Method for collective contribution video creation and messaging

A method implemented by a server system that hosts a computer-executable communication application configured to support collaborative messaging between users having computing devices that are network connected to the server system, the method comprising:

• enabling an originating user to initiate a story-based communication;
• enabling the originating user to form a group of users that can participate in the story-based communication, wherein the group of users comprises the originating user and one or more additional users;
• managing control of a virtual authorization object by users within the group of users participating in the story-based communication;
• enabling a given user within the group of users having control of the virtual authorization object to upload a media object from a computing device of the given user to the server system, while preventing any other user within the group of users without control of the virtual authorization object from uploading a media object from a computing device of the other user to the server system while the given user has control of the virtual authorization object;
• organizing uploaded media objects received from the group of users into a timeline series of media objects, wherein the story-based communication comprises the timelines series of media objects;
• and
• enabling access to the timeline series of media objects to all users within the group of users for viewing on the computing devices of the users, which are network connected to the server system;
• wherein managing control of the virtual authorization object by users within the group of users participating in the story-based communication comprises maintaining a request queue comprising an ordered sequence of pending requests received from requesting users within the group of users for control of the virtual authorization object.

An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored therein program code of a software program, wherein the program code is executable by one or more processors to perform a process implemented by a server system to support collaborative messaging between users having computing devices that are network connected to the server system, the process comprising:

• enabling an originating user to initiate a story-based communication;
• enabling the originating user to form a group of users that can participate in the story-based communication, wherein the group of users comprises the originating user and one or more additional users;
• managing control of a virtual authorization object by users within the group of users participating in the story-based communication;
• enabling a given user within the group of users having control of the virtual authorization object to upload a media object from a computing device of the given user to the server system, while preventing any other user within the group of users without control of the virtual authorization object from uploading a media object from a computing device of the other user to the server system while the given user has control of the virtual authorization object;
• organizing uploaded media objects received from the group of users into a timeline series of media objects, wherein the story-based communication comprises the timelines series of media objects;
• and
• enabling access to the timeline series of media objects to all users within the group of users for viewing on the computing devices of the users, which are network connected to the server system;
• wherein managing control of the virtual authorization object by users within the group of users participating in the story-based communication comprises maintaining a request queue comprising an ordered sequence of pending requests received from requesting users within the group of users for control of the virtual authorization object.