1. A computer-implemented method for performing motion estimation to compress video frames using at least one optimized search neighborhood, comprising: segmenting a target frame into target pixel blocks; determining whether each of the one or more target blocks is a candidate for efficient motion compensation; and for those target blocks deemed to be candidates for efficient motion estimation, optimizing the search neighborhood and performing a block-matching search on said optimized search neighborhood; wherein at frame n and for every target block k, if n≧N, where N is a predetermined threshold that determines the length of a learning period, and the local 2D histogram is clustered, the block k is labeled as a candidate for efficient motion compensation.