VSAR 305 Syllabus F2003

VSAR 305: Art and Digital Video For the Web
Fall 2003
http://courses.csusm.edu/vsar305kd2/
Instructor: Kristine Diekman
Class times: Tuesday, 5-9 pm
Arts Building, 340
Email: kdiekman@csusm.edu
Phone: 760-750-4188
www.csusm.edu/diekman

DOWNLOAD_QT DOWNLOAD_REAL DOWNLOAD_FLASH

Course Description
Designed for those interested in experimenting with video and other moving images on the Web within theoretical and practical contexts of artmaking. Covers basic desktop digital video and audio applications, video compression and streaming, and basic web design. Integrates reading and writing on various aspects of new media within the context of art and society, including game theory, gender and cyberspace, desktop theater, narrative, and interactivity.

The applications we will be learning or touching on in this class are:
Cleaner 6
Dreamweaver MX
iMovie
Final Cut Pro 4
Flash MX
After FX 5.5

Grading:
You grade is based on your total performance in the class, including participation, attendance, developing creative approaches to the medium, and completion of production and reading assignments.
There are three major video streaming assignments:
Assignment #1: 20%
Assignment #2: 20%
Assignment #3: 20%
All other assignments, including internet assignments, quizzes, streaming audio assignment, etc. (see syllabus below): 20%
Attendance and participation: 20%

Attendance: Four missed classes constitute a failing grade (F). There is a sign up sheet for attendance. Please sign at the beginning of class. This will be my only record of your attendance.

Required Texts:
VSAR 305 Course Reader:
There is a Reader for the class which includes essential technical and theoretical information. It is absolutely necessary that you purchase this and bring it to every class. This reader can be purchased at CopyServe, 754 S. Rancho Santa Fe Rd., San Marcos. 760-599-9923. CopyServe is on the corner of Rancho Santa Fe and San Marcos Blvd. If you are travelling west on San Marcos Blvd. from CSUSM, it is on your right, just across Rancho Santa Fe near the NW corner. Turn right into the parking area, and then an immediate left. Purchase your reader immediately as, if they run out, it may take a day to have them make it up. They do not take phone orders. It is under the title and number of the course and instructor name. Other handouts may be given to supplement the course reader. Please buy a three ring binder in which to keep handouts, other technical notes, creative ideas, etc.

Editing Techniques with Final Cut Pro, Michael Wolh. This book can be found at the CSUSM bookstore, on-line at Amazon.com, or at bookstores. This text will help you learn editing in FCP.

Highly Recommended text:
If you don't have experience with Dreamweaver
Dreamweaver MX for Windows and MacIntosh, Visual Quickstart Guide, J. Tarin Towers; available at CSUSM bookstore or from other sources such as Amazon.com or Borders Books.

Recommended text:
How to Do Everything with Macromedia Flash MX, Bonnie Blake, McGraw Hill/ Osborne Publishing; available at CSUSM bookstore or from other sources such as Amazon.com or Borders Books. (Used are on sale at Amazon, but order now)

Supplies:
. 2 pieces MiniDV video tape (minimum); purchased at Fry's, Circuit City, etc. Tape should be 60 minutes long.
.Highly recommended: headphones of the enclosed ear type. Approximately $20.
.Highly recommended: USB "keychain" storage device. On sale at Fry's (last time I checked) for about $20. Stores 128 megs of data.

Assignments:
There are three major video assignments, one live audio streaming assignment (webcast), and a few in-class exercises.
Major assignments include:
1. "Sense of Place"; RealPlayer
2. "Attics and Cellars", Quicktime Player
3. "Into the Wild", Quicktime Player/RealPlayer/Flash

If you would like to see work by students in previous classes, you can visit these sites:
VSAR 305 Fall 02
VPA 380e, S01

Equipment Checkout
Video equipment can be checked out from the VPA department for 48 hour periods. You will be responsible for all equipment you sign out and use. Please do not leave equipment in dusty or hot places. Report broken equipment immediately. Do not reassign equipment to other students. Check in and let someone else check it out. If you are late three times your priveledges to check out equipment will be suspended.

Lab Access
Arts 340 is designed as a video lab, with the newest version of Final Cut Pro 4 editing software, extra highspeed storage, and other peripherals. However, Arts 239 also has some of the software we will be using including Dreamweaver MX, Flash Mx and Adobe After FX. Please check posting and information for on checkout door for updated information on lab hours. Please sign in when you enter the lab. If you are working in the lab after hours, please do not leave doors propped open. You will most like be using the same computer throughout the semester. To reserve time, you can sign up for 4 hour segments using the sign up sheet above the computer.

Special Events
Please see special Arts and Lectures and other events listed in the week to week schedule on-line. Your attendance or participation is highly recommended and in some cases, required.

WEEK- TO - WEEK
This schedule may change. I will notify you of changes a week in advance whenever possible. If you do not attend class, it is your responsibility to find out if changes to the schedule were made. I will also post changes to assignments on this website in red text whenever possible. Check the website frequently.

Week 1, 9/2
Introduction to the course, lab rules, checkout
Introduction to class website and CSUSM website
How to foward your email
Arts and Lectures link
How to set up your own website
Turning on and off computers and peripherals; testing streams; making a desktop folder

Week 2, 9/9
Web Basics: URLs and directories
Bit rates and streaming
What is streaming video?
Considering the aesthetics of web video
Examples of streaming video-different players and plugins
Time permitting: Demo cameras; bring Mini DV video tape to class

Reading Assignments, Week 2: Streaming and Web Basics:
VSAR 305 Reader: 1. Getting Started; 2. Non-Designers Web Book; 3. Cleaner 6 Manual Pages, a. Data Rates, c. Streaming Basics
Dreamweaver: Chapter 1, Getting Started; Chapter 2, Setting up a Local Site
Online Quick Reference Guide to HTML

Week 3, 9/16
Introduction to Camera, Sound and Editing Basics
Introduction to iMovie: capturing, editing, outputting, compressing and emailing
Bring Mini DV video tape to class. We will shoot and edit in class.
Exercise #1: Shooting and capturing a short video to email. Shoot video and edit a video one minute long or less which explores an on-campus technology. Take a utopian or dystopian stance in the video. Is this technology helpful or hurtful? Time saving or time consuming? Edit in iMovie and email to me and self for next class. Keep video and orginal footage on computer. You may work in pairs.

Reading Assignments, Week 3: Camera, Editing and Web Basics:
VSAR 305 Reader: Cleaner 6 Manual Pages, d. Shooting for Streaming; 4. Digital Multimedia, a. Video, b. Intro to Video Compression
Final Cut Pro: Please review Chapters 1-3. These provide basic information about editing approaches which may or may not be applicable to video for the web. Howeverthey are useful to know about.
Dreamweaver: Chapter 3, Basic Web Pages; Chapter 20, Managing Your Site

Special Event: Required
September 17
Arts and Lectures
Reception for Margaret Nee, CSUSM graduate, photo installation in Library, Sept. 17, 3pm.
Families and Flowers, 30 minute video documentary by Margaret Nee. Discussion with Nee and producer/direcor Mark Freeman. Sept. 17, 6pm, Arts 111.

Week 4, 9/23
Exercise #2: You will need your CSUSM LOGIN and PASSWORD for this assignment.
Exercise #2: Quicktime Progressive Streaming
In class: using the one minute movie you completed last week in Movie, output three different compressions from iMovie for QT http (progressive) web streaming. Embed in a web page and place on course website.
Examples of three different iMovie compressions embedded on one page (progressive)
The Dreamweaver environment-make a simple web page, html basics
Remote and local ftp access info
Finish page, post, watch in class.
Intro to Final Cut Pro 4, time permitting

Reading Assignment, Week 4-QT: Progressive Streaming
Dreamweaver: Chapter 3, Basic Web Pages; Chapter 4, Editing HTML
Final Cut Pro: Continue reviewing Chapters 1-3. These provide basic information about editing approaches which may or may not be applicable to video for the web. Howeverthey are useful to know about.

Week 5, M, 9-30
Assignment #1: RealPlayer Realtime streaming
“Sense of Place", Assignment #1; Research: Desperate Optimists -visit and study this website for discussion before starting the project. Focus on their project Minute by Minute which can be found in the pull down menu and then linked to.
Introduction and experiment with Cleaner compressions for RealMedia
Making a link from text in Dreamweaver using image maps
Introduction to Final Cut Pro 4 editing software
Compressing and encoding for RealPlayer stand alone player
Cleaner Compression strategies and ram files

Reading Assignment, Week 5-RealPlayer Stand Alone Player:
Handout, "Where Limitations Liberate" and "Being in Place" & "On and Off the Map"; we will discuss these in class
VSAR 305 Reader: 3. Cleaner 6 Manual Pages; Chpt. 7, Formats, RealSystem, 123-130; Chapter 8, Encoding--pg. 145-146, 149-150, 175-186, 190-229 (These pages are from a manual and will be helpful to review before class.)
VSAR 305 Reader: 4. Digital Multimedia; section c, Streamed Video and Video Conferencing
Final Cut Pro, Review Chapters 4 & 5
Understanding the Real One Player Interface
Real Networks Production Guide
Dreamweaver; Chpt.5, Working with Images; Chapt. 6, Working with Links

Other assignment:
It would be very helpful if you aren't familiar with FCP, to do the FCP Tutorial. The Tutorial files are on the computer desktop and the manual is in the box. Save your tutorial in the partition, VSAR 305 Media.

Week 6, 10/7
Editing in Final Cut Pro. Have footage shot and ready to input and edit with today so that I can help you learn FCP 4.
Writing Assignment Due:
Based on Chapt4, Digital Art, identify some of the issues and trends in new media art, including art on the web and netart. Write a two-three page response which addresses in what ways you imagine how YOUR work in this class may be related to some of these issues and ideas. Use examples from the text, or examples of artworks you find on the web. The chapter includes many websites to look at. You can also use the LINKS page from this class website to look at other art, cinema, and design on the web. Your paper may include drawings, pictures, screen shots and other images to explain your ideas.

Reading Assignment, Week 6
VSAR 305 Reader: New Media in Late 20th Century Art, "Chapter 4, Digital Art" and Cleaner 6 Manual Pages, g. Publishing, pgs. 216-220

Week 7, 10/14
Video due for Assignment #1, "Sense of Place". You must be prepared to show the movies from the Emmy server via the image map interfrace. We will project the work, as well as look at them on computer monitors individually.

Week 8, 10/21
QUIZ : Open book/web quiz on technical information we have covered so far including, data rates, player, kinds of streaming, web files, compression, and basic camera and editing.

Assignment #2: From Attic to Cellar. See link for assignment details. Vist Belief website and focus on the work "Infinity". The work can be found after entering the site, click on belief EXP in the lower left hand corner. Watch "Untitled:002 Infinity". Notice the use of pop up windows for quicktime movies, and the interface using rollovers.
Quicktime Real-time streaming
Encoding QT for real-time straming
Working with Rollovers, embedding media, and popup windows
Reading Assignment, Week 7-QuickTime-Pop up window:
Dreamweaver: Chapter 7, Inserting and Playing Media; Chapt 12, Setting up Tables
VSAR 305 Reader: Cleaner 6 Manual pages, e. Formats, pgs. 90-122; f. Encoding, 144-149, 175-225
FCP: Advanced Editing, Chapt. 6

Week 9, 10/28
MIchael Moore at Center for the Arts--Get your free tickets now from Arts and Lectures before they sell out.

Week 10, 11/4
Assignment #2 continued. Work in class--have all videos posted and linked by the end of this class. Utilize discussion space during this upcoming week in order to prepare for discussion. Participation in discussion space required. Assignment due on 11/11 ready for viewing at beginning of class.

Final Cut Pro: I will demo chapters from the Editing Techniques book which deal with Advanced Editing and some FX compositing for first hour of class.

Week 11, 11/11
Assignment #2, From Attic to Celler Due.
Assignment #3: “Into the Wild”. Visit page for assignment details.
This is a group (or individual) project working with embedded video, audio, images and text to make a complete media rich website. Your choice of design and format. You may put html files for this website on your own "public" site. Directions on creating your own site. However, it would be best for archival reasons to place on "courses" server. We will also discuss alternatives to this assignment.
Time permitting, we will break into groups for discussion, brainstorming, sketching, etc. for this assignment. You may use ImageReady, Flash, Dreamweaver or other applications you are familiar with for this assignment.
Strategies for design and flowcharts.
Some structures to think about for the assignment. Also, revisit many of the sites in the links page for design and content ideas.
Alternate ideas for assignment: You can propose your own site. You can also work on the the Electronette by putting student work on this site, helping to publicize it and hosting discussions. You can also design a site which features some of the student work from this class, and can show other student work as well. This can be a showcase of work by students in vpa courses, and can be linked to the VPA site. You are encourage to continue developing thisor working on Electronette next semester through independent study.

Reading Assignment:
VSAR 305 Reader: How to do Everything with Macromedia Flash MX; skim pages for next week.
FCP: Chapter 8, Special FX

Week 12,11/18
Continue working in groups.
Intro to Flash MX: embedding videos, flash video controller component, preloaders, and testing your Flash movie
How to make and send sound files-- I will introduce and explain how you can participate in the streaming audio performance--audio files due on 11/25 on CDROM or email a file to me. Details to be presented in class.

Reading Assignment:
VSAR 305 Reader: How To Do Everything with Flash MX, selected pages-try out some of the techniques
Pengkai Pan, “I-views, a storytelling community of by and for the audience”, Find his thesis at : ic.www.media.mit.edu

Week 13, 11/ 25
Work in class on final project
Due to present to class: Present sketches, flowcharts, designs to class for Assignment #3. Flowcharts and design ideas include what your navbar may look like, how it links to subsequent pages, how these interrelate. What media are using to tell this story? If you are working on an alternate assignment, then present this to class--inlcuding design ideas and flowchart, etc.

Reading Assignment:
VSAR 305 Reader: From Barbie to Mortal Combat

Two short writing assignments based on two recent reading assignments-- due Tuesday, 12/2.
1. Barbie to Mortal Combat, Interview with Brenda Laurel, in your course Reader. Approximately two pages in response to reading.
Consider the following questions:
In what ways does Laurel think that computers and theater are similiar?
How does age and gender determine computer game use and attraction to computer games?
How is interactivity discussed in the the interview by Laurel?
Why does Laurel think it is important at all that girls use computer games, and what does this have to do with empowerment?

2. At http://ic.media.mit.edu are several published works by Pengkai Pan, who is part of Interactive Cinema group at MIT. He has developed video editing software for online use, one of which is called iViews. What is iViews, and how is it "shareable"? One page response only.

Week 14, 12/2
Work day and discussion.
Time permitting, I will set up a live audio webcast from the studio for those interested in seeing how it works.
Reading Assignment:
Vsar 305 Reader: From Snap to Grid, In Search of the Telephone Opera. We will have a short discussion of this essay and the page pages below.
Below are web links which I would like you to look at for this class. Each one contains information about approaches to audience participation and expanded computing, and build on some of the ideas presented in Penkai Pan's thesis. For our discussion, please be prepared to discuss how these sites present ideas about interactive net science, culture and art. What parts of these works interest you and why?
"Dial Tones, A Telephony"
Mark Dagget, “DeskSwap”
"Seti@home"
Desktop Theater

Week 15, 12/9
Assignment #3 Due. Screening, viewing and discussion of any finished work. We will meet from 5-6:15pm. Then go to the Center for the Arts in Escondido to see "Mr. Single". For information about this performanc, please visit the VPA website at: www.csusm.edu/vpa/events.html. Performance starts at 7pm. Free to students with ID.

Week 16, 12/16
Assignment #3 Due. We will meet at our normal 5pm time to look at all finished work.

DOWNSTREAM: LIVE PERFORMANCE AND WEBCAST, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 7: 30 PM, ARTS 111
STREAMING LIVE: www.csusm.edu/vpa/downstream
If you would like to participate or help in this performance and live webcast, please let me know. Otherwise, you attendance is required.

Other end of year events in the Visual and Performing Arts Department can be found at: www.csusm.edu/vpa/events.html