Visualise Brings the Public a 360 View of 'Trooping the Colour' with the Queen

To celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday, the BBC commissioned Visualise to produce 'Trooping the Colour - 360' - a 360 video allowing viewers to experience the birthday parade from the completely unique perspective of the Queen's eye view.

Filmed with unprecedented access during the Major General’s Review on Saturday 28th May, viewers will be placed on the dais on Horse Guards Parade Ground, where the Queen stands for the ceremony.

The five minute video will show key parts of the Parade, including the Queen’s Royal Salute. Motion graphics have been overlaid on the video to highlight a wealth of information on the pomp and ceremony of the occasion including key units, regiments and officers, the location, history and staging involved. 

Filming the Major General’s Review in 360 was a once in a lifetime event with only one opportunity to capture the Parade uninterrupted, lasting 90 minutes. Strict protocol was followed to ensure the team met the requirements of the MOD and the Sargent General granted access to the Horse Guard Ground for the filming. 

Many failsafe measures were put into place to ensure smooth capture including adding a ‘roof’ to the Queen Rig positioned on the dias to protect against the elements. Some of the most exciting moments occurred towards the end of the Parade, meaning Visualise had to have a backup camera rig in case of battery failure. Two additional rigs were placed in the grandstand area capturing around 45 minutes of content from key moments and offering additional perspectives. 

Stitching the content was relatively straightforward due to the simple framing of the Parade and positions of the camera rigs, however, they did have to stitch 90 minutes’ worth of clips, resulting in a file just shy of 1TB, the longest single shot they’ve recorded!  

To take your unique position alongside the Queen visit the BBC’s YouTube channel from 11th June and experience the pomp and ceremony in a way never seen before. 

“The BBC has a history of innovation and engaging its audience with new immersive experiences, and the Queen's Birthday Parade is no exception. We worked to bring an iconic British event to life in a way that allows digital audiences the opportunity to become involved with a unique experience Viewers get to watch something from a very special perspective - a perspective usually reserved for the Queen, and the ability to take in the details of this extraordinary event in a way not possible in other mediums," said Will McMaster, Head of VR, Visualise.

The BBC have recently published two blogs about their use of VR and why it is so important. See them here and here.