Film 4910, Spring 2014

4910-010: Tuesdays & Thursdays 2:30-3:45, Classroom South 325

4910-015: Tuesdays & Thursdays 5:30-6:45, Classroom South 506

 

Ted Friedman

Office: 25 Park Place #1017

Email: ted@tedfriedman.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/tedfriedman

Website: https://tedfriedman.com/teaching

 

Course Description

Media today are converging, as the boundaries that divide movies, TV, games, computers and phones blur. Likewise, the familiar categories of producer and consumer intermingle in Web 2.0 practices such as blogging, vidding, modding and tweeting. This senior seminar will examine the shifting roles of creators and audiences across a range of media practices, culminating in a capstone project that represents your own engagement with the changing media landscape.

 

Readings

Two books are required for the class. Both are available for free online:

Marcus Boon, In Praise of Copying (Harvard UP, 2010).

Laurence Lessig, Remix  (Bloomsbury Press, 2008)

 

In Praise of Copying can be downloaded at http://www.hup.harvard.edu/features/boon/. Spreadable Media can be downloaded at http://www.scribd.com/doc/47089238/Remix . Other assigned readings are available online at the URLs listed below. Supplementary links to media news and criticism will be distributed via the class Twitter hashtag #sensem.

 

Capstone Project

This seminar is structured to support the creation of an individual project (research or creative) addressing some aspect of authorship, audiences, and/or convergence.  This project may either be a research paper (10-15 pages), a website (15-20 pages), a fiction/nonfiction video (5-10 minutes), a comic book (24 pages), or a game (a board game with cards and rules, or a computer game), depending on your preference and previous technical experience. (Students will not receive technical training in the details of video production or multimedia development as part of this class. Support is available through the GSU Digital Aquarium, http://www.gsu.edu/aquarium/.)  The final submitted project will be the culmination of a series of assignments, as described below.

 

 

 

Critical Thinking through Writing

This course is a designated Critical Thinking through Writing (CTW) course. In film, “critical thinking” is defined as identifying, analyzing, and evaluating arguments and truth claims; and formulating and presenting convincing reasons in support of conclusions.

“Writing” refers to the skill of writing clear, well-organized, and grammatically correct English prose.

 

 

Schedule

 

Introducing Convergence Culture

 

1/14 Introduction

In-class screening: Star Wars fan films

 

1/16 Read Henry Jenkins, “Quentin Tarantino’s Star Wars? Digital Cinema,

Media Convergence, and Participatory Culture,” Convergence Culture (NYU Press, 2006): http://web.mit.edu/cms/People/henry3/starwars.html

Read Chris Anderson, “The Long Tail,” Wired, December 2004:

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.10/tail.html

In-class screening: Barbie Nation

 

The Culture of the Copy

 

1/21 Read Marcus Boon, In Praise of Copying, Introduction, Chapters 1-2

http://www.hup.harvard.edu/features/boon/

In-class screening: Rip! A Remix Manifesto 

 

1/23 Read Boon, Chapters 3-5

 

1/28 Read Boon, Chapters 6-7, Conclusion

In-class screening: Exit through the Gift Shop

Project Proposal due

 

1/30 Read Ted Friedman, “Ideologies of Information Processing: From Analog to Digital.” From Electric Dreams. New York: NYU Press, 2005. https://tedfriedman.com/ electric-dreams-chapter-two/

 

Remix Culture

 

2/4 Read Lessig, Remix, Introduction

http://www.scribd.com/doc/47089238/Remix

In-class screening: Copyright Criminals

 

2/6 Read L essig, Part 1

In-class screening: Everything Is a Remix

 

2/11 Read Lessig, Part 2

Project Structure draft due

 

2/13 Read Lessig, Part 3

 

Source/Influence Presentations

 

2/18 Source/Influence Presentations

 

2/20 Source/Influence Presentations

 

2/25 Source/Influence Presentations

Project Structure final draft due

 

2/27 Source/Influence Presentations

 

3/4 Source/Influence Presentations

 

3/6 Source/Influence Presentations

 

Proposal Workshops

 

3/11 Proposal Workshops

 

3/13 Proposal Workshops

 

3/18 Spring Break – no class

 

3/20 Spring Break – no class

 

3/25 Proposal Workshops

 

3/27 Proposal Workshops

 

4/1 Proposal Workshops

 

4/3 Proposal Workshops

 

 

New Media Today

 

4/8 Read Sasha Frere-Jones, “Cash on the Pinhead,” newyorker.com, August 12, 2013:

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/sashafrerejones/2013/08/how-will- musicians-survive-in-the-spotify-era.html?mobify=0

Read Damon Krukowski, “Free Music,” Pitchfork, July 26, 2013:

http://pitchfork.com/features/oped/9178-free-music/

Read Tim Quirk, “My Hilarious Warner Bros. Royalty Statement,” toomuchjoy.com, December 2009:

http://www.toomuchjoy.com/index.php/2009/12/my-hilarious-warner-bros-royalty-statement/

 

4/10 Read Joe Karaganis, “Rethinking Piracy,” Media Piracy in Emerging Economies. New

York: Social Science Research Council, 2011.

http://piracy.americanassembly.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/MPEE-PDF-1- Rethinking-Piracy.pdf

Read Richard Barbrook, “The High Tech Gift Economy,” First Monday, December 5, 2005. http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1517/1432

 

Final Project Presentations

 

4/15 Final Project Presentations

 

4/17 Final Project Presentations

 

4/22 Final Project Presentations

 

4/24 Final Project Presentations

 

Final project due May 1

 

 

Assignments

 

The class assignments add up to total of 100 possible points. Your final grade for the class is determined by adding up your grades for each assignment, adjusting for attendance, then applying the final number to the following scale:

 

A 100-93 B+ 89-88 C+ 79-78 D 70-65

A- 92-90 B 87-83 C 77-73 F 64-0

B- 82-80 C- 72-70

 

 

Project Proposal – 10 points

Write a 2-3 page proposal.  Students creating research papers, nonfiction videos, or websites will detail the questions to be investigated and the sources they will use (including bibliography).  Those creating fiction videos will present a story synopsis and a statement of their project’s intended meaning/purpose. The proposal is due in class on January 28.

 

Source/Influence Presentation – 10 points

Pick one or more texts that you expect to engage in your project. These may be sources you plan to write about, clips you plan to sample, or models for your own creative work. Present to the class (10-15 minutes) the background and context for the sources or influences, discussing how you plan to engage them in your own project. Presentations will be scheduled from February 18 to March 6.

 

Project Structure – 30 points

Write a 6-10 page document including the following segments:

 

I. Outline or script: 3-5 pages, form depending on project. An essay project should include an expanded outline. A nonfiction video project should include a detailed segmentation breaking down scenes. A fiction video project or comic book should include a full script. A website project should include a site map.

 

Plan: 3-5 pages. You will answer a series of questions to flesh out your goals and strategies for the project. (More information to follow on a separate handout.)

A rough draft of the Project Structure is due in class on February 11. After meetings to discuss revisions, the final version is due in class February 25.

 

Proposal Workshop – 10 points

Present your work in progress to the class. Workshops will be scheduled from March 11 to April 3.

 

Final Project Presentation – 10 points

After incorporating the class’s feedback from the Proposal Workshop, you will present a final version to the class at the end of the semester, April 15-24.

 

Final Project – 30 points

After incorporating further class feedback and polishing any rough edges, the final version of the capstone project is due on May 1.

 

Attendance Adjustment

As Woody Allen put it, “80 percent of success is showing up.” It’s less than that in this formula, but the bottom line is that you can’t contribute to the class if you’re not there. You’re allowed one unexcused absence for the semester. After that, each unexcused absence subtracts one point from your grade total. Excused absences include medical and family emergencies. You will be expected to schedule any employment responsibilities around this class, or accept the consequences of missed classes on your grade. If you do need to miss a class, please contact me ahead of time, and make arrangements to catch up on missed material.

 

 

Policies

 

Late Assignments

Late assignments will be marked off by ½ point for every day overdue unless an extension is agreed upon before the due date. No work can be accepted after the deadline for the final project. Any unsubmitted work will receive a 0.

 

Withdrawals

Students withdrawing on or before the midsemester point will receive a W provided they are passing the course. Students who withdraw after the midsemester point will not be eligible for a W except in cases of hardship. If you withdraw after the midsemester point, you will be assigned a WF, except in those cases in which (1) hardship status is determined by the Office of the Dean of Students because of emergency, employment, or health reasons, and (2) you are passing the course.

 

Incompletes

Incompletes may be given only in special hardship cases. Incompletes will not be used merely for extending the time for completion of course requirements.

 

Changes to the Syllabus

This syllabus provides a general plan for the course. Deviations may be necessary.