Image editing apparatus, image editing method and program

1. An information processing apparatus for generating an edited work including a subset of a plurality of scenes in an image material, the information processing apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store the image material including the plurality of scenes; and

a processor configured

to automatically select, without user input and for an n-th scene of the edited work, a plurality of first candidate scenes from the plurality of scenes based on at least one feature of a preceding (n−1-th) scene of the edited work and features of the plurality of scenes, and

to generate a graphical user interface including a scene selection area and a preview area to be displayed concurrently on a display, wherein

the scene selection area includes one or more first candidate images corresponding to at least one of the automatically selected plurality of first candidate scenes, and

the preview area displays a video preview of the preceding (n−1-th) scene.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor is configured to determine a different recommendation level for each of the plurality of scenes, and to select the plurality of first candidate scenes from the plurality of scenes based on the different recommendation levels.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the processor is configured to generate the graphical user interface such that the plurality of first candidate scenes are displayed in the scene selection area based on the different recommendation levels of the plurality of first candidate scenes.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the preview area displays the video preview of the preceding (n−1-th) scene and displays a selected one of the plurality of first candidate scenes.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the preview area displays the video preview of the preceding (n−1-th) scene, displays a selected one of the plurality of first candidate scenes, and displays a following (n+1-th) scene selected by the processor.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor is configured to generate the graphical user interface to include an indicator, in the selection area, that identifies a selected one of the plurality of first candidate scenes based on a user input.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

based on the plurality of first candidate scenes, the processor is configured to select, for a following (n+1-th) scene of the edited work, a plurality of second candidate scenes from the plurality of scenes; and

to generate the graphical user interface to include a next scene display area, the next scene display area including one or more second candidate images corresponding to the plurality of second candidate scenes.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured

to automatically select at least one scene of the edited work following the n-th scene, and

to generate the graphical user interface to include a roll film area, the roll film area including thumbnail images corresponding to at least the n-th scene and the automatically selected at least one scene included in the edited work.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor is configured to generate the graphical user interface to include icons, in the selection area, that represent the features of the plurality of first candidate scenes.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor is configured to generate the graphical user interface to include an image switching effect selection window, the image switching effect selection window including a list of user selectable image switching effects to be applied to a connection portion between the n-th scene and one of the preceding (n−1-th) or following (n+1-th) scenes of the edited work.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor is configured to generate the graphical user interface to include a delete icon for each of the one or more plurality of first candidate scenes, in the selection area, and to delete a corresponding one of the plurality of first candidate scenes in response to receiving a user selection of the delete icon.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor is configured to generate the graphical user interface to include a caption entry field corresponding to one of the plurality of first candidate scenes.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor is configured to select the plurality of first candidate scenes from the plurality of scenes based on a chronological order of the plurality of scenes occurring after the preceding (n−1-th) scene of the edited work, and to generate the graphical user interface such that the one or more first candidate images included in the scene selection area are displayed according to chronological order.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor is configured to select the plurality of first candidate scenes from the plurality of scenes based on a portion of a music piece to be associated with the n-th scene of the edited work.

15. A method of an information processing apparatus for generating an edited work including a subset of a plurality of scenes in an image material, the method comprising:

storing the image material including the plurality of scenes;

automatically selecting, without user input and by a processor of the information processing apparatus, for an n-th scene of the edited work, a plurality of first candidate scenes from the plurality of scenes based on at least one feature of a preceding (n−1-th) scene of the edited work and features of the plurality of scenes; and

generating by the processor of the information processing apparatus, a graphical user interface including a scene selection area and a preview area to be displayed concurrently on a display, wherein

the scene selection area includes one or more first candidate images corresponding to at least one of the automatically selected plurality of first candidate scenes, and

the preview area displays a video preview of the preceding (n−1-th) scene.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embedded therein instructions, which when executed by a processor, perform a method for generating an edited work including a subset of a plurality of scenes in an image material, the method comprising:

storing the image material including the plurality of scenes;

automatically selecting, without user input and for an n-th scene of the edited work, a plurality of first candidate scenes from the plurality of scenes based on at least one feature of a preceding (n−1-th) scene of the edited work and features of the plurality of scenes; and

generating a graphical user interface including a scene selection area and a preview area to be displayed concurrently on a display, wherein

the scene selection area includes one or more first candidate images corresponding to at least one of the automatically selected plurality of first candidate scenes, and

the preview area displays a video preview of the preceding (n−1-th) scene.

17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

the processor is configured to receive a user selection of one of the plurality of first candidate scenes via the graphical user interface, and to display the preview based on the received user selection of the one of the plurality of first candidate scenes.

18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the scene selection area is configured to concurrently display the first candidate images for at least two of the plurality of first candidate scenes.

19. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the automatic selection is based on recommendation information of each scene of the plurality of scenes.