How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love 360º Video

Way back when I studied my degree at university I was taught the fundamentals of film production, through numerous dodgy student films I learned how to compose a shot, light a scene and edit it all together to create a story.

2015 was the year of live streaming thanks to Meerkat, Periscope and Facebook. Thanks to the simplicity of these apps, everyone had the opportunity to broadcast content from anywhere in the world, without the need for expensive professional streaming equipment.

In 2016 with the introduction of 360º video capability on sites such as YouTube and Facebook, live streaming is getting it’s chance to shine. But with it comes a host of new challenges for filmmakers.

What is 360º Video?

If you have a Facebook account it’s more than likely that you’ve already seen examples of 360º video in your feed. From David Attenborough meeting the largest dinosaur to ever walk the earth to the exhilarating Blue Angels experience.

360º video is a technique where multiple cameras or lenses are used to film a scene from various angles all at once. This is then stitched together to form one panoramic video. The viewer can move the camera around and explore the content as if they were there themselves.

What are the challenges in shooting 360º film?

One of the biggest challenges is working out where you’re going to hide all your film kit and crew. You don’t want the viewer panning the camera to see Dave in his Motörhead t-shirt. If you have decided 360º video is the best way to promote your content think about how best to use the space.

If you’re filming a performance piece shoot in the middle with action all around you. If you’re presenting architecture, place the camera where you get the biggest wow factor. Avoid hiding it in dark corners as you’re not encouraging the audience to use the full 360º field of view.

What can I shoot in 360º?

There are so many potential uses for 360º video, you’re only limited by you’re own imagination.

One really cool use of 360º video is time-lapse, it’s a great way of showing off the entire location as it transitions from day to night, or as the stars arc across the night sky above you. Check out this incredible example shot in New York City by GoPro.

Why use 360º video? Isn’t it a bit of a gimmick?

As a Film Producer at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom, one of the challenges we face is being able to provide a real life experience of what university is like for prospective students who can’t easily come visit us at open days.

It was around the time Google Cardboard launched that I landed on the idea of creating a 360º virtual campus tour. Now we’ve made films like this before where a student guides viewers around the campus, but it’s heavily restricted by what we choose to put in front of the lens. With 360º video we can now put control in the hands of our viewers. It’s liberating but above all it’s transparent. It tells the audience we have nothing to hide.

By combining 360º video with a VR headset, even one as simple as Google Cardboard, the viewer is encouraged to spend more time watching content without distraction. The aim is to create an immersive world where people get carried away in the experience and forget about potential time sponges like Facebook and email.

How affordable is shooting in 360º?

Like anything there are some extremely expensive options out there, take the ‘Nokia Ozo’ for example which carries a price tag of £41,500. That said it is designed for professional production.

More affordable options are available like the ‘Ricoh Theta’ (£300), or ‘Bublcam’ (£550) which originated on Kickstarter.

There’s also an option if you have six GoPro’s sitting around, the ‘Freedom360’ rig. Each camera is angled in a way to cover the full 360º field of view.

Of course Google have their own option, the ‘Jump’ camera rig which is designed to hold 16 GoPro’s. You’ve got to see this…

In summary, 360º video isn’t as daunting as it may seem, it’s made incredibly easy thanks to the likes of YouTube and Facebook that are giving you the tools to actually use it. Nor is it all that expensive, already we have a good range of cameras on the market with even more due in the coming months.

One area I can’t wait to see developed is 360º live video, already Google are looking into it so I doubt it will be long before we have the option on YouTube.