Virtual Experiences of the 360º Kind

[Beam me up, Scotty! Arkies in the midst of concocting a new adventure]

Have you caught yourself wistfully admiring your holiday snaps from (what feels like) years yonder, while trying to figure out how to clear your leave? Or find yourself updating your social media with TBT insert faraway exotic location here ?  

In the status quo of tighter borders worldwide, it is safe to say that most of us haven’t been able to get our travel fix. Although increased vaccination is on the horizon, it is probably still some time away before travelling (as we knew it) can safely return.  

Until that long awaited day arrives, how do you fight off the monotony of physical restrictions and WFH burnout? 

[Back to better times - Circa 2019: our 360 adventures down Haji Lane, vibrantly in full bloom]

We can embark on local adventures in our own backyard, exploring overlooked gems and hopefully recapturing that sense of wonder. There’s also the vast, seemingly infinite world online we can turn to, with a sea of content / experiences readily accessible at our whim and fancy.  

Either way, the new normal is fuelling our desire to be transported to another space. And there is arguably no better time than now for 360º VR technology to shine. 

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Although 360º VR technology has been available for close to a decade now, the cameras were prohibitively expensive, which effectively limited it to the league of big budget players such as Google Maps, Taylor Swift and Conan O’Brien.

[Throwing even further back to 2014 when Taylor Swift was a femme fatale in ‘Blank Space’ ]
Image Credits to: Taylor Swift

A new wave of cheaper 360º cameras were finally released around 2017, opening up the floodgates and democratizing its usage for the average consumer.

[The O.G Insta360 Nano took off around 2017 due to its extreme portability VS larger pro 360 cameras]
Image credits to: Insta360

Leaping back into the present day, you probably have noticed a fair share of real estate virtual tours and interactive museum displays sprouting up online recently. Since events have largely shifted from physical spaces to virtual ones, many businesses are using 360º technology to simulate being on location (when it’s not possible) from the comfort of their viewer’s screens.

While it’s possible to shoot these conventionally, the 360º panoramic video production displays a greater amount of visual information / space and gives the audience more autonomy over their viewing experience; qualities which lend it well for virtual tours. 

Naturally as visual storytellers, we were recently given the opportunity to bring people on tours that transcend space and time. A big shoutout to the good people at Methodist Girl’s School and Goodman Arts Centre for calling upon our superpowers and making this adventure possible!

[Ready to dive into the world of 360º? An exciting magical frontier beckons!]

Intrigued but feeling kinda intimidated? There’s nothing to worry about because we’re here to demystify the process for you! Besides a few technical adjustments (which we’ll elaborate on another time), the preparation needed for a successful virtual tour is not drastically different from a regular shoot; the basic principles apply!

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[Sneak Peek Time! Arkies taking centre stage while planning the route for one of our 360 tours]

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Key to success #1: User Experience (UX) is King

If there’s one thing to remember, it’s that 360º is fundamentally an experiential medium. Never underestimate the importance of seeing the journey from the audience’s perspective!

Before being able to craft an immersive experience for the viewer, we have to first undergo the experience ourselves. In this case, it means that we first embark on a guided tour of the place IRL (in real life), to get a first-hand / clearer picture of the overall story being told (what’s the client's emphasis/subtext/msg to convey)

[On the ground - Arkies working / playing hard during recce]

Along the way, we thoroughly note down the orientation and unique quirks / intricacies of the space. Besides enabling us to better map out an intuitive and coherent route for the viewer in the final product, this process also flags up tricky scenarios that can potentially occur during the shoot. 

Based on our personal experience, should the ambient exposure / pre-existing room lights be insufficient, concealing additional lights in a panoramic scene is close to impossible, so be very aware of the lighting condition per location and angle. 

Also, since the 360º camera can see EVERYTHING around it, if the creative vision of the experience does not include the crew being the recurring trope in every scene, it too is important to identify safe hiding zones. If an empty stage is what you are looking for, it will also be useful to have someone marshalling on set to keep curious cats / wandering passer-bys out of sight while the camera is rolling. 

[Before pressing record & 10 secs after - flat on the ground to avoid appearing on camera!]

Most people may not pay attention to the degree of groundwork needed for a virtual tour, but we find that being meticulous early on tends to result in a smoother shoot AND seamless viewer experience at the end of the day. As the adage goes: early pain, later gains.

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Key to success #2: Engagement is King (too!)  

Despite the 360º medium being very much an open-ended one, audiences can easily wander off and disengage if left completely to their own devices. In our media saturated culture of today, viewer’s attention is increasingly at a premium and it’s unfortunately not a given that they may be interested in your story in the first place. 

So whether your goal is to illuminate the full depth of the space, or to show off the highlights on site (like a  greatest hits album), the KEY is to prioritize and be completely aware of the viewer’s mindspace during their virginal voyage in your space. 

[Tiny flashing breadcrumbs we left to gently guide the viewer through Goodman Arts Centre]

The designated primary route should make sense and appropriate guidance gently leading them should be provisioned for as they explore your space. Just like how you would interact with them if they were actually there in real life!

Here are some other little things that really helped to bring content to life in the creation of tours:

Customised Floor Plans

These help viewers quickly find their bearings and stay orientated. They also can hop between any location by clicking on the respective points on the map

Interactive Pop-ups

Additional information such as videos, photo montages, directions & trivia can be embedded within your tour for a more cohesive viewer experience!

Branded Interface

Personalized user interface tailored to your company’s brand guide!

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Does this still feel like gobblygok to you? Fret not! Here at the Ark, we are ready to help you realize the full potential of your 360º virtual tour. 

Whichever direction your audience wishes to look at, we waste no space in giving them engaging tidbits to latch onto.

Under the right circumstances, we can even film a virtual tour in full 360º video.. with a live host!

When it comes to the thrilling world of 360º video content, this is MERELY the tip of the iceberg. We’re always game to push the boundaries of storytelling to suit your needs. 

Want more? Call / email / find us here! 

As always - Don’t Stop Creating and we’ll see you real soon!