I had the opportunity to be in a class at WVU that used 360 degree camera technology to tell stories. I learned so much about this amazing technology that is the future of storytelling. Scroll down to view some of my projects and blog posts about this experience!
What I learned from zip lining and filming in 360
by Kara Loyd
#theta360 Zip lining! – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA
The Planning
When I decided to shoot 360 degree video while zip lining, a few obvious problems arose. How would we attach the camera onto the helmet? What equipment would best capture the shakiness of zip lining? Would the video even turn out?
Addressing these issues took some problem solving. We decided to use both the Theta S and the Kodak SP360 to compare and contrast the different types of shooting. For the Theta, we decided to use monopod to (we thought) hold above my head and record that way. For the Kodak, we attached the mount to a GoPro helmet mount and took tape to secure it fully. I took extra batteries, the tape, a remote watch for the Kodak, and other accessories.
The Zip lining
When we got to the facility to zip line, I realized our initial plan to hold the Theta S was not going to work. At the WVU Canopy Tour, you have to have your hands free to break and control your speed towards the end of the zip. The guides thought it might work to use a radio harness to attach the Theta to. It wasn’t as high as we wanted, but it was secure and still produced interesting images. One problem solved.
Our second issue was attaching the Kodak to a helmet. The guides found a helmet with a GoPro mount already attached but it was in the front of the helmet and not on the top, which I preferred. The biggest lesson I learned from this is that when things don’t go the way you planned, you have to adjust. The end product might not be the exact thing you want. It may be terrible or it might be awesome. The only way to find out is to push through and do what you can. At the end, you can decide if it was worth the struggle or not.
The actual zip lining was very easy for me to shoot. The course was only three zips of different lengths and it only took about two hours so the batteries didn’t die. The watch feature for the Kodak was super easy to use and very helpful. Every time I turned on the camera with the watch, I knelt down and asked someone to check to see that they were on. The cameras also have a cool feature of beeping when they start recording so I could easily hear when they started. I tried to hold my head in one direction for at least 10 seconds to be sure the video wouldn’t be too distracting. I only used the video feature as I felt this would be the best utilized feature.
The Theta was a different story. Because we couldn’t secure it the way we wanted, it flopped around a great deal. It also takes so long to record the pictures and start recording. So I had to learn to push record was before I wanted it so I could get the shot I wanted. The Theta also had a terrible time adjusting to the bright lights of outside. Often it would wash out completely and then take forever to refocus in the right way. That was a huge problem.
The Result
After reviewing all the footage, I am pretty pleased with how this project turned out! The Theta took much better quality pictures than expected and even shot some good videos, despite our problems. The Kodak film required a little more time and effort. The trees and hilly terrain made it difficult to adjust the horizon so that the video wasn’t flopping around.
This piece is part of a larger project that you should check out here. We explored interesting spaces that students at WVU call their own. My particular project was three boys who live in their grandma’s house.
“It used to be my grandmother’s house, so I came here often when I was growing up. In that sense, it feels very familiar. But it feels like grandma’s house.”
Walking into this home, you might think you’ve stepped into a house fit for a grandmother. In one sense you are. But you are walking into the home of two brothers and a cousin who moved into grandma’s house.
“It’s cheap, the neighborhood is very quiet, there are places to walk and enjoy nature. The only real problem is the distance from campus, but I usually bike, so it doesn’t matter.”
How did you decide to decorate your living space? My grandmother’s stuff is still in the house, so a lot of the decoration comes from not putting that stuff away. But, we have also brought all of our younger-person junk into the house, so our things fill whatever space is left.
What’s the rent? $120/person
How many people live here? 3
What are the benefits of living here? Cheap, fully furnished, feels like home
What are your hobbies? Guitar, piano, percussion, art, records, astronomy, play station 2
— Kara Loyd
Senior, West Virginia University
April 2016