Methods and appartuses for assisting the production of media works and the like

Abstract

Systems and methods for assisting one or more users in the production of a media work from a plurality of recordings are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, digital versions of the recordings are stored on a file-storage server accessible over a communications network. A media-library server provides an organized way for users to access and view the digital versions, and to associate various data files with the digital versions, such as transcription files, logging files, and storyboard documents. The exemplary media library generates web pages that enable users to search and access the digital versions from an internet browser running on a conventional personal computer. The browser also enables users to view the digital versions with a browser-compatible media viewer.

1 . A system for assisting one or more users in the production of a media work from a plurality of recordings, the system comprising:
 a file-storage server accessible over a communications network;   an intake unit that receives an electrical signal representative of a recording and an identifier for the recording, the intake unit storing a digital version of the recording as a file in the file-storage server, the file being accessible over the communications network by reference to a corresponding network identifier, the intake unit providing a notification of the presence of the digital version, the notification including at least the corresponding identifier, network identifier of the digital version, or both;   a media-library server that maintains a database of digital versions of the recordings and provides a record thereof in a form that can be viewed by a user, the media-library server receiving the notification generated by the intake of a new digital version and adding a record of the digital version to its database in response to the notification.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the intake unit comprises an intake record to present to a user for processing of a recording, and wherein the intake record comprises at least one input field to receive the identifier for the recording or the network identifier of the digital version of the recording. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the intake unit comprises two or more input ports to receive electrical signals representative of recordings, and wherein the intake unit is configured to simultaneously process two or more recordings to generate corresponding digital versions thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the intake unit comprises an input port that receives an analog signal representative of a recording, and a digitizing unit that generates a digital version of the recording from the analog signal. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the intake unit comprises an input port that receives a digital signal representative of a recording, and a transcoder that generates a digital version of the recording from the input digital signal, the digital version having a digital format that is different from that of the input digital signal. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a sub-clip processor that divides a digital version into segments, and that stores the segments as respective files in a file-storage server accessible over the communications network by reference to corresponding network identifiers, the sub-clip processor notifying the media-library server of the existence of the sub-clip files. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the intake unit comprises an intake record to present to a user for processing of a recording, and wherein the intake record comprises at least one input field to receive an indication of whether sub-clips are to be generated; and
 wherein the intake unit provides a notification to the sub-clip processor to generate sub-clips of a recording when the user has provided an indication to generate sub-clips in the at least one input field of the intake record for the recording, the notification including at least one of the corresponding identifier of the recording, the network identifier of the digital version of the recording, or both.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a notification processor that sends an electronic notification message to one or more users over the communications network after the completion of the storing of a digital version of a recording, the electronic notification message including at least the corresponding recording identifier, network identifier of the digital version, or both. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the intake unit comprises an intake record to present to a user for processing of a recording, and wherein the intake record comprises at least one input field to receive an indication of the users to notify after the completion of the storing of a digital version of a recording; and
 wherein the intake unit provides a notification to the notification processor of the indication of the users to notify, the notification including at least the corresponding identifier of the recording, network identifier of the digital version of the recording, or both.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a transcription-logging processor that sends an electronic notification message to at least one transcribing party over the communications network after the completion of the storing of a digital version of a recording, the electronic notification message including at least one of the corresponding identifier of the recording, the network identifier of the digital version, or both; and
 wherein upon receiving a data file from the at least one transcribing party, the transcription-logging processor stores the received data file in a file-storage server accessible over the communications network by reference to a corresponding network identifier, and notifies the media-library server of the existence of the data file.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the intake unit comprises an intake record to present to a user for processing of a recording, and wherein the intake record comprises at least one input field to receive an indication of the at least one transcribing party; and
 wherein the intake unit provides a notification to the transcription-logging processor of the indication of the at least one transcribing party, the notification including at least one of the corresponding identifier of the recording, the network identifier of the digital version of the recording, or both.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising an access-control processor that tracks the location of the tangible media of the recordings according to respective identifiers that are affixed to the tangible media, the access-control processor comprising a plurality of asset-control records, with an asset-control record being assigned to each recording tracked by the access-control processor, each asset-control record comprising a field to hold the identifier of its corresponding recording, a field to hold a representation of the identifier affixed to its corresponding tangible medium and at least a status field to indicate the location of the tangible medium, wherein the access-control processor sends a notification to the media-library server when the status field of an asset-control record is changed, the notification identifying the corresponding recording and providing an updated status. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the intake unit comprises an intake record to present to a user for processing a recording, and wherein the intake record comprises at least one input field to receive a representation of an identifier affixed to the recording's tangible medium; and
 wherein the intake unit provides a notification to the access-control processor of the representation of the identifier affixed to the recording's tangible medium, the notification including at least one of the corresponding identifier of the recording, the network identifier of the digital version of the recording, or both.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the media-library server further comprises a database of the library records of the plurality of recordings, wherein each library record has a field to store the network address of the digital version of the recording and a plurality of information fields to store respective pieces of information about the recording, and wherein the media-library server further comprises a set of instructions that generate web page representations of the library records that are accessible over the communications network. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the media-library server further comprises an instruction set that generates at least one web page accessible over the communications network that presents a dialog box for accepting keywords that may be used to search one or more fields of the library records. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14  wherein at least one library record for a recording comprises a file-association field for associating one or more document files with the recording and the recording's library record, and wherein the media-library server generates at least one web page accessible over the communications network that presents a dialog box for accepting a filename or network address of a document file that is to be added to the file-association field. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the media-library server further comprises an instruction set that generates at least one web page accessible over the communications network that presents a dialog box for accepting keywords that may be used to search the contents of document files that have been associated with one or more library records. 
     
     
         18 . A system for assisting one or more users in the production of a media work from a plurality of recordings, the system comprising:
 a file-storage server accessible over a communications network for storing digital versions of the recordings as files that are accessible over the communications network by reference to corresponding network identifiers;   a media-library server that comprises a database of library records of the plurality of recordings, each library record for a recording having a field to store the network address of the digital version of the recording and a plurality of information fields that store respective pieces of information about the recording, the media-library server further comprising a set of instructions that generate web page representations of the library records that are accessible over the communications network.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the media-library server further comprises an instruction set that generates at least one web page accessible over the communications network that presents a dialog box for accepting keywords that may be used to search one or more fields of the library records. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18  wherein at least one library record for a recording comprises a file-association field for associating one or more document files with the recording, and wherein the media-library server generates at least one web page accessible over the communications network that presents a dialog box for accepting a filename or network address of a document file that is to be added to the file-association field. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the media-library server further comprises an instruction set that generates at least one web page accessible over the communications network that presents a dialog box for accepting keywords that may be used to search the contents of document files that have been associated with one or more library records. 
     
     
         22 . A system for assisting one or more users in the production of a media work from a plurality of recordings, the system comprising:
 a file-storage server accessible over a communications network;   an intake unit that receives an electrical signal representative of a recording and an identifier for the recording, the intake unit storing a digital version of the recording as a file in the file-storage server, the file being accessible over the communications network by reference to a corresponding network identifier; and   a notification processor that provides an electronic notification message to at least a first entity over the communications network after the completion of the storing of a digital version of a recording, the electronic notification message including at least one of the corresponding recording identifier, the network identifier of the digital version, or both.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the first entity is a user of the system. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the intake unit comprises a user interface to display information to the user and to receive input from a user, a processor, and an instruction set that directs the processor to present an intake record to the user, the intake record having an input field to receive at least the identity of the first entity. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the notification processor comprises a transcription-logging processor and wherein the first entity comprises a transcribing party; and
 wherein upon receiving a data file from the transcribing party, the transcription-logging processor stores the received data file in a file-storage server accessible over the communications network by reference to a corresponding network identifier, and notifies at least a second entity of the existence of the data file.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the intake unit comprises a user interface to display information to the user and to receive input from a user, a processor, and an instruction set that directs the processor to present an intake record to the user, the intake record having an input field to receive at least the identity of the first entity. 
     
     
         27 . A method for assisting one or more users in the production of a media work from a plurality of recordings, the method comprising:
 generating a digital version of a recording as a file in a file-storage server, the file being accessible over a communications network by reference to a corresponding network identifier; and   providing a notification of the presence of the digital version to at least one entity over the communications network after completing the storing of a digital version of a recording, the notification including at least one of the corresponding identifier, the network identifier of the digital version, or both.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  further comprising:
 creating a database of digital versions of the recordings;   providing a record thereof in a form that can be viewed by a user, the media-library server receiving the notification generated by the intake of a new digital version and adding a record of the digital version to its database in response to the notification.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the database is managed by a media-library server, and where the at least one entity is the media library server. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising:
 generating sub-clip segments of a recording and storing the segments in respective files in a file-storage server, each such file being accessible over the communications network by reference to a corresponding network identifier;   updating the database to reflect the presence of the sub-clip segments and their respective network identifiers.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising:
 receiving a data file having information about a recordings;   updating the database to reflect the presence of the data file.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising:
 receiving notification of a data file having information about a recording, the notification including the data file's filename or the network identifier, or both;   updating the database to reflect the existence of the data file and at least one of its filename and network identifier.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising:
 tracking the storage status of the tangible media of the recording;   updating the database to reflect the storage status of the recording's tangible media.