SE Valley Times

When it comes to filming on a smartphone, most people shoot a short, single clip of video, then share it as a message or on social media. A few might take the time to snip several video shots together to tell a story.

Newer devices like Apple’s iPhone 15 now shoot three-dimensional, or “spatial,” video. These clips must be viewed through wrap-around goggles to get the true 3D effect, presenting a challenge for anyone trying to edit them into a creative sequence such as a wedding video.

Talbert Herndon is working to solve this problem using artificial intelligence. Herndon, a data science graduate student at Arizona State University’s Luminosity Lab, is developing software called SpatialCut. This tool is designed for video editors and other users to create and control their storytelling in spatial video content. His goal is to use AI to help the software understand and organize raw spatial video clips and build stories based on voice or text commands from the creator.

Herndon has been promoting his idea at events like Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference and the Augmented World Expo this June. Companies such as Black Magic Design and Canon are releasing new equipment supporting spatial filmmaking, including stereoscopic cameras and lenses.

“A lot of interest and eyes are on it,” Herndon said. “So I want make sure I deliver on what I promised because in the demo we were making promises like you're going to be able to fully edit visual videos. So I’m continuously working on it, 24/7.”

He and a production team spent several days in Arizona filming a mock wedding scenario that will serve as a product promotion video for SpatialCut. The vignette aims to help creators and the tech industry understand his spatial video editing platform.

Herndon is inviting users to try the beta version of his new software. He predicts that as prices for 3D headsets drop over time, demand for spatial storytelling will increase.

“Spatial videos will be the future,” he said.

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