Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatic detection of insertion zones within pre-recorded video material are provided. The apparatus includes a video analysis unit configured to automatically determine at least one candidate insertion zone within the pre-recorded video material suitable for receiving additional material to be inserted and configured to generate zone meta data defining attributes of the insertion zone, and an insertion module configured to receive additional material for insertion and arranged to generate an output representative of the pre-recorded video material with the additional material placed on an insertion zone such that the additional material adopts the image attributes of the insertion zone as the pre-recorded video material is played. The automatic determination of at least one insertion zone is based on one or more of feature shape, size, duration, movement, color.

Abstract: A system and method for incorporating one or more additional video objects into input video data to produce output video data. A method includes retrieving the input video data, analyzing the input video data to identify one or more desired visual attributes for the one or more additional video objects to possess when incorporated into the input video data, creating instructions for generating additional video data comprising the one or more additional video objects having the one or more desired visual attributes and transmitting at least the instructions to a first remote system that has already received at least part of the input video data, the instructions being useable by the remote system to generate the additional video data for incorporation into the input video data.

Abstract: A method of presenting advertising opportunities to users of a digital advertising placement system is described. The method includes receiving sequences of video material from a video material source, the sequences of video material having been processed from original video material to select parts of the original video material which are suitable for placement of digital advertising components. The method further includes incorporating the received sequences of video material into an online catalog accessible to a plurality of users via a data communications network, the online catalog allowing remote access to a user to identify one or more sequences which are of interest to an advertiser wishing to conduct digital advertising placement using said system.