Immersive technology is versatile and varied, offering a whole range of practical uses that make our lives easier, from virtual events to AR apps. In our ‘Quick guide’ blog series, we take a look at some of the services we offer here at Infinite Form to help you understand the types of experiences available – and how they benefit you. Here we look at how 360º video immerses viewers in stories in a truly memorable way.

What is 360-degree video?

Viewed through a VR headset, on a mobile device or via social media, a 360 video is filmed from all angles simultaneously – meaning you are placed within the scene and can look all around you, similar to a VR experience. What differentiates it from VR is the fixed point of view. With 360 video production, you see what the camera can see, giving you three degrees of freedom (3DOF), whereas in a VR experience, you can walk around a space as if you’re there (6DOF). 360 videos can be filmed or they can be entirely CGI, just like 2D videos.

Why use 360-degree video?

Videos are immensely popular, with mobile video consumption rising by 100% every year. People love to watch video and 360º video is no exception. The difference is, it’s more immersive. Just like VR, 360° content immerses the viewer within a story. This sense of physical presence enables the viewer to connect more with the story being told, allows them to experience ‘the impossible’ for themselves and, as a result, inspires a more empathic reaction – boosting engagement.

What are the benefits?

Completely immersive

Just like a VR experience, watching a 360º video experience in a VR headset seals the viewer into their own world, safely away from distractions, and gives them an as-realistic-as-possible experience through filmed footage. However, 360º footage is also easily hosted online from social media channels to video platforms such as YouTube and Vimeo, making it easily accessible for everyone.

Drives engagement and empathy

Clever use of the camera point of view can enable you to place the viewer in someone else’s shoes, creating greater emotional engagement and making experiences more memorable. Because of this, 360º video lends itself well to interactive branching narratives – where the user can choose which path they want to take. This in turn provides experiential learning, which is particularly beneficial to training and education, as shown in our Workspace Learning experience for NUA.

Suitable for a range of uses

360º video is a flexible platform that’s effective across a range of uses, from virtual tours to documentaries. That’s why it’s been used in all sorts of sectors, including education and training, tourism and hospitality, culture and charity, and automotive and retail, to tell stories and offer insight into brands and organisations.

How do we do it?

Our filmmaking team are experts across both 360 and 2D production. Using some of the best cameras available, we conceptualise, storyboard, shoot and edit all our films in-house. The techniques across 360 and 2D storytelling can be very different, so we always take care to make sure every project is planned and produced accordingly – making best use of the medium, whether 3D or 2D. Using a combination of filming, modelling, animation and VFX throughout our work ensures the very best quality and we collaborate closely with expert sound engineers to create impactful audio that enhances the final film.