I'm currently in pre-production on a short film where an actor needs to talk to and interact with a copy of their self throughout the runtime of the film. I know this is a common camera trick that has been done many times in many different places, so I'm hoping to push the boundaries of the technique as far as my micro-budget will allow me to (~$10,000).

The major way I want to break with low-budget tradition with this effect is I want to have the ability to move the camera for certain shots, which I know is a very tall order. The precision and repeatability of the camera moves are key to lining up my actor(s) where they need to be to make a convincing edit, and the cost of motion control quickly balloons into cost-prohibitive territory for this project. I've looked at rental companies that I have access to in my area and found lower cost solutions like those made by Kessler and Syrp, but I worry if these options are precise and repeatable with enough reliability to get the shots I'm looking for. I also have access to a Varizoom Talon unit at a nearby rental house, but I'm not sure if that would either be overkill or exactly what I'm looking for.

Does anyone have experience with motorized systems, or even with this double-actor effect I'm looking to achieve? Are there any motion control solutions that I might have missed that can help with my conundrum?

Thank you in advanced!