360º Video is a form of ‘Virtual Reality Video’. Where the viewer can manipulate the angle of the camera to view the surrounding space. The is achieved by the director placing several cameras on his head and continually filming all around him/her. This type of interactive music video has been a successful marketing tool used by the Australian drum and bass band Pendulum and also more so for the promotion of the food product, Dorito. Dorito, have used this technique to make video’s for big artists such as Professor Green and Rihanna. Both video’s are hard to find online as are only meant to be viewable with a unique code found in the crisp packets.
What is interesting about the 360º technique is that I have watched two separate video’s using it and was addicted to using one but really bored by the other. Professor Green’s ‘Coming to Get Me’ was fun because there was a lot going on, and weather it was in post production or not figures occasionally appeared out of nowhere as soon as your back (not literally) was turned. Therefore there were elements of surprise included. Pendulum’s ‘Salt In The Wounds’ video was kind of boring and tiresome after the initial first minute and I didn’t feel it was very effective as a whole. Which shows me that fancy technology isn’t enough to help promote alone. There still needs to be interesting theme, story, setting and directing to the video in order for it to be successful.
Link to the website : http://www.pendulum.com/360
When I saw the Professor Green video, I was really excited about trying something similar and perhaps try to write out way’s in which this kind of practice could become more interesting. Most of these video’s also come as smart phone apps and the viewer can chose the direction by moving the phone around. So instead of watching video’s on youtube apps or playing games or simily listerning to music on the bus, you can do all three in one go. Pretty appealing to most young people.
The company who have been behind some of these video’s are yellowBird.
‘yellowBird is the world leader in end-to-end 360º video solutions. Our award winning team based in London, Brazil and the Netherlands produce and develop ground-breaking 360º video projects for the broadcast, advertising and entertainment industries.’ – yellowBird.
Their website shows a great array of 360º projects used for marketing different companies and products. It has actually really surprised me at how many interactive 360º video’s there are out there. Many more music related projects too, including this showreel,
http://www.yellowbirdsdonthavewingsbuttheyflytomakeyouexperiencea3dreality.com/showreels/ .
