Abstract: Some embodiments provide a media compositing method that performs automated processes (1) to analyze the media content pieces (MCPs) to define one or more MCP groups, and (2) produces a user interface (UI) layout that identifies the defined MCP groups as groups for which the method can display composite presentations (e.g., video presentations). To define the MCP groups, the method of some embodiments uses one or more media grouping templates (MGTs). In some embodiments, the method can define multiple MGT instances for an MGT. For instance, in some embodiments, the MGTs include (1) location-bounded MGTs (e.g., videos and/or photos captured within a region with a particular radius), (2) time-bounded MGTs (e.g., videos and/or photos captured within a particular time range and/or date range), (3) time-bounded and location-bounded MGTs (e.g., mornings at a beach), (4) content-defined MGTs (e.g., videos and/or photos containing smiles), and (5) user-metadata based MGTs (e.g.

Abstract: A method to author music. The method includes generating, based on a collection of media clips stored on a device, an audio component for an audio/video (A/V) presentation, determining a plurality of locations within the audio component where a beat, onset, segment boundary, or stinger occurs within the audio component, selecting a particular location in the plurality of locations as a transition location, generating, based the collection of media clips and the transition location within the audio component, a video component for the A/V presentation, and generating the A/V presentation based on the audio component and the video component.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments are directed to dynamic aspect media presentations. In an embodiment, a method comprises: obtaining, by a mobile device, a first set of instructions for playing a media presentation in a first format, the media presentation including a composition of media assets; playing, by a media player of the mobile device, the media presentation in a media player view in the first format according to the first set of instructions; obtaining, by the mobile device, a switching event trigger signal; responsive to the switching event trigger signal: obtaining, by the mobile device, a second set of instructions for playing the media presentation in a second format that is different than the first format; and playing, by the media player, the media presentation in the media player view in the second format according to the second set of instructions.

Abstract: A method to author music. The method includes generating, based on a collection of media clips stored on a device, an audio component for an audio/video (A/V) presentation, determining a plurality of locations within the audio component where a beat, onset, segment boundary, or stinger occurs within the audio component, selecting a particular location in the plurality of locations as a transition location, generating, based the collection of media clips and the transition location within the audio component, a video component for the A/V presentation, and generating the A/V presentation based on the audio component and the video component.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide an application that can automatically generate a movie from a collection of media clips stored on a device or accessible by the device. The movie creation process of some embodiments uses novel video and audio compositors that dynamically composite video and audio components of the movie. The video compositors process explores different combination of media clips and media-clip arrangements to produce an interesting video presentation. The audio compositor receives the duration of the video presentation, and dynamically generates a song for the video presentation based on this duration. Another novel interaction is that in some embodiments the audio compositor provides the starting location of its last segment to the video compositor so that the video compositor can align the start of the last video segment with this ending segment. In some embodiments, the video and audio compositors also synchronize fade-out effects that they apply to their respective presentations with each other.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide an application that can automatically generate a movie from a collection of media clips stored on a device or accessible by the device. The movie creation process of some embodiments uses novel video and audio compositors that dynamically composite video and audio components of the movie. The video compositors process explores different combination of media clips and media-clip arrangements to produce an interesting video presentation. The audio compositor receives the duration of the video presentation, and dynamically generates a song for the video presentation based on this duration. Another novel interaction is that in some embodiments the audio compositor provides the starting location of its last segment to the video compositor so that the video compositor can align the start of the last video segment with this ending segment. In some embodiments, the video and audio compositors also synchronize fade-out effects that they apply to their respective presentations with each other.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a media compositing method that performs automated processes (1) to analyze the media content pieces (MCPs) to define one or more MCP groups, and (2) produces a user interface (UI) layout that identifies the defined MCP groups as groups for which the method can display composite presentations (e.g., video presentations). To define the MCP groups, the method of some embodiments uses one or more media grouping templates (MGTs). In some embodiments, the method can define multiple MGT instances for an MGT. For instance, in some embodiments, the MGTs include (1) location-bounded MGTs (e.g., videos and/or photos captured within a region with a particular radius), (2) time-bounded MGTs (e.g., videos and/or photos captured within a particular time range and/or date range), (3) time-bounded and location-bounded MGTs (e.g., mornings at a beach), (4) content-defined MGTs (e.g., videos and/or photos containing smiles), and (5) user-metadata based MGTs (e.g.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for creating a composite presentation. In some embodiments, this method is performed by an application that executes on a computing device that stores media content pieces (e.g., videos, still images, etc.), and/or that has access through a network to media content pieces (MCPs) stored on other computing devices. The method of some embodiments (1) performs a first automated process that analyzes the MCPs (e.g., analyzes the content and/or metadata of the MCPs) to define one or more MCP groups, (2) based on one or more compositing parameters, performs a second automated process to generate composite presentation definitions from the defined MCP groups, and (3) produces a user interface (UI) layout that identifies the defined composite presentations and provides tools for adjusting the compositing parameters to adjust the defined composite presentations.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide an application that can automatically generate a movie from a collection of media clips stored on a device or accessible by the device. The movie creation process of some embodiments uses novel video and audio compositors that dynamically composite video and audio components of the movie. The video compositors process explores different combination of media clips and media-clip arrangements to produce an interesting video presentation. The audio compositor receives the duration of the video presentation, and dynamically generates a song for the video presentation based on this duration. Another novel interaction is that in some embodiments the audio compositor provides the starting location of its last segment to the video compositor so that the video compositor can align the start of the last video segment with this ending segment. In some embodiments, the video and audio compositors also synchronize fade-out effects that they apply to their respective presentations with each other.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for creating a composite presentation. The method performs a first automated process to select a subset of media content pieces from a set of available media content pieces (MCPs), based on analysis of metadata associated with the MCPs. The method performs a second automated process to generate a definition of the composite presentation from the selected subset of MCPs. The second automated process defines edits that select desired portions of the selected subset of MCPs for inclusion in the composite presentation. The method then renders the composite presentation based on the generated definition.