a system for locating , segmenting , annotating and retrieving multimedia files , provides a database of metadata relating to multimedia files , a database manager , and a database client for accessing the data contained within the database . the database client , together with the metadata database and database manager provide a variety of different functionalities , namely a deep linking functionality , a segmentation functionality , a metadata annotation functionality , a retrieval functionality , and an access functionality . the user , through database client annotates the multimedia file or segment of multimedia file with metadata which is saved in the database . when the user desires to locate a multimedia file , the metadata is searched or browsed to locate the database entry associated with the multimedia file in question . the system further provides the ability for the user to load , open and start the playing of a multimedia file from a point intermediate to its start and end point , and without the user having to experience the portion between the start point and the intermediate point , break down larger files into shorter segments or individual frames or regions within frames without creating additional copies of the selected segments of the multimedia files of interest , thereby avoiding copyright issues from arising .