WO2001050668A2 - System and method for automated script-based production - Google Patents

Abstract

System and method for automated scripted-based production by electronic multi-feature integration. The method includes establishing a screen-displayed production script, the script visually representing elements of a script-based production. User navigation is facilitated about the screen-displayed production script and enabling a user to designate an element from a plurality of locations within the script for immediate screen display of information related to the designated element. A designatable element is linked with an information source record storing information associated with the element so that user designation of the element actuates the immediate screen display of information related to the designated element. Information is processed from the information source record to produce accounting information regarding the production and thereby establishing an automated script-based production program having integrated accounting capabilities.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED SCRIPT-BASED PRODUCTION

TECHNICAL FIELD:

The present invention relates generally to film production, and more specifically to automated script-based production that facilitates electronic interaction of various parties required for such a production.

BACKGROUND ART:

Modern audiovisual program and motion picture development is known to be a complex endeavor calling on a wide range of artistic, technical, business, and management skills and talents. Generally, a key objective of any such development project is to optimize the content-schedule-cost triad. High-quality content provided on-time and within budget is the goal. Many of the tasks involved in reaching that goal are resource-intensive, introduce significant schedule and technical risk, and present participants with challenging artistic choices. The complexity of some tasks is aggravated by limitations imposed by technology. Groundwork tasks include identifying a concept or script for development, casting major characters, and arranging financing. Pre-production activities such as continued casting and script development, location selection, reservation of production resources, and project scheduling follow. Among these complication are the actual steps required in determining availability of required resources, what the possible sources and prices for those resources may be, making a selection from the possibilities, and securing the resource with a reservation and financial transaction, typically including funds transfer to the vendor. Production brings its own challenges including real-time coordination of resources under stressful conditions. Post-production activities such as editing, scoring, and mixing, continue the challenge. In addition, marketing, distribution, revenue collection, and allocation of revenues demand dedication of substantial resources. The phases described above are not discrete, but often overlap and are iterative. Some technology has developed to facilitate production and distribution of audiovisual presentations. These technological advancements include digital cameras, digital editing devices, computer hardware and software, and communications technology. The opportunity, however, exists to further leverage these advances through vertical and lateral integration into a networkable application program suitable for automation and multi-user interaction, that is preferably configured to run in a wide area network environment or with access to the World Wide Web. From an utilization perspective, this automated program is especially targeted toward script-based television programming, advertising development and motion picture production. As but one example of a task suited for the proposed streamlining enabled by the present invention, simple casting typically involves moving actor information between agents, producers, a casting director, and a lead director. Traditionally, photos, audition clips, and curricuium vitae are moved between the participants as hard copy via courier or mail service. The same is true of "casting" other resource roles such as camera operators, editors, composers and other production participants. While individual technologies such as facsimile and electronic mail are used to facilitate this process, no integrated system tailored to audiovisual program development has emerged.

As another example, configuration management challenges are pervasive in television program and motion picture development and production. Control of raw footage, synchronizing separately recorded audio and video, and arrangement of various versions of edited footage are some of the challenges presented to a production staff. As with casting information, hard copy is the primary medium for version control. Throughout the process, repeated media translations are costly and inevitably have a negative impact on the audiovisual quality of the final product because of iterative degradation. Distribution of the final product is a further example of an aspect of television program and motion picture development susceptible to streamlining and automated integration. Typically, the cost for making distribution copies from a film master is in the thousands of dollars per copy. Further, it is quite usual for a major motion picture to open in thousands of theaters nation-wide on the same day. Considering that several studios produce more than 1 0 major motion pictures per year each, the cost of creating distribution copies alone can run over $ 10,000,000 per year for a single studio. A system and method that would enable soft- copy or audiovisual streaming at significant cost reductions and provide greater control over unauthorized copying, distribution, and performance of a produced video has been recognized as highly desirable.

In view of the above described deficiencies associated with exiting methods and systems for script-based production, the present invention has been developed to alleviate these drawbacks and provide further benefits to the user. These enhancements and benefits are described in greater detail hereinbelow with respect to several alternative embodiments of the present invention.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION:

The present invention in its several disclosed embodiments alleviates the drawbacks described above with respect to conventional script-based productions, and incorporates several additionally beneficial features to be enjoyed by the users.

Embodiments of the present invention facilitate the production and distribution of television programs and motion pictures through the synergistic effect of combining diverse advances in technology into an integrated system addressing cost, schedule, and content objectives. To establish total vertical integration of the many tasks and party communications between various participants in a script-based production, beginning essentially with the resource vendors and moving downstream toward the movie house operators, as well as facilitating simultaneous connectivity to a plurality of users positioned along the way, the computer-based program is preferably made accessible to the users via a wide area network, the World Wide Web or other suitable platform that accommodates access by a multitude of users and enables real-time updating of displayed information to those users. In one embodiment, the present invention is a system for audiovisual program production, in that embodiment, the invention is implemented as a database with various perspectives such as cost, schedule, content, resource, and role information and combinations of each. Resource types include cast, art , props, and crew, and equipment. In one embodiment, resource status, i.e., {selected resource, held resource, or rejected resource} is one resource characteristic. In one embodiment system data is organized in directories based on the resource status. That is, the physical location of the stored data is determined by its status; therefore, location also indicates status. This feature becomes especially important in the event of computer system crashes or failures as will be described in greater detail hereinbelow.

The system supports one or more concurrent users from one or more locations. Each user is characterized by a profile which allows that user access to read/write specific information governed by the role and privilege of the user. Roles include, as examples, director, producer, actor, and system administrator. Privileges are controlled by a system administrator. Connectivity between a user and the system and among users is by one or more local area network, wide area network, dial-up serial connection, e-mail, or Internet access.

User functions include: administration; content editorial functions such as digital editing, effects, and sound mixing; cost and schedule tracking & projection (in one embodiment of the invention the system provides an interface to, or integrates within itself, an off-the-shelf cost/schedule program); and message and real time communication between users.

Input/output (I/O) mechanisms include traditional keyboards, pointing devices such as a mouse, scanners, direct digital I/O interfaces, screen displays and projectors. Changes to a role or resource characteristics may be made by "drag and drop" or point-and-click methods; that is, and for example, changing the actor resource filling a role may be accomplished by "dragging" the icon for the actor from a "rejected" status to, and "dropping" the specific actor resource icon into the "selected" status.

In one embodiment, changes to resource characteristics are appropriately propagated through each perspective. For example, replacing one actor with another more expensive actor who has a more restricted availability schedule would propagate changes effecting the cost and schedule perspectives.

In one embodiment a script is the starting point. Script text is hyperlinked to cost, schedule, content and resources information. Further hyperlinks are provided among perspectives to any resource, cost, schedule, content information identified on the screen. In one embodiment the system accepts direct input from a digital camera. In another embodiment, the invention accepts converted analog input at any point in the process.

Both audio and video in the system are maintained in digital format. Content data is time-stamped to facilitate synchronization between audio and video. In one embodiment, a digital copy is deliverable to a performance location in hard copy digital media; that is, what is more commonly known as DVD format. In one embodiment a "pay-per-view" digital stream is delivered to a performance location. In another embodiment, accounting information is delivered in real time between the performance location and the distribution location.

The beneficial effects described above apply generally to the exemplary arrangements and methods disclosed herein for automated and integrated script-based productions. The specific structures, computer programs and processes through which these benefits are made delivered will be described in greater detail hereinbelow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

The invention will now be described in greater detail in the following way of example only and with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 indicates a screen-displayed portion of a script demonstrating exemplary elements of the script that may be designated by a user for displaying, and possibly editing related information.

Figure 2 is a schematic representation showing primarily pre-production stage possible participant interaction paths utilizing a program executed according to at least one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is an architectural schematic representation showing primarily pre-production stage possible information exchange paths of a program executed according to at least one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a schematic representation showing primarily film-production stage possible participant interaction paths utilizing a program executed according to at least one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is an architectural schematic representation showing primarily production and post-production stage possible information exchange paths of a program executed according to at least one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a schematic representation showing primarily post-production and distribution stage communication paths for information exchange according to at least one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a flow-chart representing user and/or program method steps executed according to at least one embodiment of the present invention.

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION: As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale, some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

Referring to the Figures, a system and method for automated script-based production by electronic multi-feature integration are exemplarily illustrated. In the embodiment that takes the form of a method or process, prescribed steps include establishing a screen- displayed production script in which the script visually represents elements of a script-based production. This is exemplarily shown in Figure 1 in which a portion of the script of the movie Gone With The Wind is shown as a screen-display to a user. Suitable production examples embrace more commonly appreciated script-based productions such as movies and television programing, but also contemplate other video products such as video depositions in which a textual script may be generated from a video source instead of vice-a-versa. The preferred method of the present invention facilitates user navigation about the screen-displayed production script and enables a user to designate an element of the script from a plurality of locations within the textual script for immediate screen display of information related to the designated element. Examples of such elements include characters, settings and props; and user designation of these elements may be by electronic highlighting and/or other suitable means. As may be appreciated from Figure 1 , such characters as the presently displayed speaking roles of PRISSY and RHETT may be user designated for further investigation, as can the script-mentioned character of Belle Watling. Similarly, a setting such as "HORSE SALOON - DECATUR STREET may be user designated for further investigation, as may the props of "horse and cart. " These element(s) that may be user designated are linked with an information source record storing information associated with that element so that user designation of the element actuates the immediate screen display of information related to the designated element. As may be appreciated from the illustrations of the several Figures, the role of PRISSY may be user designated as shown in Figure 1 . That calls on a virtual link between the printed PRISSY of Figure 1 and an information source record, possibly maintained under the management of the casting director as illustrated in Figure 2. The metadata maintained under RHETT includes the presently selected actor for the role of RHETT, that is,

Clark Gable, and certain associated and relevant facts concerning the actor. These facts may be purely maintained for display and qualitative processing by a user, but the fact may also be for utilization in other system processes or computations in areas of the program far removed from the casting director's realm. These linking aspects apply equally to the other modules or areas such as those shown in Figure 1 as being managed under the purview of the production designer, wardrobes and props.

In one embodiment, information from the information source record is processed to produce accounting information regarding the production. In this way an automated script- based production program is established having integrated accounting capabilities. The possibility of this interaction and interrelationship is illustrated in Figure 3. In typical situations, a plurality of designatable elements (multiple characters and settings, for instance) are linked, one each, with a plurality of information source records. Here, each information source record stores information associated with the respectively linked element in a multilevel metadata file as shown in more detail in Figure 2. That is, there may be multiple levels of embedded information in the record. For instance, one level of data may be classified as physical characteristics, and embedded thereunder is additional metadata addressing such specific physical traits as hair color, eye color, height and weight.

One aspect of the present program produces accounting statements representative of cost figures associated with the script-based production. At least one of the cost figures represents an aggregated actor cost based on selection status (an aspect which will be addressed in greater detail hereinbelow) of a plurality of actors required for the script-based production. Similarly figures, are of course, included in the statements regarding other aspects of the production such as props, wardrobe and the like. As a facilitation, one-click capabilities are afforded to the users and viewers of the statement(s) for clicking on a cost figure of the accounting statement representing, for example, the aggregate actor cost. Such selection or designation results in display of input information utilized in the computation of the cost figure. When considering an aggregate actor cost figure, for example, the input information would include at least the several constituent actors' identifications and each actor's salary demand figure that serves as a component of the aggregate actor cost.

In another aspect, the program includes an integrated bid solicitation capability is further provided in the automated script-based production program thereby enabling a user to electronically solicit bids for production required resources from potential vendors. Such resources may include actors; the selection and management of whom are typically coordinated through a casting director. Set designs may be similarly managed by a production designer, and wardrobes and props by respective directors or managers. A common thread linking all of these participants in the video production process is the script which captions all of these aspects textually; and this textual format lends itself to screen display. As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the possible vendors of the resources are typically managed under the oversight of the related script aspect. For instance, referring to these Figures, different vendors for wardrobe pieces such as dresses and suits may be managed, accessed and provided access through the program 's wardrobe module or aspect as seen at the left of Figures 2 and 3.

In a similar aspect, an integrated production scheduling capability is provided which enables automated production scheduling dependent upon user input. The shooting schedule aspect of this scheduling feature is shown schematically in Figures 3, 4 and 5. It should be appreciated that the user input utilized to create and modify the schedule need not be made directly into a scheduling module of the program but such input may come from remote areas of the program; for instance, a change in actor selection is likely to have an automatic effect on the a production or shooting schedule affected by the "system manager" because of differing times of availability between different actors considered for the same role. In this regard, the "system manager" is the aspect of the program containing the logic and pre- established operations for manipulating data, displaying information and producing reports. It is contemplated that there will also be a system manager's position that is filled by one or more persons who act as administrators over the program, its users and its operation.

The shooting schedule may be generated utilizing the integrated production scheduling capability of the automated script-based production program based, at least in part, upon actor selections made for character casting by a user. In this regard, overall production schedules may be produced, amended and followed, but breakdown schedules addressing discrete portions of the production may also be automated. For instance, a daily "shooting" schedule may be produced, or schedule(s) may be generated that address a particular scene or location of the production regardless of time period. Breakdown schedules may also be produced addressing certain aspects of the production. For instance, a schedule regarding wardrobes may be produced for planning availability, shipping and the like. One feature of the program is that user(s), and usually a plurality of users, may be permitted to amend screen-displayed information that has been displayed, at their request, from the information source record. Because the program is interactive and integrated on a real time basis, any change by one user will be cause consequential changes in other aspects of the program affected thereby. Of course, different users will be afforded different rights regarding their abilities to make changes, as well as display certain data. For instance,

Figures 2-5 show the possible inter-communication and interaction channels between a producer, director, writer, production manager, casting director, production designer and the wardrobe and props departments. The director may be granted full rights to view and amend the script, while a production designer may only be allowed to view a screen-displayed version of the script to determine whether or not suitable vendors are known for the production. It is also contemplated that within the hierarchy of granted access rights, one level may permit proposed amendments that can be screen-viewed by other users, but not finally affected until approved by another user having rights to amend the program. As an example, a casting director may be able to propose a change in actor, and demonstrate the effects it will have on the production to the director, but the change in selection status from the old actor to the new actor is not affected unless accepted and made by the director. Because the program is contemplated to be best implemented either on a wide area network or across the World Wide Web (Internet), a strategy is necessarily proved to limit electronic access to authorized users. Admission into the program, as well as rights establishment may be advantageously set based on user identification and possibly password procedures. In this way a multitude of users may be granted simultaneous access to the program. Once admitted, each authorized user will enjoy substantially real-time viewing of constantly updated displayable data, even if they can not affect changes to the program data.

Because budgets are typically of utmost importance in these types of script-based productions, the capabilities for producing and revising financial data are of key importance.

Moreover, the more current the information, the more beneficial it is to all users. Therefore, an important feature of the instant system is a capability for causing consequential changes in program produced accounting statements responsive to user amendments of related screen- displayed information at the information source record level. As earlier indicated, the selection of a different actor to play a particular part can affect many aspects of a production; usually one of the most important being budgetary impacts that can include not only actor salary numbers, but wardrobe costs and miscellaneous costs if one actor has sufficient clout to make special demands that another actor may not possess.

Different users will often be interested in different areas of the script at any given time. Therefore, each is provided independent scrolling capability thereby enabling a particular user to independently display portions of the screen-displayed production script of interest to that particular user. As may be appreciated from Figure 3, each user is interested in the script, but possibly different portions thereof. Because each is viewing an electronically produced, screen-based version, different portions of the script may be viewed by each of the different users simultaneously. As well as other processing features, the program system managing processor is responsible for management of the several displays. This is a complement to another important feature of the program which is providing the ability to different users to simultaneously view the same portion of the script, but from multiple physical locations merely by possessing a connected computer terminal and/or display screen.

In this way, several people, such as the writer and producer, can collaborate on script-based changes without physically meeting, or even exchanging documents. Still further, the program of the present invention may also be mated with email capabilities so that output from the program may be emailed in an automated manner to third parties by a user, but without the third party necessarily being an authorized user of the system.

As indicated above, users will often want to select an element of the script for further background information. Because of the screen-based nature of the display of the script, selection capabilities are advantageously facilitated by providing point-and-click capability to the multitude of simultaneous users thereby enabling a particular user to select an element of the script using point-and click procedures which will cause screen display of information stored in the information source record. For instance, a particular character may be selected by pointing-and-ciicking thereupon. This may result in the display of an actor's name and picture that has presently been chosen to play the designated role. By then pointing-and- clicking upon the screen displayed visual representation of the actor, further meta-type data may be displayed such as physical characteristics, salary demands and scheduling availability.

This screen displayed data may be further investigated by a user by pointing-and- clicking on a particular aspect or piece of the metadata. For instance, pointing-and-clicking on an actor's schedule of availability may display a detailed calendar of availability for the actor over the course of the next six months. Salary demand may be similarly broken down into component costs. By making this type of information accessible to various users, it can be constantly reviewed and updated for accuracy. Therefore, a producer does not have to anticipate that an actor may be booked once finally selected; that actor's program-based current schedule of availability will be up-to-date because the casting director will either be regularly updating this information, or will provide access to the actors' agents who will be required to maintain the data on a current basis. Because of custom programming capabilities afforded by the present system, a regular inquiry may be programmed to query agent's databases and automatically update the production program to which the other users are connected.

A vulnerability of some computer program architecture is that data, and especially data that is available for user changes, is held in volatile memory until saved into non-volatile memory by the amending user. This creates a well known risk recognized by most computer users; that is, the possibility of a system failure during the amendment process that causes a lose of the data version held in volatile memory and probably containing important and otherwise unrecorded amendments. The present system contemplates the possibility of execution in such a manner, and using an actor for purposes of example, associates a status assignment that is user designatable from the possibilities of selected or chosen, on hold and refused. The status may be assigned merely by appropriate notation in a field of the information source record. There is a risk utilizing this volatile-memory strategy, however; the status of an element may be changed in volatile memory, and then be lost if a system failure occurs. Still further, several users may be viewing the same record and making amendments to the same fields within the record. If not updated on a real-time basis, each may make changes and save them back to the main data base. In this case, the last information to be user saved controls.

One strategy which substantially reduces the likelihood of data lose and confusion is utilized in a preferred embodiment of the present invention; that is, each information source record associated with a particular element (an actor, for instance) is maintained in non- volatile memory form in the computer system's physical memory such as on a hard drive. Changes are affected directly to this physical manifestation of the data any time a change is made. This means that the data is saved and maintained in a physical format at all times. In this way, a strategy used in allocating the physical location of a saved information source record may be utilized to specify the current status designation between selected, on hold and refused and thereby prevent loss of status designation in the event of volatile memory loss associated with computer system failures. That is to say, any time a query is made of the information source records, the system can determine the status of an element, or aspect of an element, merely by the storage location of the record; for instance, where it is on the hard drive. Still further, because of real-time updating and displays to multiple users, a user must anticipate that reports or data displays will unexpectedly change without their influence.

In another aspect, an integrated bid solicitation capability is provided in the automated script-based production program thereby enabling a user to electronically solicit bids for user selected props from potential vendors. To facilitate this process, electronic access to the automated script-based production program may be provided for potential vendors thereby enabling a potential vendor to electronically receive and respond to a bid solicitation. Regarding integration of the bid procedure, automation of a recomputation process that recomputes cost figures in a program produced accounting statement based on selected bids received back from a vendor for producing reflective accounting statements is accommodated. Still further, as an aspect of the vertically integrated accounting features, payments to the vendors can be automatically processed, possibly as a wire transfer at the time the vendor is selected as the provider of the prop. In this way, the process of "selecting" the vendor also pays the vendor and appropriately affects the financial reports of the production project.

When script-based video becomes available, and preferably in digital format, it is advantageously associated with the screen-displayed production script so that from a particular screen-displayed portion of the script, digital video produced according to the script is selectable for causing a screen-display of produced digital video that substantially corresponds to the screen-displayed portion of the script. The production of such video is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 where the developed script is communicated for display to directors of photography and assistant directors responsible for casting. As shown in Figure 5, the edited script may be screen-displayed at the shoot location for on-site review by cast, crew and other on-site personnel. Typically, audio will be similarly produced.

Because of the integrated aspect and permitted access of multiple users, edit capabilities may be provided to a plurality of the multitude of users of the digital video and permit simultaneous viewing of edited versions of the digital video on a substantially real time basis as amendments are being made. This aspect of the production is illustrated in Figure 5 where all users are interlinked with the editing functions. In this manner, all participants may view the video as it is being edited, and certain users can participate in the editing process. Not only does this allow the several creative minds, each having a different perspective, to participate in editing process, but it also permits each to view finalized video on a real time basis. This is a dramatic improvement over presently available systems.

Often times, an end product produced using the presently disclosed automated script- based production program is a distribution version of digital video; for instance, a movie, a commercial, a television program or other script based production. As a further exploitation of having the finalized distribution version of the digital video in the program system, this finished video may then be electronically distributed for display to viewers. Normally, this will be through a distribution server, controlled by the program system managing processor, to end users such as movie houses as shown in Figure 6.

The distributed version of the digital video may be encrypted thereby preventing unauthorized viewing of the distribution version of digital video. This scenario may be bolstered by distributing a single-use key for unlocking the encryption of the distribution version of the digital video thereby enabling only a single viewing of the distribution version of digital video. In a further aspect, because of the ease with which an electronic version of the digital video may be transmitted, and essentially on an immediate basis, it is possible to distribute the distribution version of the digital video directly to a movie theater at the time it is to be shown to the movie house's patrons. Because financial commitments are similarly easily affected and also made on essentially an immediate basis, the present program has an optional aspect requiring financial commitment from the movie theater as a precursor to electronic distribution of the distribution version of digital video. This may include actual wiring or similar transfer of funds, potentially based on head count of patrons that have been admitted for viewing.

A program and method for affecting a vertically integrated, script-based video production system have been described. Utilizing inter-program communications and embracing the possibility of interfacing with existing "modules" for certain aspects of the overall program, technology familiar to modern programers is exploited. Therefore, it is the unique combinations of interactive qualities and data manipulations of the program, and the facilities it provides to the users which is the focus of the invention. Still further, utilizing the invention's integrated financial accounting strategy for a script-based production, automation is provided from vendor payments through the collection of revenues prior to video distribution. This enables streamlined and integrated project-based accounting capabilities heretofore unavailable and unknown in the art. This optional accounting aspect is shown in the elemental flow chart of Figure 7 that exemplifies the process steps of the invention. For these reasons, the described embodiments of the invention, as well as other variations, which will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, are within the intended scope of this invention as claimed below. As previously stated, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various forms.

Claims

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows:

1 . A method for automated script-based production by electronic multi-feature integration, the method comprising: establishing a screen-displayed production script, the script visually representing elements of a script-based production; facilitating user navigation about the screen-displayed production script and enabling a user to designate an element from a plurality of locations within the script for immediate screen display of information related to the designated element; and linking a designatable element with an information source record storing information associated with the element so that user designation of the element actuates the immediate screen display of information related to the designated element.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: processing information from the information source record to produce accounting information regarding the production and thereby establishing an automated script-based production program having integrated accounting capabilities.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising: linking a plurality of designatable elements, one each, with a plurality of information source records, each information source record storing information associated with the respectively linked element in a multi-level medadata file.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising: linking a plurality of designatable elements, one each, with a plurality of information source records, each information source record storing information associated with the respectively linked element.

5. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising: providing an integrated bid solicitation capability in the automated script-based production program thereby enabling a user to electronically solicit bids for production required resources from potential vendors.

6. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising: providing an integrated production scheduling capability in the automated script-based production program thereby enabling automated production scheduling dependent upon user input.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising: establishing a shooting schedule utilizing the integrated production scheduling capability of the automated script-based production program based upon actor selections made for character casting by a user.

8. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising: enabling a user to amend the related screen-displayed information from an information source record and thereby causing other consequential changes in the program.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising: causing consequential changes in at least program produced accounting statements responsive to user amend of related screen-displayed information from the information source record.

10. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising: accommodating simultaneous electronic access to the automated script-based production program by a multitude of users.

1 1 . The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising: limiting rights to amend stored information associated with elements of the script based upon user identification.

1 2. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising: affecting substantially real time updating of screen displayed information to a multitude of users dependent upon amendments made by another user.

1 3. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising: providing independent scrolling capabilities to a multitude of simultaneous users thereby enabling a particular user to independently display portions of the screen-displayed production script of interest to that particular user.

14. The method as recited in claim 1 3, further comprising: providing point-and-click capability to a multitude of simultaneous users thereby enabling a particular user to select an element of the script using point-and click procedures thereby causing screen display of information stored in the information source record that is related to the selected element.

1 5. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising: permitting amendment to screen displayed information based on user identity.

16. The method as recited in claim 1 5, further comprising: affecting substantially real time updating of screen displayed information to others of a multitude of users responsive to amendment of screen displayed information by a user.

17. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the elements of the script-based production include at least one character and dialog of that character.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein an information source record is provided for each of a plurality of potential actors selectable to perform as a particular character of the script-based production, each of the information source records being exchangeably linkable with the related character of the displayed script.

1 9. The method as recited in claim 1 8, wherein each information source record associated with a particular actor includes at least a salary demand figure utilizable in accounting computations thereby enabling a user to compare budgetary impact of various actor selections for a particular character.

20. The method as recited in claim 1 8, wherein each information source record associated with a particular actor includes at least a visual representation of the actor.

21 . The method as recited in claim 1 8, wherein each information source record associated with a particular actor includes a schedule of availability, the schedule of the particular actor's availability being utilized in formulating a production schedule.

22. The method as recited in claim 21 , further comprising: enabling a user to compare scheduling impacts caused by various actor selections for a particular character.

23. The method as recited in claim 1 8, wherein each information source record associated with a particular actor is assigned a status designatable from the possibilities of selected, on hold and refused.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein each information source record associated with a particular actor is saved in non-volatile memory of a computer system, the physical location in the computer system of the saved information source record being determined by the status designated from the possibilities of selected, on hold and refused and thereby preventing loss of status designation in the event of volatile memory loss by the computer system.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, further comprising: producing accounting statements representative of cost figures associated with the script-based production, at least one of the cost figures representing an aggregated actor cost based on selection status of a plurality of actors required for the script-based production; and providing one-click capability to a user for clicking on the cost figure of the accounting statement representing the aggregate actor cost to display input information utilized in the computation of the cost figure, the input information including at least the several constituent actors' identifications and each actor's salary demand figure that serves as a component of the aggregate actor cost.

26. The method as recited in claim 24, further comprising: producing accounting statements representative of cost figures associated with the script-based production, at least one of the cost figures representing an aggregate prop cost based on user designations; and providing one-click capability to a user for clicking on the cost figure of the accounting statement representing the aggregate prop cost to display input information utilized in the computation of the cost figure, the input information including at least identification of the selected props and each prop's individual cost which serves as a component of the aggregate prop cost.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, further comprising: providing an integrated bid solicitation capability in the automated script-based production program thereby enabling a user to electronically solicit bids for user selected props from potential vendors.

28. The method as recited in claim 27, further comprising: providing electronic access to the automated script-based production program to potential vendors thereby enabling a potential vendor to electronically respond to a bid solicitation.

29. The method as recited in claim 28, further comprising: automating a recomputation process for recomputing cost figures in a program produced accounting statement based on selected bids received back from a vendor for producing reflective accounting statements.

30. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising: producing an accounting statement representing cost figures associated with the script-based production program reflective of a user designated status of an element of the script-based production; and providing one-click capability to a user for clicking on a cost figure in an accounting statement to directly display input information utilized in computing the cost figure.

31 . The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising: associating digital video with the screen-displayed production script so that from a particular screen-displayed portion of the script, digital video produced according to the script is selectable for causing a screen-display of produced digital video that substantially corresponds to the screen-displayed portion of the script.

32. The method as recited in claim 31 , further comprising: associating digital audio with the screen-displayed production script so that from a particular screen-displayed portion of the script, digital audio produced according to the script is selectable for causing produced digital audio that substantially corresponds to the screen- displayed portion of the script to be played.

33. The method as recited in claim 31 , further comprising: accommodating simultaneous electronic access to the automated script-based production program by a multitude of users; and providing edit capabilities to at least one of the multitude of users of the digital video and permitting others of the multitude of users to simultaneously view edited versions of the digital video on a substantially real time basis as amendments are being made.

34. The method as recited in claim 33, further comprising: providing edit capabilities to a plurality of the multitude of users of the digital video and permitting others of the multitude of users to simultaneously view edited versions of the digital video on a substantially real time basis as amendments are being made.

35. The method as recited in claim 31 , further comprising: completing a distribution version of digital video utilizing the automated script-based production program, the distribution version of digital video substantially corresponding to the script.

36. The method as recited in claim 35, further comprising: electronically distributing the distribution version of digital video for display to viewers.

37. The method as recited in claim 36, further comprising: encrypting the distribution version of digital video for display to viewers thereby preventing unauthorized viewing of the distribution version of digital video.

38. The method as recited in claim 37, further comprising: distributing a single-use key for unlocking the encryption of the distribution version of digital video for display to viewers thereby enabling a single viewing of the distribution version of digital video.

39. The method as recited in claim 35, further comprising: enabling electronic distribution of the distribution version of digital video directly to a movie theater; and requiring financial commitment from the movie theater as a precursor to electronic distribution of the distribution version of digital video.

40. The method as recited in claim 35, further comprising: enabling electronic distribution of the distribution version of digital video directly to a movie theater for display to viewers; and requiring financial commitment from the movie theater, on a per viewer basis, as a precursor to electronic distribution of the distribution version of digital video.

41 . The method as recited in claim 40, further comprising: requiring a transfer of funds from the movie theater, the amount of funds being computed on a per viewer basis, as a precursor to electronic distribution of the distribution version of digital video.