interactive multimedia

Interactive Multimedia

FINA-T 330/FINA-U 539

Indiana University Bloomington, Fall 2007

Mondays and Wednesdays 8:00 am to 10:45 am

Room FA 215

Professor: Silvia Ruzanka, silvia-at-vitagrrl-dot-com or silruzan-at-indiana-dot-edu

Office: FA 104

Office Hours: Mondays 4-5 or by appointment

COURSE OVERVIEW

This course covers the concepts, materials, tools, and techniques of interactive electronic art.  Students use digital media, programming code, and electronics to create interactive works for screen, web, installation, and performance.  This course provides a grounding in conceptual and aesthetic issues in interactive art as well as programming concepts and techniques used throughout the “new media” field from hypertext narratives to interactive spaces to web art, cellphone art, and game hacks.  We will use Dreamweaver and Flash as programming tools, covering topics including nonlinear narrative, generative systems, interactive objects, sensors and video tracking, and locative and mobile media such as GPS and cellphones.

This is an intensive course in multimedia development, including in-depth coverage of scripting languages and approaches to programming for interactive artworks.  The course will assume proficiency in digital imaging tools (such as Photoshop), and familiarity with other digital content-creation tools.

Assigned projects include individual and collaborative projects aimed at developing your own aesthetic and conceptual skills as well as gaining an understanding of work processes in multimedia and practical experience using multimedia software.

REQUIREMENTS

1.There will be weekly technical assignments, two projects and one final project. Satisfactory completion of projects and participation in group critiques is mandatory for credit.  Weekly assignments are to be completed before class. 

2. Active participation in discussions.  This requires everyone to have read the reading materials ahead of class and jot down thoughts and ideas on the readings before coming to class to ensure productive discussions. Active participation in critiques. Be prepared to discuss completed projects with other students.

3.Late arrivals, early departures and unexcused absences are frowned upon. Only 3 unexcused abscences will be allowed. Every additional abscence will result in the lowering of the final grade by a letter. Do not arrive late or leave early. Three tardies or early departures are considered one absence. It is the student's responsibility to make up material missed due to absence; the professor does not provide lecture notes to students who miss class.

 

RECOMMENDED TEXTS

Visual Quickstart Guides for Flash and Dreamweaver

ADDITIONAL READINGS

Additional readings will be assigned throughout the semester.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

Flash Drive for storage of materials. Backing Up Files is Very Important!! A 1GB drive or larger is preferable.

Notebook

ASSIGNMENTS

All assignments are due at the beginning of class and will be marked down if turned in later. Late assignments will be lowered one letter grade for each day late. Satisfactory completion of projects and participation in group critiques is mandatory for a passing grade.

Losing your files due to a computer crash or other means will NOT be allowed as an excuse for turning in work late. You are responsible for backing up all of your files.

ATTENDANCE

Late arrivals, early departures and unexcused absences are frowned upon. Only 3 unexcused abscences will be allowed. Every additional abscence will result in the lowering of the final grade by a letter. Do not arrive late or leave early. Three tardies or early departures are considered one absence. It is the student's responsibility to make up material missed due to absence; the professor does not provide lecture notes to students who miss class.

GRADING

If a student completes all assignments adequately, participates in class discussions and activities, and has a good attendance record, she/he can expect to receive a grade of C. Grades of B and A are given for work, participation and engagement that substantially exceeds the average expectation.

Grade Breakdown:

A :: Excellent :: 100-93
B :: Above Average :: 92-85
C :: Average :: 84-77
D :: Below Average :: 76-69
F :: Failure :: Below 69

10 %: Project 1
20 %: Project 2
10 %: Project 3
10 %: Weekly Assignments
10 %: Attendance and Participation
40 %: Final

CALENDAR: (This syllabus is subject to changes and may be amended over the course of the semester. All changes will be announced.)

 

1. Introduction

2. CSS / hypertext, experimental typography, concrete poetry, dada

3. Images, Time and Memory

4. Advanced Layout

5. Javascript

6. Media on web pages

7. Midterm

8. Introduction to Flash

 

9. Basic Actionscript

10. Sound

11. Scripting and Interactivity

12. Automatic animation

13. More interactivity

14. Peer Reviews/ Project Discussions/Work Days

15. Final Critiques