Trialling 360º video with Bloodhound SSC
I’m Spencer Marsden, and I work in the BBC Blue Room, where we look at new technology and how it impacts the BBC. Every now and again an opportunity arises to test a piece of equipment in the field, and to help out our BBC colleagues who produce exciting and innovative content. Last year, BBC South West wanted to create a short VR-360º film to capture the story of the Bloodhound Super Sonic Jet Car and the team who have their eyes set on breaking land-speed records. Specifically, the BBC South West wanted to capture the filming of the pre-public test runs in Cornwall, so that when the car was unveiled to the public, the BBC would have content already in place and ready to launch on the same date.
This would prove to be a great way to test out VR-360º camera kit in the field, to make some great content, and to share insights with the BBC creative technical community. I joined the BBC South West team, and together we set about the process of capturing 360º material. It was fantastic to work with a Production team, and to watch their process of creating a narrative. We ensured that the final VR-360º piece would not just feature the (very exciting!) shots of the Bloodhound Jet Car in action, but also interview scenes and context setting shots that immersed the viewer in places such as the workshop, the test-track or even in the cockpit.
We collectively learned a lot about filming for this medium, making us better prepared for future VR-360º projects. We also learned a lot about media reach and the marketing of the final project, which by all accounts was an incredibly successful. The full report goes into our findings from both the perspective of capturing 360º, and how the final film reached over 1.2 million views, including 300,000 hits on the day it was uploaded!
The full report can be read here on the BBC D+E Medium Blog here – I hope it’s of interest.
