CineSkates: Roller Skates For Your Camera

Have you ever wanted to recreate the kitchen scene in Goodfellas from a very low angle with Lego characters? Well, here’s your chance to create your own diminished steadicam shots using a GorillaPod tripod and three wacky little wheels called CineSkates. These wheels allow for slow tracking shots, “worms-eye” views, and smooth rotations. You can also pan across a scene with the wheels.

The wheels fit on the GorilliaPod Focus, a tripod made for DSLRs. The creator has partnered with Joby to offer the GorillaPod tripods at a considerable discount (or you can just get the wheels).

Developed in an MIT MediaLab class, CineSkates is a unique set of wheels that attach to a tripod and enable the user to put their video in motion. They are designed to work specifically with the GorillaPod Focus™ tripod, and a ballhead, like the BallHead X, also from JOBY®.

Obviously you’re limited by the height of the tripod but you could grab some cool “orbiting” footage of interview subjects or sculpture. For $275 you get the full kit including the GorillaPod Focus and the ballhead. $150 just gets you the little skates. They need $20,000 to fund this project, so budding Kubricks had better act quick. The next project will consist of a much larger tripod with real wheels as well as other camera products.

Project Page