Facebook’s ‘Premieres’ video format will let publishers post prerecorded video as live footage

Facebook is testing a new video format called Facebook Premieres that will let video creators, publishers and shows post prerecorded video as live footage.

The prerecorded videos will play similar to a livestream, allowing viewers the chance to interact with the video as it is broadcast on the site. Comments, reactions and interactions with the prerecorded Premieres video will happen in real time, as with Facebook’s Live videos. Once used as a Premiere video, the video becomes a normal VOD (video on demand).

“People will be able to experience Premieres of videos like movie trailers, new episodes of Facebook Watch shows, or new content from their favorite creators, alongside other fans together in real time — just like watching a Facebook Live video,” writes Facebook VP of Product for Video, Fidji Simo.

The new format is currently being tested among a group of creators, publishers and shows. Facebook said it wasn’t sharing the names of the initial partners in the test group but did offer the following screen shot of a Premieres video from FBE Shows, one of the content creators on Facebook Watch:

The Premieres video format is currently only available to a limited test group, but Facebook says it will be rolling out “more broadly” soon. The new format very well could benefit the site in two ways: giving video creators more opportunities to engage with audiences, and also helping Facebook put more eyes on programming developed specifically for Watch, the site’s video hub.

Launched in beta last August, Facebook Watch includes original programming from media companies and news outlets.