BBC Unveils New VR Experiences

BBC VR Hub has revealed two new virtual reality projects, Make Noise and 1943: Berlin Blitz, that take viewers back in time.

Make Noise invites viewers to follow the advice of British political activist and suffragette movement leader Emmeline Pankhurst to ‘make more noise,’ using an innovative combination of voice technology and VR. Viewers will hum, sing and shout along with actor Nikki Amuka-Bird, who narrates the experience. Created by BBC VR Hub with Anagram, Make Noise uses original archive material from the suffragettes to retell the dramatic story of how a few women started one of the most important movements in history.

1943: Berlin Blitz puts viewers in the shoes of BBC war correspondent Wynford Vaughan-Thomas. It allows viewers to retrace his journey on a bombing raid to Berlin at the height of World War II.

Zillah Watson, the head of BBC VR Hub, said, “BBC VR Hub exists to excite audiences by creating the most enthralling experiences imaginable using the power of VR, and both of these do that, but in very different ways. Make Noise uses voice technology in an innovative way to put you in the shoes of the suffragettes, encouraging you to follow their example and use your voice to change your world. It’s empowering, profound and yet playful, and a great example of why we should follow Emmeline Pankhurst’s advice and ‘make more noise.’”

Watson added, “1943: Berlin Blitz on the other hand uses VR to breathe new life into the BBC Archive, using an extraordinary piece of journalism to transport you to Berlin at the height of the Second World War. It really gives a sense of just how brave the RAF and the BBC’s war correspondents were back then, and providing new context for the threats our colleagues face today when reporting from dangerous situations. We hope to launch them both to the public later in the year.”