There's something to be said for a truly remarkable experience. Whether it's a great party, the trip of a lifetime, or a particularly hilarious comedy show, having lived through it makes us want to talk about it. We share these experiences. We tell our friends about them, post the pictures and videos we've captured on social media, and — when they're really good — try to relive them. It seems that we're starting to prefer living those experiences over having material possessions. No wonder that 360° video is becoming so popular — it virtually creates those experiences for us, right from the comfort of our online devices. Check out our interactive guide to creating high-quality videos for social media here. But 360 degree photography or video — which could be described as a form of virtual reality that creates immersive visual content without additional hardware other than a screen — isn't as easy as buying a new camera and uploading your video online. Like any other visual content, it has to be created and shared strategically. Not sure where to begin? We've got you covered with these five steps.
How to Create 360° Video: The Ultimate Guide
1) Have a good reason to shoot it. “When you share a 360° video, you're asking the viewer to take a larger role in experiencing it,” says Matthew Watkins, HubSpot’s senior video editor and animator. “The content has to support that.” For that reason, he says, there are very few situations when creating video in 360° is actually “necessary.” But there are occasions when it’s useful — for example, if you’re trying to create an enhanced, but virtual experience of a certain setting. That could be why many of the most popular 360° videos pertain to travel or unique experiences — see below. Those are the types of situations that are enhanced by this particular video format. Watkins also encourages potential 360° video creators to understand how much of an undertaking it can be. When I asked if I could borrow his GoPro to tinker around, for example, he warned me, “Getting it set up, shooting, and actually looking at the footage will run you most of the day.” So when you film a 360° video, plan it like you would any other full-day project, and consider building in extra time, depending on how much footage you film.
2) Pick your content. When we spoke with Michael Rucker of OmniVirt, the makers of 360° video content delivery technology, he cautioned against creating something “lazy.” “People just stick a 360° camera in the middle of the room and hit ‘record.' That actually detracts from the viewer's attention,” he explained. Instead, he says, he finds the best content that allows the user to look anywhere or everywhere, “but there's something specific that grabs my attention.” Take this video of a cooking competition, for example. We're able to view everything and see what every chef in the kitchen is doing, but our eyes are drawn to the chef that's currently speaking. It's videos like these that Rucker says give the user a “sense of autonomy” — one that provides an immersive experience, but still puts the viewer in control. He challenges brands to ask, “What are those experiences?” But he also notes that “the sky doesn’t have to be the limit” when creating these experiences — they can still be somewhat simple in concept, and B2B marketers can also use them to their advantage. Local car dealerships are one example, and Rucker says they can create content in many of the same ways that big-name automotive brands do. “What’s it really like to sit inside of that used Toyota?” he asks. That content simulates a test drive experience for users, without making them leave the house — much like local realtors, for example, can create immersive 360° virtual tours of property listings that the viewer can control. In other words, the real value of this kind of content is to give the user a sense of what it’s like to use your product or service. So when you set out to create your 360° video, figure out what that experience looks like — and remember, don’t be “lazy” about it.
3) Get the right camera. When selecting a camera, there are a few items to consider, like what you want to use the video for, and where you want to share it. “It also comes down to budget and comfort level,” says Watkins, noting that beginners might want to start with something like a RICOH, which is a single unit and only has two sensors — the behind-the-lens technology that captures the image — producing lower-resolution results than something more advanced. Rucker agrees. He tends to recommend cameras like the RICOH that serve as an “out-of-the-box solution” and don’t require a supplementary rig, which is essentially any additional hardware that supports the camera. While there are times when that additional hardware can generate more robust image quality, Rucker says the additional hardware doesn’t usually come with a great ROI — “mainly because the 360° technology will only yield an experience as engaging as the story being told,” he explains. “So the more accessible and versatile the recording device, the better chance that a good story can be captured.” But for the sake of perspective, Watkins recommends looking at the quality of two different videos — first, this one, shot with RICOH THETA S: And this one, shot with a GoPro Omni™ — which uses six different sensors (which are actually comprised of six synced GoPro Hero 4s): But in addition to maximum resolution — 5376 x 2688 for the RICOH, versus 7940 x 3970 for the Omni™ — there’s a major difference in price point. The higher-quality option comes with a hefty price tag, at $4,999.99 for the Omni™, as opposed to $269.95 – $349.50 for different THETA models. Remember how we said you should have a good reason for creating 360° video in the first place? Make sure you also evaluate how much you want to spend on a higher resolution. Meanwhile, different sites like YouTube and Facebook have their own recommendations for the best cameras to use — reviewing those lists might be helpful if you plan to share on a specific platform.
