A method and a related apparatus for compressing images included in media content and editing the media content. The method can include providing an image-matching algorithm and a memory device, using the image-matching algorithm to identify images that are similar in a selection of media content extracting the images that are similar from the selection of media content, storing a single image that represents the extracted images in the memory device, and replacing the extracted images in the selection of media content with a metadata link that points to the single image. The method can further include providing a previously edited video program that originally was created from film footage, determining which of the video fields from the program include a unique film frame from the footage, and extracting the video fields from the program that include a unique film frame.