Ever wanted to be able to look around and see everything that isn’t in the video? Well, now you can! With Google and Facebook already invested in 360-degree video and the speed at which they are catching on, it is now possible for you and your company to provide a unique perspective on your world.
But before getting too excited, it is worth noting what it is not: it is not virtual reality (VR), despite appearances. Although you can watch 360-degree video on VR headsets – which certainly provides that fully immersive effect – they are not essential, as 360-degree content is designed to function perfectly in standard 2D. For this reason, it provides an immersive experience that anyone can enjoy in any environment.
Because 360-degree videos are shot using special circular camera arrays that can record the entire panoramic view from a specific place, the results are semi-interactive. Viewers can click and drag, thus adjusting their viewpoint around a single spot as the video plays.
Access to view 360-degree video couldn’t be simpler: you can use any connected device, whether smartphones, tablets, laptops or desktops. The important point concerns the portal through which this amazing content can be experienced. The two main points of browsing, discovering and viewing are YouTube and Facebook. Unfortunately, wider web support is not quite so good yet, as only certain web browsers can handle such content. Chrome and Opera are compatible but, for now anyway, Safari and Firefox aren’t.
This technology greatly enhances your video message and energises your SEO. It will add ambiance and impact to restaurant, car showroom, interior design, home-staging or outdoor leisure location videos. It is evident that the potential of such innovative filming technology is almost limitless. Now we can get the whole picture!