Systems and methods for metadata-based workflows for content creation and media distribution

• US 8,615,517 B1
• Filed: 06/20/2012
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fotokem Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fotokem Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Goeske, Freddy, Vice, Thomas J., Gallegly, Mark A., Brodersen, Michael B.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DEBBIE M
• Application Number:
  US13/528,778
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 707/610, 707/758, 707/621, 707/634, 707/697, 707/626
• US Class Current: 707/736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/11 File system administration, e.g. details of archiving or snapshots file system backup G06F11/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually

Abstract

A secure networked metadata-based workflow method and system, managed through core application logic and master database management system for picture, sound, and metadata acquisition, and ancillary production and post production data and metadata collection and creation, in the processes of motion picture production and post production file-based workflows; asset file management, asset file manipulation, asset file distribution, asset file archiving, remote creative and collaborative interchange, project administration, project reporting, and more, across multiple venues and platforms for efficient and simultaneous access to production data files, and master archive, in application to: remote project administration, dailies creation, project metadata tracking, post production ingest and processing, asset management and archive, distribution of executive review elements, and product finishing and archive, in 2D and 3D content creation, as examples.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, via the first computing device, a plurality of acquisition files, wherein each respective acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files is received from a respective one media device of a plurality of media devices;

creating, via the first computing device, for each respective acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files, a respective normalized media object of a plurality of normalized media objects, the respective normalized media object comprising a reference to a respective acquisition file and respective first metadata, the respective first metadata relating to respective properties of the respective acquisition file;

creating, via the first computing device, at least one universal media object, the at least one universal media object comprising a reference to at least one normalized media object of the plurality of normalized media objects and respective second metadata relating to respective first editorial adjustments to the respective universal media object performed via the first computing device; and

storing, via the first computing device, each respective acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files, the plurality of normalized media objects and the at least one universal media object to a database;

receiving, via a second computing device, respective second editorial adjustments to the at least one universal media object;

updating, via the second computing device, the at least one universal media object to reflect the respective first editorial adjustments and the respective second editorial adjustments;

matching, via the first computing device, a first one acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files and a second one acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files, wherein the first one acquisition file is of a data type picture, the second one acquisition file is of a data type sound and a first time code associated with the first one acquisition file matches a second time code associated with the second one acquisition file; and

in response to matching the first one acquisition file and the second one acquisition file, synchronizing, via the first computing device, the first one acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files and the second one acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files, wherein the at least one universal media object is created to comprise reference to the first one acquisition file and the second one acquisition file and third metadata comprising synchronization data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating, via the first computing device, an aggregated data object utilizing the at least one universal media object.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transcoding, via the first computing device, each acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files such that each respective transcoded acquisition file is compatible with a platform of the second computing device;

creating, via the first computing device, for each respective acquisition file, a respective child normalized media object associated with the respective normalized media object to which the respective acquisition file relates, wherein

the respective child normalized media object comprises a reference to the respective transcoded acquisition file and respective third metadata, the respective third metadata comprising compatibility instructions relating to the platform of the second computing device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein each respective acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files is one of a respective data type selected from the list:

picture, sound, metadata and ancillary production data.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each respective acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files is a master file of one a respective data type selected from the list:

2D and 3D.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining, via the first computing device, for each respective acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files, a respective first checksum when the respective file is received;

determining, via the first computing device, for each respective acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files, a respective second checksum for the respective file after the respective acquisition file is stored to the database; and

verifying, via the first computing device, for each respective acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files, the respective first checksum for the respective acquisition file matches the respective second checksum for the respective acquisition file.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, via the first computing device, from a user, a synchronization adjustment to the synchronization data.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the synchronization adjustment is one of:

a frame increment and a sub-frame increment.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein respective properties of the respective acquisition file comprise at least one of:

frame rate, image information, colorspace, timebase, tape name and codec.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the respective first editorial adjustment and the second editorial adjustment is an identification of a circle-take.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the respective first editorial adjustment and the second editorial adjustment is at least one color adjustment.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the at least one color adjustment comprises at least one of:

lift, gamma, gain, and saturation.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the respective color adjustment to the at least one acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files is based on at least one of:

a color decision list and a color lookup table.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

defining, via a first computing device, a project, the project comprising workflow preferences relating to the first computing device and the second computing device.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the aggregated data object is created utilizing the at least one universal media object and the workflow preferences.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein workflow preferences relating to the first computing device and the second computing device comprise at least one of:

identification of proxy media and transcode formats for post production and dailies media, automated transfer destinations for received media and transcoded files, audio channel selections, audio channel mapping;

file trim settings, proxy media image crop settings, metadata selections for proxy media burn-in.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, via a plurality of third computing devices, a plurality of third editorial adjustments to the respective universal media object; and

updating, via the plurality of third computing devices, the at least one universal media object to reflect the respective first editorial adjustments and the respective second editorial adjustments and the plurality of third editorial adjustments.

18. A computer-readable storage medium tangibly encoding instructions, which when executed by a computing device, perform a method comprising:

receiving, via the first computing device, a plurality of acquisition files, wherein each respective acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files is received from a respective one media device of a plurality of media devices;

creating, via the first computing device, for each respective acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files, a respective normalized media object of a plurality of normalized media objects, the respective normalized media object comprising a reference to a respective acquisition file and respective first metadata, the respective first metadata relating to respective properties of the respective acquisition file;

creating, via the first computing device, at least one universal media object, the at least one universal media object comprising a reference to at least one normalized media object of the plurality of normalized media objects and respective second metadata relating to respective first editorial adjustments to the respective universal media object performed via the first computing device;

storing, via the first computing device, each respective acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files, the plurality of normalized media objects and the at least one universal media object to a database;

receiving, via a second computing device, respective second editorial adjustments to the at least one universal media object; and

updating, via the second computing device, the at least one universal media object to reflect the respective first editorial adjustments and the respective second editorial adjustments;

matching, via the first computing device, a first one acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files and a second one acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files, wherein the first one acquisition file is of a data type picture, the second one acquisition file is of a data type sound and a first time code associated with the first one acquisition file matches a second time code associated with the second one acquisition file; and

in response to matching the first one acquisition file and the second one acquisition file, synchronizing, via the first computing device, the first one acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files and the second one acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files, wherein the at least one universal media object is created to comprise reference to the first one acquisition file and the second one acquisition file and third metadata comprising synchronization data.

19. A system comprising:

a database;

a processor;

a storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising;

logic for receiving a plurality of acquisition files, wherein each respective acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files is received from a respective one media device of a plurality of media devices;

logic for creating, for each respective acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files, a respective normalized media object of a plurality of normalized media objects, the respective normalized media object comprising a reference to a respective acquisition file and respective first metadata, the respective first metadata relating to respective properties of the respective acquisition file;

logic for creating, at least one universal media object, the at least one universal media object comprising a reference to at least one normalized media object of the plurality of normalized media objects and respective second metadata relating to respective first editorial adjustments to the respective universal media object performed via the first computing device;

logic for transcoding each acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files such that each respective transcoded acquisition file is compatible with a platform of a second computing device;

logic for creating for each respective acquisition file, a respective child normalized media object associated with the respective normalized media object to which the respective acquisition file relates, wherein

the respective child normalized media object comprises a reference to the respective transcoded acquisition file and respective third metadata, the respective third metadata comprising compatibility instructions relating to the platform of the second computing device; and

logic for storing each respective acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files, the plurality of normalized media objects and the at least one universal media object to a database;

logic for matching, via the first computing device, a first one acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files and a second one acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files, wherein the first one acquisition file is of a data type picture, the second one acquisition file is of a data type sound and a first time code associated with the first one acquisition file matches a second time code associated with the second one acquisition file; and

logic for in response to matching the first one acquisition file and the second one acquisition file, synchronizing, via the first computing device, the first one acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files and the second one acquisition file of the plurality of acquisition files, wherein the at least one universal media object is created to comprise reference to the first one acquisition file and the second one acquisition file and third metadata comprising synchronization data.