NMDA 400
Advanced New Media Art Intensive
The Unfolding Time-Image
3:45-6:45, Fall. 2002
Room 413

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Course Description:
The objective of this course is to investigate and implement practical and discursive knowledge around fields related to computer influenced art practices. This class will investigate the integration of various media into time introducing the student to principles of animation, sound, video editing, and interactivity. Critical texts will be reviewed concentrating on the history of montage, and will include readings from Benjamin, Buchloch, Michelson, Delueze, and Virilio. Students projects will critically integrate the moving image, sound, and interactivity into a temporally dynamic and unfolding transdiciplinary multimedia project.

The class will be broken down into three components:

Lectures: are devoted to presentation of conceptual material, screening and discussions of recent works in new media. In addtion to contemporary photography, we will review CD-ROMs, DVDs, web sites, digital films, computer games, and works in traditional media influenced by digital processes including film, animation, and painting.
We will discuss general principles of organisation of photographically oriented works and influences drawn from animation, cinema, and comics and compositional principles drawn from fine arts. We will look at how these principles can be applied to static media.

Demos: will introduce students to a working knowledge of Final Cut, Dreamweaver, and After Effects.

Projects: will include the construction and group analysis of student produced digital prints, and web sites. The collective projects will attempt to draw realistic parallels between theoretical texts and a development of a digital art practice.

Course Requirements:
Required Text: None, all readings will be xeroxes or available on the internet.
Materials: 2 Zip disks
Prerequisites: None

Attendance:
Three absences = F, Three tardies (15 mins late or ealy departure) = One Absence. Each absence lowers the final grade by one point.
Failure to show on scheduled presentation days lowers the grade by one point. Making up presentation appointments is only available if there are open appointment times or if, between yourselves, you can switch dates.

Grading: Projects and Assignments:
Research – 25% of the grade will be based on proof of research completed.
Development – 25% of the grade will be based on the student’s ability to choose, develop, illustrate and elaborate upon a topic of their choosing.
Application – 50% of the grade will be based on the student’s ability to understand and apply the topics and themes discussed in class to the subjects / objects they present.

Grading: Quarterly and Overall:
Development – 30% of the grade will be based on the student’s ability to show initiative, develop and expand skills in conceiving and designing webpages.
Application – 40% of the grade will be based on the student’s ability to form connections between the readings presented and the structure, performance and symptoms of the internet.
Participation – 30% of the grade will be based on the student’s active participation in readings and discussions.