Video editing using mobile terminal and remote computer

A computer-readable memory storing mobile application software wherein, when executed in a smartphone, the mobile application software is configured to perform a method comprising:

• receiving, on the smartphone, a user command for selecting a user video for editing;
• receiving, on the smartphone, at least one user command for adding a first visual effect among a plurality of predetermined visual effects to the selected user video, wherein adding involves selecting the first visual effect, selecting a first time window for adding the first visual effect within a time span of the selected user video;
• subsequently displaying, on the smartphone, a preview emulating an edited version of the selected user video without generating a video clip of the edited version locally in the smartphone such that, in displaying the preview, a first series of alpha-format still images corresponding to the first visual effect is superimposed over the selected user video according to the at least one user command without performing frame-by-frame integration of the selected user video and the first series of alpha-format still images;
• in response to a user's confirmation of the preview, transmitting by the smartphone to at least one remote computer, command data for generating the edited version in the at least one remote computer such that a first alpha-format video corresponding to the first visual effect is superimposed over the selected user video to provide the first visual effect in the first time window;
• and
• receiving, on the smartphone, the edited version from the at least one remote computer,
• wherein each still image of the first series of alpha-format still images comprises a non-transparent presentation of the first visual effect with a transparent background,
• wherein the first alpha-format video comprises a non-transparent presentation of the first visual effect with a transparent background,
• wherein the number of frames of the first alpha-format video during the first time window is greater than the number of still images of the first series of alpha-format still images during the first time window.