Secure Redact 1.0 User Guide

The full user guide is filled with easy-to-follow tutorial videos - you’ll be up and running in no time!

Upload a video

If you have lots of videos on the go as opposed to just one, your video will be automatically added to the current job queue for processing and automatically adding redaction boxes.

This will find all the faces /number plates in the entire video, ready for redaction. Once the video is uploaded, converted and automatic redaction boxes are added, you can view the video in the video player for review.

If there are multiple video jobs being processed, the videos will be “queued” in the Video List, ready for overlaying the redaction boxes. The Video List is the arrow in the top left-hand corner.

When you’re in the app and want to upload another video, click the ‘+’ button in the bottom right-hand corner.

Navigating Secure Redact: overview of all buttons

This is what the Secure Redact application looks like in the video player, once the video is uploaded.

Below, you can learn about:

  • Menu

  • Preview settings

  • Video List

    • Video metadata (pop-up information panel when you hover on an individual video in your video list)

  • Video player controls

  • The Entities Panel

    • Individual entity view (this will pop up as an information panel when you click on a particular entity)

  • Undo

  • Keyboard shortcuts

Menu

The top right button with three dashes will show the available menu options:

  • FAQs = frequently asked questions panel.

  • Help = Using Secure Redact page.

  • Logout = will log you out and return you to the login page.

  • Your name = your account page. From there you can view your activity, update your contact details, review/upgrade your current plan as well as review your current payment information.

Preview settings

The settings icon next to the video player controls lets you preview:

  • Watch the video and see what the blur will look like on your final video. You can choose between a smooth (keyboard shortcut: B) or pixelated blur (keyboard shortcut: V) . To stop viewing the video in this preview blur mode, press “None” (or keyboard shortcut: C) to return back to the orange redaction boxes preview.

  • Watch and edit the video in full, 100% resolution.

These are preview options that mean you can view what your final redacted video will look like. Clicking any of these preview settings may impact playback performance.

Video List

The top left arrow button is the Video list. This will show you all your uploaded videos and their status. Click on a video from the list to make it load in the video player.

Each item in the list gives the name of the video and the current status of the video.

  • Uploaded = video has been uploaded to the Secure Redact system.

  • Converted = uploaded video has been converted ready for detection for redaction.

  • Queued = converted and in the queue, ready for detection for redaction.

  • Adding redaction boxes = all faces/number plates are being overlaid with automatically added redaction boxes.

  • Ready for review = all faces/number plates have been overlaid with automatically added redaction boxes, ready for review and editing.

  • Redacted = all faces/number plates have been redacted from the video.

If the video is being processed, a progress bar will appear showing the current percentage and the action being performed (e.g. uploaded, redaction boxes being added, redacted). 

NOTE: You can flick between videos whilst the redaction boxes are being automatically added. A blue notification will appear at the top once this process is complete.

Video metadata

Hovering over a specific video in the Video List will show the Video metadata, including: 

  • The name of the video

  • The date/time of upload

  • The size of the video

You can change the name of the video by clicking the edit icon next to the video name, entering a new name and pressing save. 

The next action available for the video will be displayed as a button underneath the video file size, either ‘Start’ (to begin automatically adding redaction boxes), ‘Redact’, or ‘Download’.

In the bottom right corner is the delete video button. This will delete the video from the Video List and your Secure Redact account. 

Video player

Use the video controls under the video to: 

  • play/pause (keyboard shortcut: SPACEBAR or K)

  • skip to the beginning/end of the video (also via dragging the orange marker on the progress bar)

  • use the single arrows to step one frame forward/backwards at a time (also via your keyboard arrows). To skip forward/backwards 5 seconds at a time, you can use keyboard shortcuts: forwards is L and backwards is J.

  • Use the volume button to mute the video while you edit (keyboard shortcut: M). This will not affect the redaction process at the end, should you choose to include the audio.

  • Use the “1x” to choose to view the video in double time or quicker (keyboard shortcut: P to scroll through playback speeds).

Entities Panel

View all your entities in one panel. An entity is a group of tracks that correspond to one individual. You can filter this panel by clicking on the following filters:

  • Aliased = View the entities that you have given an alias to. When you give an entity an alias, it will appear with the corresponding orange redaction boxes in the video player.

  • Redacted = Entities that you’ve marked to be redacted.

  • Unredacted = Entities you’ve marked to not be redacted and therefore be visible.

Individual Entity view

When you click on an orange box in the video player or an entity in the Entities Panel, this opens that Individual Entity view.

From here you can: 

  1. See the start and end frame numbers of all the associated tracks within that entity. Click on where it says “start frame” or “end frame” on a particular track to see and watch it in the video.

  2. Add an entity alias so you can easily identify the associated redaction boxes in the video player.

  3. Choose to not redact the entity, but keep it in the Entity’s panel. Do this by clicking “unredact entity”.

  4. Delete an entity from your video. This will delete the entity and all the associated tracks. Visually, X will be visible. But this step cannot be undone: if you wanted to go back and re-redact X, you’d have to add all the tracks again manually.

Keyboard shortcuts

To make your navigating and editing needs easier, there are a few keyboard shortcuts that can help.

  • RIGHT ARROW = Go forward one frame on your video.

  • LEFT ARROW = Go back one frame on your video.

  • J = Jump backwards 5 seconds.

  • L = Jump forward 5 seconds.

  • SPACE BAR or K = play/pause your video.

  • P = increase the playback rate. Click it continually to go through the different options (0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x).

  • O = decrease the playback rate.

  • M = Mute.

  • V = Preview the pixelated blur.

  • B = Preview the smooth blur.

  • C = Turn off the preview of pixelated/smooth blur.

  • A = Add a redaction box. N.B. this just adds one redaction box in that particular frame.

  • BACK SPACE = Remove a redaction box. N.B. this just removes the selected redaction box in that particular frame.

  • Z = Undo.

Only appears when you are in the Audio tab:

  • F = start / stop an audio segment.

  • G = start / stop an audio segment 0.5 seconds before you’ve pressed it.

Undo

The UNDO function will undo your most recent action. You can only undo once at a time. You can also press Z to undo.

Entities

Entities are tracks grouped together that correspond to the same face or object. Here’s how to make the most of them when focusing on a particular individual to redact/unredact.

STEP 1: Add an entity alias.

Once you’ve watched the video through, you can locate the individual that you want to keep visible. Let’s call that individual X.

  1. Click on the orange redaction box of X in the video player.

  2. This opens up its associated entity on the right. You can see all the same tracks that are within this entity, and see where they appear in the video scroll as well.

  3. First thing to do is add an entity alias. In this instance, "Black shirt”.

    • “Black shirt” will appear in the video player tagged to any orange boxes (i.e. tracks) that are within this entity.

    • This way, you can easily follow any tracks within this entity, and quickly make edits where needed.

Step 2: Insert any tracks that a correspond to X to the “Black shirt” entity.

You should have now added an entity alias to the individual you are focussing on. In our case, the individual is called X and the entity alias is “Black shirt”.

  1. Watch the video again from the start of when your individual first comes into frame.

  2. Any orange redaction boxes (i.e. tracks) associated with X should have the tagged alias “Black shirt”.

  3. If they do not, you can insert that track into the “Black shirt entity”.

  4. Pause the video when the associated track does not have the tagged “Black shirt” alias and right-click on the orange redaction box.

  5. Click “Insert into entity” and then click “Black shirt”.

  6. Repeat this until the individual goes out of frame for good.

  7. The “Black shirt” entity should now have all the associated tracks for X.

Step 3: Take any tracks out of “Black shirt” entity that do not correspond with X

  1. Click on the orange redaction box of X in the video player.

  2. This opens up its associated entity (in our case, “Black shirt”) on the right. You can see all the tracks that are within this entity, and see at what times they appear in the video scroll as well.

  3. You may find that there are some tracks that are not associated with X in the “Black shirt” entity.

  4. To take these tracks out of the “Black shirt” entity, simply right-click on the particular track - either its orange box in the video player or the track in the entity view.

  5. From here, you can:

    • Move it to an entity that you have already given an alias to.

    • Move it to an entity that you have not given an alias to by clicking “More” and then choosing from all the entities you have.

    • Move it to a new entity by clicking “New”.

Step 4: Unredact the individual, X

For more information on Entities and how to unredact a specific individual, visit here.

  1. By now, you should have made sure that the “Black shirt” entity has all the associated tracks of X. This means that whenever X appears in the video, their orange redaction boxes will have the tag “Black shirt” to them in the video player.

    • If this is not the case, please go back to this stage.

  2. Click on one of the associated tracks of X in the video player to open up the “Black shirt” entity view.

  3. From here you can:

    • Unredact entity = This means that the orange redaction boxes (tracks) will disappear from the video player, and in your final video, X will be visible. This step can be reversed to re-redact the video - just click “redact entity”.

    • Delete entity = This will delete the “Black shirt” entity and all the associated tracks. Visually, X will be visible. But this step cannot be undone: if you wanted to go back and re-redact X, you’d have to add all the tracks again manually.

  4. You can also unredact entities in the Entities Panel, by un-ticking the thumbnail of the entity in question.

Adding tracks

Adding a new redaction box just adds a single redaction box to the selected frame. The individual will only be blurred in that particular frame. 

To add a redaction box, you can:

  1. Draw and drag your box in the desired frame.

  2. Right-click in the desired frame and click ‘Add redaction box’.

  3. Click A on your keyboard.

Reposition/resize the box to fit your requirements.

NOTE: With a new redaction box, the individual/object will only be blurred in that particular frame.

  1. Right-click in the correct frame and click ‘Add track’. If your Entities Panel already has an Individual Entity view open, the new track you’re about to create will be added to that entity. If not, it will be added to its own entity.

  2. A yellow box will appear. Reposition/resize the box to fit your requirements. 

  3. On the right will appear the start frame number (i.e. the current frame you are in), and a + sign next to the end frame.

    • Another yellow box has to be added to the desired end frame to form the start and end points of the track. 

  4. Skip forward to the desired end frame (i.e. where you want the track to end). 

  5. Right-click in the correct end frame and click ‘Add track end’ or, on the right, click the + sign next to the End frame section.

  6. Another yellow box will appear. Reposition/resize the box to fit your requirements. 

  7. You’ll see the start and end frame numbers in the individual track view on the right.

  8. Choose from the drop-down menu what type of track you’d like: 

    • Track face = track a face as they move in the video. 

    • Track object = track a number plate/object as they move in the video.

    • Zone = track a specific fixed area of the video screen. 

  9. Click ‘Start’ to begin the processing of the track. Whilst it is processing, it’ll appear in the ‘Processing’ tab and turn purple. Once it is purple, you cannot change the box’s position/size. 

  10. Once the track has been processed, it’ll turn orange. 

Adding a new track will mean that an object will be tracked for redaction from that particular frame onward until you choose when the redaction will end.

Trimming tracks

If your individual enters the frame after the orange boxes have begun tracking, this means that your track begins too early.

This means you'll want to trim the redaction so that the current track begins later than the original track's start frame.

  1. Make sure you are in the correct frame where you want the track to start.

  2. Click on the corresponding orange box so it turns blue, and its start/end frames appear in the Entities Panel.

  3. Right-click on the corresponding orange box, and right-click through "Track" > "Trim track" > "Start from current frame".

  4. In the Individual Entity view, you'll see the corresponding start frame number change to reflect this edit.

If your individual gets obscured by something in the video, but the orange boxes keep detecting their face, this means that your track is ending too late.

This means you’ll want to trim the redaction so that the current track ends earlier than the original track’s end frame.

  1. Make sure you are in the correct frame where you want the track to end.

  2. Click on the corresponding orange box so it turns blue, and its start/end frames appear in the Entities Panel.

  3. Right-click on the corresponding orange box, and right-click through "Track" > "Trim track" > "End at current frame".

  4. In the Individual Entity view, you'll see the corresponding start frame number change to reflect this edit.

Extending tracks

If your individual enters the frame before the orange boxes have begun tracking, this means that your track begins too late.

This means you’ll want to extend the redaction so that the current track begins earlier than the original track’s start frame.

  1. Make sure you are in the correct frame where you want the track to start.

  2. Click on the corresponding orange box so it turns blue, and its start/end frames appear in the Entities Panel.

  3. Right-click on the corresponding orange box, and right-click through "Track" > "Extend track" > "Backwards".

  4. In the Individual Entity view, you’ll see the corresponding start frame number change to reflect this edit. 

NOTE: you can only extend a track’s start frame so it begins earlier by one frame at a time.

If your individual is still in the frame after the orange boxes have stopped tracking, this means that your track ends too early.

This means you’ll want to extend the redaction so that the current track ends later than the original track’s end frame.

  1. Make sure you are in the correct frame where you want the track to end.

  2. Click on the corresponding orange box so it turns blue, and its start/end frames appear in the Entities Panel.

  3. Right-click on the corresponding orange box, and right-click through "Track" > "Extend track" > "Forwards”.

  4. In the Individual Entity view, you'll see the corresponding start frame number change to reflect this edit.

NOTE: you can only extend a track’s end frame so it ends later by one frame at a time.

Deleting tracks

Delete a redaction box

By right-clicking on an orange box and clicking ‘Delete redaction box’, this will:

  • Not redact the individual in that selected video frame.

  • Remove the redaction box from the video player. 

All redaction boxes are part of tracks. All tracks are within an entity (aliased or not). If you delete a redaction box, the track will still be part of its associated entity, the only difference is that the individual will not be redacted in that particular frame.

NOTE: If you wish to recover the redaction box, you can only do so by clicking UNDO if that was the last action you performed. If this is not the case, you must manually add a new redaction box.

Deleting a track

By right-clicking on an orange box and clicking “Delete track”, this will: 

  • Not redact the individual for as long as the track lasts. 

  • Remove the associated orange box from the video player. 

  • Remove the track from the tracks panel. 

NOTE: If the individual goes in and out of the shot, they will have multiple tracks that need to be removed. 

NOTE: Once you “delete a track” you cannot go back, and the track disappears from the video player and its associated entity. If you wish to recover the track, you can only do so by clicking UNDO if that was the last action you performed. If this is not the case, you must manually add a new track.

Cleaning up false positives

Where the system has misidentified faces and number plates for redaction, remove all similar-looking tracks at once. 

  1. Click on a specific ORANGE box that corresponds to a false positive, and right-click.

  2. Navigate through “Tracks” to “Delete similar tracks”.

  3. This will show a full screen of all similar-looking redaction boxes as the one selected, by default up to the top 50 similar redaction boxes will be highlighted. 

    • You can go through these and unselect any tracks that you want to keep. 

    • All tracks selected will appear with a red border and be removed, once you confirm.

    • All the tracks you unselect will not have a border and will be kept in your video. 

  4. Once you have reviewed all tracks and are happy, you can click “Remove” to remove them all. Once removed, those corresponding boxes will disappear from the video player, and disappear from the tracks panel. 

NOTE: you cannot undo removing similar tracks. 

NOTE: This does not delete Entities. Entities are a set of grouped tracks corresponding to the same face and object. You cannot delete similar-looking entities, only similar-looking tracks.

Saving your work

Your work autosaves every 10 seconds as indicated by the updating text at the bottom of the page. 

When you flick between videos in the Video List, press REDACT, or if you refresh the page, your work will also save automatically. 

We recommend before logging out, checking that the last save was at its most recent. 

Redact and download your video

Once you have finished making any corrections to your video, you’ll be ready to redact the video.

  1. Click “Redact”.

  2. From here, you can choose what kind of blur you’d like the redactions to have: pixelated or smooth blur.

  3. A progress wheel will then appear whilst it generates the redactions. You can flick onto other videos in your Video List whilst this is happening. 

  4. Once it has finished processing, the video player will pop up with a preview of what your video will look like upon download. From here you can: 

    • “Go back” and continue to make any edits. Once you have finished again, repeat this process. 

    • “Download” = download your redacted video, ready for use.