Mainstreaming video annotation software for critical video analysis

The range of video annotation software currently available is set within commercially specialized professions, distributed via outdated sources or through online video hosting services. As video content becomes an increasingly significant tool for analysis, there is a demand for appropriate digital annotation techniques that offer equivalent functionality to tools used for annotation of text based literature sources. This paper argues for the importance of video annotating as an effective method for research that is as accessible as literature annotation is. Video annotation has been shown to trigger higher learning and engagement but research struggles to explain the absence of video annotation in contemporary structures of education practice. In both academic and informal settings the use of video playback as a meaningful tool of analysis is apparent, yet the availability of supplementary annotation software is not within obvious grasp or even prevalent in standardized computer software. Practical software tools produced by the researcher have demonstrated effective video annotation in a short development time. With software design programs available for rapid application creation, this paper also highlights the absence of a development community. This paper argues that video annotation is an accessible tool, not just for academic contexts, but also for wider practical video analysis applications, potentially becoming a mainstream learning tool. This paper thus presents a practical multimodal public approach to video research that potentially affords a deeper analysis of media content. This is supported by an in-depth consideration of the motivation for undertaking video annotation and a critical analysis of currently available tools.