I began focusing heavily on sound and what I wanted the soundscape to ‘feel’ like for the viewer as this was such an incredibly important part of the sensory and immersive aspect of the film. I began to develop language around how to describe musical effects and how they can impact the body physically, including; audio swells, bass, harmonies and other techniques which trigger a physical response in the body. My research continued to ask, ‘How could human senses be experienced in a virtual space? This led on to a further question, ‘How can touch be replicated digitally?’ Considering that the project explored the synergy between virtuality and physicality, I considered this to be a very important area of research.
I discovered a small company in Berlin who had developed a device which claimed to explore the future of touch, by turning the physical body into an instrument through electromagnetic waves. I got in touch with the inventor and proposed a collaboration, which he accepted, so I was able to create practical work in response to the questions I was asking myself.
With current technological capabilities limited in terms of senses other than sight and sound being replicated digitally, I struggled to explore how I could do this. Whilst exploring the potential and limitations of the TouchMe device, the developments I made during the experimentation were interesting.
I noted that through this practical work that I am particularly interested in the physicality of the body and touch juxtaposed with virtuality. Questions from the framework I devised examined authenticity of the body in virtual spaces, the immersive future of media and the effects of a piece of digital content. I found that through practice-led research I wanted to explore the immersive future of media in relation to human emotions, asking how does digital content make you feel and how does that then translate into the formation of attitudes and behaviours? This evolved into speculating on how the merging of physical and digital is linked to societal notions of identity through the construction of a phygital identity. John Berger, ways of seeing – page 8 – ‘To touch something is to situate oneself in relation to it’
At this point in the project, with a structure in place and a more focused research area, it was time to explore ways of practical experimentation and production. A previously mentioned objective and a predominant aspect of this study was to explore the relationship between virtual and material space and ask how identity within these spaces is overcoming the dualistic divide between mind and body. Whilst examining sensibilities and communication online, I asked how human senses and emotions could be communicated in a virtual space, which led me to examine tools such as emojis. Additionally, I identified the rise of video, voice notes and a desire for more authentic communication online. So, whilst thinking about the actual production of my film and how I could visually communicate my concepts, I discovered the Affect, regarding overcoming dualistic divide between mind and body (Sedgwick). Affect Theory is used as a digital communication tool, exploring the effects of a piece of digital content whilst asking how does it make you feel and how does that then translate into the formation of senses and behaviours? Immediately I began thinking about obvious digital triggers which sparked a physical bodily reaction which consumed; such as porn and other emotive media. I experimented practically with creating short clips of sour citrus fruits and human mouths, finger (this linked back to my still life experimentation) however, this time I utilised affect theory in an attempt to trigger a physical reaction.