Watch: 360° Facebook Videos Have Arrived, And They’re Spectacular

Ever wanted to see what was going on just off to the left or right of the screen when you were watching a movie?

Well, now you can thanks to a new 360° video – something Facebook promised us a month ago at their F8 conference. And let’s just say they have not let us down.

Yesterday they released a new three and a half minute video entitled Here and Now, which may seem familiar for resident or visitors of New York City.

Shot on their Facebook Surround Camera, the action takes place in busy Grand Central Station, and as we scroll left and right we encounter groups of friends and families who greet one another, say goodbye, or argue over missed trains.

Unlike previous Virtual Reality incantations which have taken us on bedtime stories in galaxies far away, or white-knuckle, adrenaline-filled adventures on rollercoasters, this emotional video shows us brief glimpse into people’s lives and plays on the familiar scenes we’re used to seeing.

Made by The Factory, Facebook’s creative output, it shows the everyday moments of eight groups of people milling around in the main concourse.

“There are these epic things, and also these human things where you travel far distances. It felt like there was this white space in there where we could show moments of everyday humanity” said Creative Director Larry Cowin.

So, how does it all work?

We have absolutely no idea.

In fact, it makes our brains hurt a little to even contemplate the technology behind how we view these better-than-panoramic, 360° videos from our flat, one dimensional screens. But rest assured, it’ll be coming to a Facebook News Feed near you in the not-so-distant future. And it’s going to be awesome.

Plus, this is just watching it on our laptops or phones – just wait until you’re watching it through a Virtual Reality headset.

The future is now, people. All aboard.

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