Time Based Composing Syllabus

Time Based Composing I (36-2440-01) Fall 2007 Meets: 623 S. Wabash Fourth floor room 411 Tuesday 12:30 – 3:20 PM Instructor: Annette Barbier office: 624 S. Michigan, Suite 600 312.344.8684 abarbier@iam.colum.edu Office hours: Mon. 1:00 – 3:00, W 12:00 –2:00, R by appointment. Main Office Contact Number 312.344.7750

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course explores issues and techniques involved in creating digital video sequences for multimedia production. Students learn to combine digitized video with still images, graphics, text, sound and music, using compositing and editing techniques detailed in class. Lectures, lab time, critiques, visiting artists, and field trips will further an understanding of the concepts and techniques discussed in class.

SOFTWARE: Adobe After Effects, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere and Sound applications (Audacity)

OBJECTIVES: Students will learn:

• Introduction and exposure to time based applications.

• Tweak (adjust and correct) source material.

• Time based dynamic language skills.

• Introduction to alpha channels.

• Utilizing still and time based source material including sound.

• Experimentation with digital effects and filters.

• Exposure to cutting edge technologies.

• Work patterns, styles and organization

• Critique, analysis and discussion skills for time-based projects

COURSE RATIONALE: Required for DMT majors. Elective for IAM majors.

PREREQUISITES: 36-2300 2D Imaging

SUGGESTED TEXTS: “Premiere Visual Quickstart Guide”, “After Effects Visual Quickstart Guide”, published by Peachpit Press. Please use the help files contained in the applications. Additional readings, websites and handouts will be announced in class.

MATERIALS: CDs, DVDs, Storage devices and a sketchbook (provided by student) Print card (provided by the department, second week of class)

Studio 407 (623) and 603 (624): Bring your current CCC ID. The lab has digitizing stations, really large format printers and a CD or DVD printer, (subject to print card usage), a slide scanner, large format scanner and tutors and student Adobe rep available for student use. Room 406 (623) Equipment check out: DV, sound equipment, light equipment, hard-drives, Adobe tutorial DVD’s and digital cameras in the lab.

Hours: http://iam.colum.edu/facilities/studios.aspx Sunday hours may be available in the 624 studio during midterm and final weeks.

Tutoring help:  Jon Cancelino is our primary After Effects tutor, and he is in Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday 10am - 4pm in the Wabash studio.

DEPARTMENT POLICIES: • No eating or drinking by the equipment in any of the classrooms or labs

• Students are never left in a classroom or lab without supervision

• You must have a current Columbia College ID to use the computer labs

• Copying of software or changes to equipment configurations is not allowed

• If you are having trouble in your class please speak to the instructor immediately.

• Tutors are available in the Computer Studio’s (623 S. Wabash, room 407 and 624 S. Michigan, room 603) on a first come, first served basis.

• Un-excused absences and un-excused lateness will adversely affect your grade. The third unexcused absence constitutes a failing grade – No Exceptions. Excused and un-excused absences are at the discretion of the instructor. Excused absences must be proven, supply proof; a traffic ticket, doctors bill etc. Please contact the instructor prior to class if you will be late or absent.

• (Two late arrivals (tardy) = 1 absence)

• Sleeping in class is an un-excused absence.

• Leaving class early, without instructor permission, counts as a tardy.

CLASS POLICIES: • Class starts on time.

• Class attendance and participation are mandatory.

• Assignments are expected on time

• (Late assignments will be graded down 1 grade per week late)

• Make-up Midterm and Final exams must be scheduled before the exam dates.

• Assignments must always be shown when they are due even if they are not complete. They may be re-submitted and critiqued upon completion – only if they have been shown when due as a work in progress.

• Adherence to the Student Code of Conduct from the Columbia College Student Handbook is required.

• Incomplete grades will only be considered in extreme situations: Example:missing the final two weeks of the semester due to illness or accident that can be documented.

• Substantially revised projects may be resubmitted for a grade change before the final week of the semester.

• Please bring the necessary materials to work with to class.

• If you have specific ideas and/or projects in mind that are different from the assigned projects please write a brief proposal explaining your ideas and support the proposal with a preliminary storyboard or source materials.

Ethics: Copyright: It is expected that all materials for this class are of your own creation, are free or you have obtained documented proof that you have permission to use the materials. That includes images, sounds, video, fonts and music.

good discussion of digital photography and manipulation: http://www.astropix.com/HTML/J_DIGIT/ETHICS.HTM

the basic tenets of copyright – who owns it, for how long, under what circumstances: http://www.copyright.gov/

what constitutes fair use, copyrighted music, etc.: http://www.medialawprofessor.com/copyright.html http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/chapter9/index.html

http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html

CONAWAY CENTER STATEMENT Students with disabilities are requested to present their Columbia accommodation letters to their instructor at the beginning of the semester so that accommodations can be arranged in a timely manner by the College, the department or the faculty member, as appropriate. Students with disabilities who do not have accommodation letters should visit the office of Services for Students with Disabilities in room 520 of the Congress building (312.344.8134/V or 312.360.0767/TTY). It is incumbent upon the student to know their responsibilities in this regard.

A Excellent 93-100

A- 90-92

B+ 87-89

B Good 83-86

B- 80-82

C+ 77-79

C Fair 73-76

C- 70-72

D Poor/Passing 60-69

F Failing 59 or less

GRADING SCALE:

• • • • • • • • • • • • • A MINIMUM grade of C is required in order for this course to count toward your major in Interactive Arts and Media. If you do not complete the course with a C or better, you will be required to re-enroll in the course until you reach this benchmark. Be advised that this course is a prerequisite for other courses, and the failure to achieve a grade of C or better WILL impede the progress of your studies.

Grading is founded on a system of personal growth within the following criteria: originality of thought in interpretation of the assignment; taking creative chances; quality of execution (aesthetics and technical expertise), time and effort, critique participation, professional presentation.

Attendance and participation in class are required and expected. Three unexcused absences will result in failing the class.

DISTRIBUTION OF GRADE 100%: Midterm and final exam: 20% Participation (including attendance): 15% Assignments: 20% (in-class, writing, storyboards) Projects: 45% (3 projects @ 15% each)

What constitutes an “A” project: adapted from the Artists Book of Lists 1. Elements of Design over time: line, texture, color, form, value, space, time. Principles of Design: repetition, balance, emphasis, contrast, unity, gestalt. You planned carefully, made several sketches, show an awareness of the above elements, chose an appropriate images, sound, credits, text and techniques and use time (at least 30 second) and space effectively. 2. Creativity/Originality You explore several choices before deciding on one, generate many ideas, try unusual combinations, make connections to previous knowledge and demonstrate outstanding problem-solving skills. 3. Effort/ Perseverance You take the project as far as you can take it and take PRIDE in going beyond the requirements. 4. Craftsmanship/Skill/Consistency The work is beautifully/patiently done showing a clear understanding of the information presented in class – it is as good as you could make it. 5. Attitude Sensitive to others, make a clear statement according to your own goals. This includes an awareness of your audience, and taking responsibility for the message you send in your work.

Project Topics-Due Dates (Themes will be introduced in Class) Project 1:collaging/compositing: Due date: 10/2 Midterm: Due date: 3/6 Project 2:sound: Due date: 10/30 Final: Due date: 5/8 Project 3: text 12/4

Minimum requirements for projects, midterm and final exam:

• written description of ideas for project including idea generation and proposal

• source material(example: Photoshop file)

• storyboard and treatment (brief description of process and content-can be added to the proposal)

• title and credits: name of film-clip, your name

• site all sources: images, sound, video, applications, hardware

• Film-clip saved on appropriate media (CD, DVD, Website, I-Pod, PDA)

Class Dates: September 4,11,18,25; October 2,9,16,23,30; November 6,13,20,27; December 4,11

Course Schedule:

9/4 Introduction to class and lab policies and procedures: Discussion/critique criteria, Copyright Writing Sample: Email to abarbier@iam.colum.edu Introduction to Time Based Media and After Effects Film-Clip Idea Fundamentals Assignment 1: The countdown: In class: In Photoshop use the text tool to create 5 layers with the numbers 1 through 5 each in its own layer. In class demonstration/assignment: After Effects – transform functions, the countdown. Create a countdown. Homework: Add an appropriate background to your countdown. Experiment with the transform functions in After Effects. Read the provided handout, (How Our Eyes See). Bring sketchbook to class.

9/11 View After Effects Countdowns Idea generation: Exquisite Corpse experiments

Project 1: Collage/Dream

Proposal Writing, Storyboards More After Effects Basics using still images. After Effects Review: Transform functions In Class Assignment: Opacity, anchor points, nested compositions, altering time. Using your sketchbook create a storyboard that describes the keyframes of your countdown filmclip. Homework: Assignment 2: Find and edit a minimum of 5 images, (copyright free), in Photoshop that work as a beginning idea for your own version of a Cornell box.

9/18 In-class discussion/critique ideas for Dream image assignment Filters, Photoshop alpha channels and file formats Proposal writing In Class Assignment: Create a storyboard animating your layers. Think specifically about moving the images over time through the background and changing the transform settings of the layers (juxtaposition, rhythm, scale – guiding the viewers eye). Think about Zettl’s “Sight, Sound and Motion”. Work in After Effects. Write a proposal for project 1 (Joseph Cornell: The Dream-maker).

9/25 In-class discussion/critique of Project 1 :proposal. Demo: Opacity, Color adjusts. Preparing for output. Compression In Class Assignment: Work on implementing your storyboard ideas in After Effects – adding filters, titles and credits Homework: Project 1 film clip. We will be viewing the work on screen and burning DVD’s in class

10/2 Discussion/Critique Project 1: Midterm introduction/Midterm questions Titles and credits. Keying, Noise and Paths In Class Assignment: burn DVD’s–– the department will supply 3 printable CD ROM’s or DVD’s Homework: take-home midterm, instructions/discussion provided in class. Have a copy of project 1 available.

10/9 Introduction/Comparison: Adobe Premiere and Final Cut Pro Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/) - free download In Class Assignment Premiere/Final Cut: work on both platforms: Experiment with tools demonstrated in class: Cut and re-order project one according to the comments made during the critique. Homework: finish take-home midterm for critique

10/16 Midterm Critique Introduction to Project 2 Sound Sources - Sound Applications HOMEWORK: Idea Generation for Project 2: Soundscape: 3 ideas – 3 paragraphs – supporting sounds.

10/23 Individual conferences for midterm grades and Sound Story Boards/Soundscapes Continue Sound Applications In-Class Assignment: Create 30 seconds of sound and a storyboard for a soundscape. Sound into After Effects/Premiere/Final Cut Pro Homework: Create images(at least 5) or segments of footage that work with your soundscape. Finish a 30 second filmclip for critique.

10/30 Critique Project 2:Sound/Sound Storyboards: Introduction to Project 3: Text/Story Produce a 2-3 minute work that tells a story. It should be taken from some source you find (or create) in print (published or unpublished). This might be a website, blog, magazine, newspaper, book, letter, etc. Use selections from the text sparingly to accompany images that tell the story visually. You can tell only a portion of a longer story if you choose. The work should include a soundtrack of your creation. Make sure to cite your sources in the credits.

11/6 In Class Assignment: Decide which text will be spoken (if any) and which text will be visual. Experiment with fonts and text over time. Homework: Continue working on project 3: text/Myth filmclip. Find sounds,(not music), that will work with text and images.

11/13 Critique/Discussion of treatment for : Project 3: Text/Story Recording voice

Generating Text/Animation Presets In Class Assignment: Text Over Time, Animation presets and supporting text. Homework: Experiment with sounds, Note: For the 3rd project you must use a sound program, After Effects for FX and Premiere/Final Cut to put it all together. I am expecting your best work.

11/20 Storyboard Critique Critique Sound for Text: Voice, choice of fonts/animation preset. Movie in a Movie In Class Assignment: Movie in a movie. Homework: Create a treatment for project 3.

11/27 Individual critique treatment and work-in-progress DVD formats/I-pod, PDA formats/creation Homework: Introduce Final Exam

12/4 Critique: Project 3: Text/Story CD/DVD Graphics /Work time/ Final Exam questions Homework: Rendering time/ printing graphics for project 3: Text/Story,

12/11 Last Class: Final Exam and Critique Burn DVD’s – print graphics – rendering time for final in class

This syllabus is subject to change. Students will be notified of any changes in a timely manner.