Are 360 Videos Dead? Reviving the Art of 360 Video in 2024 – Insights from a Professional Filmmaker

As an experienced filmmaker, I’ve been experimenting with 360 video cameras and software since 2015. When 360 filmmaking peaked in 2018, many industry experts considered 360 videos “the future of storytelling,” promising to revolutionize how we experience content by placing viewers at the center of the action.

From virtual reality (VR) experiences to immersive brand campaigns, the potential applications seemed limitless. Even YouTube introduced ways to view 360/180 immersive content on their platform. Yet today, in 2024, the hype around 360 video appears to have waned, leaving many to wonder: is 360 video dead?

In this article, we’ll explore the journey of 360 video, examining its initial promise, challenges, and current state in the industry. Through the lens of my personal and professional experience, I’ll share why I think 360 cameras and software still hold significant value and potential for creators. Whether you’re a skeptic or a believer, this article aims to shed light on the status of 360 video and its place in the future of creative media.

In 2018, 360 video was a hot topic of conversation at the yearly NAB Show and was widely integrated into Adobe programs like Premiere Pro and After Effects. I was first introduced to 360 content by Mettle, who made 360/VR plugins for After Effects and Premiere Pro. I made a lot of tutorial content for them, showing how to use the 360/VR plugins, which eventually led to me also creating 360 tutorial content for Envato. 

Virtual reality headsets, such as the Oculus Rift, provided the perfect platform to showcase the power of 360 video. Users could don a headset and be transported to another world. Advertisers and brands drove a lot of the initial hype, generating a sense of FOMO – what if 360 content really was going to be the next big thing? As a consumer of 360 content, though, you could begin to see that this hype wasn’t sustainable. Although 360 video was an exciting up-and-coming medium, the challenges that came with it were very significant to the point that the general public would likely still have a hard time adapting to it. 

After the initial hype, it was clear that 360/VR video had a slew of limitations, especially for the average content consumer. Many viewers found the experience intriguing but not compelling enough to become a regular part of their media consumption habits. The requirement to actively look around and explore the video can be a double-edged sword: while it offers a unique experience, it also demands more effort from the viewer than passive viewing traditional videos. 

In many cases, 360/VR videos also require a headset or device to play the 360 content correctly. While most mobile devices can do this in 2024, back in 2018, that wasn’t always the case. For the most part, the general public didn’t want to go out and buy a special headset to view content that may or may not live up to the hype. Soon, 360 content began to feel like a novelty or a gimmick.

Furthermore, the content had to be meticulously crafted to fully utilize the 360-degree format. Not all stories or experiences lend themselves well to this medium, and poorly executed 360-degree videos can lead to viewer disorientation or motion sickness. There was some irony to “immersive” 360-degree content because, to experience it, you have to put on a heavy headset, which often feels invasive and inhibiting.

Filming and editing 360 videos also presented a big challenge. Filming 360 content is far more challenging than traditional video content. You’ll either need a special 360 camera or, as was common in the early days, a 360 camera rig, which usually consisted of multiple cameras. You had to keep track of numerous memory cards, batteries, etc. The GoPro Omni was an excellent example of this: It was quite a daunting setup, consisting of six GoPro cameras that each required their own memory card.

Editing 360 footage is also a challenging task. Nowadays, most 360 video cameras have proprietary software that automatically stitches the 360 footage together (usually pretty seamlessly). However, in the early days, the footage had to be stitched manually in most cases. 

Furthermore, applying effects and titles to 360 content is much more time-consuming than with “normal” flat video. 360 footage must often be edited in an equirectangular format (similar to how we project a world map onto a flat plane). But to see your edits on 360 footage, you need software to convert the equirectangular footage into a sphere or put on a 360 headset. 

Again, this just emphasizes how many more steps are required to film and edit 360 videos than traditional footage. 

While it certainly has its challenges, 360 video isn’t all bad. In 2024, 360 video has adapted to how consumers and filmmakers are actually using it (not just in the ways it was originally hyped). 

Firstly, 360 cameras have come an incredibly long way. You can now use a tiny 2-lens camera like the Insta360 X4 to record 8K 360 video, with consumer-friendly features like automatic video stitching, stabilization, and easy-to-use 360 software included. Many 360 cameras also utilize apps that work alongside your smartphone, allowing you to preview how your 360 video will look on location. 

Industries such as real estate, tourism, education, and training have embraced 360 video for its ability to provide immersive, interactive experiences. Virtual tours of properties, museums, and tourist destinations offer viewers a more engaging and realistic preview than traditional photos or videos. Entirely virtual and 3D generated 360 content, created using programs like After Effects and Unreal Engine, have also proven to work well.

This is because 3D programs do an exceptionally good job of rendering virtual 360 scenes compared to the “real world” issues a 360 camera can encounter. Everything in a virtual scene can be rendered pixel-perfect, and a “virtual” 360 camera can be keyframed to move through a scene flawlessly. 

Filmmakers and content creators have also embraced 360 cameras because they allow them to “re-frame” traditional video content in post-production. Since a 360 camera records everything in a scene, you can select an area of the video to export as a traditional video clip in post-production.

Recording the initial video in 360 ensures the filmmaker won’t miss any of the action. You can even keyframe the movement of a re-framed camera in post to give it the look and feel of a regular video camera.

You can use 360 video cameras and software plugins for more than just 360 video content. You could even argue that most content created with 360 cameras and software nowadays isn’t intended for a VR experience. As I mentioned, many creators are filming using 360 cameras and then “re-framing” the content for traditional video mediums in post-production, making 360 cameras great for capturing behind-the-scenes content. Simply set up a secondary 360 camera, press record, and capture a view of everything. 

360 cameras are also a cheap alternative to creating the effect of an ultra-wide-angle lens. (A small 360 camera is often more affordable than most fisheye lenses for mirrorless cameras.) 360 cameras are also a perfect option for capturing creative time-lapses in an environment.

You can even use a 360 camera to capture 360 environment maps for CGI and special effects for your creative projects. This makes the compositing process in a 3D program much more realistic because you can have the 360 footage act as a reflection map for your 3D objects. 

Finally, you can also use 360 effects and plugins in creative ways. Such as this example where you can use the VR Fractal Noise effect in After Effects to create a seamless planet in space. 

While the initial hype of 360 video becoming “the future of storytelling” may have changed, it’s safe to say that the use of 360 video, cameras, and software isn’t dead. Creatives, filmmakers, and consumers have all played a role in the shift of 360 content and how it is consumed and used. We’re excited to see how filmmakers continue using 360 cameras creatively, whether for 360 video or traditional video content. Happy creating!

While you’re here, check out this blog on how to make a documentary or explore the top motion graphics trends for 2024. Or, get started on your next creative project by browsing Envato‘s extensive library of video assets!