Authoring and use systems for sound synchronized animation

A method for generating user created animated objects having synchronized visual and audio characteristics, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating a first set of signals defining visual characteristics of a desired animated object in response to user input signals;
• generating a second set of signals defining audio characteristics of said desired animated object in response to user input signals;
• and
• generating a set of instructions collating and synchronizing said visual characteristics with said audio characteristics thereby defining said desired animated object having synchronized visual and audio characteristics.

A method of synchronizing sound with visual images of animated objects pronouncing the sound, said method comprising the steps of:

• defining a text string representing a desired sound to be synchronized with visual images of a speaking animated object;
• translating said text string into a phonetic text string representative of said text string;
• and
• translating said phonetic text string into a recite command, said recite command including phonetic/timing pairs, each of said phonetic/timing pairs comprising a phonetic code corresponding to an associated phonetic code of said phonetic text string and a number defining a predetermined time value, said phonetic code representative of a sound element to be pronounced and an associated image to be displayed while said sound element is being pronounced and said predetermined time value defines the amount of time said associated image is to be displayed.