The BBC is launching a virtual reality film

YouTube

The Turning Forest is the BBC's first virtual reality film.

The BBC is launching a new virtual reality film - a fairy tale called "The Turning Forest" - next week.

The film - which will be available on Google's £69 virtual reality headset - tells the story of a young child and a fantastical creature embarking on a journey together into a new realm of "folkish dimension and boundless imagination," the BBC said.

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The VR story - which has its own "spatial" soundtrack - is meant to be heard via headphones to enhance the experience.

The BBC has released a trailer for the film on YouTube:

The Turning Forest was originally created for the Oculus Rift headset, but will only show on Google's "Daydream View" headset - pictured below - which is so far only compatible with the new Google Pixel phones.

The film was produced by the BBC's research and development department and virtual reality production studio VRTOV and is part of the company's drive to "explore emerging technology and new storytelling mediums for future audiences," it said.

Zillah Watson, executive producer of BBC R&D, said: "The Turning Forest is unique in that it's been designed from the sound up, using state-of-the-art audio to help transport people to a magical world. It takes advantage of decades of research and experience from our own team, partners and universities to create a beautiful soundscape that we hope people will love."