ARTD 467 VIDEO ART

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This class is an advanced study of video as a medium for artistic statement with an emphasis on individualized projects. Students will receive lectures on historical and contemporary issues relating to the Video Art movement. Technological and theoretical issues of emerging video technologies (machine vision, interactive installation, web-broadcast, and live cinema) will be explored. The student will be expected to create work that exemplifies both the technical knowledge gained as well as the conceptual and aesthetic practices of Video Art.

COURSE OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of this course the student will:

* Demonstrate advanced skills in shooting, lighting, and other image acquisition techniques.
* Demonstrate advanced skills in compositing, key-framing, and editing techniques.
* Use video as a tool for generating source content for other media (i.e. web, animation, video games, installation).
* Produce real-time effects and non-linear editing techniques of Live Cinema video performance.
* Distribute digital video across a variety of media and formats.
* Demonstrate a deeper appreciation of contemporary Video Art practices, artists and methodologies.

RESOURCES AND MATERIALS

Required:

1) Recording media and backup media (DVD's, MiniDV tape).
2) Webspace (personal website, Vimeo account, or YouTube account).
3) Portable Hard Drives (for backing up work and presenting work in class).

Recommended:

1) Adobe After Effects and Adobe Premiere*
2) Max 5* (available as a 9 month license).
3) VVVV*
4) Processing
5) Video camera (Flip, Kodak Zi8, webcam, etc.)*
6) Subscription to an online tutorial website (Lynda, Digital Tutors, Creative Cow, etc.)
7) SDHC (High-capacity) memory card* (only for use in non-tape, digital video cameras)

* these items are available in the Time Arts labs and Equipment Room and should not be considered required.

Equipment Room policies will be reviewed in class. There is no required text for this course.

ASSIGNMENTS

10% - In-class (Attendance/Participation)
10% - Lecture Exercises
20% - Project 1: SOURCE A/B
20% - Project 2: vTransmission (Vlog, Viral, Geolocated)
40% - Project 3: LIVE CINEMA (Final Project - performed publicly)
___________________________
100% Total

Final Project - Your final project for this course will be displayed or performed publicly during final's week (or the week immediately preceding finals). The exact time/date/location will be determined within the first few weeks of the semester. Your project will be graded during this time. Please note that your final project will comprise 40% of your final grade.

ASSESSMENT

Participation
• You will be required to discus topics, present your work, and provide constructive feedback about your colleague's work.
• Part of each assignment grade will be based on your participation during critique.
• Ideas and comments that intentionally cause any physical or emotional harm to the student or anyone else will not be accepted.
• A student may excuse themselves for a short duration if there is a conflict of religious beliefs with the content presented.

Attendance
• Attendance is mandatory and taken at the beginning of class. If you arrive after attendance has been taken, it is your responsibility to notify the instructor.

Attendance and tardy final grade modifications as follows:
• Each three tardies equal one absence.
• Each three absences equal reduction of total points by one letter grade.
• Work-in-class days are not "free" days, and you are required to attend.
• Attendance to the final critique during exam week is mandatory. Failure to appear may result in the reduction of total points by one letter grade.

Grading
• Grades will be based on an appropriate level for continuation into an artistic or industry related profession.
• Any appeal for grades must be brought to the instructor during office hours or at a scheduled time convenient to both parties. • Incomplete grades ("I") will only be granted for the death of a family member during the semester, or a note from a doctor documenting a hospitalization representing a significant period of time.
• Only if given the final grade of "I" (incomplete) will additional work after the conclusion of a semester be accepted.

Grades are not curved and adhere to the following scale:

100-90 A = Excellent work that exhibits a mastery of all aspects of the assignment.
89-80 B = Above average work that satisfies all basic requirements.
79-70 C = Adequate work that satisfies all basic requirements.
69-60 D = Weak work that is careless or lacks effort.
59-0 F = Incomplete or failing work.

Note: I will send grades and official announcements via blackboard so make sure to read your official NIU email. This syllabus may be modified at the instructor’s discretion. Students will be notified in a timely manner of any changes.

Exhibiting Student Work:

I customarily document student assignments that I wish to reproduce (with credit) in my scholarly work. If you do not want me to reproduce your work or use your name, please notify me in writing. I customarily credit student work when it’s displayed on the boards or posted on the Internet. If you do not want me to use your name or post your work, please notify me in writing.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Student-teacher relationships are built on trust. Students must trust that teachers have made appropriate decisions about the structure and content of the courses they teach. Additionally, teachers must trust that the assignments that students turn in are theirs. Acts that violate this trust undermine the educational process. All work produced in this course must be original and created by the student. The first infraction will result in a failure for the course and a report to the Office of the Dean. Works that involved the use of appropriation should be discussed with your instructor before you submit them for grading. Collaborative work and discussion is encouraged. Instructor must be notified of students' intention to collaborate on assignments well ahead of that assignment's deadline. Instructor will determine whether or not collaboration will be allowed. Upon assignment completion, there must be documentation of each member's contribution to the finished assignment. The instructor reserves the right to award members of the collaboration different grades.

Statement on Plagiarism and Appropriation
Plagiarism is a serious offense, it is not allowed, and will be taken very seriously in this class (typically resulting in course or project failure - depending upon the severity of the act). Very simply, plagiarism is the act of taking someone else's work (in part or whole) and claiming that it was yours. Do not get plagiarism and appropriation confused. Appropriation is the act of using someone else's work to create a new work - often retaining the original authorship and/or creating a commentary on the original context. Appropriation plays an important role in cultural criticism and can be very effective artistically. Appropriation will be allowed for this class provided that you either receive written permission from the owner or are using work that follows the Creative Commons "Attribution + Noncommercial + ShareAlike (by-nc-sa)" license or Copyleft license. You must always make a reference to the work you are appropriating in the documentation of your work.

Look for these symbols:

For more information you should review these links:

http://www.appropriationart.ca/
http://www.illegal-art.org/
http://www.prelinger.com/
http://creativecommons.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyleft

DISABILITY CLAUSE

NIU abides by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which mandates reasonable accommodations be provided for qualified students with disabilities. If you have a disability and may require some type of instructional and/or examination accommodation, please contact me early in the semester so that I can provide or facilitate in providing accommodations you may need.

If you have not already done so, you will need to register with the Center for Access-Ability Resources (CAAR), the designated office on campus to provide services and administer exams with accommodations for students with disabilities. The CAAR office is located on the 4th floor of the University Health Services building (815-753-1303). I look forward to talking with you soon to learn how I may be helpful in enhancing your academic success in this course.

CLUSTER CLASSES (Graduate Students)

Graduate students taking this course will be required to attend all critiques and should attend all lectures for subjects in which they are deficient. It is your responsibility to observe the course timeline (changes may occur and will be posted online and on Blackboard).

Graduate students are required to submit the same coursework (including readings) that is assigned for undergraduates, however the quality and concept should be of a higher caliber than that of the undergraduate level. At times, additional readings or exercises may be assigned for graduate students.

You may only submit work that is being graded in multiple courses with the written approval (email) of all instructors involved.