Personalized videos using selfies and stock videos

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method including displaying, by a computing device, representations of a plurality of stock videos to a user. The representations refer to still images, partial clips, and / or full plays of the stock videos. Each representation includes a facial contour for inserting a facial image of the user. When the user has provided their own image to the computing device, the facial image of the user is inserted into the facial contour of the representation. The facial image is extracted from the own image. The method may include: receiving a selection of one of the representations of the plurality of stock videos; and displaying a personalized video including the selected stock video, the selected stock video having a facial image located within an additional facial contour corresponding to the facial contour of the selected representation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to combinations of images and videos. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to methods and systems for combining a self-image with a stock video. Background Art

[0002] Shared media such as stickers and emojis have become standard options in messaging applications (also referred to herein as messengers). Currently, some messengers provide options for users to generate images and short videos and send the images and short videos to other users via a communication chat. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0003] Embodiments are illustrated by way of example and are not limited to the figures in the accompanying drawings, where like reference numerals refer to like elements.

[0004] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an exemplary environment in which a system and method for providing personalized videos can be implemented.

[0005] Figure 2 is a screen of a user interface of a system for providing personalized videos according to some exemplary embodiments.

[0006] Figure 3 is a screen of a user interface of a system for providing a self-image for use in a personalized video according to some exemplary embodiments.

[0007] Figure 4 shows a frame of an exemplary live video for generating a video template according to some exemplary embodiments.

[0008] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing a method for preparing a stock video and setting a self-image to be combined with the stock video to create a personalized video according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0009] Figure 6 shows an exemplary computer system for implementing a method for providing personalized videos. Detailed Description

[0010] The following detailed description of the embodiments includes reference to the accompanying drawings that form a part of the detailed description. The schemes described in this part are not the prior art of the claims and should not be regarded as prior art due to the inclusion of this part. The drawings illustrate diagrams according to exemplary embodiments. For these exemplary embodiments, also referred to herein as "examples", sufficient similar descriptions have been made to enable those skilled in the art to implement the subject matter. Embodiments can be combined, other embodiments can be utilized, or structural, logical, and operational changes can be made without departing from the scope of the claimed protection. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0011] For the purposes of this patent document, the terms "or" and "and" shall mean "and / or" unless the context in which they are used states otherwise or is clearly indicated otherwise. Unless otherwise stated, or where the use of "one or more" is clearly inappropriate, the term "a" shall mean "one or more". The terms "comprise", "comprising", "include", and "including" are interchangeable and are not intended to be limiting. For example, the term "including" should be considered to mean "including but not limited to".

[0012] The present technology enables a mobile device to display a collection of short videos in an optional webp format to a user, where the short video collection has facial contours indicating positions for inserting the user's facial image or has the user's facial image already inserted. The collection can be displayed by image thumbnails, clip short thumbnail sizes, or thumbnails of the full video. The user can select a thumbnail and view a larger version of a personalized video that includes the user's facial image within the facial contour. If the user has not saved an image in the system, the user can be prompted to take a selfie. The user can send the personalized video in a message to a contact or send the personalized video for display in the contact's feed. Stock videos can be suggested to the user based on popularity, previous use, or the use or reaction of the contact. The user can select from different facial images and can select a selfie from previously taken images of themselves. The user can be required to center the face within the facial contour in the selfie. If the face is not centered, the user can retake the selfie or can reposition the face or the facial contour using pose control or touchscreen actions input to the computing device.

[0013] Users can add personalized text that overlays a personalized video and can select text messages and text styles. Users can add filters to the personalized video, which can be an animated image overlay, a live image overlay, a color shift, or an image quality shift. Stock videos can be uploaded from a database and users can make adjustments to clothing, skin color, body type, or gender.

[0014] The user and contacts can authorize multiple people to personalize the video and can insert the faces of the user and contacts into the video. Facial expressions during the personalized video process can be changed. Users to be included in the personalized video can be suggested based on the user's social graph, the recipients / senders of recent communications, the most common communication recipients / senders, or the user's previous selections. The user's contacts can authorize the user to use their own images sent to the user, and the personalized video can include the face of another own image of the contact within another facial contour of the stock video. The facial contour can be on a live image of the camera view at a predetermined position within the camera view, and when the user takes an image of themselves, the facial contour can have an appropriate size for the user's face.

[0015] Referring now to the drawings, exemplary embodiments will be described. The drawings are schematic illustrations of idealized exemplary embodiments. Thus, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the exemplary embodiments discussed herein should not be construed as limited to the specific illustrations presented herein, but rather these exemplary embodiments can include deviations from and differences from the illustrations presented herein.

[0016] Figure 1 An exemplary environment 100 is shown in which a method for providing personalized videos can be implemented. Environment 100 can include a computing device 105, a user 102, a computing device 110, a user 104, a network 120, and a messenger service system 130. Computing device 105 and computing device 110 can refer to mobile devices such as mobile phones, smartphones, or tablets. However, in further embodiments, computing device 110 can refer to a personal computer, laptop, netbook, set-top box, television device, multimedia device, personal digital assistant, gaming platform, entertainment system, infotainment system, vehicle computer, or any other computing device.

[0017] The computing device 105 and the computing device 110 can be communicatively connected to the messenger service system 130 via the network 120. The messenger service system 130 can be implemented as cloud-based computing resources. The messenger service system can include computing resources (hardware and software) that are available at a remote location and accessible via a network (e.g., the Internet). The cloud-based computing resources can be shared by multiple users and can be dynamically reallocated based on demand. The cloud-based computing resources can include one or more server farms / clusters, which include a collection of computer servers that can coexist with a network switch or router.

[0018] The network 120 can include any wired, wireless, or alternative network, including, for example, the Internet, an intranet, a local area network (LAN), a personal area network (PAN), a wide area network (WAN), a virtual private network (VPN), a cellular telephone network (e.g., a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) communication network), etc.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the computing device 105 can be configured to enable a communication chat between the user 102 and the user 104 of the computing 110. During the communication chat, the user 102 and the user 104 can exchange text messages and videos. The videos can include personalized videos. The personalized videos can be generated based on pre-generated videos stored in the computing device 105 or the computing device 110. In some embodiments, the pre-generated videos can be stored in the inventory video database 140, the inventory video database 140 can be accessed via the messenger service system 130, and the inventory video database 140 can be downloaded to the computing device 105 or the computing device 110 as needed.

[0020] The messenger service system 130 can also be configured to store user profiles 135. The user profiles 135 can include facial images of the user 102, facial images of the user 104, and facial images of other people. The user profiles 135 can also store the permission for the user 104 to use the facial image of the user 102, and vice versa. The facial images can be downloaded to the computing device 105 or the computing device 110 as needed and based on the permission. In addition, the facial image of the user 102 can be generated using the camera 107 of the computing device 105 and stored in the local memory of the computing device 105. The facial image can be generated based on other images stored in the computing device 105. The computing device 105 can further use the facial image to generate personalized videos based on pre-generated videos. The images and personalized videos can be displayed on the display 109 of the computing device 105.

[0021] Similarly, the camera 112 of the computing device 110 can be used to generate a facial image of the user 104. The facial image of the user 104 can be used to generate a personalized video on the computing device 110. The image and the personalized video can be displayed on the display 114 of the computing device 110 in the form of a message from the user 102 or a content feed of the user 104. In a further embodiment, the facial image of the user 102 and the facial image of the user 104 can be used with each other to generate a personalized video on the computing device 105 or the computing device 110. For example, the user 102 can use their own image and the image of the user 104 communicated from the computing device 110 to the computing device 105 via the messenger service system 130.

[0022] Permission for the user 102 to use the image of the user 104 can be collected and stored in the user profile 135. The user 102 can operate the computing device 105 to upload an inventory video from the inventory video database 135. The uploaded inventory video can be a two-person video with the facial profiles of two people. The user 102 can select which image of themselves in the inventory video is for which person or position. Additionally, a personalized video with more than two people can be created. The messenger service system 130 can also suggest to the user 102 to include other users in a two-person or multi-person personalized video. Other users can be suggested based on the user's social graph, the recipients / senders of recent communications, the recipients / senders of the most common communications, the user's past selections, or a manual user selection.

[0023] Figure 2 An exemplary screen of a user interface 200 of a system for providing personalized videos in a messaging application (also referred to as a messenger) or a content feed is shown according to some exemplary embodiments. The user interface 200 can be the display 109 of the computing device 105. The user interface 200 can include a chat window 210 and a section containing a representation of the inventory video 240. The representation of the inventory video 240 can include a pre-rendered video with facial profiles 250 instead of faces. The pre-rendered video can include a teaser video that is a sample representation intended to show the user how the personalized video will look. The facial profiles 250 can be displayed in the form of white ovals. In some embodiments, the representation of the inventory video 240 can include several facial profiles 250 capable of creating a multi-person video (i.e., a video with the faces of multiple people). Additionally or alternatively, the representation of the inventory video 240 can include a facial image of the user in the position of the facial profile 250 and / or the facial profiles of the user's contacts when there are additional facial profiles 250.

[0024] The representation of the stock video 240 can be a still image of the stock video, a partial clip, and / or a full play. The user can click on any representation of the stock video 240 to select the associated stock video for modification and send it to the chat window 210. The modification can include: receiving a selfie picture from the user (i.e., an image of the user's face taken via the front camera of the computing device), obtaining the source face from the selfie picture, and modifying the selected stock video by inserting the source face into the face contour of the stock video corresponding to the face contour 250 of the selected representation of the stock video.

[0025] A personalized video can be generated in the form of audiovisual media (e.g., video, animation, or any other type of media) that characterizes the user's face. The modified video can be sent to the chat window 210, and the user can view the personalized video from the chat window 210 and / or send the personalized video to another user's computing device.

[0026] In addition or alternatively, the user can post the personalized video to the user's content feed, and the user's contacts can access the user's content feed or can post the user's content feed to the content feeds of the user's contacts. Some or all of the representations of the stock video 240 can be associated with stock videos that form a narrative for continuous viewing by combining two or more stock videos. When the user selects a representation of the stock video 240 that forms a narrative, two or more associated stock videos can be personalized and displayed to the user in the chat window 210, and can be used to send to contacts either combined or individually via the messaging system or via the content feed.

[0027] The representation of the stock video 240 can include markers, or indicators, or an order of presentation that suggest the stock videos that may be preferred by the system. The system can identify the preferred stock videos based on the trending status of the stock videos, the reactions of contacts to the stock videos, and / or the user's past usage, or the usage of contacts of the stock.

[0028] Figure 3 Exemplary screens of user interfaces 310 and 320 of a system for providing personalized videos in a messenger are shown in accordance with some exemplary embodiments. The user interfaces 310 and 320 show a selfie capture mode in which the user can take an image of the user's face, and then, the image of the user's face is used as the source face (also referred to as a selfie and a self-image). The user interface 310 shows a live view of the camera of the computing device when the user wishes to capture a selfie image. The live view can show the user face image 305, the face contour 330 (also referred to as a selfie oval or a selfie face contour), and the camera button 340. In an exemplary embodiment, the camera button 340 can slide up from the button on the screen in the selfie capture mode.

[0029] The user may need to change the position of the camera to position the user face image 305 within the boundaries of the face contour 330. When the user face image 305 is not centered within the face contour 330, the face contour 330 can be designed in the form of dotted lines, and the camera button 340 can be translucent and inoperable to indicate that the camera button 340 is deactivated. To notify the user that the user face image 305 is not centered, an instruction 360 can be displayed on the user interface 310. The instruction 360 can include instructions for the user, such as, for example, "Center your face", "Find good lighting", "Try not to smile", etc.

[0030] After the user changes the position of the camera to capture a selfie image, the user interface 320 displays a live view of the camera of the computing device, and the user face image 305 becomes centered within the face contour 335. Specifically, when the user face image 305 becomes centered within the face contour 335, the face contour 335 changes to a programmed thick solid line and the camera button 345 becomes opaque and operable to indicate that the camera button 345 is now activated. To notify the user, an instruction 365 can be displayed on the user interface 320. The instruction 365 can instruct the user to take a selfie picture, such as, for example, "Take a selfie", "Try not to smile", etc. The user interface 320 can display a smile measurement value to help the user reduce, increase, or eliminate their smile by indicating a measurement value relative to a target smile level.

[0031] In some embodiments, the user can select an existing selfie picture from the picture library by accessing the camera roll. The user can manually identify the face in a previously taken selfie by adjusting the position of the face contour or by adjusting the position of the picture while the face contour is fixed. Additionally, the system can perform face recognition on the user's face. Input for moving the face or the face contour can be activated via a touch screen or gesture control.

[0032] Figure 4Shows frames of an exemplary stock video for generating a video template that will subsequently be used to create a personalized video. The stock video can be created using live videos 405 and 415 recorded at real-life locations, or the stock video can be segmented videos 410, 420, and 425 recorded in front of a screen. The segmented videos 410, 420, and 425 may have an alternative background inserted later (e.g., via a messenger service or by the user). The characters in the segmented videos 410, 420, and 425 may wear masks 430 to facilitate positioning the user's face on the body of the character in the personalized video. Additionally, the characters in the live videos 405 and 415 may also wear masks to facilitate positioning the user's face on the body of the character in the personalized video. The masks 430 of the live videos 405 and 415 and the segmented videos 410, 420, and 425 may correspond to the facial contour 250 in the representation of the Figure 2 stock video.

[0033] In some exemplary embodiments, the image of the character in the stock video can be adjusted by the user or the user's computing device. For example, the image of the character can be adjusted to change its body type (e.g., heavier, lighter, taller, or shorter), which may be to match the user or for any other reason. Additionally or alternatively, the skin color of the image of the character in the stock video can be adjusted to match the user. The skin color adjustment can be automatic or performed manually by the user. Similarly, the gender of the character in the stock video can be adjusted to match the user or for any other reason. Additionally, the user is able to change the clothing of the person in the stock video. The facial image of the user can be modified in the personalized video to change the expression.

[0034] Segmented video 420 includes two masks 430 marking areas for inserting two facial images. One of the facial images can be the user, and the other can be a contact selected by the user. The user can select the mask among the two masks 430 that is replaced by the user's facial image and by the contact's facial image, or alternatively, the system can automatically position the facial images of the user and the contact. The facial image of the contact can be captured by the computing device 110 and then transmitted to the computing device 105 together with the authorization for the user to use the facial image. The facial image of the user can be captured by the computing device 105 and then transmitted to the computing device 110 together with the authorization for the contact to use the facial image. Segmented video 420 can also include more than two masks 430, and more than one contact can be included in the user's personalized video.

[0035] Alternatively, the user may select from a library of source faces from various self-images to modify live videos 405 and 415 and / or segmented videos 410, 420, and 425. Additionally, the user is able to add personalized text overlaying the personalized video, including text messages and / or text styles. The user may also add filters to the personalized video, such as animated image overlays, live image overlays, color shifts, and / or image quality shifts.

[0036] Figure 5 FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a method 500 used by a messaging system adapted to send and receive modifiable videos including a user's self-image. In method 500, the indicating steps may be optional and / or performed in any particular order. The flow in method 500 begins at operation 510, indicating to display a representation of an inventory video to the user. The representation may be a still image, a partial clip, and / or a full play of the inventory video, and may include a facial outline for inserting the user's facial image. The flow proceeds from operation 510 to operation 520, indicating to insert the user's facial image into the facial outline of the representation.

[0037] Extract the facial image from the self-image. The flow proceeds from operation 520 to operation 530, indicating to receive a selection of a representation. The selected representation is associated with a selected inventory video. The flow proceeds from operation 530 to operation 540, indicating to display a personalized video including the selected inventory video, the selected inventory video having a facial image within a facial outline corresponding to the facial outline of the selected representation. The flow proceeds from operation 540 to operation 550, indicating to send the personalized video to another computing device associated with the user's contact. The flow proceeds from operation 550 to operation 560, indicating to receive an indication that the user and the contact have authorized a multi-person personalized video. The personalized video includes the selected inventory video having a second facial image of the contact within a second facial outline. Some or all of the steps in method 500 may be performed by computing device 105.

[0038] Figure 6 FIG. 6 shows an exemplary computing system 600 that can be used to implement the methods described herein. Computing system 600 can be implemented in the context of similar computing devices 105 and 110, a messenger service system 130, a messenger 220 to drive user interfaces 310 and 320 or execute method 500 for providing personalized videos.

[0039] As Figure 6As shown, the hardware components of computing system 600 may include one or more processors 610 and a memory 620. The memory 620 stores in part the instructions and data executed by the processor 610. When the system 600 operates, the memory 620 is capable of storing executable code. The system 600 may further include an optional mass storage device 630, an optional portable storage media drive 640, one or more optional output devices 650, one or more optional input devices 660, an optional network interface 670, and one or more optional peripheral devices 680. The computing system 600 is also capable of including one or more software components 695 (e.g., some components capable of implementing the methods for providing personalized videos described herein).

[0040] The Figure 6 components shown are depicted as being connected via a single bus 690. The components may be connected by one or more data transfer devices or data networks. The processor 610 and the memory 620 may be connected via a local microprocessor bus, and the mass storage device 630, the peripheral device 680, the portable storage device 640, and the network interface 670 may be connected via one or more input / output (I / O) buses.

[0041] The mass storage device 630, which may be implemented by a disk drive, a solid state drive, or an optical disk drive, is a non-volatile storage device for storing data and instructions used by the processor 610. The mass storage device 630 is capable of storing system software (e.g., software components 695) for implementing the embodiments described herein.

[0042] The portable storage media drive 640 operates in conjunction with a portable non-volatile storage medium such as a compact disc (CD) or a digital video disc (DVD) to input data and code into the computing system 600 and output data and code from the computing system 600. The system software (e.g., software components 695) for implementing the embodiments described herein may be stored on the portable medium and input into the computing system 600 via the portable storage media drive 640.

[0043] The optional input device 660 provides a part of the user interface. The input device 660 may include an alphanumeric keypad such as a keyboard for inputting alphanumeric and other information or a pointing device such as a mouse, a trackball, a stylus, or cursor direction keys. The input device 660 is also capable of including a camera or a scanner. In addition, Figure 6 the system 600 shown includes an optional output device 650. Suitable output devices include speakers, printers, network interfaces, and monitors.

[0044] The network interface 670 can be used to communicate with external devices, external computing devices, servers, and network systems via one or more communication networks such as one or more wired, wireless, or optical networks. For example, it includes the Internet, intranet, LAN, WAN, cellular phone networks, Bluetooth radios, and IEEE 802.11-based radio frequency networks, etc. The network interface 670 can be a network interface card, such as an Ethernet card, an optical transceiver, a radio frequency transceiver, or any other type of device capable of sending and receiving information. The optional peripheral device 680 can include any type of computer support device to add additional functionality to the computer system.

[0045] The components included in the computing system 600 are intended to represent various categories of computer components. Thus, the computing system 600 can be a server, a personal computer, a handheld computing device, a phone, a mobile computing device, a workstation, a microcomputer, a mainframe, a network node, or any other computing device. The computing system 600 can also include different bus configurations, network platforms, multi-processor platforms, and so on. Various operating systems (OS) can be used, including UNIX, Linux, Windows, Macintosh OS, Palm OS, and other suitable operating systems.

[0046] Some of the above functions can be constituted by instructions stored on a storage medium (e.g., a computer-readable medium or a processor-readable medium). The instructions can be retrieved and executed by a processor. Some examples of the storage medium are memory devices, magnetic tapes, magnetic disks, etc. When the instructions are executed by the processor, the instructions can operate to guide the processor to operate according to the present invention. Those skilled in the art are familiar with instructions, processors, and storage media.

[0047] It should be noted that any hardware platform suitable for performing the processes described herein is suitable for use in connection with the present invention. As used herein, the terms "computer-readable storage medium" and "computer-readable storage media" refer to any medium or media that participate in providing instructions that are executed by a processor. The medium can take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. For example, non-volatile media includes optical or magnetic disks, such as fixed disks. Volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as system random access memory (RAM). Transmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire, and fiber optics, among others, including the wiring that includes one embodiment of a bus. Transmission media can also take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) data communications. For example, common forms of computer-readable media include floppy disks, flexible disks, hard disks, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, CD read-only memory (ROM) disks, DVDs, any other optical medium, any other physical medium with patterns of marks or holes, RAM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, carrier waves, or any other medium that can be read by a computer.

[0048] Various forms of computer-readable media may contain one or more sequences of one or more instructions to be carried to a processor for execution. A bus carries the data to the system RAM, from which the processor retrieves and executes the instructions. Before or after execution by the processor, the instructions received by the system processor can optionally be stored on a fixed disk.

[0049] Thus, a method and system for providing personalized videos using selfies and stock videos have been described. Although the embodiments have been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, it will be apparent that various modifications and changes can be made to these exemplary embodiments without departing from the basic spirit and scope of the present application. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

Claims

1. A method for a computing device to display representations of multiple stock videos to a user, comprising: displaying, by the computing device, representations of multiple stock videos to the user, the representations being at least one of a still image, a partial clip, and a full play of the stock video, and each representation of the representations including a facial contour for inserting a facial image of the user; and when the user has provided an image of himself or herself to the computing device, inserting the facial image of the user into the facial contour of the representation, the facial image being extracted from the image of himself or herself; receiving, by the computing device, a selection of one of the representations of the multiple stock videos, the selected representation being associated with a selected stock video, the selected stock video including an additional facial contour corresponding to the facial contour of the selected representation; and displaying, by the computing device, a personalized video including the selected stock video, the facial image being within the additional facial contour; wherein: at least two of the multiple stock videos are associated to form a narrative; if the selected stock video is associated with another stock video to form the narrative, the computing device displays a second personalized video including the other stock video, the other stock video including yet another facial contour, the facial image being within the yet another facial contour; and displaying the personalized video and the second personalized video sequentially to form the narrative.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: sending, by the computing device, the personalized video to other computing devices associated with the user's contacts; wherein the facial image in the personalized video is modified to include an expression change from the facial image extracted from the image of himself or herself.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein: the selected stock video includes a second facial contour for inserting a second facial image from a contact; the personalized video includes the selected stock video having the second facial image within the second facial contour, the second facial image being extracted from a second image of himself or herself of the contact; the user has authorized the use of the facial image of the user in the multi-person personalized video; and the contact has authorized the use of the second facial image of the contact in the multi-person personalized video.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising: receiving, by the computing device, an indication that the contact has authorized the use of the second facial image of the contact in the multi-person personalized video from the other computing device; and receiving, by the computing device, the second facial image of the contact from the other computing device.

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: The computing device presents to the user suggested contacts including the contact, and selects the suggested contacts based on at least one of the following: proximity of communication between the contact and the user; frequency of communication between the contact and the user; the user's social graph; and the user's manual selection.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The other computing device receives the personalized video in the message from the user to the contact.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The other computing device receives the personalized video and publishes the personalized video in a content feed for display to the contact.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The user selects the facial image from the user's multiple facial images.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The computing device receives at least one of the following: Instructions from the user to add personalized text to overlay the personalized video, the instructions including at least one of a text message and a text style; And A request from the user to add a filter to the personalized video, the filter referring to at least one of an animated image overlay, a live image overlay, a color shift, and an image quality shift.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein Displaying the representation of the multiple stock videos to the user includes: identifying at least one recommended stock video for the user, the computing device selecting the at least one recommended stock video from the multiple stock videos based on at least one of the following: The trend status of the at least one recommended stock video; The contact's reaction to the at least one recommended stock video; The contact's past use of the at least one recommended stock video; and The user's past use of the at least one recommended stock video.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The computing device receives a request from the user to capture an image of the user's own self; The computing device displays a self - portrait facial contour in a display of a front - camera feed; And When the user is ready to capture the image of the user's own self and the user's facial image is centered within the self - portrait facial contour, the computing device receives a capture command from the user.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The computing device receives a selection from the user of the user's own image from among multiple images of the user's own self; Wherein, the facial image is extracted from the images of the user's own self by one of the following: The user uses one of a pose control and a touch - screen action input to the computing device to position the facial image within the self - portrait facial contour; The user uses one of the pose control and the touch - screen action input to the computing device to position the self - portrait facial contour around the facial image; and The computing device uses a facial recognition module to position the facial image within the self - portrait facial contour.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The computing device receives a request from the user to implement at least one of the following: Change clothing; Adjust skin color; Adjust body shape; And Adjust gender.

14. A system including at least one processor and a memory storing processor-executable code, wherein, The at least one processor is configured to perform the following operations when executing the processor - executable code: The computing device displays a representation of multiple stock videos to the user, the representation referring to at least one of a still image, a partial clip, and a full play of the stock video, and each representation in the representation includes a facial contour for inserting the user's facial image; When the user has provided an image of himself or herself to the computing device, insert the facial image of the user into the facial contour of the representation, the facial image being extracted from the image of himself or herself; Receive, by the computing device, a selection of one of the representations of the plurality of stock videos, the selected representation being associated with a selected stock video, the selected stock video including an additional facial contour corresponding to the facial contour of the selected representation; and Display, by the computing device, a personalized video including the selected stock video, the facial image being within the additional facial contour; Wherein: At least two of the plurality of stock videos are associated to form a narrative; If the selected stock video is associated with another stock video to form the narrative, the computing device displays a second personalized video including the other stock video, the other stock video including yet another facial contour, the facial image being within the yet another facial contour; and Display the personalized video and the second personalized video sequentially to form the narrative.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein The at least one processor is configured to perform the following further operations when executing the processor-executable code: Send, by the computing device, the personalized video to other computing devices associated with the user's contacts; Wherein, modify the facial image in the personalized video to include an expression change from the facial image extracted from the image of himself or herself.

16. A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement a method for operating a messaging system adapted to send and receive modifiable videos including an image of a user of the user, the method including: Display, by a computing device, representations of a plurality of stock videos to the user, the representations referring to at least one of a still image, a partial clip, and a full play of the stock video, each representation including a facial contour for inserting the facial image of the user; and When the user has provided an image of himself or herself to the computing device, insert the facial image of the user into the facial contour of the representation, the facial image being extracted from the image of himself or herself; Receive, by the computing device, a selection of one of the representations of the plurality of stock videos, the selected representation being associated with a selected stock video, the selected stock video including an additional facial contour corresponding to the facial contour of the selected representation; and Display, by the computing device, a personalized video including the selected stock video, the facial image being within the additional facial contour; Wherein: At least two of the plurality of stock videos are associated to form a narrative; If the selected stock video is associated with another stock video to form the narrative, the computing device displays a second personalized video including the other stock video, the other stock video including yet another facial profile, the facial image being located within the yet another facial profile; and display the personalized video and the second personalized video sequentially to form the narrative.

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