Communications Lab - #H79.2004
Tuesdays 9:30-12:00, Instructor: Marianne R.Petit
Course Description: An introductory course designed to provide students with hands-on experience using various technologies (online communities, digital imaging, audio, video, animation, authoring environments and the World Wide Web.) The forms and uses of new communications technologies are explored in a laboratory context of experimentation and discussion. The technologies are examined as tools that can be employed in a variety of situations and experiences. Principles of interpersonal communications, media theory, and human factors are introduced. Weekly assignments, team and independent projects, and project reports are required.

Grading is based on successful completion of all assignments, class webjournals, class participation and attendance.

This syllabus will be updated weekly with links and notes. My office hours are Tuesdays from 1-4 pm and Wednesdays from 1-4 or by appointment (marianne dot petit at nyu dot edu)

Required Texts: Orality and Literacy by Walter Ong, Understanding Media by Marshall Mcluhan, Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud

Class Urls

Class 2: Tuesday, September 11
Lecture/Discussion/Demonstration:
- More Wordpress
- Discuss Ong Reading
- Jonas Mekas - 365 Films
- Xacti Cameras & 30-Minute Video Festival/Shoot & Post
Assignment:
- Take a look at YouTube, GoogleVideo, Revver, BlipTV, JumpCut., IFilm, MediaLab. Cross-post your video to two of them. Post a response.

Class 3: Tuesday, September 18
Lecture/Discussion/Demonstration:
- Discuss video sharing/reposting
-Intro to image capture and manipulation : http://www.briandilg.com, http://detouch.org/, Kate Couric, The NYTimes, Reuters
- Demonstration: Photoshop
Assignment:
- Read Walter Benjamin's "Art in the Age of Reproduction", Post a response.
- Exquisite Corpse Using 3-5 disparate and manipulated images: Form teams of three. Each member of the team must begin an image using two disparate images. Pass this image on to the second member of the team. Add another element. Pass this image on to the third member of team. Add another element and complete image. Each team should have three images completed with each member ofthe team having completed a beginning, middle, and end stage. Post all three images to your blog. Bring photoshop file with layers to class.

Class 4: Tuesday, September 25
Lecture/Discussion/Demonstration:
- Discuss Benjamin reading
- Critique images
- Disussion: Sequential Imaging
- Examples: Alien Loves Predator | Demain5 more urls to be added here
Assignment:
- Read Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics
- In teams of two tell a story in 4-10 sequential images. Upload to blog.

Class 5: Tuesday, October 2
Lecture/Discussion/Demonstration:
- Critique Sequential Images
- Pixilation & Stop Motion
- View: Norman McLaren's "Neighbors" Michel Gondry/White Stripes The Hardest Button to Button, The Mill/Sia "Breathe Me"
- Digital stills and iMovie demonstation
Assignment:
- In teams of 2 create a 30-second time-lapse or pixilation animation. Bring Quicktime DV file to class.

Class 6: Tuesday, October 9
Lecture/Discussion/Demonstration:
- Critique stop-motion animations
- Discuss storyboards
- View: Robert Castillo's "SPIC, The Storyboard of My Life"
Assignment:
- Read Steven Katz "Film Directing Shot by Shot" chapter on storyboards.
- Break into teams of four to plan for video project. Create storyboard in preparation of videoshoot. Be prepared to discuss in class. Upload to blog.

Class 7: Tuesday, October 16
Lecture/Discussion/Demonstration:
- Review storyboards
- Demonstration: The video camera and the basics of shooting video: audio, composition, lighting. (see video notes and audio and lighting notes)
Assignment:
- Group Videoshoot

Class 8: Tuesday, October 23
Lecture/Discussion/Demonstration:
- How did your shoot go?
- Logging your footage and the paper edit - Edit Worksheet
- Demonstration: FinalCut Pro
Assignment:
- Edit two-minute video. Upload quicktime file to your blog. Present QuicktimeDV file in class.

Class 9: Tuesday, October 30
Lecture/Discussion/Demonstration:
- Critique Videos
- Discussion of digital audio - sampling and distribution
- The story of DJ Danger Mouse's "The Grey Album" (http://www.illegal-art.org/audio/grey.html) and Negativland v. U2 (www.negativland.com) - download sound files
- Demonstration: Collection of sounds and the M-Audio recorder
Assignment:
- Read Clay Shirky's Fame versus Fortune and Scout McCloud's response
- Visit the Electronic Frontier Foundation's website: http://www.eff.org/
- Read Marshall McLuhan's "Understanding Media"Chapter 1: The Medium is the Message and Chapter 2: Media Hot and Cold
- Post a response
- In teams of two, begin the collection of sounds for a 1-minute sound piece (due in 2 weeks) This piece should can be environmental, create space or mood, tell a story through sound.

Class 10: Tuesday, November 6
Lecture/Discussion/Demonstration:
- Demonstration: Basic digital audio: Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/)
- Discussion/Demonstration: Make it loop! - Midi and Garageband
demonstration Audacity & Garageband
Assignment:
- In teams of two create a 1-minute sound piece in any of the environments we looked at. Again, this piece should can be environmental, create space or mood, tell a story through sound. Upload it to your site in mp3. Bring either the audacity or garbage files with all tracks to class.

Class 11: Tuesday, November 13
Lecture/Discussion/Demonstration:
- Critique audio assignments
- Discussion: Storyboards and animation techniques
- View: Animations TBA
Assignment:
- In teams of two, create storyboard for one-minute animation. Upload to class site.

Class 12: Tuesday, November 20
Lecture/Discussion/Demonstration:
- Review storyboards
- Demonstration: Flash - download class file
- Links of interest: Joe Cartoon, Odd Todd, Stainboy, VectorPark, Homestar Runner, RatherGood, Strindberg and Helium, Mark Fiore, Channel Frederator
Assignment:
- In teams of two, create 1 minute animation using Flash

Class 13: Tuesday, November 27
Lecture/Discussion/Demonstration:
- Critique animation.
Assignment:
- Review all your past assignments. Was there one particular area that really interested you? Was there something you wish you could do over again? Pick one area or assignment and do it over. By yourself. For next week.