Research shows that 360 spherical video is a growing technology. It is becoming increasingly accessible and its practical uses in the areas of sports, experiential marketing, etc., are widely applauded. However, there have been no real examples of its use for dramatic and/or entertainment purposes…. until now….

Keeping this in mind, the students from Bournemouth made “The View From Tarrington Hil”, a short 360-degree drama. The plan was to develop a production model and an editing language for a spherical drama. For example, developing edit techniques that overcome problems of disorientation, ways to hide crew and lighting, using sound to draw audience attention, and looking at the importance of set design to keep such a wide field of view visually interesting.

To achieve this, a rig was designed and built to house four Canon 5D Mark II cameras mounted with Sigma 8mm f/3.5 fisheye lenses. The time-code across all cameras was synced for ease of post-production. The videos were then composited and edited with a combination of image stitching and editing softwares. A 5.1 surround sound mix is in the process of being constructed and should be ready soon.
 
As student filmmakers, it is hard to manage all the finances for a production of this scale without a little bit of help from outside. When Rakshita, the producer of the film, was looking for guidance and sponsorship to source some of the equipment for the film, she turned to Sigma who readily agreed to sponsor fish eye lenses for the duration of the shoot.
 
The Tarrington Hill team is quite proud of their experiment with spherical drama.  The film has a few technical snags but is still a bold step in terms of exploring the potential of the technology in drama. The plan now is to deliver the film over two formats – web and installation, looking at adaptations that need to take place for each format. The team will always be grateful to Sigma for believing in young creative minds and for backing their vision of bringing 360-degree drama film making to the forefront.
 
For more information, join the Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-View-From-Tarrington-Hill-A-360-Degree-Film/134611063225774?ref=ts
 
Link to the making-of video of a scene from the film:
http://www.vimeo.com/16316199