Chroma-key event photography messaging

• US 20070065143A1
• Filed: 09/13/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alpha Photography, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Alpha Photography, Inc.
• Inventors: Bryant, Robert, Didow, Richard
• Application Number:
  US11/520,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20070065143A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/429
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/275 Generation of keying signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/84 using optical recording H04N5/80, H04N5/89, H04N5/91 take precedence

Abstract

The invention comprises an entertaining digital chroma-key video photography event (“photo event”) wherein at least one photo subject is placed in front of a green screen background. The participant is photographed while moving or speaking in response to verbal prompts or from viewing action in a simultaneously shown interactive composite of the participant with the substitute and moving background. The participant may be provided with a still photo produced from the video or photographed simultaneously with the video. The participant may view or retrieve the full video or additional still photos by logging onto an Internet website, intranet or other computer network utilizing a handheld device such as a mobile phone or personal digital assistant (PDA). The invention also comprises use of multiple substitute images wherein there may be at least a substitute background and a substitute foreground. The image of the participant appears in the resulting composite as variably being in an intermediate position, the foreground or background. The invention also comprises a method of surveying individuals. The individuals responding to survey questions may be participants of the photo event or others, e.g., the parents of adolescent children. The individual are prompted to respond in exchange for or at the time of receipt of the video or photo.

Claims

1. A method for communicating entertainment or marketing information utilizing a composite photo or video wherein a participant accesses a computer network to display the composite photo or video using a handheld device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the handheld device displays a composite video with audio.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the participant uses the handheld device in communication with a computer network to opt-in to receive future information, communications or promotions.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the participant responds to survey questions through the handheld device in communication with a computer network.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the handheld device is a mobile phone equipped with multimedia messaging service.

6. A method of communicating marketing information comprising conducting a composite photography event and communicating marketing information with an event photo or video transmitted to a handheld device.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the marketing information includes opt-in information.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the marketing information includes survey questions.

9. An interactive composite photo event wherein a participant provides an MMS address to an event photographer and a composite photo or video is transmitted to an MMS equipped handheld device.

10. The photo event of claim 9 further comprising transmitting opt-in information.

11. The photo event of claim 9 further comprising transmitting questions.

12. A photo event comprising:

a. photographing a participant and green screen with a digital camera;

b. rendering a composite image of the participant and the substitute image; and

c. communicating the composite image to a handheld device.

13. The photo event of claim 12 wherein the handheld device comprises multimedia messaging service.

14. The photo event of claim 12 wherein the handheld device displays a video image.

15. The photo event of claim 12 further comprising the participant interacting in relation to action occurring on a substitute image.