360 Video

To create 360 videos, a special set of cameras is used to record all 360 degrees of a scene simultaneously. This means that when the video is playing on Facebook, viewers can choose what angle they want to see it from. On the web, this is done by dragging around the video with your cursor. On mobile devices, viewers can drag with their finger — or even just turn their device.

360 video is currently viewable on the web and on Android and iOS devices.

Creating for 360 Video

Optimize for the viewer's comfort

Avoid rotational and translational movement within your video. Instead, fade in and out of camera positions.

Consider the audio experience

We've recently introduced spatial audio to 360 videos on News Feed, read more below to learn how to add spatial audio to your production flow.

Use our 360 Publisher Tools and Insights to better inform your video production

As 360 video continues to grow and engage millions of people on Facebook, we're continually working to improve how 360 video is discovered in News Feed, the experience for users once they've engaged with a video, and finally the insights that video publishers receive, enabling them to keep experimenting with, and improving their 360 video content.

Learn more about our tools and insights here.

360 Audio

Think of spatial audio, also known as 3D audio, as an immersive sphere of audio surrounding the user. Spatial audio replicates the physics of how humans hear sound in real life, but is delivered over a normal pair of headphones. As audiences look around in a 360 video, the sound updates itself automatically and in real-time, helping to place them in the context of the scene, increasing the level of immersion and creating presence.

We're excited to offer the Spatial Workstation tools to enable you to add spatial audio to your 360 production efforts.

The Facebook 360 Spatial Workstation comes with an Encoder, that is used to package a .h264 encoded mp4 video with spatial audio output from the tools. It accepts the following audio formats as input

8-channel audio output from the spatial workstation plugin
B-Format FuMA or ambiX (4 channels/1st order)
Optional head-locked stereo audio

This will add all the relevant metadata that will create the final file ready for upload directly to Facebook.

More details on using the Encoder, and other helpful articles can be found here

Additionally, files with YouTube's Spherical Video and Spatial Audio Metadata are supported and can be directly uploaded to Facebook.

Visit our website at facebook360.fb.com/spatial-workstation to download the tools and find great examples of 360 videos with spatial audio, alongside tutorials to help you get started with 360 Audio!

360 Photos

360 Photos allow you to share a more immersive experience with your followers by taking them behind the scenes and putting them at the center of the action.

There are a few ways to create a 360 photo:

Take a panorama with an iOS device or Samsung Galaxy phone
Capture a 360-degree photo on your phone using an app like Street View or Google Camera
Take a 360-degree photo with a 360 camera, such as the Samsung Gear 360, RICOH THETA S, 360Fly, Giroptic 360 Cam or ALLie Camera

Rethinking 360 Photos for Publishers

Place your followers in the center of the action, ensuring there's something to see and experience at every angle
Create a story with your photo that encourages your followers to explore the full 360-degree view
Give your followers behind-the-scenes access; imagine sitting in the Supreme Court or being surrounded by penguins in Antarctica

Video and Audio Information

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