In a method of comparing a query video and a target video, frames of the query video and frames of the target video are partitioned into blocks. The mean intensity value is calculated for each block. Minima and maxima values are extracted from temporal changes of the mean intensity values for each block. Inclines and declines are obtained from the minima and maxima values. The inclines and declines are used in determining if alignment exists between the query video and the target video.