📽️ Filming your first scenario
The process of filming a scenario is divided into 3 basic phases, explained in this article:
📝 Pre-production
Before the cameras start rolling, it’s important to set the groundwork in Warp Studio.
Set up camera locations
Camera locations help organize your filming plan. You can think of them as chapters or locations within your story. To assign a camera location:
- Select a scene in the Flow Editor
- Select the Filming tab in the sidebar of the scene
- Choose an existing camera location or create a new one. This makes it easier to group scenes shot at the same physical location.
Add scene descriptions
Make sure each scene has a detailed description of what happens, including any dialogue between characters. This gives your team and actors the context they need to bring the scene to life.
Set up filming order
To plan your shoot efficiently, go to the Filming tab in the top menu. Here you can drag and drop scenes to change their order. You can also group the scenes by deciding whether you want to film in narrative order or grouped by location—whichever works best for your production schedule.
Export your scenario
This export provides a script-style shot list that outlines everything you need per scene—including scene descriptions, dialogue, and camera locations. To export the schedule of your scenes for filming, click on the Export button in the Filming tab from the main scenario menu on the top, and print it for easier tracking on the day of filming.
👉 Don't forget to purchase and do a dry-run test with your filming equipment, helping you avoid any equipment failures on the day of filming.
🎬 On set
Once your planning is done, it’s time to bring your scenario to life on camera.
Set up your tripod
Place the tripod so the camera stands at eye level of the main character. This helps maintain a consistent and realistic perspective for the trainee. If there is no actor in the scene, use the average height eye level as your reference point.
Adjust camera settings
- Use the highest resolution available to capture sharp footage. Anything from 5.7K and above is considered a high quality.
- Place your characters or objects of interest about 1–2 meters away from the camera. This distance works well for clarity and focus, but feel free to adjust for dramatic effect. For example, if an aggressive character steps closer to the camera, it can increase the tension and discomfort of the trainee.
- Make sure your actor stands in front of one lens, not on a stitch line (the point where the lenses meet). This avoids distortion and maintains video quality.
Film more than once
- Record every scene multiple times to give yourself options during editing.
- Ask actors to look directly into the lens—this helps create personal, first-person engagement for the trainee.
- After each take, keep recording for an extra 20 seconds. This extra footage is used to create video loops in Warp Studio. Loops keep the scene playing while the trainee is making a decision, preserving the tension and flow of the experience. This feature can be set up in the video editor of Warp Studio in the post-production phase.
💻 Post-production
Post-production is where your raw footage becomes an interactive VR experience.
Stitch your footage
Most 360˚ cameras record from multiple lenses, so stitching is needed to create a single 360˚ view.
- Use the stitching software provided by your camera manufacturer. For example, for Insta360 cameras, the software is Insta360 Studio.
- Export your files as 360˚ mp4 videos, ready for upload to Warp Studio.
💡 Stitching on a computer usually provides better quality than mobile apps.
Upload and edit in Warp Studio
Once your videos are stitched and exported:
- Upload them to the Media page of your scenario.
- Link each scene to a video while in the Media page.
- Select a scene and open the video editor, to position your interactive elements, as well as fade-in time, video loop and other element settings.
👉 For other media options during post-production, please visit our Media and video editing category.
Updated on: 07/08/2025
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