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360 cameras in music videos have been a surefire way of adding a unique shot or two to turn heads and create a memorable piece. It’s been done in its raw 360 format with Avicii, perhaps more creatively with Crumb, and most recently Peter Quinn has added to this trend with Weezer’s new music video – shot entirely on a single Insta360 camera.
Quinn is a professional video director, most recently known for his VFX work with Snoop Dogg. For his latest project, Quinn was inspired to use the Insta360 RS 1-Inch 360 Edition camera to capture all angles of Weezer’s studio, cloning band member Rivers Cuomo throughout. The end result is a captivating take on a 360 music video. As Quinn puts it “My challenge was only having one person but wanting to have the dynamic feeling of a full band performance… the Insta360 camera was the ONLY way I could film this.”
Here’s how it was shot.
First, Quinn set up his Insta360 in the studio and had Cuomo play different instruments at predefined locations. Following that, he used the Adobe After Effects plugin for Insta360 reframing. By merging all the takes together and masking the footage, it was then just a case of choosing which Cuomo clone to aim at for each part of the track.
As Quinn explains, “When the song got more intense at the chorus for example, I quickly reframed the footage; spinning, zooming in, zooming out to ‘tiny planet’ then zooming in to a close up; to create a dizzying, frenetic sensation.”
Why Insta360?
Quinn states only his Insta360 was up to the job. Here are three key reasons why: hardware, image quality and post processing. Let’s dive into each.
The hardware.
What used to take 6 wide-angle action cameras in a plastic rig – as was the case with Kendrick’s “Humble” – now just takes a single Insta360 camera. This opens up a ton of creative shots that were inaccessible just a few years ago.
Low-light performance.
When filming indoors, lighting conditions can be tricky without the right set up. Insta360 RS 1-Inch 360 Edition helps here as it can handle low-light conditions expertly. The dual 1-inch sensors allow for more data to work with, delivering outstanding dynamic range. As Quinn puts it “I needed to film quickly, without using lights and this camera gave me a great resolution”.
Post processing.
Insta360 makes it easy to integrate with industry standard editing software. In this case the Adobe After Effects plugin made masking and cloning Cuomo a breeze. Other offerings often lock you into their proprietary solution, making it tough for industrial applications and professional use cases.
How does the future of 360 video in music videos look?
Creating head-turning content is more accessible than ever. Great quality imagery can now be captured with a camera that fits in your palm. Beyond delivering the footage in immersive 360, you can also manipulate your 360 footage to frame after the fact. This opens up a world of possibility for musicians and videographers. We’ve seen big names notice this, whether it’s Tiesto, Ed Sheeran, or Pharrell Williams. When it comes to music videos, we’re just seeing the start of what’s possible with 360 technology.
Directors like Peter Quinn are pushing the boundaries of what we should expect from 360 music videos going forward. They’re often a playground for new types of filmmaking, and Weezer’s latest music video is no exception. If you’re looking for the right tools for your next project, head to Insta360.com.
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