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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