LEVEL II/III ASSIGNMENTS
Artist Multiple – Oracle Deck (due Monday January 12 – 5%): Using your choice of 2D medium (drawing, printmaking, photography, collage, etc), you will conceptualize and design a card for the class Oracle Deck. You must come to class on January 12th with your design and description ready: we will scan artwork, format cards + description booklet, and print proofs of the decks during class. Designs will be sent to a printer and the deck will arrive later in the semester. Please give your card a name. Descriptions should be 1-2 sentences, giving a sense of what your card “means” (ie. “This card represents confidence. You are well-prepared, compassionate with your self, and ready to take on your next challenge.”)
CHOOSE 1 OF THESE 2 (due Wednesday February 4 – 10%):
Prop: Looking to examples provided in class or personal research for inspiration, you will transform a found object into a prop. This transformation will obfuscate the original function of the object, turning it into something mysterious, magical, or absurd. You can choose to treat the surface of the object, hack it, circuit-bend it, or apply any other number of interventions to make this transformation. You must incorporate this object into your TV Episode. For the in-class mini-crit on February 2nd, you must bring the prop into class – so think about portability!
Character: Looking to examples provided in class or personal research for inspiration, you will develop a performance character or persona. This character will have some kind of backstory, an outfit or costume, and a name. This character must be incorporated as a performance-to-camera element in your TV Episode. For the in-class mini-crit on February 2nd, you may choose to either present live “in character” or bring a character sheet with photographs and written information.
Experimental Screen Media Collaborative Major Project – TV Episode (due Wednesday April 1st – 45%): In close consultation with the instructor and technician, drawing inspiration/influence from examples discussed in class, and in groups of up to 4, students will conceptualize, plan, produce, and edit an experimental TV Episode comprised of several interrelated short experimental video art works, totalling 20-30 minutes. A theme will be assigned to each group. Groups will independently decide on the aesthetic atmosphere for each video component, overall structure, and individual group member roles. The semester will be broken down into 3 key phases: pre-production, production, and post-production. Each phase will end with a critique, allowing for groups to apply peer feedback before handing in their final work.
Work-in-Progress Critique 1 (Wednesday January 28 – 10%): Groups will present the pre-production phase of their Episode, including ideation, writing, storyboarding, and/or location scouting. By this critique, groups should have a solid idea of how they want their Episode to be structured, visual and aural aesthetic(s), and a production schedule outline. One member of the group will be designated as a note-taker to record peers’ critique feedback. In addition to the critique presentation, groups will submit a PDF between 6-12 pages (point-form notes and sketches/images) detailing the pre-production work they have done and their production plan.
Work-in-Progress Critique 2 (Wednesday February 25 – 15%): Groups will present the production phase of their Episode, including a selection of video footage and images of any props/costumes/sets they have created (if applicable). By this critique, groups should be wrapping up production and have a post-production schedule outline. One member of the group will be designated as a note-taker to record peers’ critique feedback. In addition to the critique presentation, groups will submit a PDF between 6-12 pages (point-form notes and video stills) detailing the production work they have done and their post-production plan.
Final Critique (Monday March 30 – 20%): Groups will describe some of the post-production work they have done, summarize their artist statement, and screen their Episode. By this critique, groups must be finished all major editing and have a 250-word group artist statement. In addition to the critique presentation, groups will submit a PDF between 5-10 pages including their group artist statement, additional background information (full sentences), and a video still from each section of their Episode.
Public Screening + Livestream (Thursday April 2nd): An official screening of the final TV Episodes will take place at Silence Sounds (46 Essex St) in partnership with Ed Video Media Arts Centre and Silence from 6-9pm on Thursday, April 2nd. This will be a celebratory screening, not a critique, and it will be open to the public. Works will also be livestreamed for friends+family who cannot make it in-person. Episodes must be fully edited and dropped into the main iMac (Pokey) in Zavitz 318 by NOON on Wednesday April 1st, allowing for the transfer of files. In-person attendance is not mandatory but highly encouraged! Invite friends and family!
LEVEL II ONLY
Journal (due Wednesday February 11 and Monday March 23 – 20%): You will provide a blank notebook/sketchbook in which to record weekly reflections on readings, screenings, and artist talks; as well as ideas, research, sketches/storyboards, and process tracking for projects. Please label each entry with a date and title (ex/ “Thoughts on Artist Talks – February 9”). The notebook/sketchbook itself should be around 9×12” and each section of the journal should be no less than 20 pages (40+ pages of content total). The journal will be handed in to Megan twice. You must record notes on all readings, screenings, and artist talks (except in the case of missed class days due illness, etc).
Moving Image Collage (due Monday March 2 – 5%): Using technical skills—including sourcing found footage and GIFs from the internet, chroma keying, masking, and key framing—learned from a workshop with Nathan on Monday March 2nd, students will create a 1-minute video collage. Students must bring still images of artworks created outside of this class to include in their collage. Students who miss the workshop will be unable to complete the assignment and must see the instructor to discuss a make-up assignment.
LEVEL III ONLY
2 Short Essays (due Wednesday February 11 and Monday March 23 – 20%): You will submit two short essays in response to readings, screenings, guest artists, and your own artistic practice. These writings should be a reflection of your own thought process, feelings, and ideas in relation to the course content. Writing prompts/questions will be provided to guide your thinking. Essays will be submitted as PDFs to the blog and each formatted as 4-page (approx. 1000 words), 12-point font, double-spaced documents with a title, date, and your name at the top of the page. You must reference at least one reading (or pair of readings), one artist talk, and one work looked at in class per essay.
Essay Prompts:
1. Reflect on what makes media “experimental”: is it the way it is produced? The content? The concept? How do you define experimental, and how are you experimenting (with ideas, processes, materials, etc) in this course? How might experimental video and/or artists’ broadcasting fit within your broader practice?
2. According to your chosen readings (Russell+Neves Marques or Paglen), how is digital culture shaping our contemporary “reality”? Looking at examples from throughout the class, including “Untitled Fall ’95” by Alex Bag, what are some changes you’ve noticed in video art in this millennium? Think about form, content, concept, and where audiences access video art.
Post-Production Technical Exercise (due Wednesday March 4 – 5%): Each student will be provided one minute of raw footage from a camera workshop earlier in the semester. Using technical skills learned from Nathan during a workshop on Wednesday March 4th, students will chroma key, colour grade, and edit the sound of the footage to a professional standard. Students must bring still images of artworks they have created outside of this class to use as chroma key backgrounds. Students who miss the workshop will be unable to complete the assignment and must see the instructor to discuss a make-up assignment.