The London Film Festival has been going on for the past week and as part of the event is LFF Expanded, a virtual reality (VR) contingent filled with 360-degree films and interactive content. If you’ve not had a chance to view any of it then you better be quick as this is the last weekend.
Dedicated to immersive film and art, LFF Expanded gives viewers at home the chance to see a broad range of content from around the world, tackling a variety of subjects. When it comes to the 360-degree films there’s Common Ground, a documentary delving into the history of London’s infamous Aylesbury Estate, once the largest housing project in Europe. Or then there’s Gimme One, following 5 members of the UK’s Ballroom scene as they explore their gender and sexuality through dance.
If you’re after more interactive content All Kinds of Limbo is musical VR experience by the UK’s National Theatre, a journey inspired by the influence of Caribbean culture upon the country’s music. A title which first appeared during the Venice VR Expanded and seen again here is Agence, an AI-driven experience where you get to play god to five digital creatures called agents.
LFF Expanded has plenty of offer and the best part is its completely free. The easiest way to view the content is via a PC VR headset like Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. Like the Venice event, LFF Expanded is available through Viveport as a free (rather large 74GB) download called LFF Expanse. Once inside you can teleport to the exhibition space to view the titles.
There are still ways to view the content if you don’t have a PC VR headset. On Oculus Quest a selection of the 360 videos are available via the Oculus TV app or you can submit an email to access a beta version of LFF Expanse. Oculus Go, Gear VR and even Google Cardboard will still work, with further details found here.
The BFI London Film Festival and LFF Expanded conclude on Sunday 18th October. For further updates on the latest festivals embracing immersive online events, keep reading VRFocus.