FILM 116 Experimentation with Media
Fall 2007
COURSE SCHEDULE
”The rhythm of walking generates a kind of rhythm of thinking,
and the passage through a landscape echoes or stimulates
the passage through a series of thoughts. This creates
an odd consonance between internal and external passage,
one that suggests that the mind is also a landscape of sorts
and that walking is one way to traverse it.”
--Rebecca Solnit
(1) Wednesday, September 5
Introduction to Class
Syllabus Overview
Media Surveys, Work Permits
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Assignments
1. Buy the required supplies for the class. You need all of your supplies on hand by Wednesday, September 12.
2. Assess and address the following computer competencies:
(a) Familiarize yourself with Firefox, the web browser we will use in this class. If you plan to work on a computer at home that is online, download and install the most recent version of Firefox.
(b) If you are new to advanced computing, consider signing up for the Short Courses on Operating Systems and Internet Skills.
(c) Spend some time with your PantherMail account. If you are going to use PantherMail as your primary e-mail application, create a mailbox that you can use to organize all messages with "07116" in the subject line.
(d) If you want to have your UWM e-mail forwarded to your existing e-mail application, visit PantherMail and click on the "Forward Mail" option.
(e) If you own a PC computer, download [.zip] and install SonicStage v3.4.
(f) Register to use the class Discussion Forum by following directions in the "How to Register" section. Set your User Profile settings in the Discussion Forum by following directions in the "User Profile Settings" section.
(g) Complete the Survey and e-mail to Glenn by Sunday, September 9.
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(2) Monday, September 10
Trek 01 Overview and Instructions
Soldering Demo
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Assignments
1. Select your Trek 01 starting point and send an e-mail to Glenn as described on the Trek 01 page. This should be completed by September 19.
2. Think about the stereo mic rig you want to make. Ask any questions you have about this either in the Forum or in the next lecture class. We will not have time to help you design your rig during the mic soldering sessions.
3. Make sure you have addressed all of the computer competencies under Assignment 2, September 5.
4. Please bring to next class:
- two Rapid 35-0190 Mic Capsules
- one stereo mic cable with 1/8" stereo plug
- two alligator clips for attaching windscreens, and for securing mics to clothing, etc.
- one pair of enclosed headphones for testing mics and for mounting mics with windscreen "basket"
- Optional: swatches of faux fur for a fancier windscreen rig
5. Please review the Soldering Demo.
6. Review the NH-700 Recorder Operating Guide (pdf).
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(3) Wednesday, September 12
Soldering Workshops: meet in your breakout rooms to solder cables onto your mic capsules and build the mount of your choice.
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Assignments
1. If you need assistance getting your mics to work, bring your materials to your section instructor's office during office hours or immediately following the next class meeting.
2. Download and install Audacity on your personal Mac or PC computer, including the Lame MP3 encoder.
3. Finish and test out your mics, microphone mount and windscreens to make sure they don't make unusual noises.
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(4) Monday, September 17
Soldering Workshops (continued)
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Assignments
1. If you need assistance getting your mics to work, bring your materials to your section instructor's office during office hours or immediately following the next class meeting.
2. If you haven't done so already, download and install Audacity on your personal Mac or PC computer, including the Lame MP3 encoder.
3. If you haven't done so already, finish and test out your mics, microphone mount and windscreens to make sure they don't make unusual noises.
4. Bring freshly charged batteries to next class in order to test out the gear in your Production Kit.
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(5) Wednesday, September 19
Equipment Check Out (presentation by Brooke Swelstad)
After the presentation, section leaders will take students to the Equipment Room to check out the 116 kit, which contains a digital camera (FE-100 or D-545) and a digital sound recorder (Sony NH-700). (Go over the accessories in the kit and make sure that every item on the card is there. Read the terms to which you are agreeing. Sign the check-out form and keep your copy. Note that your final project for this class will not be graded unless all of the equipment is returned in working condition to Check Out by Thursday, December 6, at 4 pm.)
Mic Building Sessions continued
DUE by start of class: Trek 01 Start Point
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Assignments
1. Make some practice sound recordings with your digital sound recorder and your microphones. Check for excessive wind noise. There should be a 1" gap of dead air around the capsules.
2. If you are going to work at home, you should have already downloaded and installed SonicStage. If not, do this now. Review the NH-700 Recorder Operating Guide (pdf), and follow the steps in the Hi-MD tutorial [pdf] and practice transferring your sound recordings using SonicStage. Note that there are four PC platforms for doing your SonicStage transfers at school: two in MIT 353 and two in MIT B-18. By the end of next week, everyone should have 24-hour access to MIT B-18 via your student ID card.
3. Study this self-contained tutorial by Dan Eliot to practice using Audacity. Follow the steps in the addendum section on MP3 file exporting as well.
4. Read this Audacity primer, especially the section about "Preferences: Setup, Audio Import and Playback."
5. For further practice in Audacity, check out a FAQ and more tutorials.
6. Visit the Trek 01 page for further instructions on this assignment. If you are ready to go on Trek 01, then do so. If you would like more time to prepare, we will have field recording practice sessions on Wednesday, September 26th.
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(6) Monday, September 24
Audacity Lecture and Demo
Skills Tutorials
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Assignments
1. Visit the Trek 01 page for further instructions on this assignment.
2. Review the following skills tutorials:
(a) Tutorial: Essentials of PantherFile and Server File Protocols.
(b) Tutorial: Getting your Map Images online. Here are some sample Trek 01 blogs with hand-drawn maps.
(c) Tutorial: Setting up your Google Account and Preparing your Blog for Trek 01.
3. Bring to the next class: Hi-MD recorder, mic rig, headphones, fully charged batteries, and a pre-formatted MiniDisc.
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(7) Wednesday, September 26
Field Recording Practice Sessions
Meet in Breakout Rooms before heading out to various locations on campus to practice making field recordings with your mic rigs and MD recorder:
- Lab 1, B-91, Lilly Czarnecki
- Lab 2, B-65, Scott Foley
- Lab 3, B-91, Julie Murray and Alex Torinus
- Lab 4, B-68, Steve Wetzel
- Lab 5, B-18, David Witzling
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Assignments
1. Go out on Trek 01. Have fun!
2. Analyze, edit, save, export, and upload your MP3s for your Trek 01 blog as detailed here.
3. Create, scan, size, and upload your five hand-drawn maps as detailed here. If you need to scan your 8.5"x11" sheets, bring them to class along with your USB flash drive.
4. Set up your Blogger account and author your blog for Trek 01 (step-by-step tutorial).
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(8) Monday, October 1
Trek 01 Help Sessions: Bring your in-progress materials on your laptop, a CD-R, flash or hard drive to one or more of these labs depending on the kinds of questions you have.
- SonicStage Transfers: Steve Wetzel, MIT B-18
- Uploading Files to PantherFile: David Witzling, B-68 (bring your laptops)
- Audacity Editing/Exporting: Alex Torinus and Julie Murray, B-56
- Blogger: Glenn Bach B-65 (bring your laptops)
- Drawing Maps: Lilly Czarnecki, B-68
- Scanning Maps: Scott Foley, B-18
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Assignment
Trek 01 Blog preparation continued (for those who haven't done this yet):
1. Analyze, edit, save, export, and upload your MP3s for your Trek 01 blog as detailed here.
2. Create, scan, size, and upload your five hand-drawn maps as detailed here. If you need to scan your 8.5"x11" sheets, bring them to the Help Session along with your USB flash drive, external drive, or CD-R.
3. Set up your Blogger account and author your blog for Trek 01 (step-by-step tutorial).
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(9) Wednesday, October 3
Final Help Sessions for Trek 01.
- SonicStage Transfers: Steve Wetzel, MIT B-18
- Uploading Files to PantherFile: David Witzling, B-68
- Audacity Editing/Exporting: Alex Torinus and Julie Murray, B-56
- Blogger: Glenn Bach B-65 (bring your laptops)
- Drawing Maps: Lilly Czarnecki, B-68
- Scanning Maps: Scott Foley, B-18
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Assignments
1. Finish your blog for Trek 01.
2.
Check the Course Directory to find the final URL for your Trek 01 blog. We will be using this URL to check that your blog is complete by the deadline.
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TREK 01 BLOGS DUE
Complete your Blog for Trek 01 by 5 PM, Sunday, October 7
List of grading criteria that will be used to grade this assignment.
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(10) Monday, October 8
Critique Sessions: meet in breakout rooms for discussion of strengths and weaknesses of selected blogs (attendance mandatory):
- Lab 1, MUS-180, Lilly Czarnecki
- Lab 2, B-65, Scott Foley
- Lab 3, B-91, Julie Murray and Alex Torinus
- Lab 4, B-68, Steve Wetzel
- Lab 5, B-18, David Witzling
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Assignments
1. Using suggestions and comments from the Critique Session, continue to make improvements to your Trek 01 Blog. Remember, you can edit a post indefinitely, so take the time to make a site you can be proud of.
2. Bring the digital camera from your production kit, along with fresh batteries, to the next class.
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REVISED TREK 01 BLOGS DUE
Complete any revisions or suggested improvements to your Blog for Trek 01 by 5pm, Tuesday, October 9.
Be sure to review this grading list.
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(11) Wednesday, October 10
Trek 02 Overview and Instructions
Demo: Digital Camera features and operation
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Assignments
1. Create your Trek 02 blog and post your two Light-Capturing Strategies as described here.
2. Install AvidFreeDV. If you plan to experiment with an alternative freeware/open source video editor, please check with Glenn first. You can also use AvidFreeDV on one of the computers in MIT 353 or B-18.
3. Go on Trek 02.
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(12) Monday, October 15
Video Editing Lecture (Scott Foley)
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Assignment
1. If you haven't done so, go on Trek 02.
2. Download all of the footage you collected on Trek 02, and select the most promising material as described here.
3. Edit and save these best moments as standalone clips.
4. Go through all of your still photos and define groups that share graphic or other similiarities that make them suitable for sequencing and animation. Place each group into a separate folder and name it. At the next class, we'll learn how to convert your still photo groups into web-compatible Quicktime movies.
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(13) Wednesday, October 17
Video Editing Demos (meet in B-91)
- Picture Resizing and Key Framing in AvidFreeDV, Steve Wetzel
- Making Movies with SnapNDrag and QuickTime Pro, Lilly Czarnecki
- Manipulating Time and Speed in AvidFreeDV, Alex Torinus
- Manipulating Luminance, Contrast, Hue, and Saturation in AvidFree DV, Scott Foley
- Basic Video Editing in Quicktime Pro
- Building Composite Images with ImagePlay
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Assignment
1. Go through all of the standalone .mov clips you have created and choose the best five (one of which must be from still images).
2.
Upload to PantherFile and post to your blog.
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(14) Monday, October 22
Video Editing Help Sessions:
- B-18, Steve (available: two PC workstations, two to four Mac workstations)
- B-68, Lilly (available: two Mac workstations)
- B-56, Scott, Julie, and Alex (available: ten Mac workstations, two PC workstations)
- B-65, David (for those with laptops)
General help with analyzing and selecting imagery, and organizing work-in-progress on Trek 02 Blogs:
- MUS 180, Glenn (We will be viewing your work from your Trek 02 blogs, so make sure everything is posted and works)
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Assignments
1. Continue working on your Trek 02 Blog.
2. Make sure all five rough clips (one of which must be made from still images) are published on your Trek 02 Blog.
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(15) Wednesday, October 24
Video Editing Help Sessions:
- B-18, Steve (available: two PC workstations, two to four Mac workstations)
- B-68, David (for those with laptops)
- B-56, Lilly Scott, Julie, and Alex (available: ten Mac workstations, two PC workstations)
General help with analyzing and selecting imagery, and organizing work-in-progress on Trek 02 Blogs:
- B-18, Glenn (We will be viewing your work from your Trek 02 blogs, so make sure everything is posted and works)
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Assignments
All rough clips must be posted to your Trek 02 blog by Monday, October 29, 3 PM.
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(16) Monday, October 29
Required Screening Sessions (Rough Clips)
Meet in your lab sections to show a few of your published rough Clips (and possibly the final clips if any are ready and we get to them). We'll share responses to the clips and brainstorm about editing and image manipulation techniques that could bring out the unique content and qualities in the clips. These have proven to be very valuable sessions; attendance is mandatory.
- Lab 1, MUS-180, Lilly Czarnecki
- Lab 2, B-65, Scott Foley
- Lab 3, B-91, Julie Murray and Alex Torinus
- Lab 4, B-68, Steve Wetzel
- Lab 5, B-18, David Witzling
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Assignment
1. Using the feedback you received on your rough clips, begin work on polishing and finalizing some of the most promising ideas and directions in your work.
2. Pick three clips to explore in depth. Use editing and image graphic qualities towards creating well-crafted, idiosyncratic videos. Key qualities to focus on are using pattern to create expectation, using rhythm to break and create new expectation, and using pattern/rhythm to move towards resolution. The videos can be no longer than 30 seconds in duration.
3. Post your three final clips-in-progress to your Trek 02 blog by Wednesday, October 31, 3 PM.
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(17) Wednesday, October 31
Required Screening Sessions (Final Clips, attendance is mandatory)
- Lab 1, B-56, Lilly Czarnecki
- Lab 2, B-65, Scott Foley
- Lab 3, B-91, Julie Murray and Alex Torinus
- Lab 4, B-68, Steve Wetzel
- Lab 5, B-18, David Witzling
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Trek 02 Blogs Due
Post your final Trek 02 blog by Sunday, November 4, 5 PM.
Review this list of grading criteria (PDF).
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(18) Monday, November 5
Trek 03 Overview and Instructions
Reseach Groups for Trek 03
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Assignments
1. Choose the Research Group you would like to attend for the next three classes. Make your selection on the sign-up sheets available in class and later posted on Glenn's office door, B-60. Make your decision by Wednesday, November 7, 3 PM.
1. Advanced Editing Techniques (Steve)
2. Light Capturing Techniques (Scott)
3. Moving Image Meditations (Alex, Julie)
4. Experimenting with Video Technology (David)
5. Deeper Sound/Image Relationships (Lilly)
6. Mapping Milwaukee (Glenn)
2. Create your Trek 03 Blog, as described here.
3. Post your Trek Assessments to your Trek 03 Blog, as described here.
4. Post your Ten Questions to your Trek 03 Blog, as described here.
5. Determine your Production Strategy for Trek 03, as described here, and post to your Trek 03 Blog.
6.
After you have made this post, go out and execute these strategies as soon as possible.
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(19) Wednesday, November 7
Lecture: Image-Sound Relationships/Editing Video and Sound, Lilly Czarnecki, B-91
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Assignments
1. If you have not done so already, complete your Trek 03 data gathering walk(s).
2. Post three rough cut sketches (sound+video) (no longer than 30 seconds in duration), each demonstrating a sound-image relationship you are considering for your final video project. Post the clips as you complete them. Remember, like Trek 02, your blog for Trek 03 is a space to track your work-in-progress.
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(20) Monday, November 12
Meet in Research Groups:
Advanced Editing Techniques (Steve) B-18
Light Capturing Techniques (Scott) B-65
Moving Image Meditations (Alex, Julie) B-91
Experimenting with Video Technology (David) B-68
Deeper Sound/Image Relationships (Lilly) B-56
Mapping Milwaukee (Glenn), MUS 180
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Assignments
1. Continue work on Trek 03.
2. Work on assignments for your Research Group.
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(21) Wednesday, November 14
Meet in Research Groups:
Advanced Editing Techniques (Steve) B-18
Light Capturing Techniques (Scott) B-65
Moving Image Meditations (Alex, Julie) B-91
Experimenting with Video Technology (David) B-68
Deeper Sound/Image Relationships (Lilly) B-56
Mapping Milwaukee (Glenn), B-75
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Assignment
1. Continue work on Trek 03.
2. Continue work on assignments for your Research Group.
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(22) Monday, November 19
Meet in Research Groups:
Advanced Editing Techniques (Steve) B-18
Light Capturing Techniques (Scott) B-65
Moving Image Meditations (Alex, Julie) B-91
Experimenting with Video Technology (David) B-68
Deeper Sound/Image Relationships (Lilly) B-56
Mapping Milwaukee (Glenn), MUS 180
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Assignment
1. Continue work on Trek 03.
2. Continue work on assignments for your Research Group.
3. Sign up for individual, one-on-one appointments with your Lab Instructor(s). The sign-up sheets for each Lab section will be posted on Glenn's door, B-60. Pick your slot by Wednesday, November 21, 12 noon.
4. Your rough cuts must be posted by the time you are ready to meet with your Lab instructor(s).
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(23) Wednesday, November 21
Required one-on-one appointments with Lab Instructor(s) to view and discuss Rough-Cut of sound video:
Lab 1, Lilly Czarnecki, B-56
Lab 2, Scott Foley, B-65
Lab 3, Julie Murray and Alex Torinus, B-91
Lab 4, Steve Wetzel, B-68
Lab 5, David Witzling, B-18
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Assignment
Continue work on Trek 03.
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(24) Monday, November 26
Required one-on-one appointments with Lab Instructor(s) to view and discuss Rough-Cut of sound video:
Lab 1, Lilly Czarnecki, B-56
Lab 2, Scott Foley, B-65
Lab 3, Julie Murray and Alex Torinus, B-91
Lab 4, Steve Wetzel, B-68
Lab 5, David Witzling, B-18
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Assignment
Continue work on Trek 03.
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(25) Wednesday, November 28
Required one-on-one appointments with Lab Instructor(s) to view and discuss Rough-Cut of sound video:
Lab 1, Lilly Czarnecki, B-56
Lab 2, Scott Foley, B-65
Lab 3, Julie Murray and Alex Torinus, B-91
Lab 4, Steve Wetzel, B-68
Lab 5, David Witzling, B-18
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Assignment
1. Continue working on Trek 03.
2. Make sure your sound video is as close to a final cut as possible and posted to your Trek 03 blog. The final cut videos will be screened randomly beginning Monday, December 3.
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(26) Monday, December 3
Trek 03 Screenings (Attendance Mandatory) MUS 180
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Assignment
Continue to make final adjustments to your Trek 03 sound video.
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(27) Wednesday, December 5
Trek 03 Screenings (Attendance Mandatory) B-91
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Assignment
Continue to make final adjustments to your Trek 03 sound video.
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(28) Monday, December 10
Class Evaluations
Trek 03 Screenings (Attendance Mandatory) MUS 180
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(29) Wednesday, December 12
Class Potluck
Screening of Rivers and Tides (B-91)
Final Thoughts
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Trek 03 Blogs Due
Post your final Trek 03 Blog by Wednesday, December 12, 3 PM.
Check the Trek 03 grading criteria (PDF).
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