VIAN

VIAN: Video Annotation and Analysis

VIAN (Visual Video Annotation and Analysis) is a powerful software for the annotation and analysis of audiovisual materials, including films and videos. It offers features like temporal segmentation, textual annotation, and advanced visualization, enabling researchers and educators to examine media on micro- and macro-levels. VIAN is widely applicable across disciplines such as film studies, art history, linguistics, and natural sciences, providing new ways to explore narrative structures, visual aesthetics, and technical aspects of audiovisual media.
Developed as part of the ERC Advanced Grant FilmColors project at the University of Zurich, VIAN supports innovative teaching and research by integrating intuitive tools with robust functionality. It is available for free. A detailed manual is available here; current builds amd the source code can be accessed on GitHub.
We are currently developing a new web-based tool called VIAN Light. For more information see this blog post (in German) or contact Simon Spiegel or Josephine Diecke at the University of Zurich.

VIAN WebApp: Analyze and Visualize Annotations

The VIAN WebApp is a free, browser-based platform for analyzing and visualizing video annotation data created with VIAN and ELAN. It provides access to over 550 films spanning 120 years of film history, offering tools for temporal segmentation, annotation, color analysis, and screenshot visualization. The WebApp facilitates detailed scene analysis and comparative studies across multiple works, making it an essential resource for Film Studies and other disciplines using visual data.
Developed alongside the FilmColors project, the WebApp is user-friendly and adaptable for teaching and research. Accessible to UZH users with optional external accounts, it empowers educators and researchers to gain deeper insights into audiovisual media. An extensiva manual is available here.

References and Resources
Halter, G., Ballester‐Ripoll, R., Flueckiger, B., & Pajarola, R. (2019). VIAN: A Visual Annotation Tool for Film Analysis. Computer Graphics Forum, 38(3), 119–129. doi:10.1111/cgf.13676
Flueckiger, B., Halter, G. (2020). Methods and Advanced Tools for the Analysis of Film Colors in Digital Humanities. Digital Humanities Quarterly, 14(4). https://www.digitalhumanities.org/dhq/vol/14/4/000500/000500.html