Syllabus: Projection and Media Design (THEA 475)

Course Description: The study and exploration of the projection design process, and the creation and execution of digital media for theatrical projection and multimedia/performance integration.
Course Objectives and Goals: Developing a basic understanding of digital media integration with live performance, including process, paperwork, content, and execution. This course will include advanced application of theatrical projection design practice, principals, and technology. By the end of this course, the successful student will have:

  • an understanding of the projection design process for theatre, and the art of projection design.
  • a practical understanding of tools and technology of mounting a design.
  • a practical understanding of media creation and manipulation.

Course Topics:

  • History and Industry Standards – Examples. Design process – paperwork and such.
  • Sound and lighting integration / Live video – Analog and Digital Capture Switching and scan converters.
  • Media Creation – software, media types, resolutions.
  • Images – Photoshop and media types and resolution.
  • Video – After Effects, Premiere.
  • File types, resolution, FPS.
  • Content procurement and file conversion.
  • Execution – technology – software, hardware.
  • Playback – Qlab, Watchout, Isadora, TouchDesigner.
  • Still images – Moving images – Video – Kerning – Mapping – Live video.
  • Projectors – Lumens, throw ratios, lenses, dowsing.
  • Media servers Moving projectors LED and other formats.
  • Projection – Front, Rear Other surfaces TVs Multi-Screen – dividing, mapping, edge blending.
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Syllabus: Technical Theatre Media (TD314M)

Instructors: Jackson Cobb (he/they) Sydney Sousa (she/her)

Course Description: The Media technology section of TD314M is an introductory survey of the media design process. In this section, we will focus on three primary areas:
How media is created.
How media is displayed.
How media playback systems function.

Course Objectives and Goals: Through the creation, understanding, and execution of a simple design and system, each student will gain practical experience as an assistant designer, animator, and programmer.
The goal of this section is to provide you with a basic appreciation for the technical and design needs of a media design. Should you choose, it will also provide you with the fundamental knowledge and skills to be an effective crew member in the future.

Course Topics:
Class 1: Introductions, 10 pts
Lecture: Intro to Media Design
Assignment: Share notes on media designs, Introduce Final Project Complete: Technology Survey, 5 pts (due at midnight, same day as Class 1); Media Quiz #1: The Basics, 10 pts; Choose Scene for Final
Class 2: Content Creation: Photoshop, 10 pts
Lecture: Getting to Know Photoshop
Assignment: Photoshop Demo; Begin creating still graphics for final project; Creating still graphics for final (graphics due before Class 5)
Class 3: Content Creation: After Effects, 10 pts
Lecture: Getting to Know After Effects
Assignment: After Effects Demo, Begin creating motion graphics for final project, Creating motion graphics for final (graphics due before Class 5)
Read: Reading a System Diagram
Class 4: Diagrams, Cables, and Show Control, 10 pts
Lecture: Cables and System Diagrams, Behind-the-Scenes Tour 1
Complete: Media Quiz #2: Cables, 10 pts; Graphics for final project
Class 5: Programming with QLab, 10 pts
Assignment: QLab Programming Demo, Begin programming final project Complete: Programming for final project
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9t91hAXs0o
Class 6: Final Project Presentations, 20 pts
Activity: Mapping Model Boxes
Assignment: Final Project Presentations
Complete: Decompress! Breathe! Party! You did it!!
Complete: Section Reflection (anonymous), 5 pts

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