Patent ID: 6520641
Filing Date: 2003-02-18
Classification: B61C,F16M

Abstract:
A method of shooting a scene in a motion picture, comprising:(i) providing a track with two outer rails and a center rail, the center rail disposed between the two outer rails and the center rail having a top, a first side, and a second side; (ii) providing a self-propelled camera positioning device, the self-propelled camera positioning device including a camera support unit having a plurality of wheels and a camera, and a drive unit coupled to the camera support unit, the drive unit having at least one drive roller, two guide rollers positioned adjacent to the at least one roller, means for biasing the guide rollers against the first side and the second side of the center rail, means for rotating the at least one drive roller, and means for indicating a motion of the camera support unit; (iii) positioning the two guide rollers about the first side and the second side of the center rail; (iv) positioning the plurality of wheels on the two outer rails; (v) moving the camera support unit along the track to define information of the motion; (vi) storing the information of the motion; (vii) engaging the at least one drive roller to the first side of the center rail; and (viii) shooting a scene by operating the camera while moving the camera support unit along the track as a function of the stored information of the motion.