Week 1
SEPTEMBER 27: Media Convergence and the Concept of Narrative.
Read: Being Digital
First Project: Create three linked web pages, telling us your media story. (Why are you interested in media? How did you get involved with media? What professional or other important media experiences shaped your interests?) You may link these pages to as many external links as you like. All pages will be uploaded to the course website. Project due no later than 10/18.
October 3, 1-3 p.m.: Dreamweaver workshop.
Week 2
OCTOBER 4: What Makes a Story/Why Are Stories Important?
Read: Schank chapters; Cappella & Jamieson; Hochberg
Recommended Reading: Iyengar & Kinder; Berkowitz; Meadowcroft & Reeves
Week 3
OCTOBER 11: Beginnings of interactive media. Definitions of "interactivity." Educational CDs. Enhanced television.
Read: Murray, pp. 13-182.
Week 4
OCTOBER 18: Narrative in Film and Video/Visual Grammar
Read: Plantinga and Thompson.
Second Project: With one partner, you will create a silent digital video story lasting one minute. Scenarios will be provided in class. Due November 8.
Tutorial TBA: Sony VX1000 camera and Bogen tripod.
Week 5
OCTOBER 25: Field Trip (TBA).
Week 6
NOVEMBER 1: Narrative in journalism. Guest: Ted Glasser
Third Project: Rewrite a feature article we will supply into a feature story of 1000 words. Due November 15.
Read: Darnton; Glasser & Ettema; Iyengar & Kinder; Manoff.
Week 7
NOVEMBER 8: Narrative voice/point of view. Screen and discuss digital video stories.
Read: Murray, pp. 185-284.
Week 8
NOVEMBER 15: Research narratives.
Fourth Project: Create a 1-2 page story of a simple research study with no more than two variables. (Form an interesting research question about media. Tell why you think it's important. Define the two concepts in the proposed study in words. Tell how you would observe or measure these concepts in real life. Describe what you think the results would look like and why.) Project due November 29.
Read: Sample studies handed out in class.
Week 9
NOVEMBER 22: No class.
Week 10
NOVEMBER 29-- Media institutions
Fifth Project: Working in teams of three, you will meet for 90' to create a new media business and write it's story in one page. (Describe an idea for a new media product, service, or content. Tell a story about how people would use this idea.) Finished pages to be posted to the class forum. Due December 6.
Read: Case: Hattersley, Shaw & Bromiley.
Week 11
DECEMBER 6: Present institution projects. Screening of "Timecode," by Mike Figgis.
Tech Notes Message Board Lectures Panfora Projects