TEch 350 (AVC): Syllabus
MEETING TIME AND LOCATION
Class Meeting Times: Tuesday and Thursday 11AM-12:15PM
Class Location: TIMARA Gallery and Zoom
COURSE OVERVIEW
TECH 350: Audio-Visual Composition is an applied course aimed at electronic musicians interested in incorporating computer-made visuals into their art-making practice. We'll start with applied studies, accompanied by readings and example projects, on the history of film, film sound, video art, and animation. These studies will introduce and use video editing software (Premiere, Davinci Resolve, etc.). We'll then transition to computer-based visual art: studies, again accompanied by readings and historical examples, on the history of computer animation, 3D modeling, and virtual and augmented reality (XR). These studies will make use of Processing, Cinema4D, and other tools. Along the way we'll look at theories of multi-media: how to define relationships between sound and image, the role of experimental sound and image in political and social movements, and, ultimately, how to engage (or expand your engagement with) audio-visual composition in your praxis.
COURSE OUTCOMES
The primary goal of this course is to blend historical writings, theory, impact on culture, and media related to audio-visual art, and to enrich the audio-visual praxis of class members. More specifically, this class will engage analysis (through historical and theoretical texts and media), technique (through learning and applying methods, primarily in software), and application (through a sequence of studies and a larger final project). Special focus will be made on risk-taking (in the studies and final project) and honest critique of class member’s work.
ANALYTICAL:
Read the history of film, film sound, animation, video art, and other audio-visual practices
Explored the different cultural, political, and aesthetic threads that are borne from audio-visual art communities
Gave thoughtful feedback and critique on peers’ audio-visual studies and projects
TECHNICAL:
Learned methods and techniques used to create audio-visual media
Understood the science behind (digital) moving image and (digital) sound production
Got experience using a variety of audio-visual software environments and programming languages
APPLIED:
Created a portfolio of audio-visual studies, applying technical and analytical skills
Challenged themselves to take more risk in their artistic praxis
Created a larger, more substantial audio-visual composition using the skills developed during the class
COURSE MATERIALS + TOOLS
There is no textbook for this course. Readings, listening, and viewings will be distributed as PDFs, audio links/files, and video links/files via the TECH 350 Box folder. Below is a non-exhaustive list of software and hardware made use of in this course:
Software
Davinci Resolve (free)
Premiere ($20 a month (student), possibly free (a la COVID-19))
Processing (free)
Cinema4D (free educational license)
Hardware
Video camera / phone
Audio recorder / phone
Pencil / pen + paper (for flipbooks)
Lighting
In addition, the following tools are also required:
An external hard drive and/or access to a cloud-based storage account with sufficient storage to back up your projects (such as Oberlin’s free Box account: oberlin.edu/cit/box). Video files are large (and projects using them can get enormous!) so at least 500GB of space is recommended.
(Save early and often, and consider backing up in at least two locations (on your computer, your external hard drive, AND on Dropbox, for example). Loss of data (AKA “the digital dog ate my homework”) is NOT an acceptable excuse for late project submission.)
Attendance + late submission policy
Attendance is a mandatory component of this course, and will be taken at each class.
2 classes may be missed, for any reason, and not adversely affect your grade, but missed work must be made up in its entirety.
Missing 3 classes = third letter grade deduction (3.3%) off of course grade
Missing 4 classes = half letter grade deduction (5%) off of course grade
Missing 5 classes = full letter grade deduction (10%) off of course grade
Missing 6 classes = automatic failure of the course (no exceptions)
2 impartial attendances (arriving in class more than 5 minutes after the start of the class or leaving class more than 5 minutes early) will be counted as a missed class. An impartial attendance that involves arriving more than 30 minutes late or leaving 30 minutes early will be counted as an absence.
All assignments should be submitted no later than the assignment due date. Late assignments will be graded based on a sliding letter grade penalty:
Submitted a day late (up to 24 hours after the assignment due date) = full letter grade deduction (10%)
Submitted two days late (more than 24 hours and up to 48 hours after due date) = two letter grade deduction (20%)
Submitted three days late (more than 48 hours and up to 72 hours after due date) = three letter grade deduction (30%)
Submitted more than three days late (more than 72 hours after due date) = automatic 0% on the assignment (no exceptions)
Grading Overview
The grading for this course is based on five different types of engagement/projects:
Participation (15%)
Completing reading, watching, and listening. Actively engaging during class discussions and critiques. Separate from attendance.
Studies (35%)
Short applied studies related to audio-visual composition strategies and techniques and tools.
Video artist Profile (15%)
A brief write-up, analysis of , and presentation on several work by an established video artist.
real-time audio-visual system (10%)
The design and implementation of a real-time (generative and/or interactive) audio-visual system.
audio-visual Final project (25%)
A larger-scale audio-visual composition that applies skills, techniques, and tools introduced in the class.
For more details on assignments, see the TECH 350 Assignments page.
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT + GENDER PRONOUNS
Make your best effort to arrive on time to class and to not leave early (unless a specific exemption is made with me beforehand).
Lectures are phone-free (at all times).
You’re welcome to take notes on paper or on your laptop.
Do not work on assignments for other classes during our class time.
At all times during this course, the classroom, professor’s office, and TA’s space will be locales where you will be welcomed and treated with dignity and respect. People of all ages, backgrounds, beliefs, ethnicities, genders, gender identities and expressions, sexual orientations, national origins, religious affiliations, abilities, and other visible and nonvisible differences are welcome. All members of this course are expected to behave in a manner that nurtures this environment. The course roster includes student’s full legal names; please let me know your preferred name and/or gender pronouns early in the semester.
INDIVIDUALIZED LEARNING NEEDS
The College makes reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. Students should notify the Office of Disability Services located in Peters G-27/G- 28 and the instructor of this course of any disability related needs. For more information, see http://new.oberlin.edu/office/disability-services/index.dot.
If you are eligible for and need academic adjustments or accommodations because of a disability (including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities) please speak with me early in the semester.
OBERLIN HONOR CODE
Students are expected to adhere to the Oberlin College Honor Code. Any violations will be reported to the Honor Code Committee.
If you have any questions about what is permitted and what is not, please feel free to ask your TA or myself.
For every assignment, students must indicate whether they followed the Honor Code in completing the assignment. If so, students should end each assignment by writing and signing:
I have adhered to the Honor Code in this assignment.