Building macro elements for production automation control
View Patent ↗A macro element template is replicated to build a macro element library. A macro element is associated with executable instructions for controlling a plurality of production devices to produce a special effect or segment of a media production. One or more automation control objects are positioned onto a control interface to build a macro element template. Build information is associated with each automation control object to assign a variable name, device type, property page field(s), and variable naming table. A replicator control interface allows a range of sources to be assigned to the macro element template, and is associated with executable instructions for building the macro element library. The macro element library includes user-defined filenames that enables a director to quickly search and select a desired macro element. Changes in production values ripple throughout the macro element library to dynamically update the macro elements.
1. A method of managing a collection of macro element files for producing one or more media productions, comprising the steps of: (1) importing a macro element file from said collection, each macro element in said file enabling serial and parallel processing of media production commands to achieve automated control of media production devices to produce a segment of a media production; (2) placing one or more control objects associated with said macro element on a display relative to a time line in sequence order; (3) activating a first control object from the placed one or more control objects to access the property parameters for said first control object; (4) modifying said property parameters to specify build information for producing an element of a media production; and (5) creating a macro element template file comprising said first control object and the modified property parameters.
2. A method of managing a collection of macro element template files for producing one or more media productions, comprising the steps of: (1) placing one or more control objects onto a display relative to a time line in sequence order; (2) activating said one or more control objects to access property parameters for said one or more control objects; (3) modifying said property parameters to specify build information for producing an element of a media production; and (4) creating a macro element template file comprising said one or more control objects and the modified property parameters, each macro element in said file enabling serial and parallel processing of media production commands to achieve automated control of media production devices to produce a segment of a media production.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein step (3) further comprises the step of: (5) modifying said property parameters to specify a device type for a set of one or more production devices.
4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising the step of: (6) displaying said one or more control objects on a separate control line configurable to enable interactions with a production device matching the specified device type for the displayed control object.