30 comments found.
Hello, I bought your template last week… I was wondering is there another way to export it without having it in the H.264 format? My after effects won’t give me that choice and whenever I try it from media encoder, it crashes.
I have these formats that, I think, apply for video: AIFF, DPX, IFF, QuickTime, WAV
I’ve trying all morning with media encoder and it won’t work. In after effects render/output mode: loseless/ video output/format options/ video codec/
I can choose H.264 but I can’t change the values you have on your tutorial, and the main format is still QuickTime. I would really appreciate if you could tell me how to solve this, please!
Ps. I have another question after exporting the file: can I modifying it on premiere and keep the 360 effect, or would I lose it? I want to add some files directly from there instead of AE because it’s really slow and Premiere helps me to render it faster.
Thanks once more!
I have After Effects CC 2017
Hi, Thank You for purchasing my template.
If your After Effects is crashing (reasons may be unrelated with the template, fonts, memory, antivirus, hard disk issues ecc) one solution is to render to an image sequence.
One option that I use often in my workflow just to be sure I don’t lose time if the program crashes is the PSD sequence.
This way you can render directly from After Effects instead going to Media Encoder for h264. Also if you get a crash at some point you will not lose the frames already render. Is too long to explain here but I’m sure on youtube there are tutorials related to render to image sequence.
One important point to remember when re importing the image sequence is to check the composition framerate and from the Interpret Footage menu set the same value for the sequence imported.
Also the image sequence will generate files that can easily add up to several Gb on your hard drive, make sure to delete them when not needed anymore
You could also import the image sequence in Premiere to render to h264.
For your second question, the 360 video will work correctly only if you keep the correct size 2:1 as it is in the template. This is why is important to have the correct level in h264. Else, when encoding if the level is too low h264 will resize the video and you lose the 360 effect. it will look off.
Other than that you can edit, color correct ecc in Premiere if you want.
Hello once more, my AE isn’t crashing…all of this happens at Adobe Media Encoder whenever I try to render. I can’t export it directly as H.264 because my version of AE won’t give it to me…are there some specific settings that will create the effect in QuickTime?
Thanks for the info for Premiere!
Yes, Adobe removed the H264 format after CS6 and moved it inside Media Encoder.
Technically when rendering a composition, Media Encoder will create a duplicate After Effects instance behind the scene.
Then two versions of After Effects and of the template will be opened at the same time. This requires more computer resources and may result in a crash.
Just forget rendering the template in Media Encoder to H264 and render it from After Effects to a sequence file format like PSD as explained above.
This way you will avoid creating an unnecessary additional instance.
Then take that sequence and use it in Premiere or After Effects + Media Encoder to render to H264
Alternatively you could also try to send the render to Media Encoder then close After Effects and continue to render from Media Encoder. Maybe it will work 
Hello Doru, I reinstalled and updated After Effects to CC 2019 and I was able to export with Media Encoder, but for some reason the 360 won’t work when I try it on the preview or YouTube, I can’t attach a picture but a big line shows where the two videos meet. I’ve been exporting through Adobe Media Encore and After Effects, with H.264 (@ 5.1) and QuickTime.
I followed the settings on your tutorial video but your version is different than mine, though I adjusted the same parameters.
Having AE CC 2017 I was able to export it once as a QuickTime file and it worked (though it was a type of widescreen and created a circle in the bottom and on the top of the video) but I can’t get it again.
I’m really desperate to get the effect because I’ve been going through trial and error for a week now and I’m losing a lot of time exporting the video (plus my deadline has passed).
Please help 
By preview I mean the one you recommended on your tutorials and I have another one from GoPro VR player
Well, I don’t think in the tutorial is mentioned you need to export to QuickTime. You need to export to H264 MP4 format. The file extensions needs to be ”.mp4” Actually forget QuickTime is an abandoned software by Apple and also a security threat on your computer.
About the GoPro VR player, once the video had been rendered successfully from Adobe it will work perfectly with this player. no other steps required.
For uploading on youtube you need to follow their guide (as shown in the tutorial) so youtube can identify the video as a VR video correctly.
Is an easy fix, you need to use MP4 H264 and NOT QuickTime MOV.
I don’t think you read right what I wrote. I said I’ve been exporting it as H264 through AE CC 2019 AND Media Encoder. I mentioned QuickTime because with CC 2017 worked once when I first posted you this thread for help, but I’ve already exported my video as H264 NINE times with all your required settings and it won’t create the 360 shape.
I know for YouTube they’re different requirements, I was just mentioning it as an example of a different platform than the GoPro VR player.
Believe me it’s not an easy fix, the tutorial you give it’s from an older version of AE where H264 was still part of the main menu and you didn’t have to go to Media Encoder.
This template takes a lot of time to export and I don’t get the result I paid for, it’s a bummer.
To me it looks like you didn’t setup the render options correctly and the resulting video gets resized to a different size (width x height) than what GoPro Player and Youtube expects.
Plese contact me from my profile page and I will provide a mail to send me screenshots of the Adobe Media Encoder settings you are rendering to.
Even better you can send me the template if possible.
I understand is frustrating but just a few points. I know you have paid for the template and is why I’m replying here and trying to help. But off course After Effects is a complex program and the Media Encoder interface is not organized well. I mean, is not the template fault if Adobe doesn’t provide a clear an easy to use interface.
The Media Encoder move had been made way back in the CC version of After Effects. This template had been tested with the Media Encoder and worked.
Thank you so much for taking the time to help me figure out step by step what was wrong!
I’m about to finish exporting the file but with the preview I could see the video running on the background of the template now works correctly.
My client really enjoyed this template when I showed him my first attempt. Can’t wait to send this version with the adjustments I was required to made!
Great 
Glad the issue had been resolved
Hi, im having like kind of trouble everytime i try to export. Its like the background does not match perfectly and then it looks like pixelated when its on the spherical and even the video cant play as well. what can i do?
Hi,
Thank You for purchasing my item
From your description I’m not able to figure out what is wrong. For now please open an unmodified clean template, don’t modify it, and follow the tutorials to export and prepare the video for youtube. Check if all works correctly. Let me know the results
Doru
Hi, Can I cut the edge of each media?
Hi;
Thank You for purchasing my template
You mean the black border that each image display have? If yes, in the video tutorial named “01 CUSTOMIZE PROJECT.mp4” included with the template, at around 4:15 it is shown how you can change the color of the borders and how to remove them with one click.
Hey! This may sound silly but once I download this and plug it into a headset does the video move around with it or do I need to edit it somehow?
I’m not sure I understand, what do you mean by “video move around”?
Will the video movement collaborate to a phone view when watching the video through a headset?/// will the video automatically act as a 360 video?
Yes, this template will create a video that the video player can play as 360.
If your player supports the 4096X2048 video resolution (is basically the standard) then it should play correctly.
On the template description page there is a link to a 360 youtube video that show how the template looks in VR (purple banner) Make sure to play it at maximum resolution
hi, this templete was different as preview video. can i get the same templete as this preview video?
Hi, Thank You for purchasing my template, what do you mean by different of the preview video? Can you give me more details because the template have all the scenes presented in the video preview.
i just wanna change photo and videos and make the same video as preview. but this templete was divided into several scenes and i can’t apply the effect of dissolve. help me please.
Now I understand,
well the preview was made to showcase the scenes as a continuous video while keeping each scene time on screen as short as possible. The kit then offers the possibility to have one scene or more on screen for much more time than what the preview allow.
It would not make any sense to include the scenes as in the preview as the utility is limited to just what I needed for the preview
All the scenes from the preview are available off course in the template
Fortunately is simple to mix the scenes.
Please check my tutorial for the locations of the elements I’m referring bellow
Take GALLERY 01 template and open GALLERY 01 VR360 EXPORT
You will see the second and third layer. GALLERY MAT and GALLERY 01 DM. This two layers work together and have a transition effect applied as in the preview. Use the keyboard U KEY to reveal the keyframes for this transition. (they are at the end where the OUTRO layer appears.
Now if you want a second gallery lets say GALLERY 05 then open GALLERY 05 VR360 EXPORT and first, using SHIFT KEY select the GALLERY MAT layer and then GALLERY 05 DM. Copy these two layers in the GALLERY 01 VR360 EXPORT.
Use the transitions keyframes I mentioned above to edit your layers timing and mix these two galleries.
You can add more galleries off course.
These are basically the steps specifically for the template but you will need some knowledge of how the timeline works, keyframes, ecc. I can’t write these here it would take a lot of work and there are better online resources about this.
Let me know if this helped
As a final note I suggest to save often incrementally.
i see, I’ve solved it. thaks~
Great
Hi Doru, Great work! Really well done and easy to understand for beginners like me. I still have a question. I would like to use Gallery 5 but need the images to appear quicker. Is there a way to speed up the animation?
Thank You
Well, to speed up I think you could just change the keyframes animation.
Very good. Are there any planned updates with the newest changes to the program?
Thank You ,
Not sure at the moment, I will check the features and see how they can be used for template development
Hi, is it supporting 3D 360 render or just monoscopic 360?
Hi, This template is focused on 360 video for web players.
I’m aware of 360 3D (each eye see his own 360 video) and I have a working version that I can provide upon request. But it depends of what device you want to play the video.
Eventually I will update the template to have this feature
Hi Doru, just customized Your vr360 kit on After effects cc 2017 (mac) but can’t seem to find a workaraound for the h264 export format not appearing in my menu items. Is there any way of doing so? thanks very much. Best Alberto!
Ps. Someone from the office did buy the license, has it to be her asking this?
Hi Alberto, basically yes you are right, I need to see if the question is asked by one of my buyers. So if you can post the question from the account where the purchase has been made I would be more than happy to help you.
Sorry for the hassle but I hope you understand.
No prob, I understand, thank you
Hello Doru,
Just a quick question before i purchase…need to confirm something.
If I want to change the background, is it possible if i use a vector / photo that I created.
I’m unsure if the image will be distorted?
Lookin forward to your reply. Thank you 
If I understand correctly you have a image (in this case maybe a vector file) and you want it to look correctly, not distorted, in front of the viewer that is looking trough a headset. Is this correct?
For this you need to use the clean start setup from this kit and utilize After Effects 3D space (or Element3D 3D space) to place the image in front of the viewer.
Simplifying a bit you take your image, drop it in front of the camera move it back in 3D space till you are happy how big, close is to the viewer.
This if you want a flat image in front of the viewer, now the following is more complicated but you can actually create a 3D environment moving vector elements around the 3D world, to surround the viewer with graphics and information.
If possible please post a link to your image to better understand what we are talking about.
Just to clarify a bit your question, the background can be a static image or video that is already converted to VR. Think a video made with a gopro 360 setup or one of those 360 camera available on the market. It appears it doesn’t apply to your needs here so you just need to use the template to create the VR distortion.
If I understand correctly you have a image (in this case maybe a vector file) and you want it to look correctly, not distorted, in front of the viewer that is looking trough a headset. Is this correct?
- Yes, that’s correct *
For this you need to use the clean start setup from this kit and utilize After Effects 3D space (or Element3D 3D space) to place the image in front of the viewer.
Simplifying a bit you take your image, drop it in front of the camera move it back in 3D space till you are happy how big, close is to the viewer.
- OK, i understand this so far *
This if you want a flat image in front of the viewer, now the following is more complicated but you can actually create a 3D environment moving vector elements around the 3D world, to surround the viewer with graphics and information.
- yes I want a flat image, lets say a room for example. **
Just to clarify a bit your question, the background can be a static image or video that is already converted to VR. Think a video made with a gopro 360 setup or one of those 360 camera available on the market. It appears it doesn’t apply to your needs here so you just need to use the template to create the VR distortion.
- Do you mean that I can create a background by doing this steps :
1. Use ur template (using clean start) 2. Add elements to the surrounding, lets say I put 4 walls to make a room 3. Render that as an image / a video 4. import it and use as a new background.
Please tell me yes, it would be so awesome!
Yes, exactly, this template supports both After Effects internal 3D environment and also the more advanced Element3D plugin where you can have real 3D objects
Now,
“1. Use ur template (using clean start) 2. Add elements to the surrounding, lets say I put 4 walls to make a room 3. Render that as an image / a video 4. import it and use as a new background.”
Yes, that is possible. But off course you need to know a bit about how 3D layers works in After Effects, how to position them in 3D space. You build your 3D world with walls, text, images, and the template will generate a VR video or image.
If you want, then you can import the generate media as background
All the scenes included in the template, are create using 3D layers/compositions positioned in 3D space inside After Effects.
Great!. Just purchased and can’t wait to have fun with it! Thanks doru.
Awesome Thank You
Can this be scaled to 3840×2160?
Actually yes.
Without getting into technical details here, the output frame is scaled down to 2048 as height. So by scaling up the correct layer to 2160 you don’t lose quality.
I’m seeing that you want to make it 3840 as width. So the ratio will not be 2 to 1 as in default setup for youtube, but from my experience the video will still look correctly in your player even if the ratio is different.
just to be sure that this template will work with your vr player, you can download from youtube the video preview of this item (link in the description – be sure to get the highest resolution version), then create a composition in After Effects for 3840×2160, add the video as layer then scale it to “Fit to Comp” Ctrl+Alt+F
Render the video and check it in your player
Back ground can be changed?
Yes , you can change or remove it.
Hope can help me, thanxs!
Hi Thank You for purchasing
I will check the logo question tomorrow when I’m getting at my computer but for the export, on recent After Effects version you have to export using Adobe Media Encoder to get access to MP4
From your screenshot, I’m not really sure but I doubt the QuickTime H264 internal encoder will use the correct level.
In media encoder use H264 codec, it will export to an MP4 video
For the logo you just need to add it the Intro and Outro compositions. It will appear in the exported video.
Are there render settings for a Mac? I see settings for a pc. Thanks!
Thank You for purchasing
I’m not a Mac user but the settings should be the same.
You need to export to MP4 with a codec of H264 (make sure the level is 5.1)
I think you need to use the Media Encoder to get these settings on the latest After Effects versions, as they have removed support for directly encode to mp4.
Are there grids to help with XYZ space alignment in VR for this template?
No, After Effects doesn’t have a grid system like those seen in 3D applications. Is a limitation of the software.
Very cool looking template when viewed in 360. Is there a way to render a stereo 360 version -possibly with a camera offset in AE?
Well, I didn’t try this. But, as seen in the advanced part of the tutorial that I have included, you can move the camera in 3D space
So let’s say we move the camera a certain distance from the current position then we render then video. we then move the camera in the opposite effect and render the video again. We then have the same video as seen by two eyes. So these two videos could somewhat be mixed and get the stereo effect.
I’m thinking that there is no obstacle to update this template to automatically create the stereo 3D. I will check this, maybe I can do it
Does this output an equirectangular format video, or a cubemap format?
The output is a 4096×2048 equirectangular video.
Cubemap projection is not included as from my research most 360 players doesn’t support it. In my opinion this format is a bit inefficient for video data storage, even if is more simple to create in After Effects
But said this, if anyone needs a cubemap output, the template can be transformed to do this also. So if anyone requires this please let me know here or by sending me a private message and I will provide a step by step guide on how to do it
Good for you man! I’ve been working on an equirectangular conversion in AE myself, and it is super tough! Good job with this template brother! Wish you many sales!
Thank You,
Yes this was quite a task
Cool!
Nice to see cutting—edge templates like this on the HIVE. Your projects might benefit from some actual aerials in 360 (my speciality). However, shooting from quadcopters the area directly over head would need patching with simple sky washes or the equivalent.
Does this require SkyBox?
Best of luck to you!
Thank You
No, this doesn’t require any plugin only the default After Effects installation
Great work! Wish you many sales!!!
