Updated: 10/22/08 2:16 PM

CLASS MEETINGS

Lecture Section 401 (#14060) Monday 3-4:50 PM, Mitchell Hall B-91, Glenn Bach
Lab Section 801 (#39624) Wednesday 3-4:50 PM, Mitchell Hall B-91, Emir Cakaroz
Lab Section 802 (#39625) Wednesday 3-4:50 PM, Mitchell Hall B-65, Heidi Spencer
Lab Section 803 (#39626) Wednesday 3-4:50 PM, Mitchell Hall B-43, Joe Sacco
Lab Section 804 (#39627) Wednesday 3-4:50 PM, Mitchell Hall B-68, Seth Warren-Crow
Lab Section 805 (#39628) Wednesday 3-4:50 PM, Mitchell Hall B-18, Sean Kafer

INSTRUCTOR

Glenn Bach (Lecture)
bachg@uwm.edu (please include the string, "[FILM 116]" in the subject line of all e-mails pertaining to this class)
Office Hours and Location: MW 2-3 PM, Mitchell Hall B-60.

Emir Cakaroz (Lab 1)
ecakaroz@uwm.edu (please include the string, "[FILM 116]" in the subject line of all e-mails pertaining to this class)
Office Hours and Locations: Wednesdays 1-3 PM, MIT B-53

Heidi Spencer (Lab 2)
spencerh@uwm.edu (please include the string, "[FILM 116]" in the subject line of all e-mails pertaining to this class)
Office Hours and Location: Wednesdays 1-3 PM, MIT B-53.

Joe Sacco (Lab 3)
jgsacco@uwm.edu (please include the string, "[FILM 116]" in the subject line of all e-mails pertaining to this class)
Office Hours and Locations: Wednesdays 1-3 PM, MIT B-53.

Seth Warren-Crow (Lab 4)
warrencs@uwm.edu (please include the string, "[FILM 116]" in the subject line of all e-mails pertaining to this class)
Office Hours and Locations: Wednesdays 1-3 PM, MIT B-55B.

Sean Kafer (Lab 5)
skafer@uwm.edu (please include the string, "[FILM 116]" in the subject line of all e-mails pertaining to this class)
Office Hours and Locations: Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:30-3:30 PM, MIT B-53.

 

Film Department Office: MIT B-70, phone: (414) 229-6015

COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course embraces the DIY (do it yourself) philosophy in the creation of original works of sound and video art. Students will develop contemporary media art skills by employing freeware and open source software to capture, edit, and compose works of audio and video. Course content will include, but not be limited to, self-competent computing (operation of system facilities, software installation, media file management, server file uploading), perceptual engagement, audio field recording, recognition of sound qualities, event description, digital audio editing, MP3 file exporting, blog posting/authoring, familiarity with graphic and motion perception, video and still shot logging, video editing, rhythmic editing, Quicktime movie exporting, personal experience assessment/questioning, and a variety of technical and creative competency skills associated with media production.

ASSIGNMENTS OVERVIEW
There are two graded assignments documented and presented on two separate Drift Blogs, along with a Research Blog, Drift Atlas, and the general categories of Attendance/Participation:

DRIFT 1
A series of observations about the urban landscape, with five field recordings captured on an intensive investigative walk.

DRIFT 2
A short sound video inspired by issues arising from Drift 1.

RESEARCH
You will document your explorations, thoughts, and experimentations with media on this blog throughout the semester. You should include all of your discussions, analyses, sketches, photographs, diagrams, drawings, research reflections, and links to various media resources you have explored in this class. Your Research Blog is also the mechanism by which you will be evaluating your progress throughout the semester, reflecting on the hardware and software tools used in this class.

DRIFT MAP
A holistic map that charts all of the important locations and events on your Drifts. The map can be single or multiple, hand-drawn or collaged, computer-generated or manipulated, comic book or photo essay, and can be published as a simple link to a jpeg, a separate web page or blog, or a self-contained GoogleMap. Your Drift 1 and Drift 2 blogs must include references to the Drift area and submaps included on your Drift Map.

ATTENDANCE/PARTICIPATION
It is essential that you come prepared for class (bring required materials and any due work), be actively engaged in learning (listening to instructions and observing demonstrations), and participate in critiques, discussions and studio maintenance (setting up, sharing space with peers, and cleaning up).

GRADING POLICY

Drift 1: 25% (250 points)
Drift 2: 35% (350 points)
Drift Map: 10% (100 points)
Research: 20% (200 points)
Attendance/Participation: 10% (100 points)

          TOTAL: 1000 points

A = 1000-900
B = 899-800
C = 799-700
D = 699-600
F = 599-0

A      Excellent and Superior Work.  Performance of the student has been at the highest level, showing sustained excellence in meeting all course requirements and exhibiting an unusual degree of intellectual initiative.

B      Above Average.  Performance of the student has been at a high level, showing consistent and effective achievement in meeting course requirements.

C      Average.  Performance of the student has been at an adequate level, meeting course requirements.

D      Below Average.  Performance of the student has been less than adequate, meeting only the minimum course requirements.

F     Failing.  Performance of the student has been such that minimal course requirements haven’t been met.

CLASS TECHNICAL FORUM
The class Technical Forum is the place to take all of your questions about using the software and hardware required for this class. Please do not e-mail me or your lab instructor with a technical question without first searching the Technical Forum for a pre-existing solution or posting your question if you can't find an answer. If we receive an e-mail concerning a technical question that does not reference the Technical Forum, we will send you there before working on troubleshooting your problem. It is your responsibility to follow through on your question after it appears on the Forum . . . don't wait for a reply from us. We will do everything we can to help you troubleshoot the issue, but you have to take charge of the process.

Rules of Technical Forum Participation

1. Complete your Profile as outlined--especially the information about your computer platform (Mac or PC) and the operation system and version you have. This saves Forum users a lot of time, and improves your chances of getting help.

2. Check the topics to see if the question you have has already been asked (posted). If there are fairly unique terms (like a part number, an error prompt or program command name), you can search the terms in the forum's search tool (magnifying glass icon at the top of the Forum Index). For example, if you are getting "-5000 errors," enter "-5000 error" in the "keyword" cell. All posts with the same string will be collected into one query window.

3. If you find another user has posted the same or similar question but it was not answered, don't give up. Scroll down to the bottom post and post a reply to it. State that you are seeking similar assistance and briefly describe whether our situation is similar or slightly different. Add details that you have encountered that might add to the evidence.

4. When posting a question, place it under the most relevant topic you can find. Use the subject line effectively by providing a brief description of what you are trying to do or the problem that persists. If you received a warning or error message, copy the exact wording used, character for character, and include this with your question. Describe exactly what you were doing on the computer when the problem happened. Describe any actions you have taken to resolve the problem even if they didn't work. Include links to the problem if it is online (like a blog) or upload a sample file and include a link to it.

COMPUTER REQUIREMENT
Even though the Film Department has no "Laptop Requirement" (except for students entering the Photography Track), you will need consistent access to a computer with internet access. There are several Mac and a few PC platforms in MIT 353 and MIT B-18 on which you can do everything you need for this class.

Campus Computer Labs (locations and hours)

Film Department Labs

Mitchell Hall, Room B-18
E-mail me to request 24/7 access to B18. You then will be able to use your student ID card for access after the third week of class. Use the two black PCs for SonicStage sound transfers, Audacity, and Quicktime Pro. The Macs will have Audacity and Quicktime Pro. (To get 24/7 access to Mitchell Hall, visit the PSOA Box Office in the Zelazo Center Monday through Friday, 10 AM - 4 PM. The door with the hand scan unit in Mitchell Hall is the basement entrance by the loading dock.)

Mitchell Hall, Room 353
Two PCs for SonicStage transfers, Audacity. Seventeen Mac platforms with Audacity. Check the UITS page for computer lab hours.