Make your architectural visualizations stand out by using the four video modes in Twinmotion 2018

Nowadays, it’s easier than ever to create photorealistic rendering images. More and more tools are available on the market that allow architects and designers to easily create high quality architectural visualizations. In this competitive field, sometimes an image is not enough. You need to provide an experience:  a new, interactive and fun way to attract your customers’ attention. Twinmotion 2018 makes it easier than ever.

One project can be presented as an image, video, panorama or even a walk-through BIMmotion file.

In this article, we will focus on the four different video exports introduced in Twinmotion 2018, explaining their differences and how to upload them on YouTube.

It all starts with a few clicks

Keep with the Twinmotion philosophy, which is an easy and fast tool with a user- friendly UI, creating a video in Twinmotion only takes a few clicks. By creating two camera views in the Video creation section, Twinmotion automatically calculates the path of the camera to make this 10s video.

Once a video is created, we can export it right away by going to the Export panel and choose the right video clip.

Now it’s time to choose the video mode. One video can be exported in four different video modes: Standard, 3D, 360° and 360° 3D.

1.“Standard” mode

We are all familiar with the “standard” video mode. In Twinmotion, exporting a 10s video in 4K resolution takes around 3 minutes. The maximum size of the video output is 8K.

2. “3D” mode

“3D” video mode is like watching a 3D movie in a cinema. Compared to the “Standard” mode, the 3D mode gives your project more perspective and it’s a great way to present your visualization project in a meeting room with a 3D screen.

“3D” mode video is designed to be watched on a 3D TV, or using a pair of 3D glasses. This 10s video exported directly from Twinmotion is a side-by-side 3D animation. The export took around 4 minutes in 4K resolution.

Upload a Twinmotion “3D” video on YouTube

To watch with a 3D TV

If you have a 3D TV, then you can upload the Twinmotion “3D mode” video directly to YouTube. The video on YouTube remains side-by-side, which is viewable using a 3D TV.

Watch with a pair of 3D glasses

To view this video on YouTube using 3D glasses (Anaglyph glasses), it’s going to be a bit technical.

Since the 3D checkbox has been removed from YouTube, a 3D video has to contain stereo metadata to be recognized as a 3D video on YouTube. The 3D video exported from Twinmotion doesn’t contain this metadata. Therefore, the first step in uploading it to YouTube is to insert 3D metadata to the Twinmotion 3D video. The free application HandBrake allows you to do so.

Handbrake is a free open source video transcoder, compatible with Windows and macOS.

Once you’ve installed HandBrake, follow the steps to add 3D metadata to your 3D video:

1. Import the Twinmotion 3D video in HandBrake.

1. Choose the save destination
2. Go to “Video” panel and add the code “frame-packing=3 in the “Extra Options” window.
3. Click “Start Encode” to export the new video.

Now the video contains the stereo metadata. Upload it on YouTube and here is the Twinmotion 3D mode video to be viewed using a pair of 3D glasses.

*Depending on the size of the video, it will take a few minutes for YouTube to show the 3D icon.

To watch a Twinmotion 3D video, we can use:

• 3D TV
• 3D glasses (Anaglyph glasses)

* There are various 3D display technologies (active and inactive). Please consult the specification of the given TV screen model to find the matching 3D glasses.

3. “360°” mode

360° video is a new feature introduced in Twinmotion 2018. It allows users to turn around by sliding on the screen while the video plays. It gives your clients the possibility to interact with your video, to have a better understanding of a project and to have more fun!

When exporting a 360° video (framerate at 30fps), Twinmotion calculates 30 spherical images (360°) for each second of your video. Therefore, if we do the math, we’ll understand that rendering a 360° video takes longer than a normal video. The export of this 10s 360° video in 4K resolution took around 7 hours.

Upload a Twinmotion 360° video on YouTube

YouTube doesn’t automatically recognize a Twinmotion 360° video. Before uploading the video on YouTube, we first need to add 360° video metadata to the video. The application Spatial Media Metadata injector allows you to do so.

Spatial Media Metadata injector is a free application, compatible with Windows and macOS.

Once the application is installed, here are the steps to add 360° video metadata to the Twinmotion 360° video:

1. Click “Open” and import the Twinmotion 360° video
2. Check “My video is spherical (360)” option
3. Click “Inject metadata”

Now the Twinmotion 360° video has 360° video metadata and you can upload it to YouTube.

Besides watching the Twinmotion 360° video on YouTube, many 360° players allow to watch a 360° video offline, here are a few of them:

Computers (Windows and Mac):

• GoPro VR
• 360°fly

Mobile devices (Android & iOS)

• VR player
• 360°fly

To watch a Twinmotion 360° video, we can use:

• YouTube with a smartphone / tablet or directly on a computer
• VR cardboard + a smartphone
• VR headset with a VR player (DeoVR, Oculus Video, Whirligig, etc.)
• 360° video players: GoPro VR, VR Player, 360°fly

4. “Video 360° 3D” mode

The “360° 3D” video offers a 3D perspective to a 360° video. It allows your client to immerse themselves in a 3D world and turn their head around while the video plays. It took the longest time to render compared to the other three video modes, but it’s definitely worth the wait!

Upload a Twinmotion 360° video on YouTube

Same as a 360° video, we need to first add 360° stereoscopic metadata to the video in order to have YouTube recognize the right mode.

1. First open Spatial Media Metadata injector and import the video
2. Check the two options “My video is spherical” and “My video is stereoscopic 3D”
3. Click “Inject metadata”

Now the video is ready to be uploaded on YouTube:

To watch a Twinmotion 360° 3D video, we can use:

• VR headset with a VR player (DeoVR, Oculus Video, Whirligig, etc.)
• Anaglyph glasses on YouTube
• Video players support stereoscopic 360° video.

The way a project is presented is as important as the design itself. The video modes in Twinmotion 2018 offer your clients a new way to feel the space of your project and add emotion to your design.

Try a different video mode with your next video and make your architectural visualization come alive!