Creating A Global 360 Video Freelancers Network
Although there are quite a few professional 360 shooters, the medium is still relatively new and unfamiliar to many journalists, photographers and videographers.
But in spite of its novelty, professionals within the industry have taken notice that 360 storytelling has become a rather established category in the digital newsroom. One of our tasks as a VR studio is to build and support a network of people creating stories in 360. With more professional storytellers experimenting within the medium, we’ve been able to get stories from all over the world instead of being limited to areas where the VR industry is concentrated.
Lack of knowledge about 360 shooting is never a “no” for us; most important is the willingness to learn and experiment with the medium. By providing guidance and virtual trainings, we are creating a network of 360 shooters who are excited about the technology and can confidently head into the field to tell their communities’ stories using 360 video cameras.
Here’s how we are creating this global network, and the steps we take to encourage and support freelancers to work with us.
Pitching Process
Every week we publish a 1.5–2 minute 360 video on Contrast VR and Al Jazeera English or AJ+ Facebook pages and other social media channels. The stories are short and mostly filmed with easy to use 360 cameras. They are, however, character-driven and highlight the efforts taken by local communities to better their lives and surroundings. Storytelling is key, no matter what medium we are using.
Story ideas are pitched either by our producers or freelancers, who can both contact us independently or through our open call assignments on Storyhunter. Description of the story, main characters, vision of the video and visual references are the most important parts of the pitch. Not all the stories should be told in 360, so it is important to properly vet them.
After agreeing on the story, a virtual chat helps us identify whether we can work together and how much we need to prepare for the production. This involves discussing the freelancer’s previous experience, agreeing on deliverables, preparing a storyboard for a particular video, and discussing technical production challenges. If the freelancer already has experience in 360 storytelling, we can skip further training. If they need more guidance, we schedule a separate virtual training.
Virtual Training
Freelancers new to the medium get a manual, which not only has instructions on how to use the camera, but also shares best 360 shooting practices, advice on camera placement, distance from the subject, etc. The training usually lasts around 30 minutes to an hour. As we select strong journalists who already know about storytelling, what they need to learn is more from the technical side of point.
For example, Olivia Acland is a British journalist based in Freetown, Sierra Leone. I contacted her wanting to produce a story on the aftermath of the mudslide that struck Sierra Leone on August 14th, 2017. At that point, Olivia did not know much about 360 filming, but managed to secure a 360 camera from the local United Nations bureau and was interested in shooting the story. After a virtual training and constant guidance during the production via whatsapp messages, Olivia produced a powerful 360 video story.
“Surviving a mudslide” by Olivia Acland.
“I’d worked in print, photography and film before, but this was a totally new medium for me,” Olivia said. “I had been told to hide once I’d turned on the ‘film’ button and was stressed trying to get to a good hiding place quickly. I couldn’t see or hear what my subject was doing and had no idea how the footage was until I got home and stitched it. When the film was put together I thought it was powerful. I had filmed inside Abdulai’s house which had been destroyed by the mudslide. Whilst it would take a lot of different photographs to show the extent of the damage, with the 360 camera you could see it all in one shot. The medium felt honest as you could observe as much as a person actually standing there would.”
Olivia bought a 360 camera for herself and has been working with us ever since. “Sierra Leone is a fascinating and colourful place and I was inspired imagining what other stories I would be able to capture in 360,” Olivia said.
Keeping In Touch
Timely communication is key. It’s not only important to know the status of the freelancer’s story but also for the freelancer to have someone available to discuss the angle, help solve issues, offer solutions and so on. During the whole process, until the story is published, it is our combined production and the result depends on our common effort.
Once the shoot is done and the footage is transferred to us, the main part of the freelancer’s job is done. However, the freelancer is the best person to check translations and fact check the video, in case we need to. This means being available to answer questions about the story is essential in this part of the process as well. At this point, the relationship is already established. Freelancers know the process and they feel at ease approaching us with interesting story ideas and discussing what could work for both sides.
Sanshey Biswas from New Delhi, India, coordinated a shoot for us about an iftar dinner at Ajmer Sharif Dargah in June 2017 (the story was shot by his Sanshey’s former intern Shubham Gupta). Five months later, he approached me with another great story idea. We produced it very quickly because Sanshey already knew the process and was ready to go.
“Delhi’s Last 7 Elephants” by Sanshey Biswas
“Storyhunter makes coordinating freelance gigs quite easy and I appreciate the quick replies from Contrast VR,” Sanshey said. “Having done a story for a publication helps to get a future gig.” — Sanshey Biswas
Shared Mission
Many freelancers are excited to work with us because they appreciate our mission — to tell inspiring and engaging stories related to world issues, highlighting people’s efforts to make changes in their local communities. This works both ways. We are looking for people who share the same values, are dedicated to storytelling and are excited to see the stories turn into 360 videos.
Building a community is not an easy task. But with global efforts we can create a network where ideas and knowledge can flow across borders, with an industry progressing forward with more compelling 360 video stories reaching the audience.
