Intro to Design & Production
Indiana University, Department of Telecommunications
Spring Semester 2011, section #10942
Tuesday & Thursday 9:30 –10:45 am, TV 251
Instructor
Norbert Herber 855-1798 or nherber at indiana dot edu (e-mail is the best way to reach me)
Office Hours (Radio-TV 344): Monday 12:30-1:30; Tuesday 11-noon, or send e-mail to make an appointment
Associate Instructor
Dan Schiffman dkschiffat indiana dot edu
Office Hours (Radio-TV 240): Monday & Thursday 4-5pm, or send e-mail to make an appointment
Leading discussions at 9:05A, 10:10A, and 11:15A
Associate Instructor
Jagadish Anavankot jaanavan at indiana dot edu
Office Hours (Radio-TV 240): Tuesdays 2-3pm & Wednesdays 3-4pm, or send e-mail to make an appointment
Leading discussions at
12:20P, 1:25P, and 2:30P
Syllabus full URL: http://www.indiana.edu/~audioweb/T206
Prerequisites: curiosity or interest in media-making and visual storytelling for small screens
Introduction
This course provides the foundation for understanding and critiquing the techniques used in television and small-screen media production. We will look at a range of visual media, analyze story-telling techniques, and look at how stories are structured. This is not
a hands-on production course, but we will explore the entire production process through photography, sketching, and writing. You will be introduced to many of the
fundamentals in the production process, including
storyboarding, treatment and script writing, pitching, visual storytelling, character development,
and techniques for composition, editing, sound, and visual design. Students are expected to be creative and to carry out or think through various pre-production tasks for each of the assigned projects.
Course Objectives
Lecture classes
Tuesday and Thursday 9:30-10:45 Room 251
Because of the nature of the lecture hall, and the amount of information we cover, it can be difficult to make lectures interactive. I will ask questions of you on occasion, and I will expect a response, but for the most part you should expect lectures to be more about listening to me than me listening to you.
In order to get to know you better, we will, on a regular basis, choose ten students at random to sit in the front row. I will tend to direct questions and comments to these people, partly to the exclusion of others in the class. Many have said this would be preferable to a regular seating chart. If you are missing on a day when you are selected to sit in the front row, you will be marked absent and your participation grade will suffer.
Discussion classes
Discussions are held on Fridays in Teter 258. Teter is the large dormitory between Sunrise and Campbell; Tenth and 7th streets (see this map). The sections are scheduled at:
Discussion sections expand on content which may be difficult to fully explore in lecture. Class time may also be used to introduce new material. These are not optional, nor are they simply reviewing material. I expect you to know specific and detailed information which you can only get by regularly attending your discussions. Most importantly, we will use discussions as "labs" wherein you will be given time to develop, and even work on projects for the course. Finally, we will often have quizzes in Discussion, which will comprise a significant part of your grade for the course. Most quizzes will focus about 60% on readings, and 40% on lectures.
Readings
You can expect to read approximately one article or book chapter per week. They are posted on Oncourse in PDF format.
You are college students, not high school students. I expect you to be able to read with full comprehension and know when you do not understand something. The readings are intended to move beyond lectures and discussions, providing context and reference material which can improve your full understanding of the lecture and discussion content. On occasion, you may notice some contradictions—in television production there are few hard and fast rules—different people have different ideas about certain things. Use these disagreements to prompt questions which clarify in your mind—and the minds of your classmates—the full range of ideas related to television design and production.
Role of the Student
What you think matters—Why do you like some shows and dislike others? How do different subjects, techniques and perspectives affect your emotions? Your reasoning? More importantly, how you express what you think matters. Can you write well, draw, take pictures? You will be expected to do more than regurgitate what you listen to, read, and practice. Your opinion counts, but not as much as your well-crafted, persuasive arguments.
As a college student in the 21st century, you are in the most media affected generation of all time. With rare exceptions, everything you know is colored by televised images. You have always had Sesame Street and MTV, you have always had Cable TV, you have always had re-runs, you have always rented movies.
This class teaches you how to understand the way stories impact audiences so that you as a producer and designer can reproduce these effects. In order to accomplish this, you must be willing to participate in class discussions, speak and defend your opinions and keep your eyes open for good stories. We encourage you to document (record/transcribe) or otherwise locate stories that you like and bring them to class so we can discuss them.
Supplies
Backups
Your assignments will be completed by hand and with the help of a computer. Working with digital tools is both a blessing and a curse. Save all of your files in two places (such as onto your Oncourse workspace and onto a hard disk or jump drive.) Oncourse is secure, accessible from any computer on campus and backed up every day. It is your responsibility to have these materials when required. If there are extraordinary circumstances that keep you from completing an assignment on time, talk to your instructor immediately—BEFORE THE DUE DATE AND TIME. If something is lost or unexpectedly deleted the night before a project is due use your backup file(s). Not having a backup is not a legitimate excuse. That's why these are so important.
Student Collegiality
You are expected to conduct yourself with decorum in this class. We have a shared responsibility in learning: me as the facilitator and you as the participant. Learning will only occur if we work together to make this an engaging environment. I will do my best to provide interesting topics and material for our consideration. You will absorb, discuss, and—through quizzes, exams and projects—integrate this material into a body of knowledge that will be useful to you in the future.
All work that you turn in must be your own. In certain situations it may be necessary to borrow from third-party source. Students are allowed to do this only after specific permission has been granted by the instructor. All borrowed work must be cited; no exceptions. Failure to cite borrowed work will be viewed as plagiarism. Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated. Both are grounds for an Academic Misconduct report and a failing grade. Any questions regarding these policies can be directed to the Code of Student Rights at http://dsa.indiana.edu/Code
The production and discussion of creative work is a large part of this class. Any work or criticism that is offensive or that constitutes harassment of a racial, sexual, ethnic, or religious nature will result in a failing grade.
Mobile Phones, Computers, other devices
Part of being a student in 2010 is figuring out how to incorporate technology into your daily life. While I am aware that your mobile and/or computer are an essential link to the world, you will require neither in this class.
Mobile phones should be off or on vibrate and should never be answered or used during lecture. If you are witnessed using a cell phone during lecture you get a warning. If there is a repeat offense in the same class period you will be asked to leave and will be considered absent.
Computers may be used in class, but only for course related uses such as note taking. If you are witnessed using your computer for gaming, Facebook, etcetera, you will get a warning. If there is a repeat offense in the same class period you will be asked to leave and will be considered absent.
Attendance
Attendance is mandatory. We will take attendance in several ways, some direct, some indirect. An example of a direct method would be asking you to sign in. An example of an indirect method would be a pop quiz. You must be in class when we take attendance, or you will be marked absent (even if you are just late).
If you are absent for six or more classes (discussion and/or lecture) you will receive no higher than a D+ in this course. With this grade you will have to repeat the course in order to advance as a Telecommunications major.
Students who have true emergencies, life-threatening illnesses, or deaths in the family may be granted excused absences. An excused absence must be supported with written documentation when you return to campus. This kind of documentation must be submitted on paper. E-mail messages are not acceptable in these situations.
Students observing religious holidays during the semester please see IU's Religious Holidays request form.
Communication
All questions pertaining to the class should be referred to t206-sp11@oncourse.iu.edu.
All students in the class will be automatically subscribed to this list. It
will provide a lifeline for help when you need it most. We will discuss this
in more detail during class.
All communication with me concerning your progress in the class should be done
in office hours and after class. If you cannot meet during
my regularly scheduled office hours, send an e-mail to make an appointment.
I am glad to meet with you to discuss class questions and anything else you
find interesting.
University Services
For assistance with physical, social, or mental health issues which affect learning or testing:
Disabled Student Services
Franklin Hall 096
(812) 855-7578
Learning Disabled Coordinator: Jody Ferguson
Franklin Hall 327
(812) 855-3508
http://www.indiana.edu/~iubdss
Adaptive Technology Services
Herman B Wells Library Media Reserve Center
(812) 856-4112
http://www.indiana.edu/~iuadapts
For assistance with tutoring, test anxiety, or non-medical academic issues:
Mathematics Learning Center
Rawles Hall 115
(812) 855-8921
Contact: Jim Hendrickson (Swain East 340)
Student Academic Center
316 N. Jordan
(812) 855-7313
Contact: Sharon Chertkoff
http://www.indiana.edu/~sac
For assistance with writing:
Writing Tutorial Services
Ballantine Hall 206 & Herman B Wells Library
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts