Want to show off your 360 videos? Here’s how to create and upload a 360 video to YouTube.
360-degree videos allow viewers to have an immersive experience and feel like they are a part of the scene.
However, 360 videos can be difficult to make if you don't have the right equipment. Here is everything you need to make your own 360 videos, and how you can easily upload them to your YouTube channel.
Before we get started, it's important to know what a 360 video is. A 360 video gives viewers the ability to interact with a video instead of sitting back and watching passively.
Rather than being forced to watch from one angle, a viewer can use their mouse, headset, or fingers to scan 360 degrees around the entire video.
There is a slight difference between VR and 360 videos, even though they appear similarly on YouTube.
You have to use a VR headset to watch VR videos. But with 360 videos, you typically use a mobile or desktop device to watch. Either way, the goal is to immerse the viewer in the experience as if they were actually in the video.
To watch a 360 video on YouTube, you'll need your mouse to view all angles. Click and drag on the screen, and you will have control over your viewing angle.
There are also arrows on-screen that function in the same way. If you're watching on your mobile device, you can use your fingers to slide the video to move it in different directions.
Related: How to Capture Still Images From 360 Video
To watch a VR video, you'll have to buy a VR headset that could cost you a significant amount of money. If you are on a budget, the Google Cardboard offers a similar experience at a fraction of the cost. The Google Cardboard is monoscopic, so you will only see one image in your line of sight.
VR headsets, like the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, are stereoscopic and have two images that give slightly different perspectives. It's a more immersive experience, as it replicates the way the human eyes process images. This is the biggest distinction between VR and 360 videos.
Shooting a video in 360 degrees is not as easy as picking up your phone and pressing "record." You need specific equipment to take the photos and edit them together so you can upload them to YouTube.
YouTube has several 360 cameras listed that are capable of creating monoscopic, and, sometimes, stereoscopic videos. The stereoscopic compatible cameras are often more expensive and will take longer to create a 360 video, but the experience is more immersive.
Related: Reasons to Buy a 360-Degree Camera
You can also use a DSLR camera of any kind. If you purchase a DSLR, you will also want a fisheye lens to go with it. The fisheye lens creates wider angles on your pictures. This means that you don't have to take as many pictures, ultimately saving you time.
If you purchase a camera that has 360 capabilities, chances are that it comes with its own stitching editing software. Stitching is when you take multiple photos from different angles and piece them together to create one 360 video.
If your camera doesn't come with stitching software, you will need to purchase your own. This process is different than actually editing a 360 video. The stitching process only puts the images together, but you will still need to edit your video afterward.
Editing the video will ensure your sequence settings are in VR and they match your source footage. YouTube recommends using Adobe Premiere Pro or Apple's Final Cut Pro to edit your 360 videos, but you can use any compatible software.
Related: The Best Video Editing Apps and Software for YouTube
You can only watch and upload 360 videos on specific browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. The mobile YouTube app also allows 360 video playback, but you cannot upload videos using your mobile device.
If you want to give your viewers an in-depth experience, add spatial audio to your 360 videos. Spatial audio mimics the sounds of the real world and how they would naturally hit your ear. If something makes a sound next to your left side in a 360 video, you will hear that sound first in your left ear, and then slightly lower and more distant in your right ear.
You need to work with a DAW (digital audio workstation), like Pro Tools or Reaper to add spatial audio to your video. You'll also need a spatializer plugin like Facebook 360 Workstation. YouTube supports a couple of different spatial audio formats, including First-Order Ambisonics and First-Order Ambisonics with Head-Locked Stereo.
Once you've shot and edited your video, you can upload it directly to YouTube. Allow at least one hour of processing time before your video is ready to post. Before publishing, use your Google Cardboard or VR headset to make sure everything works properly.
Here's how to publish your 360 video on YouTube:
Uploading a 360 video is no different from uploading any other type of video to YouTube. Just make sure that after the video has been uploaded, the 360 feature is working.
You can keep your video unlisted when you upload it so that you have a chance to test the finished product before making it go live. It's also helpful to add in your video's description or title that your video has 360 capabilities.
Uploading a 360 video to YouTube is just like uploading any other type of video, but the equipment you use and how you edit your video is what makes the difference. Just make sure to give yourself plenty of time for editing the video and uploading it to YouTube.
Raul is a content connoisseur who appreciates articles that age well. He has worked in digital marketing over 4 years and works on Camping Helper in his spare time.
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