Topics in Convergent Media: Narrative (Krukowski)

Reading Reality: Virtual and Physical Narratives

The virtual world is, like any world, a place of reading. Many authors, artists, theorists and others have made observations about the nature of reading in virtuality--its character, content, possibilities, mechanisms, historical precedents, ramifications. "Reading" is, however, a broad term, especially when one considers the nature of the subject in question and the technology that is available for its consideration. We read different things in different ways and with different languages, and the languages we utilize are dependent on a whole host of factors. In this course, you will be asked to read (look), to think about how and what you are reading (seeing), and to write (make) things that can be read. Virtual design tools--those programs and languages that allow you to make visual, spatial, kinetic, textual and sonant virtual domains--may or may not be your principal means of investigation, though you should be familiar with a variety of them by the end of the semester. Your own interests will dictate the nature of your investigations in this course.

Dr. Samantha Krukowski RTF 331Q / Unique #07055 Wednesdays, 9am-12pm ACTLab Spring, 2000 samantha@rasa.net

READINGS

€ There are no required texts. Instead, there will be readings assigned on a weekly basis that reflect the ways in which the course develops during the semester. Two copies of these readings will be placed in a clearly marked box in the ACTLab, and will be available to you a week before they are to be discussed in class. It is your responsibility to xerox these readings and return the original copies to the ACTLab box. DO NOT keep the originals‹this inconveniences your fellow students and diminishes the energy of the course. You will be individually responsible for each set of readings. I strongly advise you to spend time struggling with them, even if they seem beyond your reach. If you are having problems with a particular week's readings, contact a classmate and meet to discuss the material. In addition to the class readings, the ACTLab has a reading list with many titles that will be of interest to you, and that will surely help you develop your final projects. It is posted in the Lab. In addition, readWired and peruse the magazine stacks in the ACTLab.

COURSE NOTES

€ There is no pre-requisite.

€ You must be self-motivated to succeed in this class. Class assignments and projects are cumulative, and those of you who are unable to set your own goals and pace may have trouble participating and producing work. I am not here to spoon feed you. I am here to help you as you develop ideas, interests and questions. This is a creative studio class, not a seminar, and you should expect to spend a lot of extra time in the Lab.

€ Your technical ability will increase in proportion to your effort. I expect you to focus on those technologies that interest you, and to seek their subtleties on your own time. You will need to hack and be resourceful. The ACTLab is a community, and you should rely on its collective knowledge, as well as the knowledge of your classmates, in order to advance your own abilities. Technical tutorials will be scheduled on Friday afternoons (exact times TBA) throughout the first half of the semester on the following programs (in this order): Director, Flash, Shockwave, Photoshop, HTML, Dreamweaver. In addition, Sunday afternoons in the ACTLab will be devoted to more casual follow-ups of the Friday sessions. Make it a priority to attend both. If you are having serious technical difficulties, there are TAs in the Lab most of the time who can help you (see attached sheet for schedule.)

€ You must have electronic mail. All class communication will take place electronically. Throughout the semester, I encourage you to send me ideas, site addresses, information, notices, or anything else that relates to the class so that I may distribute what you send to your fellow students. All students must e-mail me their e-addresses within the first two weeks of the class. Any student who fails to send an electronic address will be dropped from the class roster after February 2.

€ Equipment in the ACTLab is available for your use 24 hours a day, 7 days a week during the semester. The door has a lockbox that contains the door key and key to the file cabinet. The combination to the lockbox will be distributed to you weekly, as it is changed once a week. Do not give out the combination. And NEVER leave the door open, even if you are only going to the bathroom. € If you have special needs in this class (linguistic, medical or otherwise), please let me know during the first two weeks of the semester.

GRADES

Your grade in this course is based on the following:

1. Site Investigation and Response 25%

2. The Black Book 30%

3. Final Project 45%

I do not take attendance for two reasons. One, I don¹t care to be your babysitter. Two, it¹s usually obvious who is participating and who is not. In order to receive a grade for this course, there are four requirements beyond the completion of the above. First, you must attend class (you will be dropped after 3 absences). Second, you must complete all the projects. Third, you must present your final project in a public setting (we will discuss options) and document it. Fourth, and last, you must submit via e-mail a self-critique and an indication of the grade you think you should receive by May 10.

PROJECTS

Site Investigation and Response

Find a site on the web that represents what you consider either the worst or best of virtual design. The site you choose should demonstrate a high degree of skill and a serious amount of work. First, develop a critical evaluation of the site. Second, make a project that embodies and responds to your evaluation. This requires a number of moves: 1. a thorough examination of the site, its content, interface, possible readings. 2. the identification of specific attributes of the site that determine how you read it (you'll need to make some comparisons with other related sites). 3. the development of a system of evaluation that clarifies the grounds by which you are judging the site (you will need to do some research here about modes of valuation be they aesthetic, commercial, historical, etc., and decide which you are applying and why). 4. deciding how your reading of the site inspires you to react, and determining what that reaction inspires you to make--basically you need to come up with a way to embody your experience of the site (physical, multimedic, virtual or otherwise). 5. Making a project that incorporates and utilizes all of the above. The presentation of this project is of your choosing, and creativity is encouraged. Take some time to think about how the kind of site you choose will affect your project's final form: consider why you are choosing a site before you decide to work with and from it. You may employ any format you wish‹digital graphics, animation, video, audio, performance, more traditional art media, a paper, some combination of these‹but the form you choose should be deliberate and should embody your experience and evaluation of the site. All sources and research materials should be documented. Due February 23.

The Black Book

Buy a large unlined sketchbook of at least 100 pages at the beginning of the course. Use it to record your journey in the class for the duration of the semester. This book will be a physical component and record of your interaction with the more ineffable virtual domain. I hesitate to call this book a "journal" because this usually implies writing, and I encourage you to incorporate any medium you feel is necessary to communicate your ideas. This is not your personal diary but a place develop your ideas as they relate to the course. It is a good place to develop ideas for your final project. The Black Book will be collected three times during the semester. You should be prepared to fill every page of your black book with something valuable by the end of the term. Due dates: February 16, March 29, May 3. The first page of your Black Book should be a photograph of you accompanied by a brief self-introduction.

Final Project

Some theme, idea or question is bound to strike you between the eyes at some point during our travels. Your Final Project is to be a description of your research into the subject of your choice. You may invent the structure and format of your project but it must represent a rigorous investigation. Your project should include three parts : 1) Research. 2) Practice (the process by which you think about how you make something of your research--sketches, preliminary writing, media investigations, stylistic forays.) 3) Product. These three parts should all be well represented when you hand in your Final Project at the end of the term. A proposal which outlines your intentions for your final project is due electronically on March 1. This proposal should include your topic, a list of at least 20 sources, the ways in which you anticipate fulfilling the three required parts of the project, and the tools you intend to use. The nature of the public exhibition of your projects will be determined during the semester, but you are expected to attend the end of semester events that take place, be they reviews, installations, performances, demonstrations, or the like. The place of these presentations will also be determined later in the semester.

Regarding Scholastic Dishonesty

The University defines academic dishonesty as cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, falsifying academic records, and any act designed to avoid participating honestly in the learning process. Scholastic dishonesty also includes, but is not limited to, providing false or misleading information to receive a postponement or an extension on a test, quiz, or other assignment, and submission of essentially the same written assignment for two courses without the prior permission of the instructor. By accepting this syllabus, you have agreed to these guidelines and must adhere to them. Scholastic dishonest damages both the student's learning experience and readiness for the future demands of a work-career. Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. For more information on scholastic dishonesty, please visit the Student Judicial services Web site at http://www.utexas.edu/depts/dos/sjs/.

About the Undergraduate Writing Center

The Undergraduate Writing Center, located in the FAC 211, phone 471-6222, offers individualized assistance to students who want to improve their writing skills. There is no charge, and students may come in on a drop-in or appointment basis.