Inflatable humanoid forms

Abstract

Inflatable three-dimensional humanoid forms are disclosed that resemble human beings and are constructed of lightweight plastic or similar elastomeric materials to simulate large numbers of people typically required in crowd scenes in film, video and still photography. Separately inflatable chambers are built into or otherwise attached to the inflatable humanoid figures to simulate the natural variations in human forms as viewed from the front or side. For example, in an inflatable humanoid form without legs designed to be supported in stadium or auditorium seating, a separately inflatable chamber at the bottom of the torso can be inflated to varying degrees to variably adjust the overall height of individual inflatable humanoid figures.

1 . A method for generating a simulated real humanoid for use in creating an appearance of a crowd of real people with different body types, comprising: 
 forming an inflatable life-sized humanoid figure with features that represent a general shape of all or part of a real humanoid; and    forming one or more inflatable chambers on the inflatable life-sized humanoid figure, the one or more inflatable chambers for simulating different body types when inflated to varying degrees.    
   
   
       2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising forming the inflatable life-sized humanoid figure with features that represent a general shape of a torso and head of a real humanoid.  
   
   
       3 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising forming an inflatable chamber at a bottom of the torso of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figure for adjusting a height of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figure when inflated to varying degrees.  
   
   
       4 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising forming an inflatable chamber at a head area of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figure for adjusting a hairstyle of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figure when inflated to varying degrees.  
   
   
       5 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising forming an inflatable chamber at a shoulder area of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figure for adjusting a width of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figure when inflated to varying degrees.  
   
   
       6 . A method for enabling a simulation of a crowd of real people with different body types to be recorded in a visual recording media production, comprising: 
 forming a plurality of inflatable life-sized humanoid figures with features that represent a general shape of all or part of a real humanoid;    forming one or more inflatable chambers on one or more of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figures for simulating different body types when inflated to varying degrees; and    providing the plurality of inflatable life-sized humanoid figures to the visual recording media production so that the plurality of inflatable life-sized humanoid figures and their one or more inflatable chambers can be inflated to varying degrees to simulate different body types, placed in close proximity to each other, and visually recorded.    
   
   
       7 . The method as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising forming the plurality of inflatable life-sized humanoid figures with features that represent a general shape of a torso and head of a real humanoid.  
   
   
       8 . The method as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising forming an inflatable chamber at a bottom of the torso of one or more of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figures for adjusting a height of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figures when inflated to varying degrees.  
   
   
       9 . The method as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising forming an inflatable chamber at a head area of one or more of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figures for adjusting a hairstyle of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figures when inflated to varying degrees.  
   
   
       10 . The method as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising forming an inflatable chamber at a shoulder area of one or more of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figures for adjusting a width of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figures when inflated to varying degrees.  
   
   
       11 . A method for simulating a crowd of real people with different body types to be recorded in a visual recording media production, comprising: 
 inflating a plurality of inflatable life-sized humanoid figures having features that represent a general shape of all or part of a real humanoid;    inflating one or more inflatable chambers on one or more of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figures to varying degrees to simulate different body types; and    situating the inflated plurality of inflatable life-sized humanoid figures in the background scene in close proximity to each other such that the inflated plurality of inflatable life-sized humanoid figures simulates a crowd of real people with different body types when the background scene is visually recorded.    
   
   
       12 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , the plurality of inflatable life-sized humanoid figures having features that represent a general shape of a torso and head of a real humanoid.  
   
   
       13 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising inflating a chamber connected to a bottom of the torso of one or more of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figures to varying degrees to adjust a height of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figures.  
   
   
       14 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising inflating a chamber connected to a head area of one or more of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figures to varying degrees to adjust a hairstyle of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figures.  
   
   
       15 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising inflating a chamber connected to a shoulder area of one or more of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figures to varying degrees to adjust a width of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figures.  
   
   
       16 . A method for simulating a crowd of real people with different body types in a visual recording media production, comprising: 
 visually recording an inflated plurality of inflatable life-sized humanoid figures having features that represent a general shape of all or part of a real humanoid, with one or more of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figures having one or more inflatable chambers inflated to varying degrees to simulate different body types;    wherein the inflated plurality of inflatable life-sized humanoid figures are situated in close proximity to each other such that the inflated plurality of inflatable life-sized humanoid figures simulates a crowd of real people with different body types when the background scene is visually recorded.    
   
   
       17 . An apparatus that simulates a real humanoid for use in creating an appearance of a crowd of real people with different body types, comprising: 
 an inflatable life-sized humanoid figure formed with features that represent a general shape of all or part of a real humanoid; and    one or more inflatable chambers formed on the inflatable life-sized humanoid figure, the one or more inflatable chambers for simulating different body types when inflated to varying degrees.    
   
   
       18 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 17 , the inflatable life-sized humanoid figure formed with features that represent a general shape of a torso and head of a real humanoid.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 18 , further comprising an inflatable chamber formed at a bottom of the torso of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figure for adjusting a height of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figure when inflated to varying degrees.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 17 , further comprising an inflatable chamber formed at a head area of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figure for adjusting a hairstyle of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figure when inflated to varying degrees.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 17 , further comprising an inflatable chamber formed at a shoulder area of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figure for adjusting a width of the inflatable life-sized humanoid figure when inflated to varying degrees.