Every cinema in Bristol feels unique – from the hipster crowds of The Cube to the retro fittings of Showcase Avonmeads – but none are quite like the new 35-seat ‘Smart Cinema’ due to open in autumn. It’ll be monitoring everything from your heart rate and eye movement to brain activity and the electrical properties of your skin to track subconscious emotional and sympathetic responses.
It’s standard practice in the industry for film studios to have test screenings for upcoming blockbusters – using But this first-it-is-kind technology will monitor real responses in real time and may come to shape the future of cinema. It won’t just be the latest Hollywood blockbusters either, but things like TV adverts and therapy videos… The possibilities are endless.
Iain Gilchrist, Professor of Neuropsychology at the University of Bristol, said: “If we want to understand whether a new experience or new technology is working, we have to ask the audience. The Instrumented Auditorium will allow us to stream data that captures audience responses moment by moment, providing unique insights that take us way beyond current questionnaire-based methods.”
These new specialist facilities in the Coal Shed are being built by the University of Bristol as part of its MyWorld programme – a £30m UKRI Strength in Places funded initiative designed to “build on the production, technology and research strengths of the West of England, catalysing the local economy and while creating global impact in the creative industries.”
Oscar De Mello, Operations Director, MyWorld – University of Bristol said:“Our Experimental Studio and Smart Cinema will enable a huge variety of partners, from global leaders like Netflix and Amazon to Bristol’s amazing indie and freelancer community, to access the tools, data and talent they need to safeguard and grow their businesses, to develop and validate new technologies and create new content.”
The university has also joined forces with Lux Machina Consulting (who’s known for bringing the god-like creatures of ‘House of The Dragon’ of life) to create a virtual production stage in Bristol’s Temple Quarter. Where instead of green screens, actors stand in front of dynamic LED backdrops – a technology used heavily to bring the incredible worlds of ‘The Mandalorian’ to life.
Lauren Paul, VP Business Development Lux Machina added: “One of the things I get most excited about is working with universities and research programmes around the world as they expand their reach into virtual production. By making innovative and industry-leading technologies accessible, we help unlock the next generation of masterful technical and creative minds. It’s clear MyWorld and the University of Bristol are helping to lead this charge in the UK.”
The new facility will also support motion capture technology (think Gollum in Lord of the Rings), volumetric capture, and a soundstage for live TV broadcasts alongside audio-visual galleries, edit suites and training rooms. MyWorld aims to boost the regional economy by £223m GVA (Gross Value Added) by 2030. Bristol was awarded the prestigious City of Film Award during the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year.