The bold experimenters at the dawn of the moving-picture revolution were quick to explore the possibilities of the medium and capture the Victorian world on film. In a unique partnership, the BFI National Archive has collaborated with Bristol based design and graphics company BDH to represent Victorian filmmakers' early experiments with the medium through the new form of VR.

The result is 'Venice Through a VR Lens, 1898' a VR piece that uses Scottish inventor William Kennedy-Laurie Dickson's short film 'Panoramic View of the Vegetable Market, Venice' shot in 1898 on his mission to film the Pope. The process of digitising and scanning the images brings the viewer into a new exciting relationship with the films and indeed the past.

BFI National Archive silent film curator Bryony Dixon will be in conversation with John Durrant, Creative Director at BDH Immersive and Innovation Director at Academy 7 Productions for a show and tell about the context of the original works, the motivation for wanting to revisit these works in VR and the process of digitisation. They are joined by Bristol based Catherine Allen BAFTA-winning, immersive media specialist and the founder of Limina Immersive for a broader discussion about the potential of VR in reframing the archives.

After the talk, there is an opportunity to experience 'Venice Through a VR Lens, 1898’ (Dir: John Durrant, BDH Immersive and Innovation Director at Academy 7 Productions, 3mins, UK) at Limina the UK’s 1st dedicated VR Arts venue (situated underneath Watershed) from 14:30 - 16:30.

Book your VR session at the Cinema Rediscovered festival desk at Watershed from Thu 25 July midday - Friday midday or sign up at the talk (subject to capacity.)

Here’s a bit more info about what to expect from a Limina VR experience: https://www.liminaimmersive.com/plan-ahead/

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