1. A method, in relation to a current video frame comprising a visual element having visual characteristics and corresponding to a location in the current video frame, of matching at least one of a plurality of mode models to the visual element, comprising the steps of: associating the visual element of the current video frame with the plurality of mode models, each corresponding to the same location as the visual element and having visual and temporal characteristics; and matching at least one of the plurality of mode models to the visual element of the current video frame, said matching step further comprising the steps of: determining a visual support value for each mode model depending upon a similarity between the visual characteristics of the visual element and of the mode model; determining a spatial support value for each mode model depending upon a similarity between the temporal characteristics of the mode model and of mode models associated with one or more other visual elements in the vicinity of the visual element of the current video frame; and identifying a matching one of the plurality of mode models depending upon the visual support values and the spatial support values.