How to Make a 360 Real Estate Video
September 19, 2017
Topic tags
Chris Lavigne
Creative
360 video technology may still be relatively new, but it’s already become a powerful tool for realtors. After all, pictures can only do so much to give an accurate feel for a property. That’s why we’ve come up with a specific type of 360 video that’s the next best thing to being in the actual home with a realtor. So let’s break down how to create a 360 real estate video that gives your house the best chance of standing out on the market.
Here’s the equipment I used:
The video we wanted to make is essentially a simulation of what viewers would experience if they were walking through the house with a realtor. It definitely will require some special equipment, but the end result will show what a huge difference these tools make. Here’s a quick video that runs through setting up the equipment we used for this particular shoot.
With 360 video, you can throw out all the normal rules about video editing and pacing. That means this particular video can be much longer than a traditional “flat” video we normally would’ve made about the house, since potential buyers watching the 360 video will want to have enough time to explore each room.
“With 360 video, you can throw out all the normal rules about video editing and pacing.”
Preparing for the shoot
An important thing to keep in mind with 360 video is that everything is in the shot, from the dishes in the sink to the puzzle pieces on the floor that your kids forgot to pick up. So before you start recording, make sure everything is neat and tidy. If it can see the camera, the camera can see it. Don’t underestimate the importance of this step!
While you don’t necessarily have to shoot your footage linearly, it might give the tour a more natural feel to shoot the house exactly as someone would walk through it. That’s why it’s best to start outside.
Capturing your footage
For your first shot, begin with a brief introduction by the exterior of the house. Place the camera about 10 feet away from the front door, and give a short intro about the house and its surroundings, like the street it’s located on or the driveway. After that, choose another shot or 2 that will highlight other features of the exterior (like the porch or backyard).
Next, it’s time for the interior shooting. Start by placing the camera in the middle of the room, but choose your angle wisely. You might want to sneak the camera forward or backward to give a clearer look through a doorway into an adjacent room, for instance.
Now, move through the interior of the house just like you’d show it to prospective buyers at an open house. The goal here is to highlight specific features of your property, so make sure to spend enough time in key rooms like the kitchen and living room.
Putting it together
When it comes down to it, editing 360 video isn’t all that different than editing normal video. Bring your flattened 360 footage into your editor. If you used an external audio recorder to capture better sounding audio, start by syncing the good sound with the bad sound from the video.
Next, trim the start and ends of the clips where you’re clicking “record” on the camera, string them all out in order, and watch everything through to make sure it feels right. Don’t worry about adding music to your video — it’ll just distract viewers.
Export your video out matching the footage dimensions, and upload it to Wistia. Once it’s uploaded, head into Customize and select This is a 360 video. Boom! Now you have a 360 video tour of your property that will immerse (and hopefully impress) prospective buyers who may not be able to see the house in person, or just want another look at your property before closing the deal.
