As a sequel to my research on video portal web sites I developed annotation and tagging tools for vimeo, an online video portal website. These tools allow users to analyze and critique moving images in a time-sensitive format allowing for more critical viewing.

Currently tools on video portals sites do not support time-based media. They imitate Flickr’s tagging and commenting approach to digital images. They compress the moving image into one still frame. This only allows the user to reference one image when commenting on entire movie.

Annotation and tagging tools could assist in educational critiques, within a design classroom, but also in film studies, and animation classes. These tools would be useful in professional practice as a space for project discussion, and a tool for working in remote locations while still collaborating with co-workers. Currently video portal sites only address community sharing. These tools would allow for a whole new value to sites such as Vimeo.com, or even YouTube and Google Video.

Work Completed
• Analysis of current video portals
• Wireframes of new tools
• Design of “Vimeo Video Discussion Pages”
• Development of Project Presentation
• Design of Poster summarizing project

Image #1: A research poster which documents the proposed tool, the context and rationale for the project.

Above is a screenshot showing the different types of commenting. Commenting would be more than text based annotations, but could be in the form or visual comparisions, links, tags, movie comparisions and frames.

This image shows the storyboard view, which allows the user to view the video from a macro view
and see where commenting appears, and by whom. This would allow users to recognize patterns
and clusters of commenting.

Credits:
Photo / video credit - James Brandon King
Animation credit - Jarrott Moody, "Marsellus Wallace"
Motion Graphics credit - Imaginary Forces & Kyle Cooper, "Seven" Film Titles

© 2009 // Gretchen Caldwell Rinnert // flyingtype.com // grinnert@flyingtype.com