Workflow Pre-ProduCtion

Efficiency to reach the goal.
Structured and forward-looking planning reduces costs.

ACQUISITION

Firstly, you need to decide whether a 360° film is the right format for the realisation of the project. The following questions can help determine this:

• Does the 360° space play a significant role in conveying the content and story: for example, does the spatial arrangement create a very specific atmosphere? Is it necessary to represent spatial dimensions?

• Is there added value for the viewer by being able to gradually discover the filmic space by looking around in a Head Mounted Display (HMD)? Does the space offer enough detail to hold the viewer's attention and suspense?

• Narration: does the space play a supporting role in the narrative and tied to details in the plot understanding that the viewer cannot miss? Are we aware of the possibilities and challenges in the 360° film format to guide viewers and direct attention with visual and acoustic signals?

• Are the 360° film distribution channels planned and does the target audience have the appropriate playback devices? Is the production specifically aimed at an audience with a corresponding 360° reception situation (e.g. cinema auditorium with several HMDs)?

From the field: As part of the research project, the film project NACHTSPIEL (Müller and Merkle, 2019) was created, an experiment on spatial oeuvre of both light and sound. In close collaboration with the composer and musician Fritz Hauser, a subtle dialogue was created between percussion sounds and the rattling, hissing melody of orchestrated fireworks. What begins in a dark and seemingly small room with flickering fuses develops into a multi-layered spectacle in a spacious room. Spectators perceive different events through sounds and light effects and decide which ones they want to follow. The exploration and individual spatial experience plays an essential role in the work. Although the narrative is temporally and dramaturgically structured, its form remains open to individual experience. The interplay of image and sound creates poetic moments, but also moments of restlessness. This was explored by experimenting with different sound sets, a field that has great potential for further exploration.

concept

Project Sketches
When creating 360° film, it is advisable to visually sketch out the project at the beginning - in parallel to the textual description. Possibilities and limitations become apparent with these 'visual notes' and this visual template can be used to efficiently communicate the ideas with both the client and collaborators. Approaches and techniques for 360° film visual sketching can be found in the section Storyboard .

Planning the processes up to post-production 
As in conventional film, good planning is also important in 360° film. With 360° film, particular attention must be paid to what is seen and heard in the film. Post-production corrections and retouching are time-consuming and not everything can be done after shooting. It is therefore very important to plan all processes in advance and to have regular exchanges between collaborators.

Budget
As in conventional film production, the recording of raw data on location accounts for a relatively small part of the total costs. There are increasingly easy-to-use and cost-effective camera systems that allow people with little experience to create 360° film recordings.

However, the effort required to process the spatial situation in post-production is proportionally greater than a framed film that only covers one surface. This means that a larger share of the budget must be allotted to post-production. Early consultation with the responsible post-production specialists in regards to the technical requirements and the data formats will help save costs.

Monoscopy vs. stereoscopy: We recommend deciding in the conception phase whether a film should be realised monoscopically or stereoscopically. This is particularly important because the decision has a significant impact on the staging and technology as well as the budget. In general, the budget is doubled as soon as a project is realised stereoscopically. This is mainly due to the large amount of extra work involved in the stitching process and post-production. For this reason, solid arguments and reasons are needed to record a film in 360° and 3D (more on this in the chapter Pre-Production).

Appropriate technical infrastructures influence the sound and image quality and are one of the success factors for 360° film productions. For high-quality productions with high image resolution and multi-dimensional sound, the use of state-of-the-art cameras and microphones will incur correspondingly high costs (e.g. rental prices).

The quality of a film does not depend solely on the quality of the technical means. This often boils down to the level of imaginative conception and a gripping narrative. Information on budget-relevant costs regarding sound can be found in the Post-Production.

Pre-Production

A project description that provides information about all the concrete implementation steps forms the basis for pre-production. Individual scenes are described including how the image and sound levels will be handled. Based on this, decisions can be made regarding the equipment and location. For technical implementation, the following questions need to be addressed:

Choice of camera
Is the 3D effect needed when viewing the work in the HMD? Does the spatial representation, as achieved by a stereoscopic conversion, support the expressiveness of the film or is a monoscopic representation sufficient (see chapter on image)? The answer to these questions is one of the most important decision criteria for the camera choice. Additionally, the available budget and camera type also plays an important role: will the camera be static or moving? How accessible is the location? What image quality or final format is needed?

For example: in the project NACHTSPIEL, which was shot as a plan sequence of a night scene, we used a fast aperture light-intense camera. We needed a camera that could provide basic data for a good stereoscopic image, as it was of central importance that the spatial situation was depicted as authentically as possible. With a total budget of around CHF 70’000, however, the possibilities were limited. An Insta360 Pro camera was used with rental costs around CHF 1’800 (3 days at CHF 600).

Sound Setting
The target medium and spatial sound perception is important to define in advance. Complex image and sound settings also incur higher costs during both shooting and post-production. Should the sound follow the viewers' head movements? Must the dialogue be clearly perceived? Does the sound placement play a central role? In the case of high-quality HMDs with quality headphones, a good spatial sound significantly enhances the experience. This can be achieved at a manageable cost compared to a similar effort for image production.

From the field: NACHTSPIEL was developed for reception on an HMD with high-quality headphones. Analogous to the stereoscopic image, a good spatial set sound was important to us. An Ambisonic microphone formed the basis, supported by mono microphones to capture specific noise sources. The rental costs for microphones and recorders were circa CHF 1’500 for one day.

Filming Location
As in conventional film, the location choice is of central importance in 360° film. Several things need to be clarified: Is the accessibility and availability of the location guaranteed? Can the filming location be cordoned off? Do permits have to be obtained? Is 'disturbing noise' to be expected (e.g. construction site nearby)? 

Furthermore, the specific characteristics of 360° filming must be taken into account: since the entire space is depicted, everything that needs to be removed in post-production requires a lot of effort and additional costs. Does the selected location with the entire (360°) environment meet the requirements of the project? Where is the light placed? Where does the film team 'hide' during the shoot? What remains visible and what can be 'prepared' in such a way that it can be retouched as easily as possible in post-production? 

An example: For NACHTSPIEL, the original idea was to shoot the fire effects at night on a black background in order to render the surroundings 'invisible'. A location with little extraneous light was sought. The choice fell on a remote coal yard in the forest, a place where charcoal is produced. A landscape was built up with "Löschi", a material consisting of miniscule particles of charcoal, and the fireworks were placed on it. Test shots showed that with bright effects, the surrounding trees could be visible and the landscape, coloured black by charcoal particles, reflected too much light. Therefore, it was decided not to push the surroundings into the background, but to include them in the staging.

A new location was found on an alpine plateau where snow was used to create a suitable scenery. The snowy landscape was included in the dramaturgy. Interestingly, the environment is not immediately associated with snow. In the film light, the surface texture was reminiscent of wax. This subtle irritation supported the film's narrative. The visual exploration and individual experience of the space, therefore, becomes an essential part of the work. The camera and the microphone placed underneath were removed in post-production.

Equipment
It is important to select the equipment and test it on site. Possible difficulties must be anticipated and safety measures taken in advance. How do you react if, for example, the systems used do not work optimally or cannot be coordinated with each other (e.g. how can a time code system that does not always work reliably be supported by a clapperboard)? Is a continuous power supply guaranteed? How can recording disturbances be bridged (e.g. by an additional microphone on an independent recorder)?

Test shots, rehearsal and material check
It is necessary to take 360° film test shots as there are no reliable standard setup processes for this medium. Ideally, the shots can be viewed and checked on location on an HMD. It is also important to think about how image and sound can be synchronised. 360° cameras are rarely equipped with synchronisation functions. In this case, the clapperboard is often used. Other points to consider: the choice of suitable tripods for static and moving shots, the placement of microphones and recorders, power supply, lighting and, last, but not least, the data back-up.