Multi-stage production pipeline system

• US 9,270,965 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2015
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Legend3D, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Legend3D, Inc.
• Inventors: Sandrew, Barry, Sandrew, Jared, Wang, Nancy, Cesareo, Craig, Prola, James, Hunt, Jill, Lopez, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Czekaj, Dave
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beck, Leron
• Application Number:
  US14/828,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20150358595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 190 Days
• Field of Search: 348/43
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5838 using colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5866 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, manually generated location and time information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/783 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/7867 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, title and artist information, manually generated time, location and usage information, user ratings
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/036 Insert-editing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/128 Adjusting depth or disparity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/15 for colour aspects of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/257 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/261 with monoscopic-to-stereoscopic image conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/266 by scanning a film
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47205 for manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/79 Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording

Abstract

Multi-stage production pipeline system that may be utilized in conjunction with a motion picture project management system. The multi-stage production pipeline system includes a computer and a database. The database includes metadata associated with at least one shot or associated with regions within the plurality of images in the at least one shot, or both. The computer includes a grouping tool interface for presenting user interface elements and accepting input of the metadata associated with the at least one shot or regions within the plurality of images in the at least one shot, or both. The system enables a large studio workforce to work non-linearly on a film while maintaining a unified vision driven by key creative figures, allowing for more consistent, higher quality, faster, less expensive work product and more efficient project management techniques. The system also enables reuse of project files, masks and other production elements across projects.

Claims

1. A multi-stage production pipeline system for motion picture projects comprising:

a computer;

a database coupled with said computer, wherein said database comprises

a shot table that comprises a shot identifier associated with a plurality of images that are ordered in time and that each make up at least one shot wherein said shot table comprises a starting frame value and an ending frame value associated with each of said shots;

an asset table that comprises information on one or more assets used in production of said motion picture;

wherein

said plurality of images are associated with a motion picture, and

said database further includes metadata associated with said at least one shot or associated with regions within said plurality of images in said at least one shot or both;

wherein said computer is configured to

calculate an amount of disk space that may be utilized to archive said one or more assets and

signify at least one asset of said one or more assets that may be rebuilt from other assets to avoid archival of said at least one asset.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer is further configured to calculate an amount of disk space that may be saved by said avoid archival of said at least one asset.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said information on one or more assets comprises an indicator of whether an asset can be rebuilt from said other assets.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said information on one or more assets comprises a dependency graph that indicates which assets depend on which other assets.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said information on one or more assets comprises a compression value that indicates the extent to which an asset can be compressed.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer is further configured to calculate or estimate an amount of disk space that may be saved by compression of one or more of said one or more assets.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein

said computer is further configured to present a grouping tool interface coupled with said computer and said database;

said grouping tool interface is configured to

present user interface elements, accept input of said metadata and accept selected shots associated with said metadata via said user interface elements;

store said metadata associated with said selected shots in said shot table;

accept selected metadata to search said at least one shot;

query said shot table with said selected metadata associated with said at least one shot or said regions within said plurality of images in said at least one shot or said both; and

,

display a list of shots having said selected metadata, wherein said list of shots includes at least one shot that is non-sequential in time in said motion picture with respect to another shot in said list of shots.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said metadata associated with said at least one shot is associated with a metadata category comprising a locale or location at which said shot was obtained.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said metadata associated with said at least one shot is associated with a metadata category comprising a subject that appears in said shot wherein said subject is a person, place or thing.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein said metadata associated with said at least one shot is associated with a metadata category comprising a shot framing associated with said at least one shot.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein said metadata associated with said at least one shot is associated with a metadata category comprising a depth complexity or a clean plate complexity associated with said shot.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein said grouping tool interface is configured to accept at least one additional metadata category and additional metadata values associated with said metadata category.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein said grouping tool interface is configured to accept an input to designate said at least one shot as a master shot associated with depth, key selects or clean plate or any combination thereof that enables said at least one shot to be utilized as a benchmark for quality or volume, or to improve efficiency, or both.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein said grouping tool interface comprises a reference mask library tool with a plurality of reference masks, wherein each of said list of shots share said selected metadata, and wherein said reference mask library tool is configured to present an interface to accept a selection of one or more of said plurality of reference masks to be utilized in shots in said list of shots that do not already utilize said reference mask associated with said subject.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein each one of said plurality of reference masks is configured as a dedicated template of said subject.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of said plurality of reference masks is configured to be obtained from a second motion picture that differs from said motion picture.

17. The system of claim 7, wherein said grouping tool interface is further configured to present a timeline of said plurality of images associated with said list of shots.

18. The system of claim 7, wherein said computer is further configured to assign work tasks based on said list of shots.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein said shot table in said database further comprises status related to progress of work performed on said at least one shot.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein said database further comprises

a task table which includes at least one task which comprises a task identifier and an assigned worker and which further comprises a context setting associated with a type of task related to motion picture work wherein said task includes at least definition of a region within said plurality of images, work on said region and composite work on said region and wherein said at least one task comprises a time allocated to complete said at least one task.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said database further comprises

a project table, wherein said project table comprises a project identifier and description of a project related to said motion picture.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said database further comprises

a timesheet item table which references said project identifier in said project table and said task identifier in said task table and which includes at least one timesheet item which comprises a start time and an end time.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein said database further comprises an asset request table which comprises an asset request identifier and shot identifier.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein said database further comprises a mask request table which comprises a mask request identifier and shot identifier.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein said database further comprises

a note table which comprises a note identifier and which references said project identifier and which comprises at least one note related to at least one of said plurality of images from said motion picture.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein said database further comprises

a snapshot table which comprises a snapshot identifier and search type and which includes a snapshot of said at least one shot that includes at least one location of a resource associated with said at least one shot.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein said computer is further configured to

present a first display configured to be viewed by a production worker that includes a search display comprising a context, project, shot, status and artist;

present a second display configured to be viewed by an artist that includes at least one daily assignment having a context, project and shot; and

,

present a third display configured to be viewed by an editorial worker that includes an annotation frame configured to accept commentary or drawing or both commentary and drawing on at least one of said plurality of images associated with said at least one shot.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said computer is further configured to

present an annotation overlaid on at least one of said plurality of images on said third display configured to be viewed by said editorial worker.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein said computer is further configured to

calculate actuals based on total time spent for all of said at least one tasks associated with all of said at least one shot in said project.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said computer is further configured to

compare said actuals to time allocated for all of said at least one tasks associated with all of said at least one shot in said project;

based on said compare said actuals to time allocated for all of said at least one tasks, estimate one or more of

remaining cost for said project;

time of completion of said project.