This November, Plymouth once again hosted Full Dome UK and we were proud to show our new accessible 360 films ‘Follow the Water’ at the national event. The Market Hall in Devonport, Plymouth has a state-of-the-art 15-meter immersive dome. The first of its kind in Europe, it provides an incredibly immersive experience for audiences.
We’ve made 360 films for the dome before, and always love to see our work in such an incredible venue, but this time was extra special. The film we premiered there was created for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Not only did they get to see it this week but it was also shared at Full Dome UK. Full Dome UK is a prestigious event, bringing together audiences and 360 film-makers from all over the world. So we were really excited to share our new film with them and are really happy to report that our film was a huge success.
Follow the Water: Accessibility and Client Consultations
For our ‘Follow the Water’ film, we decided to showcase the journey of water. This would provide lots of great immersive sights and sounds and provide plenty of learning opportunities. We followed the journey of water from the mountain to sea, and locations included the Brecon Beacons. With 360 cameras set up behind waterfalls, in caverns and on paddle boards and boats, it makes for exciting content.
It was essential for us to do everything we could to make the film accessible. We achieved this with ongoing meetings with schools and listening to our clients. From the pre-production to the final edit, we used feedback and responded to specific requests. Splitting the film into five chapters between five to six minutes long each was also key. It meant that the teachers had the opportunity to change what each student was experiencing depending on their needs, likes or dislikes.
Some chapters are much busier and others slower. The chapters included falling water, on the water and wildlife by the water. The latter featured penguins and seals, something that the children particularly enjoyed. Each chapter has stunning water-based visuals that truly make you feel connected with water. Whether it was hearing the tranquil waterfall or the echoing caves watching this film transported you to each site.
In addition, we made the most of the space it was going to be shown in: The Dome not only has 360 visuals but also 360 sound. There are 19.1 speakers in the space and being able to make our audio directional was so important and fun, really creating an immersive experience for all.
The Result
The outcome was a film that worked brilliantly for the intended audience. We loved sharing the film with the children and to see their reactions to each of the scenes. We also were proud to share it at Full Dome UK.
“This 360 film is something we are really excited about. Getting positive feedback from the children and the Full Dome UK audiences means that it has the ability to connect with lots of people, something that the team at Soundview prioritise.” Gareth Allen, Managing Director, Soundview.
