Currently 360-degree videos are the most popular way for consumers to experience virtual reality (VR) content. With movies, short films, documentaries, concerts and other experiences available for users to experiences in immersive 360-degrees, its not surprising that demand is rising for a simplified way to create 360-degree movies. Google is set to provide.
With smartphones equipped with video cameras being an almost universal accessory along with the rise of YouTube and other video sites, more and more people are making and sharing video content. As 360-degree film becomes increasingly popular, people are wanting to create 360-degree videos as well. Unfortunately, most 360-degree cameras and the software needed to stitch the images together are expensive enough to be out of reach of many consumers. Google has a solution, however, Google’s video team have worked alongside the Daydream team to create a new video format called VR180.
VR180 videos are designed to focus on images in front of the viewer, they are also rendered in high resolution to look good on both desktop and mobile devices. If a user wants to pick up a VR headset such as Google Cardboard, Google Daydream or PlayStation VR, the video will seamlessly transition into stereoscopic 3D for great depth of field. The format allows allows for support of livestreaming.
The Google team are also planning on allowing creators to use currently available editing tools such as Adobe Premiere to edit VR180 videos, so there would be no need to learn a complex now software workflow. It is also the ambition to allow creators to set up and film videos for VR180 exactly the same way as they do for standard filming.
Google are already in negotiations with YI, Lenovo and LG to produce easy-to-use VR180 cameras. Creators who want to test VR180 capabilities early can apply to test drive a VR180 camera from YouTube Spaces around the world. Further information can be found at the VR180 official website.
VRFocus will bring you further information on VR180 once it becomes available.