Narrative-based media organizing system for transforming and merging graphical representations of digital media within a work area

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

providing to a user digital media files as graphical representations of each of the digital media files in an arrangement along a timeline in a work area, wherein the graphical representations are in an original paragraph;

receiving a gesture operated interaction from the user to create a new paragraph;

creating the new paragraph;

receiving a tap and hold gesture from the user to move a first graphical representation representative of a first digital media file of the digital media files from the original paragraph to the new paragraph;

in response to the tap and hold gesture on the first graphical representation, moving the first graphical representation from the original paragraph to the new paragraph;

receiving selection of a minimizing icon associated with the first graphical representation;

in response to receiving the selection, replacing the first graphical representation with a smaller icon that is smaller than the first graphical representation; and

responsive to receiving a search request from the user that includes selection of an option to exclude the digital media files represented with the smaller icon, conducting a search of the digital media files that excludes the first digital media file.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the timeline is a grid and the graphical representations of the digital media files are arranged on the grid, the graphical representations of a first subset of the digital media files having a different size than the graphical representations of a second subset of the digital media files.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a default setting of the search request is to include the digital media files represented with the smaller icon.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving text input from the user that is positioned between the first graphical representation and a second graphical representation of the graphical representations; and

responsive to the text input exceeding a threshold amount of text, moving the second graphical representation to the new paragraph.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising: receiving, via an input device associated with the user, an annotation of the second graphical representation and a connection between the annotation and a detail within the second graphical representation; and displaying a connector line between the annotation and the second graphical representation.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising applying the annotation from the user to the first graphical representation and the second graphical representation.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising responsive to an amount of available storage on a user device falling below a threshold amount, providing a dialog to the user that suggests downsizing the first graphical representation and associating the first graphical representation with a lower resolution than an original resolution of the first graphical representation.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium with instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations, the operations comprising:

providing to a user digital media files as graphical representations of each of the digital media files in an arrangement along a timeline in a work area, wherein the graphical representations are in an original paragraph;

receiving a gesture operated interaction from the user to create a new paragraph;

creating the new paragraph;

receiving a tap and hold gesture from the user to move a first graphical representation representative of a first digital media file of the digital media files from the original paragraph to the new paragraph;

in response to the tap and hold gesture on the first graphical representation, moving the first graphical representation from the original paragraph to the new paragraph;

receiving selection of a minimizing icon associated with the first graphical representation;

in response to receiving the selection, replacing the first graphical representation with a smaller icon that is smaller than the first graphical representation; and

responsive to receiving a search request from the user that includes selection of an option to exclude the digital media files represented with the smaller icon, conducting a search of the digital media files that excludes the first digital media file.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the timeline is a grid and the graphical representations of the digital media files are arranged on the grid, the graphical representations of a first subset of the digital media files having a different size than the graphical representations of a second subset of the digital media files.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise displaying the graphical representations of the digital media files on the grid by:

determining a maximal page or screen width;

determining a current position of an area to be filled and moving the current position down by a height of a headline; and

placing the first graphical representation of the graphical representations within the area to be filled.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving text input from the user that is positioned between the first graphical representation and a second graphical representation of the graphical representations; and

responsive to the text input exceeding a threshold amount of text, moving the second graphical representation to the new paragraph.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise: receiving, via an input device associated with the user, an annotation of the second graphical representation and a connection between the annotation and a detail within the second graphical representation; and displaying a connector line between the annotation and the second graphical representation.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , further comprising applying the annotation from the user to the first graphical representation and the second graphical representation.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise responsive to an amount of available storage on a user device falling below a threshold amount, providing a dialog to the user that suggests downsizing the first graphical representation and associating the first graphical representation with a lower resolution than an original resolution of the first graphical representation.

15. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

providing to a user digital media files as graphical representations of each of the digital media files in an arrangement along a timeline in a work area, wherein the graphical representations are in an original paragraph;

receiving a gesture operated interaction from the user to create a new paragraph;

creating the new paragraph;

receiving a tap and hold gesture from the user to move a first graphical representation representative of a first digital media file of the digital media files from the original paragraph to the new paragraph;

in response to the tap and hold gesture on the first graphical representation, moving the first graphical representation from the original paragraph to the new paragraph;

receiving selection of a minimizing icon associated with the first graphical representation;

in response to receiving the selection, replacing the first graphical representation with a smaller icon that is smaller than the first graphical representation; and

responsive to receiving a search request from the user that includes selection of an option to exclude the digital media files represented with the smaller icon, conducting a search of the digital media files that excludes the first digital media file.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the timeline is a grid and the graphical representations of the digital media files are arranged on the grid, the graphical representations of a first subset of the digital media files having a different size than the graphical representations of a second subset of the digital media files.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise displaying the graphical representations of the digital media files on the grid by: determining a maximal page or screen width; determining a current position of an area to be filled and moving the current position down by a height of a headline; and placing the first graphical representation of the graphical representations within the area to be filled.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving text input from the user that is positioned between the first graphical representation and a second graphical representation of the graphical representations; and

responsive to the text input exceeding a threshold amount of text, moving the second graphical representation to the new paragraph.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise: receiving, via an input device associated with the user, an annotation of the second graphical representation and a connection between the annotation and a detail within the second graphical representation; and displaying a connector line between the annotation and the second graphical representation.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise responsive to an amount of available storage on a user device falling below a threshold amount, providing a dialog to the user that suggests downsizing the first graphical representation and associating the first graphical representation with a lower resolution than an original resolution of the first graphical representation.