App for journalists: VeeR Editor, for editing 360-degree video on your smartphone

Credit: Image by Pixabay

What is it? A 360-degree video editor for your iPhone or Android device.

Cost: Free

Devices: iOS, Android

How is it of use to journalists?

360-degree video and virtual reality (VR) can be an excellent way for publishers to engage audiences in a new and exciting way. News organisations such as the Guardian, BBC and The New York Times are regularly producing this immersive content, but the process can seem a little daunting for smaller outlets or teams with lower budgets.

There are many apps appearing on the market that enable journalists to take 360-degree videos and images, such as Bubbli, Sphere, Pie, Fader and Cardboard Camera, but editing footage with 360-degree metadata is another challenge in itself.

VeeR Editor is a free app that enables anyone with a self-stitching 360-degree camera to edit spherical footage on their phones, making life a lot easier for mobile journalists who might not have the time or resources to put their projects together using desktop software.

The app allows you to combine videos together, cut out sections you no longer want, alter colours, and add filters and text. Additionally, you can include animations such as moving arrows, which can help direct audiences as to where they should be looking.

Users can tailor how long these animations last, and they have full control on where these elements sit within the 360-degree space.

How it works

To get started, give the app access to your camera roll, and select the videos you would like to work on. Note that VeeR Editor currently only supports media with a 2:1 ratio, taken in 360-degrees, so you will only be able to upload footage shot on a spherical camera such as the new Samsung Gear 360, Insta360 One, Ricoh Theta S and Mi Sphere Camera.

Once you've decided on your shots, the editor mode will open, showing your clips in thumbnails along the bottom of the screen, and the selected clip in the main viewer.

Tap and drag a thumbnail to change the order of the videos, and use the large plus icon on the right to add more footage from your smartphone.

After you have selected a thumbnail, you'll see a menu appear above it, allowing you to trim the video, alter the speed, mute it, change the orientation or delete it.

The icons at the bottom will allow you to add filters, animations, text and music, all of which can be previewed and edited to your taste before making a final decision.

When you're done, simply preview in VR mode and save. The video will be exported in the highest resolution of your clips. You can choose to make your project available within the app for other users to see, or save to your camera roll and share on social media.

New to shooting 360-degree footage? Check out our guide to getting started.

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