Automated videography systems

An automated videography system comprising:

• a data processing system;
• a camera system communicatively connected to the data processing system;
• a memory system communicatively connected to the data processing system and storing instructions configured to cause the data processing system to implement a method for automated videography of a subject in an environment, wherein the instructions comprise:
• instructions for operating the camera system to defined camera settings that depend on subject activity and that determine a camera shot and an associated camera framing of the subject in the video images;
• instructions for receiving, from the camera system, image data representing a captured video images of the environment or a portion thereof;
• instructions for analyzing the captured video images and image data to assess image quality relative to changes in subject activity and current subject framing, using at least one subject activity metric;
• instructions for determining a need to change the current subject framing, relative to improving video image quality and reducing a risk of subject loss relative to the assessed changes in subject activity, as indicated by the at least one subject activity metric;
• instructions for responding to a determined need to change subject framing, by determining whether the assessed changes in subject activity relative to subject framing and the risk of subject loss, correspond to an intra-scene transition for which the analyzed changes in subject activity relative to the at least one subject activity metric are below a predetermined threshold and modifications to the current shot framing are consistent with that shot framing, or whether the assessed changes in subject activity correspond to an inter-scene transition for which the changes in subject activity are above a predetermined threshold to a selected new shot with new shot framing;
• instructions for determining a new subject framing and new video capture settings corresponding to the determined shot framing for the determined scene transition, in accordance with either the determined intra-scene transition or the inter-scene transition;
• and
• instructions for implementing the newly defined subject framing and video capture settings, with respect to the camera system or other functions of the automated videography system.

A method of automated videography, in which video images of at least one subject in a local environment are acquired using an automated videography system, comprising:

• capturing video images with the automated videography system according to current video capture settings while using one or more cameras during a videography event consisting of one or more video scenes which involve the at least one subject and the local environment, where the current video capture settings define current subject framing within a selected shot and current camera parameters;
• analyzing the captured video images of a current video scene as captured according to the current video capture settings, including determining subject activity using at least one subject activity metric appropriate to the current subject framing;
• determining scene change probabilities, relative to the determined at least one subject activity metric and current shot subject motion thresholds, to determine whether video capture of the at least one subject can continue using the current subject framing or that framing of the at least one subject can be improved with new subject framing;
• determining alternate shot options, including associated shot selection probabilities, based upon the determined subject activity metrics and associated shot dependent subject motion thresholds, if the determined scene change probability for new subject framing is greater than a predetermined value;
• electing a next shot from among the determined alternate shot options based upon the determined shot selection probabilities;
• and
• automatically modifying ongoing video image capture in accordance with the newly selected next shot, including associated new subject framing and any new video capture settings.

A method of automated videography, in which video images of at least one subject in a local environment are acquired using an automated videography system, comprising:

• capturing video images with the automated videography system according to current video capture settings while using one or more cameras during a videography event consisting of one or more video scenes which involve at least a first subject and the local environment, where the current video capture settings define current subject framing within a selected shot and current camera parameters;
• analyzing the captured video images of a current video scene as captured according to the current video capture settings, to assess subject activity and changes thereof, relative to the current subject framing and the image quality thereof;
• determining scene change probabilities, relative to the assessed subject activity, to determine whether video capture of the subject can continue using the current subject framing, or that the video image quality can be improved with a new subject framing;
• determining next shot options, including associated shot selection probabilities, based upon the assessed level of subject activity, if the determined scene change probability for providing the new subject framing is greater than a predetermined value;
• selecting a next shot from among the determined next shot options based upon the determined shot selection probabilities;
• and
• automatically modifying ongoing video image capture in accordance with the newly selected next shot, including associated new subject framing and any new video capture settings.

A method of automated videography, in which video images of at least one subject in a local environment are acquired using an automated videography system, comprising:

• capturing video images with the video communication system according to current video capture settings while using one or more cameras, during a video communication event of one or more video scenes, which involves a subject within the local environment, where the current video capture settings at least define current subject framing within a selected shot;
• analyzing the captured video images of a current video scene as captured according to the current video capture settings, to assess image quality relative to current subject framing and changes in subject activity, using at least one subject activity metric;
• determining a need to change the current subject framing, relative to improving video image quality and reducing a risk of subject loss relative to the assessed changes in subject activity, as indicated by the at least one subject activity metric;
• in response to a determined need to change subject framing, determining whether the analyzed changes in subject activity, relative to the subject framing and the risk of subject loss, correspond to an intra-scene transition or an inter-scene transition, where the analyzed changes in subject activity relative to the at least one subject activity metric are below a predetermined threshold, they correspond to the intra-scene transition for which modifications to the current shot framing are consistent with that shot framing, and where the changes in subject activity relative to the at least one subject activity metric are above a predetermined threshold, and they correspond to the inter-scene transition to a selected new shot having new shot framing;
• determining new subject framing and new video capture settings corresponding to the determined shot framing for the determined scene-transition, whether intra-scene or inter-scene;
• automatically modifying ongoing video image capture in accordance with the newly determined shot framing and video capture settings.

An automated videography system comprising:

• a data processing system;
• a camera system using one or more cameras communicatively connected to the data processing system;
• a memory system communicatively connected to the data processing system and storing instructions configured to cause the data processing system to implement a method for automated videography of a subject in an environment, wherein the instructions comprise:
• instructions for operating the camera system to capture video images according to current video capture settings during a videography event consisting of one or more video scenes which involve at least a first subject and the local environment, where the current video capture settings define current subject framing within a selected shot and current camera parameters;
• instructions for analyzing the captured video images of a current video scene as captured according to the current video capture settings, to assess subject activity and changes thereof, relative to the current subject framing and the image quality thereof;
• instructions for determining scene change probabilities, relative to the assessed subject activity, to determine whether video capture of the subject can continue using the current subject framing, or that the video image quality can be improved with a new subject framing;
• instructions for determining alternate shot options, including associated shot selection probabilities, based upon the assessed level of subject activity, if the determined scene change probability for providing the new subject framing is greater than a predetermined value;
• and
• instructions for selecting a next shot from among the determined alternate shot options based upon the determined shot selection probabilities, including determining the associated new subject framing and any new video capture settings;
• wherein the automated videography system then implements the newly selected next shot to modify ongoing video image capture of the at least one subject by the camera system and data processor.