A world first for Bristol: A cinema that watches you
A new cinema is opening in Bristol next year with state-of-the-art equipment designed to monitor how you react to films
Although this might sound like something from science fiction this research and development cinema is opening in May next year in Bristol.
This one-of-a-kind cinema where audience members' reactions will be monitored by members of the university will be used to test whether new movie-making techniques are working as intended.
It's being created on the University of Bristol's upcoming Temple Quarter Campus, next to Temple Meads Train Station and is possible thanks to a £400,000 funding grant from the Wolfson Foundation.
We asked Professor of Neuropsychology at the University of Bristol, Iain Gilchrist to explain to us how it works.
He 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.
“This is the first fully instrumented facility of its kind in the world, which is exciting not just for us as researchers but for those working in the creative sector, providing insights which will shape the future of film, television and beyond.”
The Instrumented Auditorium will be part of the new MyWorld creative hub in the city centre and has over 12 big-name partners including the BBC and the Oscar award-winning animation studio Aardman.
However, big-name entertainment companies aren’t the only parties interested in this ground-breaking venue.
The tech can easily be applied to test reactions to films from people with mental health conditions like anxiety and depression and help learn more about people with the condition and how they see the world.
With eight months until the cinema opens, we'll have to wait and see how it's received.