Collaborative computer-based production system including annotation, versioning and remote interaction

Today, digital systems are used to represent and process virtually all types of media in commercial, entertainment, educational and other fields. For example, visual media such as photographs, movies, video and animations are largely handled in the digital domain. Similarly, audio media such as speech, music, sound effects, etc., are also recorded, edited, produced, copied and transferred in the digital domain. A system providing a user interface to annotate different items in a media production system such as in a digital non-linear post production system. Parts of the production, such as clips, frames and layers, that have an associated annotation are provided with a visual annotation marker. The annotation marker can use shape, color or animation to convey source, urgency, status or other information. Annotations can be text, freehand drawing, audio, or other. Annotations can be automatically generated. Annotations can be compiled into records, searched and transferred. A state of an application program can be stored and transferred to a remote system. The remote system attempts to recreate the original state of the application program. If the remote system is unable to do so, an image of the state of the application program is obtained, instead. Assignment of control to various functions of an application program is achieved by associating a function (i.e., modifying a parameter) with a user control at a remote location.