User interface elements for content selection in media narrative presentation

Abstract

An interactive narrative presentation includes a plurality of narrative segments, with a variety of available media content consumer selectable paths or directions, typically specified by a director or editor. The content consumer can select a path or path segment at each of a number of points, e.g., decision points, in the narrative presentation via user interface elements or narrative prompts, providing the consumer the opportunity to follow a storyline they find interesting. Each consumer follows a 'personalized' path through the narrative. The narrative prompts can include images from subsequent segments, may be generated to stylistically resemble the underlying narrative presentation, may be animated to move with or with respect to the underlying narrative presentation, and, or may be presented in overlaid with a presentation of the underlying narrative while the underlying narrative continues play.