Before starting CD production, several choices have to be made: the number of copies, the manufacturing process, the type of packaging and the various finishes.
Hurricane Entertainment offers different solutions to adapt production to the project, whether it is an album, an EP or other content to be released on physical media.
Decide how many copies to make
The first step is to decide how many CDs you want.
At Hurricane Entertainment, CD pressing is available from 50 copies.
Pressing is an industrial process. A master containing the audio data is used to create a metal mould. Polycarbonate is then pressed from this mould to make the discs.
Duplication is another option. It reproduces the content of the original CD onto blank CDs. Hurricane Entertainment presents it as a fast, affordable solution, particularly suited to small quantities.
The number of copies is therefore one of the first things to decide when preparing the project.
Choose your packaging
Once the quantity has been decided, you need to choose how the CD will be presented.
Hurricane Entertainment offers several CD packaging solutions, including:
- the cardboard sleeve;
- the jewel case;
- the digipack;
- the digisleeve;
- the digifile;
- the Mint Pack;
- the double jewel case.
A digipack can have several panels and hold a booklet. A digisleeve is made entirely of cardboard, with slots to slide the discs in.
The cardboard sleeve is a light, affordable solution, while the jewel case offers a more classic presentation.
The choice therefore depends on the kind of presentation you want for the project.
Booklet or no booklet
Various configurations offered by Hurricane Entertainment also allow a booklet to be included in the packaging.
The order form includes digipacks, digisleeves, digifiles and jewel cases with booklets of different page counts.
The format should therefore be chosen according to how the different elements of the project are to be presented.
Choose the finishes
Customisation also covers some manufacturing details.
For digipacks, sleeves and files, Hurricane Entertainment offers a gloss or matt finish.
Different CD tray colours are also available: clear, black or white.
The order form also offers an option to print on recycled board.
These choices let you further personalise the final presentation of the CD.
Think about the disc print
The artwork printed directly on the CD is also part of the project.
Hurricane Entertainment offers a white base layer. Without it, the parts of the CD with no image keep the metallic colour of the disc.
The white base layer is especially recommended when a photo, a landscape or a highly detailed image is printed on the CD, to get a look closer to paper.
Prepare the artwork
Hurricane Entertainment's design team specialises in creating artwork for CD pressing.
It can retouch existing images, create designs, add text, handle layout and colour choices, and adapt the files to the technical specifications needed for printing.
The artwork files can also be checked or corrected before production.
A project to prepare before production
Quantity, manufacturing process, packaging, booklet, finish, tray or disc print: several elements can be decided before production starts.
Preparing these choices in advance lets you define exactly the configuration you want for your project and give Hurricane Entertainment the information it needs to produce it.
