
An Archive Powered VR Experience
Premiering at SXSW Sydney Oct 2024, and supported by the BFI’s Film Fund, StoryFutures Academy, and the South Australian Film Corporation, There Exists offers fresh perspectives on the English arrival in New South Wales, and early encounters with the Dharug people.
There Exists delves into the lives of individuals whose personal data was meticulously documented by hand, but whose stories remained overlooked in their own time. Narrated through the eyes of one of the earliest female indentured servants, Mary Randall, it is based on research conducted by the British Library Labs, which retraced Mary's life and her journey to Australia in 1792 using machine learning as well as traditional archive data.
To ensure the authentic representation of Darug narratives and cultural perspectives, including the use of the Darug language, There Exists is co-written by award-winning poet and novelist, Julie Janson, and Writer and Director Gaëlle Mourre.
Collaborating with First Nations creatives and consultants, There Exists includes fresh and diverse perspectives on a centuries old narrative, as without them, the picture of events is incomplete.
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as Traditional Custodians of Country and First Nations of Australia, the land in which this experience takes place.
Film and Immersive Writer, Director. Founder of Fat Red Bird production company, one of CreaTech's 100 Ones to Watch 2021- 2022. Part of the 2021 BFI Network X BAFTA Crew, Berlinale Talents 2022, and awarded "Most Promising Creator" by Eurofest XR at Stereopsia.
Writer
Julie is a Burruberongal woman of Darug Aboriginal nation. She is a novelist, playwright, and poet. Her most recent novel is “Benevolence” published by Magabala 2020. Her new Indigenous crime novel “Madukka the River Serpent” will be published by UWAP 2023. She is co-recipient of the Oodgeroo Noonuccal Poetry Prize and the Judith Wright Poetry Prize.
Writer
A Producer with over a decade of experience working on audience-centred projects in the Arts, TV, and Immersive industries, specialising in XR and digital production and distribution. Grace has produced a variety of innovative projects including site-specific installations, an interactive feature-film, and social-VR experiences.
Producer
Kylie Boltin is an internationally recognized, multiple Walkley award-winning producer in Innovation and Digital Storytelling, as well as a NSW Literary Award-winning screenwriter. She is currently Associate Professor Screen and Media at Edith Cowen University (ECU).
Producer
Jessie Mangum is a film, TV and immersive producer. Her credits include the feature film LOOTED (Film London/ BBC Film/ BFI), FIPRESCI winner and 2021 BIFA Award nominee. Recently she was Associate Producer/Production Consultant for the feature film THE MIRACLE CLUB starring Maggie Smith, Kathy Bates and Laura Linney.
Story Producer
An award-winning immersive director and producer, focusing on new forms of storytelling. Her early career was as a journalist and filmmaker for the BBC and The Guardian. She has worked for a number of immersive studios including Factory 42, Nexus Studios and East City Films. She also presents the StoryFutures Academy Podcast featuring interviews with XR specialists.
Executive Producer
Written By
Gaëlle Mourre,
Julie Janson
Additional Writing
Kylie Boltin,
Jessie Mangum
Voice Mary Randall
Kara Tointon
Voice Duringah
Tamala Shelton
Additional Voices By
Billy McPherson,
Billy McPherson Junior,
Becky Wright,
Tom Wylde,
Roger Ringrose,
Alfie Coolwell
Curator Of Data
Yann Ryan
Producer - UK
Grace Baird
Producer - Australia
Kylie Boltin
Creator
Anrick Bregman
Executive Producer
Shehani Fernando
Script Consultant
Jessie Mangum
Darug Cultural Consultant
Julie Janson
Lead Developers
Anthony Attwood,
Lucy Wheeler
Unreal Engine Development
RCL Graham,
Lara Kobeissi
Metahuman Design & Development
RCL Graham,
Elijah McDonald
3D Design
Emeka Malbert,
RCL Graham,
Arthur Ah Chee,
Elijah McDdonald,
Nathan Hartman,
Rodolfo Tinapay
Realtime VFX
Anthony Attwood,
Lucy Wheeler,
Gaelle Berton,
Rosie Emery
VR Prototyping
Maf’j Alvarez
Sound Design
Richard Hemming
Lead Composer
Penelope Trappes
Music Composer
Amby Downs
Boomerang Music & Singing
Alfie Coolwell
Additional Music
Away By Meydän (FMA - Creative Commons)
UX Design
Nasim Hassani,
Shreya Sharma, Charles Ingea
Graphic Design
Evelin Eilmess
Illustrators
Jason Coulthard,
Hazel Boxall,
Vaughan Lee-Spring
Visual Design
Jarrod Castaing
Storyboards
Miguel Sastre
Associate Producer
Laura Loonstein
Project Managers
Ruyi Meer, Alysha Nelson
Creative and Historical Research
Michelle O’Higgins,
Laura Loonstein,
Alysha Nelson
BFI Executive Producer
Louise Ortega
BFI Production Manager
Charley Fox
BFI Head Of Production Finance
Ian Kirk
BFI Director Of Legal And Business Affairs
Clare Coulter
StoryFutures Executive Producer
Becky Gregory-Clarke
StoryFutures Executive Producer
Fiona Kilkelly
StoryFutures Head Of Delivery
Sarah Smyth
Special Thanks
British Library Labs,
British Library Digital Scholarship,
Dr. Mariko Smith,
Dr. Laurel Evelyn Dyson,
Dr. Jon Wardle,
Professor James Bennett,
Jane Kelso,
Dr. Serena Dyer,
Dr. Stephen Gilchrist,
Elizabeth Hammond,
Tracy Wiles,
Alba Francescut,
South Australia Film Corporation,
Sydney Living Museum,
Australian Museum,
Brighton Toy and Model Museum