Filming the BDFI Reality Emulator

What does the future feel like before it actually arrives?

Since 2019, our team at Beeston Media has followed the journey of the Bristol Digital Futures Institute (BDFI) as part of wider work for the Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus. Back then, the Reality Emulator was a futuristic architectural plan, the inspiration of tech visionary Dimitra Simeonidou OBE, FREng, FIEEE from Smart Internet Lab Team and Sociodigital expert Susan Halford FAcSS. It's now a fully functioning facility, led by BDFI’s Co-Director Daniel Neyland, who we worked with to capture the essence of its potential.

The accompanying film takes you behind the scenes of our shoot. It’s a glimpse into how we approach the challenge of translating high-level science and tech into a visual narrative.

The digital campfire:
While the technical specs are undeniable – a 17-metre curved LED wall (the CAVE), with real-time motion tracking, and a massive data centre, the human side of the tech is what really caught our attention. During the shoot, Richard Cole from BDFI described the Reality Emulator not just as a high-tech tool, but as a digital campfire. For thousands of years, humans have gathered in circles to share stories and make sense of the world. This facility does exactly that for the 21st century.

Whether it’s researchers exploring the lived experience of postnatal depression through immersive ‘inquiry machines’ or criminologists like Sanja Milivojevic testing how trust fluctuates in human-robot teams, the space is designed for collaborative empathy. It’s about suspending reality to imagine a society that is more equal and sustainable.

Boosting the local ecosystem:
As a video production agency rooted in science and tech, we're motivated by boosting the local ecosystem. We want to see regional and national innovation lead to real-world economic and social impact.

That’s why we get so hands-on with the details. In the film, you’ll see us working with a semiconductor wafer as a physical object to be manipulated in a virtual lab. We included this to demonstrate how the Emulator could be used for interactive training that aligns with UK Frontier Technology priorities. Having enjoyed events such as those hosted by UK Semiconductor Centre and BI Foresight last year, this seemed like a neat tie up.

Directing the sizzle:
Filming a 360-degree immersive environment is a unique puzzle. You'll see in the BTS footage how we used 360 cameras on poles and GoPro rigs to capture the overview perspective. Our goal was to show the CAVE as a deeply human space, where groups can stand together and imagine possible futures. Huge thanks to Adrian K. T. Ng for his expertise, time and prep to make everything ready for the shoot day.

For all the high-tech wizardry, the most important element in the room is always the people and the questions they are asking.

The final hero film produced for University of Bristol, which shows the facility in full flight, can be viewed below.