Getting Started with 360 Video Editing

The key new feature of PowerDirector 15 is the addition of 360° video editing. Whether you shot your video footage from a Samsung Gear 360, Ricoh Theta S, Kodak SP360, LG 360 or a Luna 360 – you can now edit them all with PowerDirector 15 by adding titles, PiP animated objects, transitions or video effects –then upload and share your video with the world!

Before we begin, let us take a look at what 360° video is, and how we can use it seamlessly with the this new PowerDirector feature.

There are several 360° cameras in the market now, such as the Samsung Gear 360, Kodak SP360, Ricoh Theta S and LG 360. These cameras are equipped with a set of dual lens and each lens can capture videos from 180° to 235°, simultaneously. When you combine these separate videos, you will get a 360° video – this joint process is commonly called “stitching”.

Naturally, every camera has a different lens configuration. Therefore, before editing with PowerDirector, you will first need “to stitch” the video together using a method provided by the camera maker.

Step 1: Taking your 360° video

To give you a visual example, below we have one dog and one person on opposite sides of the camera (each lens “looking” in an opposite direction).

Step 2: Import your 360° video to your computer

The resulting video footage from the picture above can be seen in the picture below, which has yet to be stitched – and as you can see there are two opposing videos, from each opposing lens. Before editing your video in PowerDirector, you will first need to stitch the video first.

Step 3: Stitching your 360° video together

You will first need to stitch the video using software provided by the camera maker. Here are some simple guides of how to stitch footage from various camera models.

After stitching your video together, you will get a video in “equirectangular mode” or simply put, it appears flat as seen below. This format is similar to your typical flat world map, the equator appears as normal, while the image at each pole appears distorted (unlike a 3D globe).

Now your video is all ready to be edited and finished in PowerDirector!

>> Continue editing with PowerDirector