Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining the aesthetic quality of a document page. The method partitions the document page into a plurality of regions according to a predetermined map. Each region is then evaluated to determine whether the region is of acceptable aesthetic quality according to a predetermined profile corresponding to the region and defined by the map. The profile comprises (i) one or more measures of region properties; (ii) an acceptability rule corresponding to each measure; and (iii) a region decision rule (435, 440) based on the results of one or more of the acceptability rules. The method then determines the aesthetic quality for the document page based on the aesthetic quality acceptability of each region and a predetermined page rule defined by the map.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining the aesthetic quality of a document page. The method partitions the document page into a plurality of regions according to a predetermined map. Each region is then evaluated to determine whether the region is of acceptable aesthetic quality according to a predetermined profile corresponding to the region and defined by the map. The profile comprises (i) one or more measures of region properties; (ii) an acceptability rule corresponding to each measure; and (iii) a region decision rule (435, 440) based on the results of one or more of the acceptability rules. The method then determines the aesthetic quality for the document page based on the aesthetic quality acceptability of each region and a predetermined page rule defined by the map.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing media items is disclosed. The method involves selecting a sub-set (106) of the media items (102), and concurrently displaying a spatial representation (606) and a temporal representation (610) of the selected sub-set. Using this starting point, a user can browse, using either a temporal control input (414) or a spatial control input (406), applied to the associated temporal or spatial display (610, 606 respectively), to modify the media item selection (106). The display corresponding to the non-selected navigation mode is automatically and contemporaneously changed to reflect the change in the media item selection.

Abstract: A method of animating a sprite in a video production comprising a plurality of sequential video frames is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of selecting (2004) a feature, with which the sprite is to be juxtaposed, in one of said video frames, applying (2006) a feature tracking process to the video production to thereby output (2008), for a series of said plurality of video frames containing the feature, a temporal-spatial record for the feature across the plurality of video frames, and compositing (2010), with the series of said plurality of video frames, a corresponding series of instantiations of the sprite dependent upon the temporal-spatial record.

Abstract: A dual-mode GUI (600) is disclosed which includes a source timeline (614) and a manual editing timeline (606) within a common editing window (608). This arrangement enables the user to maintain a contextual appreciation of relationships (618) between a parent clip (616) and a related child segment (602) throughout an iterative editing process (1000). Using a dual-mode approach, after the user has performed auto-editing using an auto-edit GUI (1200), the user then activates the dual-mode GUI (600), in order to proceed with additional manual editing (1000).

Abstract: A dual-mode GUI (600) is disclosed which includes a source timeline (614) and a manual editing timeline (606) within a common editing window (608). This arrangement enables the user to maintain a contextual appreciation of relationships (618) between a parent clip (616) and a related child segment (602) throughout an iterative editing process (1000). Using a dual-mode approach, after the user has performed auto-editing using an auto-edit GUI (1200), the user then activates the dual-mode GUI (600), in order to proceed with additional manual editing (1000).

Abstract: A method of animating a sprite in a video production comprising a plurality of sequential video frames is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of selecting (2004) a feature, with which the sprite is to be juxtaposed, in one of said video frames, applying (2006) a feature tracking process to the video production to thereby output (2008), for a series of said plurality of video frames containing the feature, a temporal-spatial record for the feature across the plurality of video frames, and compositing (2010), with the series of said plurality of video frames, a corresponding series of instantiations of the sprite dependent upon the temporal-spatial record.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing media items is disclosed. The method involves selecting a sub-set (106) of the media items (102), and concurrently displaying a spatial representation (606) and a temporal representation (610) of the selected sub-set. Using this starting point, a user can browse, using either a temporal control input (414) or a spatial control input (406), applied to the associated temporal or spatial display (610, 606 respectively), to modify the media item selection (106). The display corresponding to the non-selected navigation mode is automatically and contemporaneously changed to reflect the change in the media item selection.