Open publishing platform Lulu is known for making a global print-on-demand, disc manufacturing, and distribution and fulfillment network available to independent authors, filmmakers and other individuals.
For several years, creators have been able to make everything from hard-cover and paperback books to photo calendars, CDs and DVDs available in both Web-based and brick-and-mortar outlets around the world. Until this month that is, when Lulu inexplicably dropped the CD and DVD publishing element on its site and abruptly shuttered the catalog to concentrate on print publishing only.
This gap left indy filmmakers, academics marketing their lectures, and other small fry who had been using Lulu’s disc distribution system scrambling. Two alternative players that are in the on-demand CD and DVD fulfillment and distribution market, and thus are suitable for independents, are Amazon’s CreateSpace and A1 Tech’s TrepStar.
In this article, I’ll explain how to migrate your projects from Lulu.
Step 1
Log in to your Lulu account and download your content files to a local PC. Click on the “My Lulu” tab and you’ll see your CD and DVD projects are no longer available. However, if you click on “My Files” you will see your project images are still there.
Artwork files use the extensions .pdf and .jpg, and disc images use the extension .iso. Pull these files off Lulu as soon as you can because Lulu has said it will be deleting them in due course.
Step 2
Click on the “Create Account” on Amazon’s CreateSpace or “Free Setup” button on A1 Tech’s TrepStar, and open an account. Be aware that CreateSpace is less tolerant of indy production.
For example, it won’t accept monaural audio, whereas TrepStar will. Click on “Add New Title” or “Add” to start a new project.
Step 3
Follow the setup wizard to enter the project details, like the name of the project and other attributes such as the type of project — CD or DVD.
Depending on the fulfillment house, you may be required to enter the duration of your DVD and more. Both CreateSpace and TrepStar have specific requirements relating to these types of questions that are listed within the wizard.
Step 4
Upload the artwork. CreateSpace and Lulu use the same dimensions for disc and DVD case overwrap. However, TrepStar’s are slightly different, which means if you want to go the TrepStar route, you will need to re-size your art.
The disc art dimensions are 4.75-inches height and width on TrepStar. The DVD case overwrap is 3236 pixels for TrepStar. TrepStart will stretch any image to fit, so you may find that easier than reworking your art.
Step 5
Submit your files for review. Here’s where the two services differ wildly. Unlike Lulu and TrepStar, CreateSpace requires that you burn a disc and send it in for checking before you can order a proof.
TrepStar, as formerly with Lulu, allows you to provide electronic files. However, unlike Lulu, you can’t simply load the ISO file to the server. You need to load it to your own server and provide TrepStar with the URL, whereupon TrepStar will download the file.
Amazon Web Services provides cloud server space called “Amazon Simple Storage Service” (S3) for a few dollars a month.
Step 6
Monitor your email for confirmation from Amazon or TrepStar that the files are acceptable, and then order a proof.
Review the proof and, if acceptable, approve distribution.
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Orange Flute has service to publish DVDs and any step based programs on iPhone and iPads. The programs can be sold individually from within the app or entire app can be set for sale. It’s ideal for offering a long-tail of content on the mobile devices.
I have gone to trepstar.com the other site that you mentioned. I should have done that before posting the first time. They DO offer services for Data Disc so that issue is solved. I think Cafepress.com does to if I noticed correctly from a glance at the google results.
Just thought I would share in case someone else ends up here.
Hervy
ok, trepstar.com seems cool but I found another one that works real well just a whole lot different.
Kunika.com is great for small runs less than 100. Which includes single burns. If someone wants bulk of 1000 or more, it’s best to use trepstar.com or check with other replication services as Kunika doesn’t do volume discounting.
Thanks for that post Patrick, I found it while searching for an alternative to Lulu. I have been assembling a product a week to upload based on a visit I made there a year or so ago. I knew they handled data discs.
Was surprised today to see that was no longer an option.
I don’t think create space does data disc. Do you know where the best place to sell Data disc like Lulu used to do?
I have 10 full length CDs that I want to consolidate to 1 disc as data to give one steal of a deal. How can I do it without fulfilling myself?
Thanks in advance.
Hervy