Syllabus

Course Description

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.

Learning Goals

• You will be able to integrate many forms of digital media into cohesive multimedia projects using the Macromedia Flash authoring environment.
• You will use basic principles of computer programming to add interactivity to your projects.
• You will be able to present and articulate your creative ideas to others.
• You will be able to take ideas through a complete design process from concept to production.

Textbooks and Materials

materials:
USB Flash Drive (256MB or bigger) - OR - portable Hard Drive

required texts:
all required readings will be available online or handed out in class

Optional texts:
Macromedia Flash 8: Visual QuickStart Guide by Katherine Ulrich
Macromedia Flash Professional 8: Hands-On Training by James Gonzalez

Grade Weights

Participation: 25%

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.

Projects: 50%

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.

Final Project: 25%

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.

Tips

• Plan ahead! Digital media projects can be incredibly time consuming and occupy a lot of time outside of class. Don't leave things for the last minute.
• Attendance is essential to succeed in this class. The skills and techniques taught are cumulative - they build upon previous ones. Missing just one week can make it very difficult to catch up. You will also note that class participation makes up a sizable percentage of your final grade - if you are absent you cannot participate and your grade will suffer.
• Save different versions of your projects and save often. Make back-ups of your files.
• Work in the lab with a friend - when learning new technology, 2 brains are usually better than one. You are welcome to work on your assignments at home but many students use the lab in room 556. Lab hours will be posted after the first week of classes. Students may not use the lab when another class is in session. If the lab is locked during you may get a key from the Security Desk.

Attendance Policy

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.

Disabilities

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.

Academic Honesty Policy

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.

Schedule

SEP 06: 01 - introduction - First Memory

• introduction, syllabus, etc
• review/intro to GarageBand
• in class exercise - share first memories with your partner

SEP 13: 02 - Setting the Stage

• tour of the Flash authoring environment
• using text - static, broken, dynamic
• the Stage - movie properties

read:
- "Chapter 2: The Vocabulary of Comics" from Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud

DUE:
"retell" - In class you will partner with a classmate and share your first distinct memory. Using GarageBand, "retell" their story in a 1-2 minute audio piece. Your project should be based on this memory, but you are not required to retell the story exactly as it was told to you - you have creative license to embellish, exaggerate, extrapolate, interpolate the story to generate a compelling narrative. That said, you should try to respect the original story (and the person who told it) so as not to misrepresent them. Turn in an MP3 with filename like "retell_your_last_name.mp3" (retell_schwartz.mp3)

SEP 20: 03 - drawing a Tween - remix culture

• The Timeline - layers, framerate, keyframes
• Shapes - properties, grouping, ungrouping breaking apart
• Tweens - shape, motion [position, scale, color, alpha]

read:
- "Chapter 4: Time Frames" from Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud

DUE:
"t e x t" - assignment description will be handed out in class

SEP 27: 04 - creating a Mask - Thinking about Time

• importing artwork from illustrator/photoshop
• creating masks
• using motion paths and guides

read:
- "Generation Flash" by Lev Manovich

DUE:
"Little Black Boxes" - assignment description will be handed out in class

OCT 04: 05 - incorporating Sound

• Finding sounds online
• Importing sound, recording sound in the classroom
• Event sound, streaming sound

DUE:
"Banner Ad Jam" - assignment description will be handed out in class

OCT 11: 06 - animation Tricks

• Animation techniques: easing, blur, gravity
• Working with MovieClips

DUE:
"My Life" - Animate your life story in 30 seconds or less (bunnies optional). Have a storyboard and at least 10 seconds of animation.

OCT 18: 07 - the Loop - Generation Flash

• nested MovieClips
• making animated loops
• programming loops

DUE:
"My Life, take 2" - final draft of My Life.

OCT 25: 08 - make it Interactive

• Creating buttons
• Using Behaviors
• Using ActionScript

DUE: How-To script/storyboard
Have a sitemap and at least 2 of the 5 scenes.

NOV 01: 09 - make it even more Interactive

• Approaches to navigation
• ActionScript

DUE: How-To first draft

NOV 08: 10 - incorporating video

• encoding flash video files
• controlling video with behaviors.
• Introduce final project

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.

NOV 15: 11 - Individual Meetings

• Work on final project

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

NOV 22: NO CLASSES - THANKSGIVING

NOV 29: 12 - Individual Meetings

• Work on final project

DEC 06: 13 - Open Lab

• Work on Final Projects

DEC 13: 14 - Final Class

• In class critique of final projects and wrap-up

Class schedule and notes

Class notes, links and resources.