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Technique: using one 360 camera to simulate multiple cameras for multicam video editing

You can use a 360 camera to simulate several conventional cameras for a multicam video that looks like it was shot by a whole camera crew.  Here’s a sample, and here’s how to do it.

360 videos are designed for viewing in 360 but they don’t necessarily have to be used that way.  You can use a 360 camera as if you have several conventional cameras with you, switching the point of view as needed to produce a conventional non-360 video.

Here’s a sample video that uses this technique.  Sorry it hasn’t been color-corrected, and it’s very shaky (I did order the Guru 360 gimbal which I hope to use next time), but the video illustrates the concept of this “360 Multicam” technique:

Anyway, to use this technique, you need:
– a 360 camera
– Insta360 Studio or another 360 video editor that can export the 360 video as a non-360 video.  You can also use Magix Video Edit Pro Plus 2017 or Cyberlink PowerDirector 15.
– a video editor with multiple tracks (ideally with a multicam editing mode).  B Magix Video Edit Pro Plus 2017 and Cyberlink PowerDirector 15 have multicam capabilities.

Here are the steps:
1.  Use your 360 camera to capture a 360 video.
2.  Use Insta360 Studio to create a non-360 video with a consistent perspective (e.g. following a particular person).  Repeat as needed.  In this case, I created a perspective to show my son, another for my daughter, and another for myself (three videos in all).
3.  Open all the videos in your multi-track editor as separate tracks.  I used Magix Video Edit Pro Plus 2017, which has a multicam editing capability.  Cyberlink PowerDirector 15 also has multicam editing.
4.  Switch between the videos as needed.  This is easy with a multicam editor, but requires patience with a video editor that doesn’t have a multicam editor.  Here is what the end edit looks like:

5.  Save the edited video and publish.  Boom!

I plan to use this technique more often in the future as a way of encouraging non-360 camera users to use 360 cameras.  (BTW, I personally haven’t seen this technique used before — I just thought of this myself, but I’m not at all claiming that I’m the first one ever to do it.)

If you found this article helpful, please like (or hit +1) and please share it with friends or Facebook groups who might be interested!  Thank you very much!

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Mic Ty

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  • Love the video! I have been looking for something like this for my Keymission 360 videos, but have had little luck. The promo non 360 videos that Nikon created obviously did something like this but I have yet to find a good way to recreate that for "standard" video. The Insta360 Studio doesn't work with Keymission video (I have tried) so that is not an option. I am sure there are ways in After Effects but it is bound to be complicated and would need the skybox plug. What I really want is a Rollworld App Desktop app or plugin. That would be great. On iOS it always compresses by 4k video down.
    Want you know love your site. It has been a big help to me as make way through this 360 world!

    • Hi Kevin. Thank you very much for your feedback and for being a loyal reader! About the Keymission, have you tried setting the resolution to 1920/24 instead of 2160/24? I used a Keymission for these videos and as you can see I was able to edit it in Insta360 Studio.

      The reason I recommended Insta360 Studio in particular is because unlike Rollworld, it can do multiple transformations. So for example as my kids were moving around, I could keep moving the perspective to follow them. (With rollworld, you can only move the perspective a couple of times IIRC.) Perhaps it is worth another shot!

      Best regards,
      Mic

  • Hi Mic

    This type of use is what got me interested in 360 cameras, the video editing software I use (Powerdirector 15) offers

    True360 View Designer
    View Designer is a unique PowerDirector innovation that enables you to use 360-degree video footage in standard video projects. It's like you've filmed a scene with multiple cameras from multiple angles.

    Not had a chance to try it properly but think this is what think would be the biggest use.

    Just got to wait for the Kodak to be available! (in the UK)

    Enjoy reading your blog.

    Thanks

    Ed