PURPOSE OF THE COURSE

In this studio course, students generate concepts, thematic proposals, storyboards, and narratives for audiovisual presentations and creative works with a focus on online or web applications. Students develop projects for motion graphics, kinetic typography, as well as audio components.

This lab course explores the technical and conceptual challenges facing designers working with new media. Students will construct multimedia projects engaging directly with notions of animation, graphic user interface, image sequencing, navigation, and innovative ways of organizing and disseminating information.This computer lab course also introduces students to video, sound and basic animation for digital media applications. Practical exercises advance technical skills and are combined with thematic proposals for multimedia work in networked environments.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. To develop perceptual and critical skills used in the production of digital media projects.
2. To explore design elements using digital materials.
3. Possess basic knowledge of digital systems (i.e., resolution, signals, sampling, quantization, etc)
4. To explore theoretical and critical literature of the field.

GRADING POLICY

DEPARTMENT STANDARD FOR ABSENCE:
As a Departmental policy, a maximum of two absences per term is tolerated, after which an official medical note (containing the date of the visit, the dates impacted by the medical condition, the M.D.’s name, license/registration number, and contact information) or other valid reason must be provided. Justification must be given in writing to the instructor. Three unjustified absences per course will result in an automatic failure. Notification in writing will be sent to students after two missed classes. If you have started a course late, each class you missed will count as an absence. In all cases, students are responsible for any material that is not submitted. Information will not be repeated due to absence or tardiness, except for a legitimate medical or other emergency.

FINAL GRADE:
The final grade will be based on the University grade point equivalents as listed in the Concordia Undergraduate Calendar, Section 16.3.3.

Work habits/ethics will influence your grades.
All grades will be averaged together.
Late work or class participation will also weigh heavily on your grade.
Late work will be penalized a letter grade for every day late.

• 15% Attendance, participation and reflections on weekly readings.
• 30% 3 practice assignments
• 15% Midterm project (final website proposal)
• 40% Final project

EVALUATION:
Specific conceptual, technical and aesthetic objectives associated with each individual assignment and exercise will be clearly identified and evaluated by the following criteria.

• Conceptual ability (understanding of the exercise).
• Creativity.
• Use of design elements and properties.
• Use of digital media.
• Aesthetic criteria (realization of the idea).
• Critical thinking - critique of your own work and that of other students.

PROJECT ASSIGNMENTS

Design and innovation within the medium will be considered during the formulation of your grade; highest grades will be given to projects that not only meet the requirements of the assignment, but also engage the audience creatively (in both form and function). All projects must be published online in your personal class web site. Any file not available online will be considered incomplete. A zipped version of the project's root folder should also be sent to the instructor by email or dropbox for archival purposes. Late projects are deducted one letter grade.

15% Personal Class Website and Reading Reflections
Students will create a personal class web site consisting of at least 3 sections (readings, exercises and projects). Blogs, or Wordpress, or Drupal websites are acceptable. This website will be used throughout the semester to post exercises, reading responses and the midterm and final project.

10% Practice Assignment 01
Students will create a short (10 sec) video using film, images and music drawn from the public domain. Grading will be based on core video concepts detailed in class.

10% Practice Assignment 02
Students will create a short (10 sec) video using stop motion animation or hand drawn animation. Grading will be based on core video concepts detailed in class.

10% Practice Assignment 03
Students will create a short (10 sec) titling sequence. Grading will be based on core video concepts detailed in class.

15% Midterm_Assignment
Students must submit a well designed and organized proposal for their final project.

• It should contain a well written 750 - 1000 word script (3-4 pages double spaced).
• Students should also submit thumbnail sketches of their proposed project in jpeg or png format.
• Students should also submit a detailed 3-4 page (6 panels/page) storyboard.
• A moodboard containing examples of typography, color palette, and inspirational images is also required.
• Finally, the work must be published online and presented in class.

40% Final_Assignment
Students will develop (alone or in groups of 2-3 maximum) a digital media work that exemplifies techniques and skills learned throughout the semester.

• It must use of a varied array of digital media (3D, original sound, video)
• Must show use of design elements and properties, with a particular attention to innovative design techniques.
• It must show the realization of the idea (what does it mean?)
• Duration 2– 5 minutes.
• It must be published online.

ONLINE RESOURCES

A Small collection of tutorial websites:
aetuts+
videocopilot
creative cow
vectortuts+
psdtuts+

A Small collection of public domain websites:
9 great video resources
http://www.sxc.hu/
more image and sound resources

RECOMMENDED READING

Weekly readings will be provided digitally in the schedule below.

Creating Motion Graphics 5th Edition: Essential and Advanced Techniques - Chris and Trish Meyer
Motion Graphic Design - Jon Krasner
Creative Motion Graphic Titling for Film, Video, and the Web: Dynamic Motion Graphic Title Design - Yael Braha and Bill Byrne
The Illustrator cs5 Wow Book - Sharon Steuer
Visual Quickstart Guides: Adobe Photoshop - Peachpit Press
The History of Graphic Design - Phillip Meggs