Foundations of Media Design
William Crow, Instructor
Course Description This
course is designed as a prerequisite to other media production courses within
the MA degree program in Media Studies; it provides a broad orientation for
understanding areas of media production.
Through an activity-based study of perceptual principles, graphic
design, photography, sound, the moving image, and digital media, students
examine the underlying forms, principles and processes of media, as viewers,
reviewers, and as makers. Students
will also explore their own creativity, interests, and personal strengths in
various technologies and their role in the production process. This course stresses the basic use of a
range of equipment and software as applied to conceptual and analytical
problems of media design.
Course Requirements FMD
is an intensive course exploring design from conceptual and practical
perspectives. Weekly reading
assignments, design exercises and production projects will reinforce the
lectures. There are no tests, and
no formal papers, although students are expected to write design critiques of
various media, as well as maintain a regular media log of images and
observations. The course content
builds sequentially, but does not lead to a big project that determines the
final grade. All parts of the
course are of equal importance, so attendance is mandatory. Grades will be based on students'
successful completion of assignments, demonstration of understanding for and
application of the subject matter, class discussion and project participation. Students
will be given written evaluations of their progress as well as feedback during
class discussions and critiques.
Media Journals:
Students are expected to purchase a
9Ó x 12Ó lightweight sketchbook (spiral bound is preferable), approx. 50 pages
in which to keep a ÒjournalÓ of various clippings of media and
commentary/reflection. Assignments
will be given on a weekly basis that will constitute a ÒthemeÓ for the weekÕs
entries in the media journal. These will be collected and graded periodically.
***Students will also need access to a camera, tape recorder, and a supply of three (3) MAC formatted ZIP disks for this course.
Required Texts: (Available at Barnes and Noble, 18th Street and Fifth Ave.)
á
Zettl, Herbert. Sight, Sound, Motion: Applied Media Aesthetics, Wadsworth
Pub. 3rd ed. 1999. (location: Visual Art textbooks)
á
Barthes, Roland. Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography, Hill
and Wang, 1981. (location: Critical Theory)
á
Sontag, Susan. On Photography, Anchor, 1977.
(location: Photography, trade section).
á
McCloud, Scott. Understanding Comics, Kitchen
Sink Press, 1994. (location: Art Criticism)
Required Listening:
This American Life,
WNYC 820 AM radio, Saturdays at 11 am or Sundays at 2 pm, also at 4pm Sundays
on WNYC FM 93.9, or online at www.thislife.org.
On the Media, WNYC
820 AM radio, Saturdays 7am, Sundays at 3 pm or online at www.onthemedia.org.
Online resources:
A new component of our course is the New School Online University at www.dialnsu.edu. Please visit this site for updates and course info.
Course Outline: Each session
consists of lectures, screenings, and workshops.
Week 1: Orientation, Introductions
Overview of Course and Requirements
Discussion of Media Log/Journal, and Required Listening radio programs
Fundamental Concepts in Media Design: APPROACHES
Required Readings:
á Marshall
McLuhan, The Medium is the Message and Media
Hot and Cold, from Understanding
Media: The Extensions of Man
á excerpts
from Art Fundamentals, Theory and Practice
In class project: Self-Portrait collages and discussion
Completion of student questionnaire
Week 2: The Components of Communication: Useful Terms
In class
discussion of McLuhan and Art Fundamentals
In class project: Design concepts (Line, Form, Composition)
Slide discussion and examples
In-class assignment: Polaroid Project and discussion
Photo project, Part I
For next week: Collect 10 images in your media journal that illustrate the design concepts discussed in class with written commentary.
Readings:
á Zettl, Sight, Sound, Motion, chapters 1,2,3
á Understanding Comics, chapters 1, 5
á Barthes, Camera Lucida, Part I
Week 3: Discussion/Critique
of Photo Projects, Part I
Discussion of Zettl ch. 1-3, Comics, Barthes Part I
Documentary Screening: American Photography: A Century of Images
Readings:
Barthes, Part II, Zettl, chapters 6, 7, 8 (Area and Screen Forces)
Susan Sontag, On
Photography
In two weeks: Photo Project due, Part II, bring in topics for computer project
Week 4: Discussion of Photo Project, Part II
Introduction to Sound
Discussion of This American Life radio program
Discussion
of theme for computer projects, vote
Discussion of Barthes Part II, Sontag and Zettl 6, 7, 8 (Area and Screen Forces)
Readings:
WBEZ in Chicago, How to Make Radio ThatÕs Good
Understanding Comics, chapters TBA
Zettl, chapter 17, 18 (Sound)
Assignment for next week: Part I of audio narrative project
Week 5: Screening
of Part I of Audio Projects, Discussion
Discussion of readings
Assignment: VHS Project
Week 6: Screening/Discussion
of VHS Projects
Discussion of Storyboard
Project
Readings:
Zettl, chapter 11 (Storyboard)
Week 7: Critique/Discussion
of Storyboard Projects
Screening:
Exposition scenes of The Graduate
Readings:
Zettl, chapters 9, 10 (3-D Field: Screen Volume)
Week 8: Introduction
to Hi-8 Video cameras
In-class group project with Hi-8 video cameras
***The remaining classes will meet in the computer lab. Location TBA.
Week 9: UCC
Computer Workshop: Intro. to the
MAC
Getting acquainted with the MAC computer
Exercises/Tutorial
Introduction to scanning
Assignment for next week: Collect and scan 5 images for Photoshop workshop
Week 10: UCC
Computer Workshop: Intro. to Adobe
Photoshop
Viewing of scanning and file types
Exercises and tutorial with Adobe Photoshop 6
Getting acquainted with the sofware, demo
Digitizing audio, using tracks
Audio project
Demo, working with colors and still images
Project
using images from Photoshop
Week 14, 15: Final
Discussions and Critiques of Projects