The New Year holds some exciting potential for new and developing video trends. Here are a few to look out for in 2016!
1. Virtual Reality and 360-Degree Video
Virtual Reality is starting to look like this year's big tech craze. The Oculus Rift and several others VR devices dominated the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this January, introducing consumers to a revolution in the way we can experience visual media. Communicators have started to utilize the potential of 360-degree video for smart devices, which uses gyroscopic positioning to create a VR-like experience. Shortly after revealing the 2017 Bolt at CES, Chevrolet released this 360-degree video to show off the interior design of the vehicle:
2. Mobile Video
From 2012 to 2014, video viewed on mobile devices increased 400 percent, according to Ooyala’s Global Video Index Report. And by the end of 2016, mobile video views will make up over 50 percent of online video traffic. The convenience of smart phones coupled with the surging popularity of apps like Vine and Periscope are forcing video storytellers to pull budgets away from traditional advertising and reevaluate the ways in which they connect to their audiences on the mobile market.
3. Drone Video
Drone video has been steadily gaining popularity over the past few years, but 2016 will be the biggest year yet for the drone industry. According to The Verge, the drone company DJI was on track to do more than a billion dollars in sales in 2015 and demand will only continue to grow into this year. With the technology becoming more advanced and easier to operate, what was a niche market in past years will likely become a new standard for visual storytellers in 2016.
4. Live Streaming
Live streaming apps like Meerkat and Periscope, both of which launched in 2015, are drastically changing the way both people and organizations connect with internet audiences. Although online streaming has been around for years, these developments make it easier and more effective for use on mobile devices. Viewers can subscribe to channels and interact with streams in real time, creating a unique level of engagement that marketers have already begun taking advantage of.
5. Smaller, Faster, and Lighter Productions
Shooting at the North American International Auto Show was a fantastic opportunity for me to see the techniques and equipment that other video professionals are utilizing in 2016. It's clear that the trend of moving toward lighter equipment, faster productions and smaller crews is continuing. 4K capability (aka ultra-high definition, the likes of 4,000 horizontal pixels) is becoming more affordable and available in smaller cameras. Bulky lighting kits are being replaced by battery-operated LED panels.
With technology progressing and the cost of producing dynamic videos falling, 2016 is sure to be an interesting year for video.
