Penn State University ≠ School of Visual Arts

Fall 2013

A&A 110 Interdisciplinary Digital Media Studio I

Professor: Eduardo Navas (ean13@psu.edu)

Mondays & Wednesdays 2:30 ≠ 5:30 PM

Course Description (as defined by Penn State School of Visual Arts)

Provides arts and design students an interdisciplinary studio-based exploration of critical, theoretical, and historical understandings of digital media.

Emphasis of Class:

This class focuses on developing projects that function across multiple media forms, often referenced as transmedia. Students will develop an intimate understanding of how image, sound and text are redefined by emerging media and deployed in material and virtual space to communicate ideas. The class will consist of a close analysis of ideas across media; specifically, participants will analyze how a story is deployed as a book, a film, and/or a game. A close interdisciplinary analysis will enable students to develop a major project of their own.

Class Structure

Class sections for the most part will be divided as follows: on Monday, class will consist of discussion and lectures on material being researched for projects one and two, which are discussed below. On Wednesdays, class will be a day of work and research. Students will be enhancing their technical skills according to the type of project they decide to develop. Students will meet with the instructor individually as needed. The students will turn in a total of three projects.

Project 1: Analysis of First Transmedia Project (The Matrix)

Project 2: Analysis of Second Transmedia Project (In Cold Blood Capote)

Project 3: Production of Transmedia Project (by students)

Please note that research and production for project three will take place from the beginning of the term.

Learning Outcomes:

1. To understand how content and form is different from medium to medium, and making the most of this difference to enhance the possibilities of communication of ideas.
2. To understand the basic history and theory relevant to an interdisciplinary practice in art and design that crossover to other fields of specialization.
3. To acquire an advanced understanding of conceptual models that are essential for interdisciplinary production.
4. To gain practical knowledge of diverse tools used to develop interdisciplinary and transmedia work.
5. To produce projects that communicate messages effectively, and are critically invested.

A Note on Plagiarism

Plagiarism will not be tolerated. A student who commits plagiarism will be reported to the office of the visual arts. The studentπs behavior will be taken very seriously and dealt with according to the guidelines provided by Penn State University ≠ School of Visual Arts. To avoid plagiarism, please cite your sources when appropriate.

Required Books

The following books are required for class:

Jean Baudrillard. Simulation Simulacra [PDF provided]

Clarke, Gerald, Capote. New York: Carroll & Graff, 1988.

Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood. New York: Vintage, 1994.

Irwin, William. Editor. Philosophy and The Matrix. New York: Open Court, 2002.

,Joshua, Clover. The Matrix. London: British Film Institute, 2007.

Henry Jenkins. Convergence Culture. New York: NYU Press, 2008.

Requirements

Please note that final grades are dependent upon consistent performance in all course requirements.

• Attend every class session. (See attendance below for more details.)
• Participate in class exercises, as well as lab time. Class participation will also include in-class exercises.
• There are a total of 3 projects. The point breakdown is below.
• There are no make-ups. Please check with me for possible exceptions. Not consulting with me prior to the dates when assignments are due will lead to an automatic F.
• Final projects cannot be lateãno exceptions.

Grading

• Attendance and Class Participation 10%
• Project 1: Analysis of First Transmedia Project (The Matrix) 25%
• Project 2: Analysis of Second Transmedia Project (In Cold Blood Capote) 30%
• Project 3: Production of Transmedia Project (by students) 35%

Total 100%

Grade Scale

• 94-100 = A
• 90-93 = A-
• 87-89 = B+
• 84-86 = B
• 80-83= B-
• 77-79 = C+
• 74-76 = C
• 70-73 = C-
• 60-69 = D
• 0-59 = F

Attendance

• Three Absences = F, Three tardies (15 minutes late or early departure) = one absence.
• One Absence will take away 1.5% from attendance grade and 1.5% from class participation.
• There are no excused absences unless it is an extreme case. Please check with instructor for exceptions.

Semester Schedule

Note that the class includes a series of short exercises, which are considered part of class participation. These exercises are designed to complement the successful completion of your projects. Lectures on history and theory will shift according to the studentsπ needs to gain practical knowledge from week to week

Week 1:

Monday, August 26, 2013

Introduction to Class | Lecture on Interdisciplinary Practice and Transmedia | Reading Assignment: Read ≥The Precession of Simulacra≤ by Jean Baudrillard (PDF). View The Matrix on your own, available on reserve at library. Film is to be discussed beginning Tuesday September 3.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Assignment: Begin reading Philosophy and The Matrix. Chapters to be assigned on Angel.

Week 2:

Monday, September 2, 2013

Labor Day, no class

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Online Discussion of First Reading. (Online discussion on the film The Matrix begins on September 3)

Assignment: Weekly Project to be assigned, due on Monday, September 9.

Week 3:

Monday, September 9, 2013

Weekly Project due. Upload to Angel. Critique to take place on Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Assignment: Chapters from The Matrix and Philosophy and The Matrix by Joshua Clover

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Critique of Weekly Project | Lecture on The Matrix

Assignment: Weekly project assigned, due Monday, September 16

Week 4:

Monday, September 16, 2013

Weekly Project Due

Assigned: Preliminary concept proposal for Final Project, Due Monday September 21.

Reading Assignment on The Matrix

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Lecture on transmedia, storytelling and writing | Workday

Prepare for Project 1, final analysis on The Matrix.

Week 5:

Monday, September 23, 2013

Due: Analysis of First Transmedia Project (The Matrix) 25%

Discussed In class

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Lecture on Transmedia and Interdisciplinary

Assignment: Read In Cold Blood, pages to be assigned on Angel.

Week 6:

Monday, September 30, 2013

Assignment: Begin discussing the book In Cold Blood on Angel forum, continue reading the book.

View In Cold Blood, the film.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Assignment: Finish reading In Cold Blood, the book by Monday, October 7. Continue discussion on forum.

Week 7:

Monday, October 7, 2013

Assignment: Finish discussing the book In Cold Blood in relation to the film.

Assignment: Begin Reading, Capote, the Biography

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

View: Capote, the film

Assignment: Weekly interdisciplinary assignment | continue reading Capote, the biography, and begin discussing on forum.

Week 8:
Monday, October 13, 2013

Critique of of Weekly Interdisciplinary Assignment | Continue reading Capote, the biography and discussing on forum in relation to the film.

Wednesday, October 15, 2013

Assignment: Finish Reading Capote, the biography | prepare to turn in Project 2.

Week 9:

Monday, October 21, 2013

Due: Analysis of Second Transmedia Project (In Cold Blood Capote) 30%

Discussion in class

Assignment: Revise preliminary proposal for project three

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Assignment: Weekly Project due on Monday October 28.

Week 10:

Monday, October 28, 2013

Due: Revised Proposal for Project 3.

Weekly Project reviewed in class.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Lecture on Transmedia | Work Day

Assignment: Weekly Project

Week 11:

Monday, November 4, 2013

Weekly Project reviewed in class

Lecture on Interdisciplinary practice

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Assignment: Weekly Project

Week 12:

Monday, November 11, 2013

Weekly Project reviewed in class

Lecture on Interdisciplinary practice

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Lecture on Transmedia | Work Day

Assignment: Weekly Project

Week 13:

Monday, November 18, 2013

Weekly Project reviewed in class

Lecture on Interdisciplinary practice

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Lecture on Transmedia | Work Day

Assignment: Weekly Project | Revise Proposal for Project 3

Week 14:

Monday, November 25, 2013

Thanksgiving

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Thanksgiving

Week 15:

Monday, December 2, 2013

Due: proposal for Project 3.

Work on Project 3

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Work on Project 3

Week 16:

Monday, December 9, 2013

Final Project Critiqued, Part 1 Assignment includes a brief essay on one of the readings assigned throughout the semester. The text cited in assignment 3 cannot be cited in your final assignment.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Final Project Critiqued, Part 2

Week 17: December 16, 2013

Due: Final Project.