1. A method for conducting a rapid motion search for a current block within a current frame, using template matching, for motion compensation prediction of the current block with respect to a reference block in a reference frame, comprising: generating, for the current block, a set of candidate motion vectors from motion vectors of blocks related to the current block; calculating, by template matching for each one of the set of candidate motion vectors, a distortion value calculated from differences between pixel values in a template area for the current block and pixel values in a reference block template area within the reference frame, corresponding to a respective one of the candidate motion vectors, wherein each one of the set of candidate motion vectors specifies a displacement, of a position of the template area for the current block within the current frame, to render a position of the reference block template area within the reference frame to which corresponding pixel values of the template area for the current block are compared to calculate the distortion value for the one of the set of candidate motion vectors, and wherein the template area for the current block is a rotated L-shaped area bounded by a top edge and a left edge of the current block within the current frame, the calculating rendering a set of distortion values corresponding to respective ones of the set of candidate motion vectors; and obtaining, from the set of distortion values for the set of candidate motion vectors, a motion vector prediction for the current block, wherein the motion vector prediction for the current block corresponds to the respective one of the set of candidate motion vectors for which a minimum distortion value of the set of distortion values was rendered during the calculating.