How did you become involved in 360° video production?
I decided to start a 360 video˚ production company in 2015, after shooting standard video for a numbers of years. I went out and bought my first 360 degree video camera (the Ricoh Theta) and got to work. From walking into hotels with a VR headset and putting it on the head of the first manager I could find, to roaming travel shows in Berlin and Amsterdam to show people my work: I gathered customers within the first two months and gained a lot of experience filming in 360°.
Are you working on anything exciting at the moment?
There are many interesting projects we are involved in at the moment. For example, I have just been filming at the Amsterdam eWeek, to help promote this e-marketing event as the week progressed. During this week we shot 360˚ 3D footage using the Vuze camera.
Is there a piece of content you’ve seen that you really like? If so, why did it have an impact?
I very much like 360˚ videos where the camera is moving, like on a car, bike or bus, because it truly immerses you. We’ve tested this kind of content many times. Stitching and stabilizing is still quite challenging, and it is important to make sure that your camera is 100% secured.
If you had an endless budget for an immersive project, what would you do?
We were in the race for a huge project in Africa where the coastline and safaris needed to be filmed in 360°. It was a spectacular project where we would be filming for over a month, using drones to film the entire coastline and driving inlands to film the wildlife. Anything related to filming landscape and animal life sounds very exciting to me.
“We all know that 360˚ videos instantly grab your attention when you come across them on social media or the web”
What kind of content would you like to see more of in the 360/VR space?
I think that 360˚ videos are fantastic for advertising purposes. There already are great ways to edit 360˚ videos, using Mettle Skybox for example, where you can easily add logos and text to your video.
How do you think 360° videos differ from other types of media?
We all know that 360˚ videos instantly grab your attention when you come across them on social media or the web. Due to the increased engagement rates of 360˚ video marketing, companies should definitely consider using 360˚ videos on their social media channels or website.
https://youtu.be/qfrGRxtmxWU
What do you believe is in store for the future of 360/VR?
360˚ videos and virtual reality will become more mainstream. There will be more consumer 360 degree video cameras and VR headsets on the market for a reasonable price, so in the coming years 360˚ video content will grow exponentially.
Do you have any advice for other videographers and cinematographers looking to create 360˚ videos?
The best way to improve your 360˚ video production is by going out and doing it. You need to explore to find out what works best. We have been filming at many different locations, using different set-ups for the 360 degree video camera, and using different cameras just to see what gives the best results.
The great thing about working with new technology is that it’s new for everyone, which means that you’ll have to pioneer your way to being good at it. And once you feel confident enough about the 360˚ videos you create, you should get out and spread the word!
You can view Suzanne’s work on the Blend Media platform here.
Are you a creator with a story to tell? Get in contact via creators@blend.media
More Blend Media 360˚ Video Creator interviews below:
360˚ Video Creator Voices: Futura VR Studios
360˚ Video Creator Voices: James Donald
