I recently was introduced to Making View, a Norwegian company that specializes in creating 360-degree panoramic video. Yep, you read that right. Panoramic video. Much like a 360-degree photo tour, you can zoom and move around the video as it plays. It is without a doubt one of the coolest things I've seen in recent memory, and I can see the technology being used in some pretty incredible ways.
There have only been a few examples of this technique released to view, but they're both incredible. I try not to recklessly throw around buzzwords, but I'm not sure how else to describe this. You can use your arrow keys to look in different directions as the video plays, and it adds an entirely new dimension to the viewing experience. Not only can you look ahead, as with a traditional POV camera, but you can look behind and to the sides in real time as the video plays. The car is driven by Red Bull Racing test driver Sébastien Buemi on Rudskogen circuit in Norway.
While it seems that it's going to be a long way in the future, imagine being able to watch a live broadcast of a sporting event and being able to pan around the scene on your own. While it might be impossible to pull this off for a feature film due to the lighting and set design, being able to put a POV camera on an F1 car or an X-Games athlete (think of how cool this would be if we could stick it on a Skateboarder's helmet or something) and choosing what and where you watch would be pretty incredible in a live setting.
In addition to the F1 racing footage, there is a downhill mountain biking sequence which is just as cool, and allows the same freedom of motion. You can check that out here.
I'm interested in watching this develop - if anything else comes up, I'll be sure to share it!
That is the coolest thing I have seen all year
Take a look at the beautiful stuff yellowbird makes, big player on the interactive 360 video market. Also check out their ipad app. This gives an amazing 360 experience because you can orbit the cam with the ipad.
http://www.yellowbirdsdonthavewingsbuttheyflytomakeyouexperiencea3dreali...
That is insanely awesome! My kids and I had a blast controlling the camera as the driver raced around the track.
this is crazy awesome! to have this in a live format would be sick!
I remember a 360video of a huge outdoor rave type event quite a long time ago. Atleast a year or two back.. Think yellowbird was the group doing thing as alexander mentioned.
Wow that was intense! I put that in full screen and started looking around.
This isn't as new as you think. I remember the World Series of Poker 2011 to have 360 degree camera's on some tables. That was about 1,5 years ago. It's very cool nonetheless.
that just wrinkled my brain
Cool!
This is actually quite old tech, MUSE filmed their Wembley gig in 2012 with 3d cameras...
http://muse.mu/360app/360wembley.htm
How video panos are made
http://www.gopano.com/store/
Thats freaking awesome
Does any one know how to write an Android App for this thing to work ?
Yesterday I got a flash of inspiration and searched the internet to see if I could find similar ideas. Indeed there are projects about 360 videography and other interesting stuff as well...
This is my vision for the future, which isn't as far-fetched as it may seem;
1. a 360 degree array of pairs of cameras.
2. dual stereoscopic frames processed as panoramas and streamed over the net.
3. 3D video viewed in VR goggles like the oculus rift.
Result: Hard to imagine. =)