An image processing system is provided for encoding videos based on example-based compression. To select the dictionary predictor entries to encode a video, the image processing system reduces the complexity of the video by decomposing the video into smaller pieces. By breaking the video into the simpler pieces, it is easier to locate dictionary predictor entries that are similar to the pieces of the video. The image processing system may decompose the video into one more space-time tubes. For each space-time tube, the image processing system selects dictionary predictor entries to encode the tube.