Real time video production system and method

Abstract

An integrated, fully automated video production system that provides a video director with total control over all of the video production devices used in producing a show. Such devices include, but are not limited to, cameras, robotic pan/tilt heads, video tape players and recorders (VTRs), video servers and virtual recorders, character generators, still stores, digital video disk players (DVDs), audio mixers, digital video effects (DVE), video switchers, and teleprompting systems. The video production system provides an automation capability that allows the video director to pre-produce a show, review the show in advance of “air time,” and then, with a touch of a button, produce the live show. In one embodiment, the invention provides a video production system having a processing unit in communication with one or more of the video production devices mentioned above. The processing unit displays on a monitor graphical controls for controlling the variety of video production devices that it is in communication with. A video director uses a keyboard and mouse that are interfaced with the processing unit to activate the graphical controls, and thereby remotely control the video production devices from one location. The processing unit also enables the video director to automate the production of a show. According to one embodiment, the video director pre-produces the show, defines a set of video production commands or instructions (hereafter “transition macro”) to be executed by the processing unit, and then, by activating a control button displayed by the processing unit, the video director instructs the processing unit to execute the transition macro. Each video production command in a transition macro directs the processing unit to transmit in series and/or parallel one or more control commands to one or more of the video production devices when required.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . In a video production environment having a processing unit in communication with a plurality of video production devices, a method for producing a show, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) pre-producing the show, thereby creating a script for the show;    (b) defining a set of video production commands corresponding to said script; and    (c) executing each video production command within said set of video production commands, wherein the step of executing a video production command includes the step of transmitting a control command from the processing unit to one of the plurality of video production devices.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (c) includes the step of simultaneously executing two or more of said video production commands.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of associating a timer value with each video production command in said set of video production commands.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising the step of activating a timer prior to performing step (c).  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein a video production command is automatically executed in step (c) when said timer reaches the timer value associated with said video production command.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the step of manually executing one or more video production commands, wherein said manually executed video production commands have priority over said automatically executed video production commands.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of defining a set of video production commands includes the step of placing a set of icons onto a time sheet.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said time sheet comprises a plurality of control lines.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of saving said set of video production commands to a file.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of associating said set of video production commands with an icon displayed by the processing unit on a monitor.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the steps of: 
 activating said icon; and    in response to activating said icon, adding said set of video production commands to a second set of video production commands.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of adding video production commands to said set of video production commands while simultaneously performing step (c).  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of video production devices includes a teleprompting system.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the steps of: 
 associating a timer value with each command in said set of commands;    transmitting a command from said teleprompting system to said processing unit; and    in response to receiving said command, activating a timer prior to performing step (c).    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein a video production command is automatically executed in step (c) when said timer reaches the timer value associated with said video production command.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said one of the plurality of video production devices is one of a camera, digital video effects device, audio mixer, and teleprompting system.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of executing a video production command -includes the step of transmitting a control command from the processing unit to a teleprompting system.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the steps of: 
 creating a teleprompting script;    inserting a command into said teleprompting script;    scrolling said teleprompting script across a teleprompting display screen in response to the processing unit transmitting said control command to said teleprompting system; and    executing said command when said command reaches a predetermined position on said teleprompting display screen.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of executing said command includes the step of transmitting a command to the processing unit.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said command specifies a pause duration, and wherein the step of executing said command includes the step of pausing the scrolling of said teleprompting script for said pause duration.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the steps of creating a list comprising two or more teleprompting scripts, and successively scrolling each script in said list across said display screen.  
     
     
         22 . A method for producing a video production, comprising the steps of: 
 displaying on a monitor an icon representing a video production device control button;    associating a video production command with said icon;    associating a timer value with said icon;    activating a timer; and    executing said video production command when said timer reaches said timer value associated with said icon.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the step of executing said video production command includes the step of transmitting a control command to a video production device.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said video production device is a camera.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said video production device is a character generator.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said video production device is a digital video effects device.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said video production device is a teleprompting system.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising the step of transmitting a timer start command from said teleprompting system to said timer, thereby activating said timer if said timer is deactivated.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the steps of: 
 displaying a second icon on said monitor;    associating a second video production command with said second icon;    associating a second timer value with said second icon, wherein said second timer value equals said timer value associated with said first icon;    executing the first video production command and said second video production command simultaneously.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the step of dragging and dropping said icon onto a time-based template.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the steps of: 
 associating one or more icons with a hot key icon;    activating said hot key icon; and    in response to said activation of said hot key icon, inserting said one or more icons onto said time-based template.    
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the steps of: 
 placing a step mark on said time-based template;    associating a timer value with said step mark; and    stopping said timer when said timer reaches said timer value associated with said step mark.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a timer start command; and    reactivating said timer start command if said timer is stopped by said step mark.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said timer start command is transmitted from a teleprompting system.  
     
     
         35 . A method for producing a show, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) remotely controlling a plurality of video production devices;    (b) creating a sequence of video production commands; and    (c) producing the show by automatically executing said video production commands in real-time according to said sequence.    
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein step (a) includes the step of sending control commands to said video production devices from a processing unit.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein step (c) includes the step of executing two or more of said commands simultaneously.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein step (c) includes the step of executing two or more of said commands substantially simultaneously.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 3   5 , further comprising the step of associating a timer value with each video production command in said sequence.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising the step of activating a timer.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein a command is not executed in step (c) until said timer reaches said timer value associated with said command.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein said plurality of video production devices includes one of a camera, a character generator, a digital video effects (DVE) device, and an audio mixer.  
     
     
         43 . A method for controlling a production studio for producing a television show, the method comprising the steps of: 
 sending control commands to a plurality of video production devices from a processing unit;    associating one or more icons representing video production device control buttons with one or more control commands;    creating a transition macro by placing one or more of said icons on a time-based template; and    executing said transition macro to control said plurality of multimedia devices during the television show.    
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein two or more of said icons, each being associated with different ones of said video production devices, are placed on said time-based template so that they are executed simultaneously during said executing step.  
     
     
         45 . A method for controlling a video production studio comprising a processing unit coupled to a plurality of video production devices, said method comprising the steps of: 
 displaying graphical icons on a display screen, wherein said graphical icons represent and function as front panel controls for the plurality of video production devices;    activating one of said graphical icons;    transmitting a control command to one of the plurality of video production devices upon activating said one of said graphical icons; and    creating an automated video production sequence by placing one or more of said graphical icons on a time-based template.    
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the plurality of video production devices includes a camera, a video playback device, and a video effects device.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein said plurality of video production devices further includes a teleprompting system.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising the step of transmitting a command from said teleprompting system to the processing unit, wherein said command causes the processing unit to begin execution of said automated video production sequence.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein said time-based template includes a plurality of rows, each row representing a different studio device, and wherein an elapsed program time is represented on a horizontal axis of said time-basted template.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said automated video production sequence further includes one or more step marks associated with a particular elapsed time on said horizontal axis, wherein each of said step marks provide a user with manual control of said automated video production sequence.  
     
     
         51 . A method for producing a video production, comprising the steps of: 
 creating a plurality of transition macros, wherein each transition macro defines a set of video production commands;    saving each transition macro to a unique transition macro file, thereby creating a plurality of transition macro files;    creating a transition macro play-list, wherein said transition macro play-list defines a group of transition macro files having a predetermined order; and    executing each transition macro file within said defined group according to said predetermined order,    wherein the step of executing a transition macro file includes the step of executing the set of commands defined by the transition macro saved to said transition macro file, and    wherein the step of executing said set of commands includes the step of transmitting a control command from a processing unit to a video production device.    
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising the step of specifying said play-list as automatic.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising the step of specifying said play-list as manual.  
     
     
         54 . A system for producing a show where a director first pre-produces the show and creates a rundown sheet, comprising: 
 a plurality of remotely controllable video production devices;    means for specifying a set of video production commands corresponding to the rundown sheet; and    executing means for automatically executing each video production command within said specified set of video production commands, wherein said executing means transmits a control command to one of said plurality of remotely controllable video production devices as a result of executing a video production command from said set of video production commands.    
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein said executing means includes means for simultaneously executing two or more of said video production commands.  
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 54 , further comprising means for associating a timer value with each video production command in said set of video production commands.  
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 56 , further comprising a timer and means for activating said timer.  
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 57 , wherein said executing means executes a video production command when said timer reaches the timer value associated with said video production command.  
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 58 , further comprising means for manually executing one or more video production commands.  
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 54 , further comprising means for associating an event with each video production command in said specified set of video production commands.  
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein said executing means executes a video production command only after said event associated with said video production command has occurred.  
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 54 , further comprising means for saving said set of video production commands to a file.  
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 54 , further comprising means for associating said set of video production commands with an icon displayed on a monitor.  
     
     
         64 . The system of  claim 63 , further comprising: 
 means for activating said icon; and    means for adding said set of video production commands to a second set of video production commands in response said icon being activated.    
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 54 , further comprising means for adding additional video production commands to said set of video production commands while said executing means executes said set of video production commands.  
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein said plurality of remotely controllable video production devices includes a teleprompting system.  
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 66 , further comprising: 
 means for associating a timer value with each video production command in said set of video production commands; and    means for transmitting a command from said teleprompting system to said executing means, wherein said executing means activates a timer in response to receiving said command transmitted from said teleprompting system.    
     
     
         68 . The system of  claim 67 , wherein said executing means automatically executes a video production command from said set of video production commands when said timer reaches the timer value associated with said video production command.  
     
     
         69 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein said one of said plurality of video production devices is one of a camera, digital video effects device, audio mixer, and teleprompting system.  
     
     
         70 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein said executing means transmits a control command to a teleprompting system as result of executing a particular video production command from said set of video production commands.  
     
     
         71 . The system of  claim 70 , further comprising: 
 means for creating a teleprompting script;    means for inserting a command into said teleprompting script;    means for scrolling said teleprompting script across a teleprompting display screen in response to said executing means transmitting said control command to said teleprompting system; and    second executing means for executing said command when said command reaches a predetermined position on said teleprompting display screen.    
     
     
         72 . The system of  claim 71 , wherein, as a result of executing said command, said second executing means transmits a command to the first executing means.  
     
     
         73 . The system of  claim 71 , wherein said command specifies a pause duration, and wherein, as a result of said second executing means executing said command, said scrolling means pauses the scrolling of said teleprompting script for said pause duration.  
     
     
         74 . The system of  claim 71 , further comprising means for creating a list comprising two or more teleprompting scripts, and means for successively scrolling each script in said list across said display screen.  
     
     
         75 . A system for producing a video production, comprising: 
 means for displaying on a monitor an icon representing a video production device control button;    means for associating a video production command with said icon;    means for associating a timer value with said icon;    a timer;    activating means for activating said timer; and    executing means for executing said video production command when said timer reaches said timer value associated with said icon.    
     
     
         76 . The system of  claim 75 , wherein said executing means includes means for transmitting a control command to a video production device.  
     
     
         77 . The system of  claim 76 , wherein said video production device is a camera.  
     
     
         78 . The system of  claim 76 , wherein said video production device is a character generator.  
     
     
         79 . The system of  claim 76 , wherein said video production device is a digital video effects device.  
     
     
         80 . The system of  claim 76 , wherein said video production device is a teleprompting system.  
     
     
         81 . The system of  claim 80 , further comprising means for transmitting a timer start command from said teleprompting system to said activating means, thereby activating said timer if said timer is deactivated.  
     
     
         82 . The system of  claim 75 , further comprising: 
 means for displaying a second icon on said monitor;    means for associating a second video production command with said second icon; and    means for associating a second timer value with said second icon, wherein said second timer value equals said timer value associated with said first icon,    wherein, when said timer reaches said second timer value, said executing means executes the first video production command and said second video production command simultaneously.    
     
     
         83 . The system of  claim 75 , further comprising a time-based template and means for dragging and dropping said icon onto said time-based template.  
     
     
         84 . The system of  claim 83 , further comprising: 
 means for associating one or more icons with a hot key icon;    means for activating said hot key icon; and    means for inserting said one or more icons onto said time-based template in response to said activation of said hot key icon.    
     
     
         85 . The system of  claim 83 , further comprising: 
 a step mark icon;    means for placing said step mark icon on said time-based template;    means for associating a timer value with said step mark icon; and    means for stopping said timer when said timer reaches said timer value associated with said step mark icon.    
     
     
         86 . The system of  claim 85 , further comprising receiving means for receiving a timer start command from an external system, wherein, when said receiving means receives said timer start command, said activating means reactivates said timer if said timer is stopped by said step mark icon.  
     
     
         87 . The system of  claim 86 , wherein said external system is a teleprompting system.  
     
     
         88 . A system for producing a show, comprising: 
 control means for manually controlling a plurality of video production devices, said control means comprising a plurality of icons displayed on a monitor;    means for specifying a sequence of video production commands; and    executing means for automatically executing said sequence of video production commands in real-time according to said sequence.    
     
     
         89 . The system of  claim 88 , wherein said control means includes means for transmitting control commands to each of said plurality of video production devices.  
     
     
         90 . The system of  claim 88 , wherein said executing includes means for executing two or more of said video production commands simultaneously.  
     
     
         91 . The system of  claim 88 , further comprising means for associating a timer value with each video production command in said sequence.  
     
     
         92 . The system of  claim 91 , further comprising a timer and means for activating said timer.  
     
     
         93 . The system of  claim 92 , wherein a video production command is not executed by said executing means until said timer reaches said timer value associated with said video production command.  
     
     
         94 . The system of  claim 93 , wherein said plurality of video production devices includes one of a camera, a character generator, a digital video effects (DVE) device, and an audio mixer.  
     
     
         95 . A system for producing a live and a live-to-tape video show, comprising: 
 a processing unit in communication with a plurality of video production devices;    display means coupled to said processing unit;    means for displaying graphical icons on said display means, wherein said graphical icons represent and function as front panel controls for said plurality of video production devices;    means for activating one of said graphical icons;    means for transmitting a control command to one of the plurality of video production devices upon the activation of said one of said graphical icons;    means for displaying a time-based template on said display means; and    means for creating an automated video production sequence by placing one or more of said graphical icons on said time-based template.    
     
     
         96 . The system of  claim 95 , wherein said plurality of video production devices includes a camera, character generator, and a video effects device.  
     
     
         97 . The system of  claim 96 , wherein said plurality of video production devices further includes a teleprompting system in communication with said processing unit.  
     
     
         98 . The system of  claim 97 , wherein said teleprompting system comprises means for transmitting a command to said processing unit, wherein said command causes said processing unit to begin execution of said automated video production sequence.  
     
     
         99 . The system of  claim 95 , wherein said time-based template includes a plurality of rows, each row representing a different video production device, and wherein an elapsed program time is represented on a horizontal axis of said time-based template.  
     
     
         100 . The system of  claim 99 , wherein said automated video production sequence further includes one or more step marks associated with a particular elapsed time on said horizontal axis, wherein each of said step marks provide a user with manual control of said automated video production sequence.  
     
     
         101 . A system for producing a video production, comprising: 
 a plurality of video production devices;    a processing unit coupled to said plurality of video production devices, said processing unit comprising: 
 means for creating a plurality of transition macros, wherein each transition macro defines a set of video production commands;  
 means for saving each transition macro to a unique transition macro file, thereby creating a plurality of transition macro files;  
 means for creating a transition macro play-list, wherein said transition macro play-list defines a group of transition macro files having a predetermined order; and  
 means for executing each transition macro file within said defined group according to said predetermined order,  
 wherein said means for executing each transition macro file includes means for executing a set of video production commands defined by a transition macro.  
   
     
     
         102 . The system of  claim 101 , wherein said means for executing a set of video production commands includes means for transmitting control command to said plurality of video production devices.  
     
     
         103 . The system of  claim 101 , further comprising the step of specifying said play-list as automatic.  
     
     
         104 . The system of  claim 101 , further comprising the step of specifying said play-list as manual.  
     
     
         105 . A teleprompting system, comprising: 
 means for creating a teleprompting script;    command insertion means for inserting a command into said teleprompting script;    scrolling means for scrolling said teleprompting script across a teleprompting display screen;    executing means for executing said command when said command reaches a predetermined position on said teleprompting display screen.    
     
     
         106 . The teleprompting system of  claim 105 , wherein said command is an instruction to transmit a command to a video production system.  
     
     
         107 . The teleprompting system of  claim 105 , wherein said command is an instruction to pause the scrolling of said teleprompting script.  
     
     
         108 . The teleprompting system of  claim 105 , further comprising means for creating a list of two or more teleprompting scripts, and means for successively scrolling each script in said list across said display screen.  
     
     
         109 . A teleprompting system, comprising: 
 a monitor;    a processing unit coupled to said monitor, said processing unit displaying on said monitor a script editor for creating a teleprompting script, said script editor including means for inserting a command into said teleprompting script; and    a display screen coupled to said processing unit, said processing unit scrolling said teleprompting script across said display screen,    wherein said processing unit executes said command when said command reaches a predetermined position on said display screen.    
     
     
         110 . The teleprompting system of  claim 109 , wherein said command is an instruction to transmit a command to a video production system.  
     
     
         111 . The teleprompting system of  claim 109 , wherein said command is an instruction to pause the scrolling of said teleprompting script.  
     
     
         112 . The teleprompting system of  claim 109 , further comprising means for creating a list of two or more teleprompting scripts, and means for successively scrolling each script in said list across said display screen.  
     
     
         113 . A teleprompting method, comprising the steps of: 
 creating a teleprompting script;    inserting a command into said teleprompting script;    scrolling said teleprompting script across a teleprompting display screen; and    executing said command when said command reaches a predetermined position on said teleprompting display screen.    
     
     
         114 . The teleprompting method of  claim 113 , wherein the step of executing said command includes the step of transmitting a second command to a video production system.  
     
     
         115 . The teleprompting method of  claim 113 , wherein said command specifies a pause duration, and wherein the step of executing said command includes the step of pausing the scrolling of said teleprompting script for said pause duration.  
     
     
         116 . The teleprompting method of  claim 113 , further comprising the steps of creating a list comprising two or more teleprompting scripts, and successively scrolling each script in said list across said display screen.