Electronic film editing system using both film and videotape format

Abstract

A system for generating a digital representation of a video signal comprised of a sequence of video frames which each include two video fields of a duration such that the video plays at a first prespecified rate of frames per second. The sequence of video frames includes a prespecified number of redundant video fields. Redundant video fields in the video frame sequence are identified by a video processor, and the video frame sequence is digitized by an analog to digital converter, excluding the identified redundant video fields. The digitized video frames are then compressed by a video compressor to generate a digital representation of the video signal which plays at a second prespecified rate of frames per second.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a random access computer readable medium for storing a plurality of sequences of digital images from one or more sources of frames captured for playback at a rate of 24 frames per second, wherein each of the sequences of digital images is stored as a data file of a file system of a computer and has images having a one-to-one correspondence with the rate of 24 frames per second;   a nonlinear editing system, including:
 means for permitting a user to specify scenes from the sequences of digital images stored in the data files on the random access computer readable medium, wherein a scene is defined by a reference to a data file storing a selected one of the sequences of digital images and by frame points designated in the selected sequence of digital images, wherein the frame points may be designated at any frame boundary using a metric based on the playback rate of 24 frames per second; 
 means for permitting a user to specify a sequence of one or more specified scenes; 
 selection means for enabling a user to select one of a plurality of output frame rates; and 
 means for producing a representation of an audiovisual work from the specified sequence of scenes in accordance with the selected one of the plurality of output frame rates. 
   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of output formats includes video played back at a rate of 29.97 frames per second. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of output formats includes video played back at a rate of 24 frames per second. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of output formats includes film. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of output formats includes video played back at a rate of 25 frames per second. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including:
 means for storing information about the designated frame points of each specified scene from the specified sequence of scenes from the sequences of digital images using a metric based on the rate of 24 frames per second; and   means for updating the stored information with the designated frame points of each specified scene in response to specification of the scenes from the sequence of digital images.   
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the stored information further comprises information about the designated frame points of each of the specified scenes from the specified sequence of scenes from the sequences of digital images using a metric based on the rate of 29.97 frames per second. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the representation of the audiovisual work is an edit decision list. 
   
   
       9 . An apparatus comprising:
 a random access computer readable medium for storing a plurality of sequences of digital images from one or more sources of frames captured for playback at a rate of 24 frames per second, wherein each of the sequences of digital images is stored as a data file of a file system of a computer and has images having a one-to-one correspondence with the rate of 24 frames per second;   a nonlinear editing system, including:
 means for permitting a user to specify scenes from the sequences of digital images stored in the data files on the random access computer readable medium, wherein a scene is defined by a reference to a data file storing a selected one of the sequences of digital images and by frame points designated in the selected sequence of digital images, 
 wherein the frame points may be designated at any frame boundary using a metric based on the playback rate of 24 frames per second; 
 means for permitting a user to specify a sequence of one or more specified scenes; 
 means for storing information about the designated frame points of each specified scene from the specified sequence of scenes from the sequences of digital images using a metric based on the rate of 24 frames per second and a second frame rate different from the rate of 24 frames per second; 
 means for updating the stored information with the designated frame points of each specified scene in response to specification of the scenes from the sequence of digital images; and 
 means for producing an audiovisual work using the specified sequence of scenes in accordance with a selected one of a plurality of output frame rates. 
   
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising selection means for enabling a user to select the selected one of the plurality of output frame rates. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein one of the plurality of output formats includes video played back at a rate of 29.97 frames per second. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein one of the plurality of output formats includes video played back at a rate of 24 frames per second. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein one of the plurality of output formats includes film. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein one of the plurality of output formats includes video played back at a rate of 25 frames per second. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the stored information further comprises information about the designated frame points of each of the specified scenes from the specified sequence of scenes from the sequences of digital images using a metric based on the rate of 29.97 frames per second.