System and method for assembling a recorded composition

1. A system for facilitating the assembly of a composition, the system comprising:

a memory to store data representing different predefined versions of a video presentation, the predefined versions comprising a plurality of predefined paths, each path comprising a plurality of audio/video segments, each audio/video segment representing a scene of the video presentation,

wherein a particular one of the audio/video segments comprises a predefined decision period during which a user may select, in real-time as the particular audio/video segment is playing, a subsequent audio/video segment to be played automatically and immediately following a conclusion of playback of the particular audio/video segment,

wherein the decision period of the particular audio/video segment begins subsequent to a beginning of playback of the particular audio/video segment and ends prior to the conclusion of playback of the particular audio/video segment; and

a processor to assemble a plurality of the audio/video segments into a particular one of the paths, wherein the particular path is a predefined version of the video presentation having a plurality of seamlessly connected scenes, and wherein the processor is configured to:

(i) during a first playback of the video presentation:

automatically present to the user, during a decision period of a first audio/video segment, visual representations of two or more alternative audio/video segments from which a subsequent audio/video segment is selected;

present, during playback of the first audio/video segment, a visual indicator of time remaining in the decision period of the first audio/video segment;

receive a selection of the subsequent audio/video segment from among the alternative audio/video segments;

play the selected subsequent audio/video segment following a conclusion of playback of the first audio/video segment;

automatically present to the user, during a decision period of the selected subsequent audio/video segment, visual representations of two or more second alternative audio/video segments from which a second subsequent audio/video segment can be selected, the second subsequent audio/video segment to be played directly following a conclusion of playback of the selected subsequent audio/video segment;

receive from the user, during playback of the video presentation after the decision period of the selected subsequent audio/video segment, a selection of one of the second alternative audio/video segments, wherein the selection of the one of the second alternative audio/video segments is received too late for the selected second alternative audio/video segment to be played directly following the conclusion of playback of the selected subsequent audio/video segment;

store in a memory the selection of the second alternative audio/video segment and a location of intended insertion of the selected second alternative audio/video segment, the location of intended insertion being directly after the conclusion of playback of the selected subsequent audio/video segment; and

automatically play a default or random audio/video segment from the second alternative audio/video segments at the location of intended insertion instead of the selected second alternative audio/video segment,

wherein the first playback of the video presentation results in a first one of the predefined versions of the video presentation; and

(ii) during a second, later playback of the video presentation:

automatically play the selected second alternative audio/video segment at the location of intended insertion without requiring interaction from the user,

wherein the second playback of the video presentation results in a second one of the predefined versions of the video presentation.

2. The system as in claim 1 , wherein the processor further assembles a composition comprising the first audio/video segment and the subsequent audio/video segment for storage in the memory.

3. The system as in claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to issue a signal in advance of a completion of playback of the first audio/video segment, the signal alerting a user of the upcoming completion of playback of the first audio/video segment.

4. The system as in claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to issue a signal associated with one of the alternative audio/video segments, the signal indicating that the one of the alternative audio/video segments is suitable for assembly onto the first audio/video segment.

5. The system as in claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to issue a signal indicating that flail the first audio/video segment comprises a first mode, and a signal indicating that a second one of the audio/video segments comprises a second mode.

6. The system as in claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to assemble the first predefined version of the video presentation by linking an end of the first audio/video segment with a start of the selected subsequent audio/video segment.

7. The system as in claim 1 , wherein the subsequent audio/video segment is selected based at least in part on a user-provided selection.

8. The system as in claim 1 , wherein the subsequent audio/video segment is selected as a default selection.

9. The system as in claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to present, during playback of the first audio/video segment, a visual indicator of time remaining until the selected subsequent audio/video segment is to be played.

10. The system as in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the audio/video segments represents a predefined portion of two or more of the predefined paths.

11. A method of assembling a seamless composition, the method comprising:

i) storing data representing different predefined versions of a video presentation, the redefined versions comprising a plurality of predefined paths, each path comprising a plurality of audio/video segments, each audio/video segment representing a scene of the video presentation,

wherein a particular one of the audio/video segments comprises a predefined decision period during which a user may select, in real-time as the particular audio/video segment is playing, a subsequent audio/video segment to be played automatically and immediately following a conclusion of playback of the particular audio/video segment, and

wherein the decision period of the particular audio/video segment begins subsequent to a beginning of playback of the particular audio/video segment and ends prior to the conclusion of playback of the particular audio/video segment;

ii) assembling a plurality of the audio/video segments into a particular one of the paths, wherein the particular path is a predefined version of the video presentation having a plurality of seamlessly connected scenes;

iii) during a first playback of the video presentation:

automatically presenting to the user, during a decision period of a first audio/video segment, visual representations of two or more alternative audio/video segments from which a subsequent audio/video segment is selected;

presenting, during playback of the first audio/video segment, a visual indicator of time remaining in the decision period of the first audio/video segment;

receiving a selection of the subsequent audio/video segment from among the alternative audio/video segments;

playing the selected subsequent audio/video segment following a conclusion of playback of the first audio/video segment;

automatically presenting to the user, during a decision period of the selected subsequent audio/video segment, visual representations of two or more second alternative audio/video segments from which a second subsequent audio/video segment can be selected, the second subsequent audio/video segment to be played directly following a conclusion of playback of the selected subsequent audio/video segment;

receiving from the user, during playback of the video presentation after the decision period of the selected subsequent audio/video segment, a selection of one of the second alternative audio/video segments, wherein the selection of the one of the second alternative audio/video segments is received too late for the selected second alternative audio/video segment to be played directly following the conclusion of playback of the selected subsequent audio/video segment;

storing in a memory the selection of the second alternative audio/video segment and a location of intended insertion of the selected second alternative audio/video segment, the location of intended insertion being directly after the conclusion of playback of the selected subsequent audio/video segment; and

automatically playing a default or random audio/video segment from the second alternative audio/video segments at the location of intended insertion instead of the selected second alternative audio/video segment,

wherein the first playback of the video presentation results in a first one of the predefined versions of the video presentation; and

iv) during a second, later playback of the video presentation:

automatically playing the selected second alternative audio/video segment at the location of intended insertion without requiring interaction from the user,

wherein the second playback of the video presentation results in a second one of the predefined versions of the video presentation.

12. The method as in claim 11 , further comprising alerting a user, in advance of a completion of playback of the first audio/video segment, of the upcoming completion of playback of the first audio/video segment.

13. The method as in claim 11 , further comprising indicating that the one of the alternative audio/video segments is suitable for assembly onto the first audio/video segment.

14. The method as in claim 11 , further comprising indicating that the first audio/video segment comprises a first mode and that a second one of the audio/video segments comprises a second mode.

15. The method as in claim 11 , further comprising linking an end of the first audio/video segment with a start of the selected subsequent audio/video segment.

16. The method as in claim 11 , wherein the subsequent audio/video segment is selected based at least in part on a user-provided selection.

17. The method as in claim 11 , wherein the subsequent audio/video segment is selected as a default selection.

18. The method as in claim 11 , further comprising presenting, during playback of the first audio/video segment, a visual indicator of time remaining until the selected subsequent audio/video segment is to be played.

19. The method as in claim 11 , wherein at least one of the audio/video segments represents a predefined portion of two or more of the predefined paths.