I had a fun few days recently working with a group of young artists taking them through 3D 360 VR Production and looking at the various pro's and con's of the alternatives including VR180 in 3D and VR360 in 2D. We also took a look at some real-world examples of how VR films have been used in a brand/commercial environment and discussed some of the factors influencing production decisions.
For our initial shoot days we first spent some time discussing theory and some of the technicalities prior to getting hands on with both cameras. We took the opportunity to compare and contrast shots from the Insta360 Pro 2 camera (2D and 3D exported versions of the same shot) as well as the Kandao Qoocam 8k - giving us an opportunity to compare the dual lens stitched Kandao footage to the Insta360's 6 lens stitched footage.
We also took the opportunity to experiment with typically "no-no" shots for VR - including experimenting with which types of camera motion might generate the worst motion sensitivity and shooting from unusual locations or heights to review the effect of this when viewed in a VR Headset (in this case the Quest 2 which we were using).
Following our theory and shoot days we went on to look at VR Post Production and how creating stereoscopic 3D content differed from 2D, how post production image manipulation compares and also looking at creating simple After Effects 360 3D motion graphics animations. We also looked at the free native Insta360 Stitcher Application vs the paid option of Mistika and the substantial differences that can be achieved using the commercial stitcher with it's more enhanced options.
The group was also looking independently at ambisonic and binaural audio solutions which I have less experience with so this was certainly interesting to discuss with their sound engineer and has opened another world of learning for me to dip into.
If you, or your team, are interested in a hands on session learning how to shoot and edit 360 VR footage do get in touch.
Andrew Murchie is a creative technology consultant based in Edinburgh, Scotland specialising in stereoscopic 3d virtual reality films. He has produced Virtual Reality films & experiences for clients including NHS, Kimberly-Clark, The Real Mary King's Close, The UK Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, Highland Spring and Tennent Caledonian Breweries.
Audio stock photo by Kelly Sikkema from Unsplash