Abstract: A media-editing application of some embodiments allows a user of the application to group media clips displayed in the timeline into a single clip representation. A composite display area of the media-editing application often displays numerous clips at various instances in time and at various levels in the compositing hierarchy. To reduce the number of media clips in the timeline, the media-editing application of some embodiments allows the user to select several media clips and combine them into a one media clip representation. In this manner, the media-editing application reduces the congestion in the timeline. These single clip representations are referred to as “compound clips.” Compound clips can be viewed as containers that can include several media clips of the same type in some embodiments, or that can include several media clips of several different types in other embodiments.

Abstract: A media application of some embodiments includes a timeline, which is a composite display area for displaying media clips that are part of the composite media presentation. The timeline of some embodiments includes a primary lane called a spine as well as one or more anchor lanes. The spine represents a primary sequence of media, which, in some embodiments, does not have any gaps. When a clip is deleted or removed from the timeline, the media-editing applications automatically closes the gap created in place of the clip. The clips in the anchor lanes are anchored to a particular position along the spine. Anchor lanes may be used for compositing (e.g., removing portions of one video and showing a different video in those portions), B-roll cuts (i.e., cutting away from the primary video to a different video whose clip is in the anchor lane), audio clips, or other composite presentation techniques.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a media-editing application with novel editing tools. The media editing application provides an in-line precision editor that can be opened in the composite display area. In some embodiments, a selection of an edge between two clips expands a composite lane into two lanes, a first lane and a second lane. The first lane is then used to perform edits to the left side of the selected edge, while the second lane is used to perform edits to the right side of the selected edge. In some embodiments, the first lane shows the additional media content available for the clip on the left side of the edge to include. The second lane shows the additional media content available for the clip on the right side of the edge to include. The additional media content is in the source media file, of which a clip represents a portion.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a media editing application. The application places several committed media clips in a composite display area to specify a description of a composite presentation. In response to receiving a request to create a new version for a first media clip placed at a particular location in the composite display area, the application creates an audition set at the particular location in the composite display area. The application creates a second media clip from the first media clip. The application adds the first and second media clips to the audition set. At least one of the first and second media clips is a candidate media clip that is insertable at the location in the composite display area but is not a media clip that has been committed for inclusion in the description of the composite presentation.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a program that creates a composite media presentation from several media clips. The program creates an audition set for a particular location in a composite display area for placing media clips to specify a description of the composite media presentation. The program adds to the audition set several different types of media clips that are candidates for placement in the composite display area at the particular location. The program iteratively selects a different media clip in the audition set as the only committed media clip in the audition set to include in the composite media presentation.

Abstract: For a media-editing application, some embodiments of the invention provide a novel two-dimensional free-form space that allows a user to both visually organize media clips and composite media clips in order to create composite presentations. To visually organize media clips in the space, some embodiments allow the user to add, remove, visually arrange and rearrange, and minimize the media clips. Also, the media clips in the space can be placed at any location within the entire space when the user is visually organizing the media clips. To composite media clips in the free-form space, some embodiments also allow the user to create sequences of media clips, reorder the media clips within sequences, stack sequences, and add or remove media clips from sequences. In some embodiments, the media clips or created sequences can be placed at any location within the entire space when the user is organizing and compositing media clips.

Abstract: For a media-editing application, some embodiments provide tools for editing media clips, such as dynamic editing and playback of media clips. In some embodiments, dynamic editing allows a user of the media-editing application to perform operations on a media clip while the media clip is being played back. Examples of dynamic editing operations include tagging instances in time of the media clip, splitting the media clip into multiple media clips, trimming the ends of the media clip, and extending a trimmed media clip, among other operations. In addition, to composite media clips, some embodiments also allow the user to create sequences of media clips, reorder the media clips within sequences, stack sequences, and add or remove media clips from sequences. Some such embodiments allow the user to composite media clips while some or all of the media clips are being played back.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for performing operations in a user interface of an application. The method activates a cursor to operate as a multi-operation user-interface (UI) tool. The method performs a first operation with the multi-operation UI tool in response to cursor controller input in a first direction. The method performs a second operation with the multi-operation UI tool in response to cursor controller input in a second direction. At least one of the first and second operations is a non-directional operation.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method that receives a timeline that includes several pieces of content. The method receives user input to divide the timeline into hierarchical segments of varying duration. The method defines associations between the pieces of content and at least one hierarchical level of the segments. In some embodiments, the method is performed by a media-editing application and the pieces of content are media clips inserted into the timeline by a user.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a computer readable medium storing a media editing application for creating multimedia presentations. The application includes a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI includes a composite display area for displaying a portion of a timeline to which multimedia clips are assigned to create a composite media presentation. The timeline is divided into user-defined segments. The GUI includes an outline window for displaying a list of selectable items representing the user-defined segments, the selectable items for use in applying various operations to the user-modifiable segments. In some embodiments, the various operations include operations to insert a new segment into the timeline, to merge at least two segments into one segment, to hide a particular segment from view, to focus on a particular segment or group of segments in the composite display area, as well as other operations.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a computer readable medium storing a media editing application for creating multimedia presentations. The application includes a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI includes a composite display area for displaying a portion of a timeline to which multimedia clips are assigned to create a composite media presentation. The GUI includes a user interface tool for dividing the timeline into segments. The GUI includes an editing tool for applying an effect to each of a plurality of clips in a particular segment of the timeline. The GUI includes a user interface tool for modifying a duration of at least one segment. Different versions of the segments may be created.

Abstract: A computer readable medium (CRM) storing a media editing application for creating media presentations is described. The application includes a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI has (1) a display area for displaying a composite presentation that the application creates by compositing a plurality of media clips, (2) a composite display area for displaying graphical representations of a set of media clips that are part of the composite presentation and a set of media clips that are candidates for adding to the composite presentation, and (3) a preview tool for differentiating in the composite display area the graphical representation of any media clip that is part of the composite presentation from the graphical representation of any media clip that is a candidate for adding to the composite presentation.

Abstract: A computer readable medium (CRM) storing a media editing application for creating media presentations is described. The application includes a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI has (1) a display area for displaying a composite presentation that the application creates by compositing a plurality of media clips, (2) a composite display area for displaying graphical representations of a set of media clips that are part of the composite presentation, (3) an audition display area for displaying graphical representations of a set of media clips that are candidates for adding to the composite presentation at a particular location, and (4) an audition tool for creating an audition set for a particular location in the composite display area, where the audition set is a user modifiable set of clips, each of which is for individual placement at the particular location for inclusion in the composite presentation.