MM 113 Assignments


MM 113 Introduction to Media Production Major Assignments back to syllabus 1. Understanding the Basics At the start of the semester, you must demonstrate your proficiency in the basics of the Macintosh computer desktop environment. If you do not have these abilities at the start of class, you must take the tutorials, practice in the lab, contact the lab aide IMMEDIATELY (if needed) and work to develop the skills. There is a graded quiz (quiz 2). Your $10.00 per month lynda.com subscription must be in place by the end of this week or your quiz grade will be lowered one full letter grade. Log on/log off. Create a New folder on Desktop. Open and close applications. Change active application. Create a new file in application. Move window. Re-size window. Hide window. Unhide window. Change folder in Save File dialog. Select file type. Save a file. Close window. Change name of file or folder. Quit application. Mount tutorials server. Locate design&type.ppt and term definition files Copy from server to desktop. Select printer; print a file Drop a file in your student folder Copy from media to drive and back. Log on to your Lynda.com account: locate the Color tutorial Locate the lynda.com materials on the gcc.bradley.edu website Name label on storage device 2. Photography Basics Assignment Plan a photographic “shoot” using a Canon Digital Rebel (check out from 210). Be sure to pay attention to the guidelines discussed in class and in the Lynda.com material on Digital Photography. The assignment requires 6 finished shots (you'll probably need many more to work with). First, decide on the design concept you intend to illustrate. Second, take pictures such that you end up with 6 shots, (one) each with the following foci: (1) portrait of a person, either formal or candid (portrait must include close-range facial features); (2) landscape or detail shot that establishes an environment; (3) shot that uses "Tv: Shutter priority AE" setting to "freeze/stop" action; (4) shot that uses "Tv: Shutter priority AE" to suggest more action than is present; (5) shot that shot that uses "Av: Apeture priority AE" to emphasize the foreground and blur the background; (6) shot that uses "Av: Apeture priority AE" to emphasize the background and blur the foreground. Turn in a PowerPoint presentation with the original photos and a Photoshop modified/enhanced version. In the "notes" area of each PowerPoint slide, include caption information (following the rules for writing captions) as well as details of the modifications/enhancements (how you improved the image, cropping, color balance, sharpening, removing distractions, etc.) made to the original image and how they were accomplished. If you shoot pictures of children they must be yours or your siblings. For pictures of other children, you must obtain signatures of parents/legal guardians on “Model release forms—minors”; turn completed forms in when you submit the project (kids in your pictures without explanation and/or releases merit a zero on the assignment). Pictures must be shot for this class, between the photography lectures and the due date. Captions must follow the caption rules. Type a “Photography Design Concept” page (as a “new slide” in the PowerPoint presentation) that details (identifies and explains) the design element used/highlighted in the photo project. The design concept page should be either the first or last file in the presentation. The PP presentation should be authored with the design concept in evidence throughout. Turn in (a) the PowerPoint presentation with 12 images (6 before, 6 after). The 6 "after" shots should be properly optimized; (b) a folder with the 6 "finished/processed" photos as Photoshop .psd files. The rough draft, as tutorial, must be turned in on its due date; the completed assignment must reflect adjustment based on input from rough draft critique. Late rough draft and/or assignment meets with a letter grade reduction of assignment grade per 24 hours. 3. Raster Based Images / Photography Intermediate Assignment Using original images you have acquired, use compositing, masking and collage techniques to generate new and original images. Two composited images, one portrait and one landscape are due (along with the images from which you made them). These images must go beyond the image enhancements learned in the first project, and actually create environments and scenes that have never before existed. Two actions (and the sort of minimalized work they represent) will not adequately complete the assignment (though BOTH might be PART of the strategy/execution). Simply cutting out a portrait from one background and pasting it into another will not complete the portrait composite; simply typing some text into an environment will not complete the landscape piece. Your composites should exhibit creativity channeled by the design concept you select. Turn these images in as a *PowerPoint* presentation; also turn in a folder containing the 2 "finished/processed" Photoshop .psds you used in the PP. Also include a sub-folder containing the unprocessed original images from which the composites were built. Type a “Raster Design Concept” page (as a “new slide” in the *PowerPoint* presentation) that details (identifies and explains) the design element used/highlighted in the raster project. The design concept page should be either the first or last file in the presentation. The rough draft, as tutorial, must be turned in on the due date; the completed assignment must reflect adjustment based on input from rough draft critique. Late rough draft and/or assignment meets with a letter grade reduction of assignment grade per 24 hours. 4. Digital Sound Mixing Assignment The completed sound file, designed in GarageBand will include digitized sounds taken from the following sources: (a) music track(s) developed in Garageband, (b) voice input from microphone, and (c) digital clip-sound effects file. The file will combine music, a special effect sound, and narration. The file must run 20-30 seconds and should be saved as an MP3 file. Voice-over music only (not over sung lyrics). Record a “Sound Design Concept” page (as a new GarageBand sound file) that details (identifies and explains) the design element used/highlighted in the sound project. Turn in this second file with the project file. The rough draft, as tutorial, must be turned in on the due date; the completed assignment must reflect adjustment based on input from rough draft critique. Late rough draft and/or assignment meets with a letter grade reduction of assignment grade per 24 hours. These files should be compiled into a PowerPoint presentation and turned in via a disk image. 5. Digital Video Editing Assignment Shoot “A” roll and “B” roll appropriate to the design concept (from the visual, not audio, set) you are going to illustrate with video. Input and and edit a short (45 sec.- 1:30) video in Final Cut. Main movie must contain "A" roll (that carries "the story"), "B" roll (cutaways for editing and effect), a placed graphic/photo related to the project (photo you shot for this purpose), audio narration (at least a paragraph of meaningful talk ), background music, a title (start or finish), fade in and fade out of audio and video. Camcorders and tripods will be available for your check out from 210. You may use GCC 213 as studio space when there are no class conflicts. If you have access to camcorder equipment that results in a mini-DV tape (no other tape formats are acceptable—digital video via firewire may be included in addition to mini-DV taped material), you may use your own equipment. Do not complete the shoot until after the Oct. 17 lecture in class. Assignment will be graded for both shooting and editing aspects. This assignment will be turned in as a DVD, using iDVD and appropriate interface design elements. Shoot a “Video Design Concept” interview (no longer than 30 seconds, edited) that details (identifies and explains) the design element used/highlighted in the video project. 2nd movie is a simple head shot/interview of you explaining the design concept. This video DOES NOT HAVE TO BE ARTFULLY EDITED. That is to say, it's not a 2nd movie for you to fuss over. Do the best you can . . . but we will not grade this for shooting or editing, as long as we can understand it. Keep it short...only as long as it need be to explain the concept and detail the way you actuated it via the assignment.The design concept clip should also be turned in on the DVD (and featured on the menu). Late rough draft and/or assignment meets with a letter grade reduction of assignment grade per 24 hours. 6. Web Basics Assignment Use *Dreamweaver* to establish web-site folders and to convert your materials into an HTML document (web format). You will then upload your site. Turn in this assignment by e-mailing URL for the index page to your instructor. Follow design principles for this 2 page web site. Grammar, spelling, layout, graphics, and html work all count. Make sure your images are of appropriate size and resolution for the web. Prepare a “Web Design Concept” page (as a third web page) that details (identifies and explains) the design element used/highlighted in the web project. Link to the page from the project homepage. Pages must include photos you shoot (at least 2 per page), text blocks on each page, a sound file, a movie file, and appropriate navigational aids. Late rough draft and/or assignment meets with a letter grade reduction of assignment grade per 24 hours. 7. Vector Image Assignment Using Photoshop you will create vector based text and create vector based graphics to create vector-based enhancements of one of the images you have created thus far. This recreation must improve substantially upon the original image in at least 3 ways, that you will specify in the notes section of the *PowerPoint* presentation. Type a “Vector Design Concept” page (as a “new slide” in the *PowerPoint* presentation) that details (identifies and explains) the design element used/highlighted in the vector project. The design concept page should be either the first or last file in the presentation. Include caption (according to rules).The rough draft, as tutorial, must be turned in on the due date; the completed assignment must reflect adjustment based on input from rough draft critique. Turn in the optimized vector files that are used (as Photoshop layered .psd files) as well as the optimized images used in PowerPoint (AFTER placing the graphics in the files). Late rough draft and/or assignment meets with a letter grade reduction of assignment grade per 24 hours. 8. Animation / Flash Basics Assignment Using *Flash* you will create an animation that is at least 20 seconds in length and that incorporates at least three shape tweens and five motion tweens. Your animation must also incorporate sound file(s) with background music, sound effects, and narration.You can do these separately or as a single sound file. Type a “Flash Design Concept” description (as a “new symbol”) that details (identifies and explains) the design element used/highlighted in the *Flash* project. The design concept should appear at the end of the Flash animation. The animation should stop at the point of the design concept, with navigation provide to restart/replay the animation. Late rough draft and/or assignment meets with a letter grade reduction of assignment grade per 24 hours. 9. The Final Project: A Multimedia Presentation The final project is the culmination of the term’s media production assignments. In order to illustrate, explain, detail, and exemplify the intersection of two design principles, the project uses a web-based presentation format (HTML; no Flash-based sites) to incorporate at least 2 sounds files (of at least the level of complexity of the audio assignment) and at least 1 video files (of at least the complexity of the video assignment); 8 original images (at least 3 of which must be vector graphics); and 2 animations. Type a “Final Project Design Concepts” description that details (identifies and explains) the design elements used/highlighted in the project. The design concept description should be incorporated into the final presentation in a logical place. The purpose of this project is to illustrate the interworking of two design principles. You may NOT use the project principally to complete some other task (design a site for your fraternity, etc.). You may, however, use content other than material about the design concepts as subject-matter). If your site is "about" something other than the assignment, I will reduce the value of the project by a full letter grade. This project will have a series of milestones that must completed on time or final project will be reduced in value, as listed: -500 word treatment with worksheet/flowchart/nodemap & Content production schedule (25 points at risk), due date on schedule page. -Clickable project skeleton with asset lists and content blocks/holes (25 points at risk), due date on schedule page.