Morgan Schwartz
office: Nugent 560, Room A
tel: 1-212-774-4865
email: mschwartz AT mmm DOT edu
web: http://sodacity.net/courses/
FALL 2010
Section 01 Monday, 10:00 am - 12:50 pm
Nugent 556
In this second semester of the multimedia course sequence, students will develop, design and produce their own advanced interactive projects. Media theorist Lev Manovich claims we are living in 'Generation Flash'. Low bandwidth Internet connections created a demand for lightweight vector graphics software spurring a new aesthetic sensibility. Flash is an authoring environment that allows artists to weave together traditional linear animation, user interactivity, object-oriented programming and multimedia (video, sound, etc) blurring the lines between art, design and computer programming. In this class we introduce the fundamental principles of Flash animation and basic Action Script. Prerequisite: COMM 225.
materials:
USB Flash Drive (4-8 GB) - OR - portable Hard Drive
required texts:
all required readings will be available online or handed out in class
A large amount of class time will be dedicated to group critiques, team projects and class discussion. I encourage you to take an active role in contributing to make our class a fun and dynamic place to be.
You can't learn digital media passively or wait until the end of the semester to cram for an exam. To learn this stuff you have to make things! Digital media production involves a complex spectrum of techniques & software. If you do each project you will do well. If not, you will fall behind rapidly.
This project will be self-initiated and should integrate many of the skills you will learn this semester. When the time comes I will help to suggest possible topics and approaches. You will have the option of working individually or collaborating with other students.
Attendance will be taken in each class. You are allowed one unexcused (no questions asked) absence, after which your final grade will drop substantially with each absence. In the event that an extraordinary circumstance will require you to miss a class, please let me know in advance by email. Missing more than 2 classes for any reason will reduce your final grade by one level (i.e., from a B to B-) as the work cannot be made up. Lateness up to 15 minutes counts as half an absence. If you are more than 15 minutes late you are counted as absent.
Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations or academic adjustments for this course must either enroll in the Program for Academic Access or register with the Office of Student Support Services. For any accommodation, the instructor must be presented with either a letter from the Assistant Director of the Program for Academic Access or an Accommodations Card from the Office of Student Support Services during the first week of classes.
MMC fosters an academic community where students and faculty work together to create a learning experience that imparts knowledge and forms character. To achieve this, the College requires all members of the community to adhere to the policy of Academic Honesty that can be found in the Student Handbook, the College Catalogue and on the College website.
look:
* http://www.yhchang.com
* http://www.6amhoover.com
* http://www.bornmagazine.org
look:
* http://www.theyrule.net
* http://teddiesinspace.com/
* http://escapelab.com.au/
* Singing Horses
* http://becominghuman.org/
read:
- "Chapter 2: The Vocabulary of Comics" from Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud
DUE:
"t e x t" - choose a word and illustrate either its mood or tone or meaning in a frame-by-frame animation. You may only use the one word - no other words are allowed. You may use other shapes. Your animation should be sized to 550x400, 12 frames per second and EXACTLY 60 frames in duration.
DUE:
"morph-olution" - Create an animation that explores the notion of evolution in at least 5 stages. The project should incorporate at least 2 shape tweens that utilize shape hints. The final result should be a "perfect loop" - it should end exactly where it began. Your animation should be sized to 550x400, 24 frames per second and 10 seconds in duration.
DUE:
"crowded" - Create an animation of a walking crowd of people. Your animation should use MovieClips and MotionTweens.
DUE:
"Banner Ad Jam" Think about the ad banners on websites as public spaces similar to billboards, posters, signs & other advertisements. Plan & design a 468x60 (24 fps) Ad Banner in flash that utilizes images and text and incorporates a corporate logo. The banner can advertise your love for something or someone, can express a political message, can be humorous - keep in mind that this is meant to be presented in a public places. You should be able to make the argument that your piece is an example of Culture jamming.
http://www.logotypes.ru/default_e.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_jamming
DUE:
"My Life" - Animate your life story in 30 seconds or less (bunnies optional). Your flash movie should be 640x480 at 24 fps. - 1st draft should include your soundtrack/voice over and approximately 10 seconds of completed animation (This will be graded)
http://www.angryalien.com
http://www.oddtodd.com
DUE:
"My Life" - final draft of My Life.
DUE: How-To script/storyboard
Have a sitemap and at least 2 of the 5 scenes.
look
http://www.themeatrix.com
http://dontclick.it
http://www.mono-1.com/monoface/main.html
http://www.strindbergandhelium.com
http://www.amanitadesign.com
DUE: How-To first draft
look
http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/end
http://fsk.deviantart.com/art/Line-Rider-beta-40255643
http://www.beonlineb.com/click_around.html
http://specials.washingtonpost.com/video/onbeing/
http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/
http://www.kirkshouse.com/
http://www.donniedarkofilm.com/
http://otnemem.com/index.html
http://www.requiemforadream.com/
http://www.wooagency.com/
http://www.presstube.com/
http://www.tokyoplastic.com/
DUE:
"How To": With a partner, develop an interactive Flash movie that illustrates/teaches your audience how to do something. This could be anything from how to make a PB&J sandwich to how to knit to how to make a Flash movie. It must have at least 5 different scenes; at least 1 voiceover and it must utilize buttons for your audience to interact with.
DUE:
Final project proposal:
* project description (include any relevant background info)
* discuss your intended audience
* discuss your visual/aesthetic strategy
* discuss at least 3 URLs of other projects/websites relevant to your project
* Sitemap or Storyboard as appropriate