Syllabus

DIGM 252    Multimedia Timeline Design

Location: URBN 250

Section_002: Tuesday 12:30 pm - 3:20 pm

Spring 2013

Instructor: Jeffrey Otto, M.F.A., M.A.

Email: jko35@drexel.edu
Class Blog : http://digm252spring2013.blogspot.com

Office Hours: By appointment

Catalog description:

Introduces basic design concepts and tools to create time based 2D and 3D multimedia. Addresses issues from pre-production planning, through, post-production and delivery; emphasis on time-based multimedia.

Course Objectives:

Introduces basic concepts and tools used in time-based multimedia creation, and covers issues of pre-production planning, storyboarding, project management, production, and post- production as related to time-based media and animation. Special attention is focused on computer synthesis of time-altered events and effects as the dynamic interpretations of physical phenomena of motion and visual perception. 

Class participants employ both analog and digital tools and materials to create compelling multimedia content. The course exposes students to a variety of crucial design concerns for time-altered media. Through a series of lectures, demonstrations, discussions, and hands-on projects, class members will be introduced to a significant array of creative strategies applicable to virtually any media pre-production design and realization planning. Students should exit the course with advanced familiarities with the special vernaculars of moving pictures visual language and enhanced facilities with a wide range of artful methodologies.

Weekly assigned projects and the extended final project require considerable attention to detail and, often, intense collaborative involvement. Therefore, substantial dedication will be expected from each and every student, whether as individual or team-based enterprises. The students will be expected to present completed interim assignments, and works-in- progress as either an informal assessment at their workstation, or possibly to the entire class for group discussion. Besides attending every class, and every lecture, students will be

responsible for fulfilling assignments of supplemental reading, research, and reports. 

Within the coverage of the course, each student will give short in-class demonstrations, reports, and/or presentations; resultant of investigations and experimentations in response to an assigned problem or research topic relevant to the coursework and/or the digital media industry-at-large. 

Materials:

1) Digital camera (minimum 5 megapixel resolution)

2) Digitizing tablet / stylus (Recommended: Cross-OS friendly; USB interface; 5.5 " x 8.8" or greater active area; Resolution: > 4000 lpi; (i.e. WACOM Intuous4 Medium USB ~$325 @ academic pricing)

[N.B.: You will be using this device in many other classes, and though you should be very conscience of both the limitations of your tabletop's real estate and the device's portability, when it comes to digitizing tablets, as you can afford to:  bigger active area and the higher res is almost always better way to go.]

3) Sketchbook(s):  You are required to have an ample supply of drawing supplies available -always.

It often serves to maintain an ongoing personal sketch/concept journal in a bound version with good quality paper for keeper work. BUT it's also crucial to have at the ready a ringed binder of cheap throwaway (…yes, to be recycled) paper stock. Trust me; every drawing has value, but not every drawing is worth saving.

4) Additional  “expendables”: Supplemental tools and materials may need to be purchased (i.e.: special art supplies, colored pencils, markers, storyboard pads, alternate digital archiving media, dry-ice, model-building  supplies,  DV  tape,  DVDS…)  on  a  per-project basis.

5) Texts: The Animator’s Survival Kit , Richard Williams ISBN 0-571-20228-4  Faber and Faber London, New York 2001

Other appropriate software texts will be suggested.

Grading:

Student's grades are based on the following evaluation criteria:

1) Depth of involvement: Though much critical evaluation is based on final products, substantive investment of energies to less-than-stellar results will be considered.

2) Creativity and cleverness: Ingenious exploration of concepts is merited; whereas also ran efforts will deflate the grade.

3) Professionalism: Except when and where indicated, all assignment fulfillments

should be well constructed, clearly labeled, and of the highest possible quality.

4) Exactitude: How closely and completely the project's parameters have been

realized. 

5) Timeliness: A reduction of 10% per day will be assessed to late submissions.

Percentages of Overall Grade:

1) Informed contribution to class discussions:    10%

2) Homework Projects:      65%

3) Final Project Critique:      25%

Attendance:  Presence in class is mandatory. This course relies heavily on intra-class participation and shared contribution. Each class missed will result in a 10% deduction of the final grade.  Missing three or more classes will earn a failing grade ("F") for the course. It is the responsibility of the absent student to contact class peers for class coverage and information missed!

Tardiness: Three (3) late entries into class equal one (1) absence (as above).

Re special classes: Students must not miss a critique under any circumstances. Doing so will result in a lowering of the overall course grade:

Tardiness (-5%); Absence (-10%).

[Note: Other absence-related information is available via the Office of the Provost: http://www.drexel.edu/provost/policyweb/absence]

Classroom Rules:

1) Due to the contemporaneousness of course subjects, the Instructor may direct students to access data via the Internet. It is to be noted that NO student computer uses (viz. IM-ing, texting, game playing,..) other than those directed by the Instructor may be conducted during seminar sessions. 

2) NO phone activity is permitted within the classroom unless explicitly directed by the Instructor.

3) ABSOLUTELY NO FOOD OR BEVERAGES (except water) ARE ALLOWED IN THE LABS, OR

CLASSROOMS!!

Ø Note:  Infractions of these  rules  will  summarily  affect  the  student’s  grade!

Academic Honesty Policy:

Drexel University is committed to a learning environment that embraces academic honesty. In order to protect members of our community from results of dishonest conduct, the University has adopted policies to deal with cases of academic dishonesty. Please read, understand, and follow the  “Academic  

Honesty  Policy”  as  written  in  the  Official  Student  Handbook:  

http://www.drexel.edu/studentlife/SLhandbook.htm.

Special Needs:

Students with documented disabilities who need course accommodations, have emergency medical information or require special arrangements for building evacuation should contact the instructor within the first two weeks of class. Verification of any special arrangements needs to be made through the

Office of Disability Services, 3201 Arch Street, Suite 210. For further information visit: http://www.drexel.edu/edt/disability/.

Disclaimer/Caveat/Proviso:  This syllabus is a living document, and may be adjusted, appended, and/or altered by the attendant instructor as determined necessary. The instructor will earnestly attempt to make announcement of any changes to the document in fair advance (minimum of one week) of any

assignment or course coverage demands.