Abstract: Some embodiments provide a graphical user interface (GUI) of a media-editing application. The GUI includes a composite display area for displaying a set of media clips that define a composite presentation. The set of media clips includes a particular media clip which includes several different groups of ordered clips that are selectable for use in the composite presentation. The GUI includes a preview display area for simultaneously displaying video images from several of the different groups corresponding to a time in the composite presentation. The displayed video images in the preview display area are selectable to determine which of the groups is for use in the composite presentation.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method that receives the addition of a video clip having a first set of spatial properties to a composite video project having a second set of spatial properties. When the first set of spatial properties and the second set of spatial properties are different, the method automatically applies a spatial conform effect to the video clip to conform images of the video clip to the second set of spatial properties. The method receives input to transform images of the video clip as displayed in the composite video project. The method stores the spatial conform effect and the received transform as separate effects for the video clip.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a media-editing application for creating and editing a media presentation that displays the results of edits as the edits are made to the media presentation. The media-editing application displays the movement of media clips of the media presentation as the media clips are being moved within the media-editing application to change the media presentation. Also, the media editing application in some embodiments can dynamically display the results of edits in a preview display area. That is, the media editing application has a preview generator that can generate previews of the media presentation on the fly as media clips are being dragged into and within the timeline. This allows the user of the media-editing application to see and hear the results of the operation while performing them.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for defining a data structure for representing a media file imported into a media-editing application. The method defines a reference to an original version of a media file. The method defines references to one or more transcoded versions of the media file. Each of the transcoded versions has a different resolution. The method defines a set of metadata storing information regarding the media file. In some embodiments, the media file includes both audio and video. The method defines a video clip data structure for the media file that references the first data structure and an audio clip data structure for the media file that also references the asset data structure. The method defines a media clip data structure that contains the video clip data structure and the audio clip data structure. The media clip data structure is for editing into a composite video presentation.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method that receives the addition of a video clip to a composite video project. The video clip has a sequence of video images at a first frame rate and the composite video project has a second frame rate for outputting video images. When the first frame rate does not match the second frame rate but is within a threshold of the second frame rate, the method generates output video images for a particular duration of the composite video project at the second frame rate by using each of the video images of the video clip once during the particular duration. When the first frame rate is not within the threshold, generating output video images for the particular duration of the composite video project at the second frame rate by using at least one of the video images for each output video image over the particular duration.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a media-editing application. The application defines a reference clip data structure for a media clip that represents one or more media files imported into the media-editing application. The application receives a command to add the media clip into a composite media presentation. The application defines a clip instance data structure as part of the composite media presentation. The clip instance data structure inherits properties of the reference clip data structure and subsequent modifications to the reference clip data structure affect the clip instance data structure.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a graphical user interface (GUI) of a media-editing application. The GUI includes a composite display area for displaying a set of media clips that define a composite presentation. The set of media clips includes a particular media clip which includes several different groups of ordered clips that are selectable for use in the composite presentation. The GUI includes a preview display area for simultaneously displaying video images from several of the different groups corresponding to a time in the composite presentation. The displayed video images in the preview display area are selectable to determine which of the groups is for use in the composite presentation.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for defining a data structure for representing a media file imported into a media-editing application. The method defines a reference to an original version of a media file. The method defines references to one or more transcoded versions of the media file. Each of the transcoded versions has a different resolution. The method defines a set of metadata storing information regarding the media file. In some embodiments, the media file includes both audio and video. The method defines a video clip data structure for the media file that references the first data structure and an audio clip data structure for the media file that also references the asset data structure. The method defines a media clip data structure that contains the video clip data structure and the audio clip data structure. The media clip data structure is for editing into a composite video presentation.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a media-editing application for creating and editing a media presentation that displays the results of edits as the edits are made to the media presentation. The media-editing application displays the movement of media clips of the media presentation as the media clips are being moved within the media-editing application to change the media presentation. Also, the media editing application in some embodiments can dynamically display the results of edits in a preview display area. That is, the media editing application has a preview generator that can generate previews of the media presentation on the fly as media clips are being dragged into and within the timeline. This allows the user of the media-editing application to see and hear the results of the operation while performing them.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method that receives the addition of a video clip having a first set of spatial properties to a composite video project having a second set of spatial properties. When the first set of spatial properties and the second set of spatial properties are different, the method automatically applies a spatial conform effect to the video clip to conform images of the video clip to the second set of spatial properties. The method receives input to transform images of the video clip as displayed in the composite video project. The method stores the spatial conform effect and the received transform as separate effects for the video clip.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method that receives the addition of a video clip to a composite video project. The video clip has a sequence of video images at a first frame rate and the composite video project has a second frame rate for outputting video images. When the first frame rate does not match the second frame rate but is within a threshold of the second frame rate, the method generates output video images for a particular duration of the composite video project at the second frame rate by using each of the video images of the video clip once during the particular duration. When the first frame rate is not within the threshold, generating output video images for the particular duration of the composite video project at the second frame rate by using at least one of the video images for each output video image over the particular duration.

Abstract: For a media-editing application that creates a composite media presentation, some embodiments of the invention provide a method for reducing rendering operations by dividing the composite presentation into several segments and rendering the segments in a manner that allows for these segments to move with respect to each other without losing the rendered results. The media-editing application defines portions of a media presentation as segments. When the media-editing application renders a segment of the media presentation, the application computes an identifier that uniquely identifies the segment and then uses this identifier to store and later retrieve the rendered result for the segment. The application in some embodiments computes the identifier based on a set of attributes of the segment, and stores the results of rendering the segment at a location that is uniquely identifiable in a storage structure by the identifier.