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Haptic Cinematography: Touching Concepts — Conceptualizing Touch

2017-2018, Ljubljana & Philadelphia

Haptic Cinematography is an international philosophy and film project that brought together philosophy students and young artists from the United States and Slovenia to explore the relationship between linguistic concepts and touch through different philosophical and aesthetic media. Our project experimented with different stages of haptic experience and representation: translating our experiences of touch into philosophical concepts, concepts back into a haptic experience through art, and haptic experience into film. It was our slimiest philosophical endeavor to date.

I first initiated this collaboration between a community of students and artists based at Villanova University, where I received my PhD, and the Slovenian project, The Language of Touch. The collaboration grew to encompass many more members beyond these contexts. Zack Sievers directs the film with support from Slovenia’s nationally acclaimed director and philosopher, Bara Kolenc. The film became a vehicle to discuss touch and language in a student-oriented workshop series held in Ljubljana, Hamburg, Philadelphia, New York, and Chicago. 

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Director: Zack Sievers. Concepts/Inspiration: Mirt Komel, Bara Kolenc, Zack Sievers, Rachel Aumiller, Ana Jovanović, and Goran Vranešević. Starring: Bara Kolenc. With: Cory Kram, Kat Kurtz, Nikola Stojanović, and Shadia Ghantous. Lamella: Jure Lajovic. Editor: Zack Sievers. Director of Photography: Zack Sievers. Camera Operators: Zack Sievers, Kaitlyn Conners, and Emre Ҫetin Gürer. Piano: Milko Lazar. Trombone: Connor Przybyszewski. Bass and Electronics: Iaan Reynolds. Additional Music: Iaan Reynolds, Chris Thorton, and Meri Haines. Sound Recording: Zack Sievers, Iaan Reynolds. Sound Design and Mixing: Iaan Reynolds. Sound Mastering: Corey Cretney. Textual Dress Design: Atelje Ponorelli. Painting: Will Ankrum. Special Effects Team: Paul Kazalski (chemical engineering), Cory Kram, Thomas Koen, Mila Ankrum (slime aesthetics), Will Ankrum, Eneida Jacobson. Special Thanks: Vasja Lebaric, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Kud Pozitiv and DIC.