Open Narration in Technologically Innovative Media 1

Subject guarantor:

Tomáš DORUŠKA, Eric ROSENZVEIG

Name of lecturer(s):

Tomáš DORUŠKA, Eric ROSENZVEIG

Learning outcomes of the course unit:

To introduce the potential of interactive narration- expanded narration.

The objectives are to have students understand how to create relevant, contemporary moving image pieces with contemporary technologies, image viewing habits and technologies. Students will be involved in creating both software and their own content as well as using existing content to build navigable media structures towards making 'future cinema' viewable on networked mobile devices.

Mode of study:

Readings, lecture, moderated discussion, discussions, media recording sample analyses, text analyses, essays, contact instruction of study comparisons, screenings, External writer lectures.

Prerequisites and co-requisites:

Intended for Bachelor of Arts degreed students. This course is linked to the workshop where Baccalaureate knowledge is used.

Recommended optional programme components:

Course contents:

Open/Non-Linear Narrative (theory & practice) 2 semester Masters level course in Czech & English

What do soap opera and a youtube search have in common? An open narrative structure. In the former case, one determined by the user as he or she browses a series of suggested links based on the 'metadata' associated with the 'media object'. We will study, explore and build media works using various concepts from the brief and ongoing history of non-linear film & video: from kino-automat presented in the Czech Pavilion of Expo '67 to onewordmovie.ch to playListNetWork.com to iPhone and android apps. Students will be involved in creating both software and their own content as well as using existing content to build navigable media structures towards making a 'future cinema', one that is actually here today - and no longer fits on the screen of the movie theater in your neighbourhood.

Each class will be based on a relevant chapter from a recent book and include audio-visual examples. A portion of each class will involve students showing their exercises to each other.

Semester 1

Oct. 4 Class 1 Rosenzveig & Doruska

non-linear model of the network in current critical theory

rhizomatic versus hierarchical structures, history of hyper-link, basic computer tools concepts & history as related to the course work

exercise bring examples to next 2 classes

Oct. 11 Class 2 Rosenzveig

history of non-linear cinema 1 contemporary examples

with examples and screenings from DVD's, games, and internet

Oct. 18 Class 3 Doruska

history of non-linear cinema 2 historical examples

with examples and screenings from DVD's, games, and internet

Oct. 25 Class 4 Rosenzveig

random vs. authored

structure as determined by the 'master' artist/auteur versus weighted randomness and encoded aesthetics (machine intelligence and Artificial Life) versus the 'expert viewer'. How much control is a viewer allowed, concept of agency

Nov 1 Class 5 Rosenzveig

database basics

key concepts of developing and using a database for media objects including concept of fields, orthogonality, formats, searching, machine searching tools, analysis, automation, associative assembly

Metadata, textual and visual representation of media objects for author and viewer

Nov 8 Class 6 Doruska & Rosenzveig

Navigation 1 Editing as structure

juntions and edit points. key frame representation. what happens when we change media streams and how can we represent these changes to viewers either textually or with a still image.

Nov 15 Class 7 guest lecturer Mgr. Markéta Pluskalová-Dočekalová

on 'serial construction' and introduction of TV exercise

Nov 22 Class 8 international guest lecturer TBA

new narrative structures

Nov 29 Class 9 Doruska

TV Exercise and scripting

Dec 6 Class 10 Doruska & Rosenzveig

narrative approaches

lateral thinking or hyperlinked diversions, parallel narrative streams and link series. temporality and story length.

Dec 13 Class 11 Rosenzveig

Navigation 2 viewer Interface text & graphics

how does the viewer navigate your story? How can the viewer access and view multi-temporal video streams simultaneously?

Dec 20 Class 12 Doruska & Rosenzveig

vast narrative and rule based character development

continual story

semester work

small oral presntations

WIKI entries

finished scripting of TV exercise and shooting late January

entering media and metadata into database before semester 2

Recommended or required reading:

Gaston Bachelard, Poetika prostoru, Malvern, 2009

Jeffrey Shaw and Peter Weibel, Future Cinema: The Cinematic Imaginary After Film, MIT Press, 2003

Pat Harrigan and Noah Wardrip-Fruin (Eds.), Third Person: Authoring and Exploring Vast Narratives, MIT Press, 2009

Rieser, Martin and Zapp, Andrea (Eds.), New Screen Media: Cinema /Ar t/Narrative, bfi Publishing, 2002

Bushoff, Brunhild (Ed.) Developing Interactive Narrative Content, (sagas_sagasnet_reader) High Text, 2005

Janine Marchessault and Susan Lord (Eds.), Fluid Screens, Expanded Cinema (Digital Futures), U. of Toronto Press, 2008

George Landow, Hypermedia 3.0, Critical Theory and New Media in an Era of Globalization, John Hopkins University Press, 2006

http://www2.iim.cz/wiki/index.php/Interactive,_Open_or_Non_Linear_Media_works_links

Texts:

Third Person Authoring and Exploring Vast Narratives, Noah Wardip-Fruin (editor)

Database Aesthetics Art in the Age of Information Overflow, Victoria Vesna (editor)

Planned learning activities and teaching methods:

Lecture, exercises, classes

Assessment methods and criteria:

Active 80% participation in lectures. A concept of one's original work using open narrative principles.

Course web page:

Note:

Further information:

This course is an elective for all students of this school

Schedule for winter semester 2012/2013:

	06:00–08:0008:00–10:0010:00–12:0012:00–14:0014:00–16:0016:00–18:0018:00–20:0020:00–22:0022:00–24:00
Mon	místnost 423 Učebna CAS (Lažanský palác) DORUŠKA T. 16:30–18:05 (paralelka 1)
Tue
Fri
Thu
Fri

Date	Day	Time	Tutor	Location	Notes	No. of paralel
	Mon	16:30–18:05	DORUŠKA T.	Učebna CAS Lažanský palác		paralelka 1

Schedule for summer semester 2012/2013:

The schedule has not yet been prepared

The subject is a part of the following study plans:

• Animovaná tvorba - bakalář (optional subject)
• Dokumentární tvorba - magistr (optional subject)
• Dokumentární tvorba - bakalář (optional subject)
• Animovaná tvorba - magistr (optional subject)
• Scenáristika a dramaturgie - bakalář (optional subject)
• Scenáristika a dramaturgie - magistr (optional subject)
• Režie - bakalář (optional subject)
• Režie - magistr (optional subject)
• Kamera - bakalář (optional subject)
• Kamera - magistr (optional subject)
• Produkce - bakalář (optional subject)
• Produkce - magistr (optional subject)
• Audiovizuální studia - bakalář (qualification subject, optional subject)
• Střihová skladba - bakalář (optional subject)
• Střihová skladba - magistr (optional subject)
• Zvuková tvorba - bakalář (optional subject)
• Zvuková tvorba - magistr (optional subject)
• Fotografie CZ - bakalář (optional subject)
• Fotografie CZ - magistr (optional subject)
• Audiovizuální studia - magistr (qualification subject, optional subject)
• Fotografie CZ: Restaurování fotografie (optional subject)