Patent ID: 6870574

Claim:
A method for creating a virtual film or video production utilizing an advanced form of puppetry such as Bunraku Puppetry comprising the steps of: positioning an articulated puppet on a support structure to be filmed in front of a key-color background screen, said support structure being arranged to provide a desired vertical location on said key-color background screen, said puppet including an articulating mechanism having a color that matches that of said key-color background screen and being connected to said puppet at a plurality of separated locations, said articulated puppet being capable of movement in a plurality of directions in response to corresponding movements of said articulating mechanism, a first subset of said plurality of directions forming a plane and a second subset of said plurality of directions forming an angle with respect to said plane, such articulating mechanism being controlled by a plurality of puppeteers for each puppet; providing lighting effects in order to eliminate shadows created by said puppeteers, said lighting effects comprising a plurality of diffused lighting sources built into said support structure, filming movements of said articulated puppet and said articulating mechanism; creating a virtual background to appear in said film; and combining said film and said virtual background whereby said articulated puppet appears in said virtual background minus any appearance of said articulating mechanism.