Erik Scheel has been filming 360˚ videos over the last three years which arguably puts him as one of the pioneers in the cinematic Virtual Reality world. Not only he’s able to deliver amazing productional value, he’s a hard-working, always learning guy that I’m happy to call my friend. I’ve sent him a couple of questions about how he started and what does he think about immersive technologies.
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How and why did you get into 360 and VR?
I started creating VR and 360° content when I was asked to film an immersive experience for the Boise State Broncos football team. We created an experience that took fans and new recruits onto the football field “The Blue”, into the locker room, through the tunnel run, the coin toss, pre-game warm up and a bunch of sideline action.
What is the inspiration behind your current Project?
I am currently working on various 360°projects including travel shows, immersive tours, and training. It’s very exciting to see 360° videos becoming the next big thing in video production. I’ve enjoyed how it’s being used to enhance different experiences and make viewers feel like they are really there.
What surprises have you faced so far?
The aspect that surprised me the most about filming in 360° was how completely different it is from traditional filming. Since the camera can see everything you have to be very aware of your surroundings because everything becomes the set. Also, since most of my content is viewed via headset, thinking about the user experience is very important to me while filming.
What are your favorite VR apps?
What’s great about 360° video is how it opens up a new way to enjoy the content. Because it’s already immersive the next natural evolution is to make it interactive. One of the tools that are pushing this evolution is Viar360. It allows 360° filmmakers to easily make their content fully customizable and interactive. Just recently I was asked to create a property tour. With Viar360 I was able to quickly create an interactive tour along with the standard edit that the client expected. It was great to give the client something that was unexpected and new. They loved the way the viewer could move from room to room and that the experience could be shared by using a cardboard headset.
Where do you think VR/AR is heading?
Virtual reality has a big future and there are still a lot of unknowns but, that is what makes it so exciting. You can check out some of the great stuff I’ve been up to at top3sixty.com
P.S.: Erik Scheel is also teaching a class on 360˚ Video. The workshop will be performed in Seattle. Learn more here.
