.
• Page transitions enhance the visual appeal of the PDF file.

Step-by-step guide

Inserting videos into InDesign

To embed a video file in your InDesign file, start by placing a graphic frame. This works just like integrating an image. You can create an empty frame where the video will be displayed later.

Next, open the “File” menu and select the “Place” option. This allows you to select the desired video file that you previously saved on your computer. Make sure you are using the correct format. FLV files are recommended here.

When you double-click the file, the video will be displayed in the previously created graphic frame. At first, you might only see a frame with lines, but this is an indicator that the video has been successfully placed. To ensure everything is working, open the Media panel via the "Interactive" window and load the video preview.

Setting a still image for the video

To set a still image of the video, play the video in the Media panel and pause at the desired moment. Once you find the perfect still image, press the pause button. From now on, you can use the current frame as a still image in the Media panel. It is also possible to select your own image from your hard drive, but in this case, we will use the still image directly from the video.

The still image will now be placed in your graphic frame. Additionally, you can set interactions. For example, you can embed controls that allow the user to control the video with buttons. This is done by selecting the 'Skin Overall' option in the Media panel and checking the box for 'Show controls on rollover.'

Video playback settings

It is also possible to automatically play the video when the page loads. To do this, check the option “Play video when loading.” This is especially recommended for calm videos without quick scene changes, as it immediately draws the user's attention to the video upon opening the PDF. For longer videos, it is also possible to set navigation points that enable quicker access to specific sections within the video.

Exporting the InDesign file as PDF

In the next step, you will export the document as an interactive PDF. Through the “File” menu and the shortcut “Ctrl + E,” you will open the export dialog. Here, you must ensure that you select an interactive PDF as the file type.

In the following dialog, leave all default settings unchanged. Note that you can also set page transitions. These provide various effects that become visible when flipping through the PDF. You can use the page palette (F12) to open the corresponding submenu.

Here, you can go through various page transition effects to see which one you like best. However, not all effects are visible in a PDF file. Nonetheless, it is important to check early on how these effects impact the user experience.

For safety, check the box “Open in full screen mode” to ensure the transition effects appear. By pressing “OK,” the PDF will be generated, which you can test immediately.

Conclusion and testing

Once the PDF file is generated and opens, you can test the functionality. To ensure that everything works as desired, test the video playback and the page transition effects. The interactive nature of your PDF will be immediately visible, and you can see the various elements in action.

Summary - Guide: Embedding video in InDesign and exporting as PDF

Throughout the process, you can see how easy it is to insert a video into an InDesign document and design the interactive PDF. You are now able to effectively integrate multimedia content into your projects.