Curricular Units for Section A of EMS1: Introduction to the Electronic Media Studio, Fall 2009.

• Unit 0x: Introduction and Preliminaries
  Working towards: Having your kit and knowing how to get around.
  Learning Outcomes: To demonstrate an understanding of hierarchical file systems, uniform resource locators (URLs). Tools: Mac OSX, HTML editor (Adobe Dreamweaver).

• Unit 1x: Publishing Your Work Online
  Working towards: A simple blog with links, embedded images and videos.
  Learning Outcomes: To demonstrate an understanding of the basic skills of Internet publishing. Tools: RSS, YouTube, Vimeo, Flickr, Twitter, Delicious, WordPress, basic video capture and uploading.

• Unit 2x: Raster Image Editing
  Working towards: A photographic fiction and/or forgery.
  Learning Outcomes: To demonstrate development of skills in the use of techniques for pixel-based (bitmap) image acquisition, editing, compositing, and output; to demonstrate an awareness of the issues surrounding photographic “truth” and verifiability in the era of digital retouching and manipulation. Tools: image editor (Adobe Photoshop), digital camera, scanner, screen capture, online image search.

• Unit 3x: Vector Image Editing for Screen and Print
  Working towards: An instructional graphic.
  Learning Outcomes: To demonstrate development of skills in the use of techniques related to vector-based image creation, editing and publishing; to communicate effectively using the graphic conventions and visual languages of symbolic design systems. Tools: vector editor (Adobe Illustrator).

• Unit 4x: Vector Graphics for Computer-Aided Manufacture (mini unit)
  Working towards: computational sculpture and/or patterns from 2D cuttings.
  Learning Outcomes: To demonstrate basic familiarity with the use of a vector-based fabrication machine (laser cutter). To demonstrate understanding of the ways in which computer-aided machining systems are radically altering the economics of creating precise, idiosyncratic and highly repeatable forms. Tools: vector editor (Adobe Illustrator), laser cutter.

• Unit 5x: Sound
  Working towards: A sound collage/composition.
  Learning Outcomes: To demonstrate development of skills and techniques in digital sound acquisition, editing, mixing, sequencing, output and publishing. Starting from an historical overview of 20th Century sound practices (e.g. musique concrète): to demonstrate an understanding of responsible appropriation and sampling, and demonstrate an understanding of aesthetic issues in choreographing “structured noise”. Tools: sound editor (Audacity), microphone, portable audio recorder, sound effects archives.

• Unit 6x: Stop-Motion Animation
  Working towards: Stop-motion animations. We introduce animation techniques and tools using photographic source materials. Students work to produce the illusion of motion while simultaneouly choreographing time-based narratives of increasing lengths.
  Learning Outcomes: To demonstrate a practical understanding of stop-frame animation tools and techniques, including “squash and stretch”, walk cycles, etc. Tools: FrameThief, Quicktime, Final Cut.

• Unit 7x: Vector Animation
  Working towards: A vector-based animation.
  Learning Outcomes: Learning Outcomes: To demonstrate skills with software tools for vector-based animation. To demonstrate familiarity with widely-used animation conventions such as “background loops”, “onion-skinning”, “motion tweening”, and rotoscoping from video. Tools: Flash, Illustrator, Quicktime.

• Unit 8x: Video Editing and Manipulation
  Working towards: A composited scene.
  Learning Outcomes: To demonstrate basic familiarity with essential digital video operations, such as capture, keying, compositing, editing, and exporting. Tools: FinalCut, Quicktime.

• Unit 9x: Computational Media (mini unit)
  Working towards: A parametric graphic composition in a text-based programming environment (Processing), and/or an audiovisual composition in a flow-based programming environment (Max/MSP/Jitter).
  Learning Outcomes: To demonstrate basic familiarity with major programming paradigms for computational and interactive media. Tools: Processing, Max/MSP/Jitter.

• Unit F: Final Projects.
  Learning Outcomes: To integrate the various ideas and techniques explored through the semester in a capstone project.