Tool for tracking versions of media sections in a composite presentation

Abstract

A computer readable medium storing a media editing application for creating media presentations is described. The application includes a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI has (1) a composite display area for displaying graphical representations of a set of media clips that are part of the composite presentation, (2) a navigation tool including several selectable navigation markers associated with several navigable locations in the composite presentation, and (3) a version management feature for (a) indicating whether each location has been modified, (b) providing an option to create a new version of each location, and (c) providing access to previously-saved versions of each location.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a media editing application for execution by at least one processing unit, the media editing application comprising a graphical user interface (GUI), the GUI comprising:
 a composite display area for displaying graphical representations of a composite media presentation having a plurality of sections;   a plurality of selectable version markers associated with a plurality of the sections of the composite presentation, each selectable version marker for identifying different selectable versions of the corresponding section of the composite media presentation; and   a collaboration tool for sending a particular version of a particular section to a collaborator of the composite presentation and receiving an edited version of the particular section from the collaborator, wherein the collaboration tool locks the section for editing when the particular version is sent to the collaborator.   
     
     
         22 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the collaboration tool is for sending the particular version to the collaborator in response to user input selecting the particular version of the particular section. 
     
     
         23 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein the user input is received through one of a navigation marker, a version marker, and a menu selection. 
     
     
         24 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the collaboration tool locks the section for editing by setting a flag for the section. 
     
     
         25 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein a particular user has authority to unlock the particular section for editing before the collaboration tool receives the edited version of the particular section from the collaborator. 
     
     
         26 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the collaboration tool is further for sending a plurality of versions of the particular section to a plurality of collaborators. 
     
     
         27 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of collaborators comprise at least one pre-existing collaborator and at least one new collaborator, wherein the collaboration tool provides a list of selectable pre-existing collaborators and an option to add a new collaborator. 
     
     
         28 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein, upon receiving the edited version of the particular section from the collaborator, the collaboration tool is further for providing a user with options to accept or reject the edited version. 
     
     
         29 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 28 , wherein the collaboration tool is further for notifying the collaborator of a decision to accept or reject the edited version. 
     
     
         30 . For a media editing application, a method comprising:
 in a composite display area, displaying graphical representations of a composite media presentation having a plurality of sections;   displaying a plurality of selectable version markers associated with a plurality of the sections of the composite presentation, each selectable version marker for identifying different selectable versions of the corresponding section of the composite media presentation;   in response to input through a collaboration tool, sending a particular version of a particular section to a collaborator of the composite presentation, wherein the collaboration tool locks the section for editing when the particular version is sent to the collaborator; and   receiving an edited version of the particular section from the collaborator.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising receiving user input to select the particular version of the particular section and to select the collaborator. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the selection is received through user interaction with one of a navigation marker, a version marker, and a menu selection. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising setting a flag to lock the particular section for editing upon sending the particular version to the collaborator. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising unlocking the particular section for editing in response to input from a particular user certain privileges to modify previously checked-out versions. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising sending a plurality of different versions of the particular section to a plurality of different collaborators. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising:
 upon receiving the edited version of the particular section from the collaborator, providing a user with options to accept or reject the edited version; 
 receiving a selection of one of the options; and 
 sending a notification to the collaborator of the received selection to accept or reject the edited version. 
 
     
     
         37 . A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a media editing application for execution by at least one processing unit, the media editing application comprising sets of instructions for:
 displaying, in a composite display area, graphical representations of a composite media presentation having a plurality of sections;   displaying a plurality of selectable version markers associated with a plurality of the sections of the composite presentation, each selectable version marker for identifying different selectable versions of the corresponding section of the composite media presentation;   sending a particular version of a particular section to a collaborator of the composite presentation in response to input through a collaboration tool, wherein the collaboration tool locks the section for editing when the particular version is sent to the collaborator; and   receiving an edited version of the particular section from the collaborator.   
     
     
         38 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein the media-editing application further comprises a set of instructions for receiving user input to select the particular version of the particular section and to select the collaborator. 
     
     
         39 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein the media-editing application further comprises a set of instructions for unlocking the particular section for editing in response to input from a particular user certain privileges to modify previously checked-out versions. 
     
     
         40 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein the media-editing application further comprises sets of instructions for:
 providing a user with options to accept or reject the edited version upon receiving the edited version of the particular section from the collaborator;   receiving a selection of one of the options; and   sending a notification to the collaborator of the received selection to accept or reject the edited version.