SPRING 2019 DRAFT SYLLABUS
ART 3604/5704 Digital Video TS: Digital Video
Facilitator: Lesley Duffieldhe/him/his
Office Hours: By appointment, please.
duffles@vt.edu
Course Description
At this moment in history the moving image is attaining the ubiquity that the still image has enjoyed for the previous 175 years. Over this time, we have developed an inherent understanding of its production, meaning, and consequence. Today’s digital video occurs on hand held devices, head mounted displays, in theaters, in bars and restaurants, taxis, cars, planes, and incorporates many different modes of production, motion graphics, and generative processes. It is this very saturation which enables us to consider the digital video as an object. As viewers and consumers, we know what to expect from video and film, and as creators and producers we know its rules, limits, and behaviors.
As playful beings living in a sustained presence of digital display, we will direct our intention towards questions of experimentation and play that identify boundaries, frames, and limits of the form. What new languages are hiding in the pixels, waiting for us to unleash them? What barriers: personal, technical, formal, and contextual stand in the way of revealing these contours?
A note on practice:
Because of the multi-modal quality of this course, and because at points all of us will be doing very different things simultaneously, much of your studio practice must be self-directed. Your success is dependent upon your hard work, openness, flexibility, and honest willingness to step into uncharted creative territory.
Objectives/Aspirations. In this course, we aspire to:
• maintain rich and dynamic conversations about digital video art and the politics of play.
• engage the materiality of video by crystallizing our understanding regarding the technical languages
of digital capture, editing, encoding, and display.
• further develop an active understanding of challenges facing our individual practices, and to develop
strategies for overcoming them.
• make 3 major works that respond to questions asked by the maker.
• offer meaningful critique of peer works.
• engage in an exhibition at the end of the semester.
Attendance
I am under the assumption that you are committed to your own development. As such, I will not be awarding any excused or free absences. Each absence reduces your final grade by 1/2 letter grade. On the 5th absence you will be awarded an F. After 5, you will not be eligible for making up any of the previous 4.
Exceptions include documented religious holidays, hospitalization, bereavement, and high profile awards ceremonies such as the Guggenheim or MacArthur Genius Grant. If you are going to get sick, any job fairs etc, greek activities, and you are going to simply miss class please realize...
...I am not a monster. I sympathize with social pressure, in fact, I've designed my own with this very policy, and because life happens and you might miss a class, you can earn tokens to cover yourself as insurance against such misfortune by attending one BFA and one MFA critique.
Fine Print: You must attend four consecutive critiques in order to erase 4 absences. That is to say if you attend all 8 critiques, you will be able to miss up to four classes.
Finer print: If you miss the first series of critiques, you will only be eligible for 3 excused absences. If you miss the first 2, you will only be eligible for 2 absences and so on. After you cash in your tokens, any remaining tokens held at the end of the semester you will be awarded extra credit.
Everyone is required to attend at least 2 of the outside of class BFA critiques as presenters this semester.
(((Lateness)))
Class begins on-time. I give 3 minutes grace. Habitual lateness (3) will equal an absence.
Participation
In critique and both online and in-class discussions, ‘participation’ means: full presence and attention, you are prepared to discuss the readings, ready to help foster inclusive discussion, exercise fairness, provide ample genuine curiosity, and demonstrate visible support. When we are present we create an environment of civil participation, honesty, clarity, and an active signaling of best intent for the betterment of the community created by members of this class.
In-person discussion: It can be said that discourse in my classes usually goes one of two ways- either somebody is talking too much, or somebody isn't speaking at all. For in-class discussion, you will be called upon to lead important discussions based upon readings. In fact, it is required for a group to lead each of the four discussions. For the over-talker- try to be aware of who isn't speaking, and make room for them to speak. For the shy and quiet- we are going to do our best to make the space comfortable for you. There have literally been classes in DAAS where I have not heard from someone all semester…
Online discussion: Online discussion and feedback will be a significant part of our feedback process. How many critiques have we had where we just don't have enough bandwidth to process everything? How often has critique run insanely long and gobbled away our class time? I will be using canvas to discuss at-home screenings, as a platform for feedback for works in progress, and to continue discussions our thoughts started in class.
Software
If you have not already, download the canvas App.
Should we have a class hashtag?
DELIVERABLE PRODUCTS
Projects
There are 3 main projects in this class. I would really like the class to be about what we do together, not what my tastes are. This is a class on cultivating a creative video practice, exploring parameters of play, routine, methods, and digital video. Successful projects are completely self directed, born of yourself, absent of my initiative. There is to be no question about what my preference for your work is. This is about you and taking ownership of your creative process at wherever it is.
1. Due 2/18
2. Due 3/18
3. Due 4/17
Haikus
This is your poetry. This is where you lay it out there in the freest and most experimental terms possible. Think of these as required results based on prompts and sketches. This is where you do your "work" for this class. This is where you really try ideas, where they start, where they fail, where they don't work at all, but you try. That is the key to the Haiku. You want to give them your best, but you also want to go out on a limb. Haikus are thoughtful one week exercises that are designed to emphasize different combinations of skill and poetics, mostly as an opportunity for you to synthesize different elements.
Due 1/30
Due 2/6
Due 2/20
Due 2/27
Due 3/18
Due 4/10
Proposals.
These are born from the smaller "haiku" projects.
You will write proposals for each of your 3 projects. The proposals are not graded, but rather guided. This is where I will communicate my feedback. Suggestion is based on what is proposed. I will work with what is given, and not issue new ideas, but will share my opinion. These should be thoughtful, and lead to compelling and effective artists statements that the community will also guide you on. (Required)
Other places my input will show up:
• In your physical and online video notebook, where fragments of your life, haikus, and sketches will be. From there, we will work together as you devise your works.
• In conversations and discussions related to broader course material.
• In online discussions where we will spend some time, looking at things and talking about them.
• In the weekly critique sessions with other members of the SOVA+BFA community.
A note on success.
Successful projects reflect a committed and continuous practice born of smaller fragmented ideas built upon from your haikus, earnest engagement with the readings, and solicited feedback from peers. We are all building, growing and becoming constantly. Let's embrace that.
ONGOING AND DAILY MATERIALS
• A sacred, (but not precious) Video Notebook with notes, ideas, and associated media content.
• Readings. You may want to print these so you can write on them.
• Online contributions. You will have to watch things every other week. We are going to talk about
these things.
• Willingness to listen and grow and respond to your creative drives.
Critique Schedule
3 Flexible in-progress critiques (held in class) TBD around due dates for projects.
2 Formal critiques held select Magic Monday Nights. (See schedule). If space allows you can exhibit more than twice. Critiques are held in Media 104 from 6:30-9PM on these nights. Attendance & Participation in TWO of these nights is required. You cannot exhibit at MFA critiques, but you are encouraged to attend as often as possible to gather inspiration.
Given the limited time constraints for Creative Technologies classes, critiques in class are limited to x minutes per person.
They will go quickly, so we will have to rely on the discussion board.
To save time, materials should be posted to canvas discussion before class.