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Filmmaking Dictionary: Number 3 / 360° Video
Definition
360-degree video records a view around the camera so the audience or editor can choose which direction to look. Full spherical video covers the surrounding sphere, including the area above and below, while some systems provide more limited vertical coverage.
It can be presented interactively in a suitable player or headset, or reframed into an ordinary flat video. It is not automatically stereoscopic: monoscopic 360 video uses one view of the sphere, while stereoscopic material provides separate views for the two eyes.
Stitching the Images
Many 360 cameras use multiple lenses with overlapping views. Stitching combines those images into a representation of the surrounding scene. Depending on the camera and workflow, this happens inside the camera or in software.
Objects close to a stitch boundary can be difficult to combine because the lenses see them from different positions. A nearby hand or stand may appear broken or distorted even when distant scenery joins well. Test subject distance and placement rather than assuming every part of the sphere will stitch equally cleanly.
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Flat Files and Spherical Views
A common full-sphere representation is an equirectangular image with a 2:1 shape. It resembles a world map: the rectangular file is a way of storing a sphere, not the intended normal perspective view. Other projections and camera-specific formats also exist.
The receiving editor or player needs the correct projection and metadata. Without the proper interpretation, the image may appear as a stretched panorama instead of an interactive scene.
Reframing Example
An editor takes a wide 360 recording of an event and chooses a conventional view that follows one person. That view uses only part of the total recorded image. A camera’s headline spherical resolution therefore does not become the same resolution in every narrow reframed shot.
Production Checks
- Inspect the whole surrounding view for crew, equipment and reflections.
- Keep important action away from problematic stitching zones where practical.
- Test close objects and the intended camera support.
- Plan where the viewer’s attention should go.
- Confirm audio treatment, projection and export metadata.
- Review the finished file in its intended viewing mode.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 360 video the same as a 360-degree shutter?
No. One concerns viewing direction; the other describes exposure time.
Does it replace composition?
No. Camera position, subject distance, staging and the direction of attention still shape the experience.
Related Terms
Browse all terms starting with 3 or return to the filmmaking dictionary.