How to make 360 degree video
datarico dataricodatarico
How to make 360 degree video How to make 360 degree video
31 May 2017

360-degree videos, also known as the spherical or immersive video is a truly unique visual experience where a video is recorded at every possible angle, all at the same time. The equipment used to record this experience has advanced significantly over a short period of time, but some noteworthy mentions in this domain include Samsung’s Gear 360, Ricoh Theta and 360Fly.

What you need:

For users that are just starting out, the best recommendation is to play around with the setup, use your imagination and learn to manoeuvre the equipment to get the best angles.

An important piece of equipment to build your setup is a camera rig. These rigs should be able to hold multiple Go Pros. You can even purchase customized camera rigs that possess this capability. The second piece of equipment is your trusty Go Pro (about 6 to 10 of them). The idea is to set up the device in a way, that it is able to capture all angles while recording a scene simultaneously thereby, living up to the very definition of a 360-degree footage which shows what’s going around in full circle.

Get Creative with the Placement

The number one rule is that there are no rules, test out what works best as per your requirements, vision and needs.The key here is to get creative with the placement and try out various angles. You cannot expect to put the camera straight up as is the case with regular videos and let it capture what’s in front of it. The same consideration applies for deciding upon the camera location. For instance, an aerial shot might require you to hang the equipment from the ceiling while you can choose to mount it somewhere at a higher angle when trying to capture someone who is tall.

Things to Watch Out for!

During the testing phases of filming the video, you should find out about the ‘bugs’ that may distort the final output, for instance, in a moving shot which is being filmed in a car, through a drone or while walking, do check out for items that can appear in the shot and hide them. There is a higher chance of experiencing such issues when making a 360-degree video because each and every angle is covered.

Other thing to watch out for is movement itself, remember you are trying to create an experience for the viewer where they will be able to immerse themselves in the video. Using too much movement or motion techniques can be dizzying, therefore, try to strike a balance with reference to this concept.

Rather than purchasing expensive equipment when you are in the learning phases, it is always better to use existing equipment and build a setup to get a feel of how this works. Once you can get the hang of it, creating immersive videos will unleash a new potential of creativity within you. There is so much to explore and so many techniques to try out!