A method for viewing a collection of images or videos, includes analyzing the collection to determine properties of the images or videos and using the determined properties to produce icons corresponding to such properties; providing a time-varying display of the images or videos in the collection following an ordering of the images or videos in the collection and at least one of the corresponding icons; receiving a user selection of an icon; changing the time-varying display of the images or videos in the collection following a reordering of the images or videos in the collection in response to the user selection; storing the sequence of the user selections and associated timing in a script in a processor accessible memory; and playing back the viewing of the collection of images or videos using the script.