Using Cinematic Techniques to Improve Video Communication

The Vconect project investigates novel ways of supporting mediated audio-visual communication for ad-hoc groups. This paper focuses on latest research on automating camera selection, a process called orchestration. The basic underlying problem it aims to solve is caused by the potentially high number of audio and video streams available in a group videoconferencing session. Each participant is typically covered by least one video camera, possibly more. Depending on the communication situation and the individual communication needs of the participants, a declaratively designed logic is executed that decides which video streams to show and how. In that realm, the Orchestration Engine executes cinematic principles automatically and within real-time constraints.