Now this is how you do a 360 guided tour.
It’s no secret that the industry is still trying to nail down the secret formula for the perfect 360 video. Well watch and learn as the guys over at Reel FX team up with the Wilson brothers for a 360 video tour that’s not just well-produced and choreographed, but genuinely entertaining.
The video follows the always-stellar Luke Wilson as he gives an in-depth and surprisingly humorous tour of the infamous Shinola factory and offices in Detroit. The celebrated actor leads the way through the impressive high-end retailer of watches, bicycles and leather goods, chatting with the eclectic staff and giving bits of the company’s history along the way. The dry, deadpan humor of Luke and Andrew pairs perfectly with the filmmaking expertise of Reel FX, delivering a truly unique experience that combines new tech with classic comedy.
Shot with the new-to-market Nokia OZO, the video is incredibly well-produced. Andrew masterfully guides viewers through the 360 space in a way that isn’t disorientating or clumsy. Viewers are given plenty of notifications as to what direction they’re supposed to be focusing on, so at no point do you feel as though you missed the action. This was due in part by pairing the Nokia OZO with a head mounted display to monitor shots in real-time and by editing the whole project using Reel FX’s proprietary post production workflow tools. Reel FX Head of VR & Interactive Steve Nix stated, “As an early pioneer in the VR space, Reel FX has aggressively embraced new technologies. This was an amazing opportunity to advance those efforts while engaging the talents of Andrew and Luke Wilson to give tell the story of Shinola’s vibrant company culture in Detroit.”
Seeing mainstream celebrities dipping their toes into VR is always exciting, but having a 360 video executed as well as this is the true thriller. As more and more 360 cameras make it to market it falls on professionals like these to set the standard for the format. There’s no doubt that filmmakers will be using this particular video as a template for their 360 projects for years to come. Well done Reel FX. I’d say nice job to Luke and Andrew Wilson as well, but i’m pretty sure they’re already aware of how awesome they are.
You can view the 360° tour of Shinola’s Detroit factory HERE.
