System and method for video conversations
This disclosure describes methods and systems for viewing a collection of media objects, such as a video clip and associated responses (video, audio and text), in a seamless way. Provided with a media object and a series of responses and counter responses, a real time media combining methodology is coupled with a text and audio conversion process to generate a media stream, or downloadable media object, that contains the original media object and some or all of the associated responses. The media content is formatted into the stream so that ancillary content, like text associated with a particular video response, may also be displayed. Advertisements may be inserted into the stream between responses or overlaying some portion of the viewing area during rendering of the stream.
1. A method comprising:
communicating, over a network by a computing device, a digital video clip to a plurality of users, said communication comprising publishing, on a network platform hosted by the computing device on the network, the digital video clip, said publishing enabling each of the plurality of users to play the video clip;
receiving, over the network at the computing device from a device associated with a subset of the plurality of users, a video response file, each received video response file comprising user generated content (UGC) generated by each subset user, each response file having an individual format chosen from a group of individual formats consisting of text, audio and video, each individual format having different rendering characteristics;
storing, via the computing device in an associated database, each received video response file in association with said digital video clip;
generating and communicating, via the computing device, a graphical user interface (GUI) to each subset user, said GUI comprising a viewing region, a video response region and a control element that, upon selection, generates a request to compile a media stream from the video clip and at least one stored video response file;
receiving, at the computing device, a request from a first user, wherein said request was generated and sent to the computing device from a device of the first user upon said first user interacting with said control element of the received GUI;
generating, via the computing device in response to said first user request, a consolidated media stream comprising the video clip and each of the video response files, generating said consolidated media stream comprising:
determining a first video format for the consolidated media stream based on capabilities of the first user device, and
converting any of the video clip and associated video response files from a first format to a second format that complies with said first user device capabilities prior to said communication of the consolidated media stream,
said consolidated media stream further comprising rendering instructions defining at least each file's different rendering characteristics so as to adjust how each response file is rendered based on each response file's individual format; and
communicating, via the computing device, said consolidated media stream to the first user, said communication causing the consolidated media stream to be played within the viewing region of the GUI in accordance with said rendering instructions.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a webpage for the video clip, wherein said communication further comprises communicating information to each of the plurality of users that enables them to access the webpage, view the video clip from the webpage and submit video responses files.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from a user within said plurality of users, a video clip, wherein said communicated video clip is the received video clip from the user; and
storing, in said database, said received video clip.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said GUI is communicated to a second plurality of users different from said plurality of users, wherein said first user is within said second plurality of users.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said communication of the consolidated media stream comprises sending the video file and each video response file to the first user device for rendering via a single rendering operation.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first user request comprises information identifying the video response files and not the video clip, wherein said consolidated media stream is generated so that only the video response files are included.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said first user request further identifies only a portion of the video response files, wherein said consolidated media stream is generated so that only said portion of the video response files are included.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said communication of the consolidated media stream further comprises:
independently transmitting each of the video clip and at least one video response file to the first user device; and
indicating to the first user device a sequence for rendering the transmitted video clip and the video response files.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying an additional content file not included in said stored video clip and the video response files;
modifying the consolidated media stream to include said additional content file; and
communicating the modified consolidated media stream to the first user in response to said first user request.
10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly encoded with computer-executable instructions, that when executed by a computing device, perform a method comprising:
communicating, over a network by the computing device, a digital video clip to a plurality of users, said communication comprising publishing, on a network platform hosted by the computing device on the network, the digital video clip, said publishing enabling each of the plurality of users to play the video clip;
receiving, over the network at the computing device from a device associated with a subset of the plurality of users, a video response file, each received video response file comprising user generated content (UGC) generated by each subset user, each response file having an individual format chosen from a group of individual formats consisting of text, audio and video, each individual format having different rendering characteristics;
storing, via the computing device in an associated database, each received video response file in association with said digital video clip;
generating and communicating, via the computing device, a graphical user interface (GUI) to each subset user, said GUI comprising a viewing region, a video response region and a control element that, upon selection, generates a request to compile a media stream from the video clip and at least one stored video response file;
receiving, at the computing device, a request from a first user, wherein said request was generated and sent to the computing device from a device of the first user upon said first user interacting with said control element of the received GUI;
generating, via the computing device in response to said first user request, a consolidated media stream comprising the video clip and each of the video response files, generating said consolidated media stream comprising:
determining a first video format for the consolidated media stream based on capabilities of the first user device, and
converting any of the video clip and associated video response files from a first format to a second format that complies with said first user device capabilities prior to said communication of the consolidated media stream,
said consolidated media stream further comprising rendering instructions defining at least each file's different rendering characteristics so as to adjust how each response file is rendered based on each response file's individual format; and
communicating, via the computing device, said consolidated media stream to the first user, said communication causing the consolidated media stream to be played within the viewing region of the GUI in accordance with said rendering instructions.
11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , further comprising:
generating a webpage for the video clip, wherein said communication further comprises communicating information to each of the plurality of users that enables them to access the webpage, view the video clip from the webpage and submit video responses files.
12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving, from a user within said plurality of users, a video clip, wherein said communicated video clip is the received video clip from the user; and
storing, in said database, said received video clip.
13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein said communication of the consolidated media stream comprises sending the video file and each video response file to the first user device for rendering via a single rendering operation.
14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein said first user request comprises information identifying only a portion of the files stored in said database, wherein said consolidated media stream is generated so that only said portion is included.
15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein said communication of the consolidated media stream further comprises:
independently transmitting each of the video clip and at least one video response file to the first user device; and
indicating to the first user device a sequence for rendering the transmitted video clip and the video response files.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , further comprising:
identifying an additional content file not included in said stored video clip and the video response files;
modifying the consolidated media stream to include said additional content file; and
communicating the modified consolidated media stream to the first user in response to said first user request.