Process for creating media content based upon submissions received on an electronic multi-media exchange

• US 8,090,605 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2007
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Virtual Creative Artists, LLC
• Original Assignee: Virtual Creative Artists, LLC
• Inventors: Tota, Michael J., Tote, Kenneth T., Tota, Mark S., Cohen, Ian D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanty, Romain
• Application Number:
  US10/536,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20090177519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7, 705/10, 705/7.11
• US Class Current: 705/7.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0243 Comparative campaigns
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering

Abstract

In a process for creating media content, media submissions are requested and electronically received from end users and stored in a computer database. The submissions are searched for material to be included in the media content, and cross-checked against the other submissions for originality and timeliness. After the material is selected from one or more submissions, the content is developed and released to an audience for review. The end users whose submission material was included in the released content are rewarded. In one embodiment, third parties are permitted to access and search the submissions on an open exchange. The third parties can bid for rights in submissions on the open exchange. After receiving these bids, they are forwarded to the particular submission'"'"'s end user for acceptance or rejection. Appropriate billing and payment processes are used to bill and pay the parties involved.

Claims

1. A computer program product that includes a computer-usable medium having a sequence of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes said one or more processors to execute a process for developing media content, said process comprising:

electronically receiving submissions of proposed content material suitable for inclusion in a variety of media from a plurality of submitters, the submissions being both solicited and/or unsolicited;

storing the received content material in a repository, the repository being automatically searchable for submissions according to their content;

searching the repository for content material meeting search criteria that describes content material of interest suitable for development in a particular media;

selecting one or more submissions received from one or more searches;

developing media content comprising one or more of a message, an instruction, a storyline, a plot, a tone, a theme, a location, a setting, a character or characters, a scene, a clip, a commercial, and an outcome by including in the media content some or all of the content material of the selected submissions; and

releasing the completed media content to an audience to entertain and/or to deliver a message.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said process further includes rating the released media content by an audience for its entertainment value.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the submission formats further comprise one or more electronic submissions formats.

4. The computer program product of claim 3, wherein the submission formats comprise an interactive format, the interactive format comprising of both synchronous and asynchronous communications.

5. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the interactive submission formats include at least one of questions and answers formats, questionnaire formats, polling formats, survey formats, game formats and use of service formats.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein said process further includes the step of tallying the result of the interactive submission formats by a central controller.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein searching step further comprises pre-selecting search criteria in a manner so that submissions received are automatically retrieved and can be directed to particular locations and/or end users.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the searching step further comprises producing one or more of annotated, categorized, matched, and contextual based retrieval results that can be directed to particular locations and/or end users.

9. The computer program product of claim 1, including the step of permitting end users to purchase products and services presented and/or recited within the released content.

10. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the developed media content further comprises advertisements, the revenue-generating advertisements being for presentation before, during or after the presentation of the media content.

11. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said process further includes the step of entering a contest after making a submission.

12. A computer program product that includes a computer-usable medium having a sequence of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes said one or more processors to execute a process for developing media content, said process comprising:

electronically receiving submissions comprising written content suitable for inclusion in a variety of media from a plurality of submitters, the submissions being both solicited and/or unsolicited;

storing the received written content in a repository, the repository being automatically searchable for submissions according to their content;

searching the repository for written content meeting search criteria that describes content material of interest suitable for development in a particular media;

selecting one or more submissions received from one or more searches;

developing media content comprising one or more of a message, an instruction, a storyline, a plot, a tone, a theme, a location, a setting, a character or characters, a scene, a clip, a commercial, and an outcome by including in the media content some or all of the written content of the selected submissions; and

releasing the completed media content to an audience to entertain and/or to deliver a message.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the completed media content is one or more of literary content, theatrical content, screenplay content, technical content, instructional content, print content, and television content.

14. A computer program product that includes a computer-usable medium having a sequence of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes said one or more processors to execute a process for developing entertainment, said process comprising:

electronically receiving submissions comprising visual content suitable for inclusion in a variety of entertainments from a plurality of submitters, the submissions being both solicited and/or unsolicited;

storing the received visual content in a repository, the repository being automatically searchable for submissions according to their content;

searching the repository for visual content meeting search criteria that describes content material of interest suitable for development in a particular entertainment;

selecting one or more submissions received from one or more searches;

developing entertainment comprising one or more of picture content, film content, movie content, video content, television content, and streaming media content by including in the entertainment some or all of the visual content of the selected submissions; and

releasing the completed entertainment to an audience to entertain and/or to deliver a message.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the completed entertainment further comprises the development of the visual content into one or more of message, storyline, plot, tone, theme, location, setting, character or characters, scene, clip, commercial, and outcome.

16. A computer program product that includes a computer-usable medium having a sequence of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes said one or more processors to execute a process for developing entertainment, said process comprising:

electronically receiving submissions comprising audio content suitable for inclusion in a variety of entertainments from a plurality of submitters, the submissions being both solicited and/or unsolicited;

storing the received audio content in a repository, the repository being automatically searchable for submissions according to their content;

searching the repository for audio content meeting search criteria that describes content material of interest suitable for development in a particular entertainment;

selecting one or more submissions received from one or more searches;

developing entertainment comprising one or more of music content, speaking content, picture content, film content, movie content, video content, television content, and streaming media content by including in the entertainment some or all of the audio content of the selected submissions; and

releasing the completed entertainment to an audience to entertain and/or to deliver a message.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the completed entertainment further comprises the development of the audio content into one or more of message, storyline, plot, tone, theme, location, setting, character or characters, scene, clip, commercial, and outcome.

18. A computer program product that includes a computer-usable medium having a sequence of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes said one or more processors to execute a process for receiving audio and/or video submissions, said process comprising:

electronically receiving audio and/or video submissions from a plurality of submitters, the submissions being both solicited and/or unsolicited;

storing the audio and/or video submissions in a repository;

posting the audio and/or video submissions electronically whereby the submissions can be reviewed and providing access to 3^rd party end users;

searching the repository of audio and/or video submissions for desired content;

selecting one or more of the submissions received from one or more searches for review by 3rd party end users; and

electronically reviewing the selected submissions for entertainment value and/or to receive a message.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein said process further includes enabling 3^rd party end users to electronically associate a value with a posted audio and/or video submission in accordance with a rating system.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein said process further includes the step of entering a contest after making a submission.