WEEKLY BREAKDOWN:

WK 1 /// AUG 30 + SEP 1

Tues: What is narrative? How are good narratives useful to us in real world situations?

What are some of the genres of different narratives?

Backstory (in class exercise):

Looking beneath the surface to the “backstory”.

Read: Gorillaz Backstory:

http://www.gorillaz-unofficial.com/news/

(“Biography” tab > "Biographies of the Band and Band Members" link).

HW: Backstory: Write the backstory about anything of your choice - a photograph perhaps or a personal

object that hold special significance to you. Bring the object/image of your backstory for your presentation..

Thurs: Present Backstory assignment.

Remember to bring the object/image of your backstory to class for your presentation..

Reductive storytelling:

Gregory Crewdson Artist Profiles:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQy4uiS6iKw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdfUCQjYPCQ

HW: Bare Essentials: Take a proverb, fairy tale, perhaps a newspaper article, or even your backstory

assignment and convey the essence in one visual composition.

Read: How to Write a Short Story: Chapter 5 "Beginnings and Endings" or Storycraft: Chapter 2 "Structure"

WEEK 2 /// SEP 6 + 8

Tues: Present Bare Essentials assignment.

5 Part Narrative Structure. Analyze the core structure of a narrative.

Exposition - Conflict - Climax – Falling Action – Denouement.

Internal vs. External conflict.

HW: 5 Part Narrative: Write a narrative incorporating all the criteria of a 5 part narrative structure.

Part 1: Write the whole story in text format, (just as you did with the Backstory exercise).

Part 2: Summarize the 5 parts of your narrative: Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution.

Be concise as possible, one or two sentences for each section should be sufficient).

Thurs: Present 5 Part Narrative assignment.

Discuss strengths/weaknesses - suggest revisions.

HW: STORYBOARD your 5 Part Narrative (revise your narrative first if necessary).

WEEK 3 /// SEP 13 + 15

Tues: Manipulating Structure: Variations on the straightforward narrative.

Radiohead’s “Karma Police”.

Michel Gondry’s video for Cibo Matto “Sugar Water”.

Present: 5 Part Narrative STORYBOARDS

Consider the following as we look at each narrative:

* Start chipping away from the top to find the “true” beginning. How does this impact the story?

* Try it the other way, from the ending. Does it leave a different impression?

* Throw in a twist - change the climax, or flip the ending. What effect does it have?

* Reverse the entire narrative sequence. How does this change the story?

* What happens if you tell it as a mystery?

Which methods improved or did not improve the original narrative?

HW: Apply any of the methods discussed in class to improve your narrative.

Read: How to Write a Short Story: Chapter 4 "Point of View" or Storycraft: Chapter 4 "Voice"

Thurs: Voice – First Person, Second Person, Third Person

First Person – what are the benefits, limitations of this voice?

Unreliable First Person Narrator – how does this affect the telling of the story?

Second Person Narrative – what are the benefits, limitations of this voice?

Third Person Narrative – what are the benefits, limitations of this voice?

Internal Dialogue, Aspect Shots

Points of View

Omnipotent, Bird’s Eye, Worm’s Eye, Close Up, Protagonist, Antagonist, etc…

5 point perspective (in class exercise): Dramatic narrative sequencing.

Hitchcock’s “Psycho” shower scene was pre-visualized using this exact technique.

HW: 5 Point Perspective: Convert a scene from your narrative into 5 point perspective.

Photograph or sketch 25 stills (5 points in time @ 5 perspectives each).

Lay out all 25 stills (time x perspective) and choose your best shot sequence.

Prepare as individual photos or index cards that can be moved around next class.

Read: Shot by Shot: Chapter 14 "Camera Angles" + Chapter 16 "Point of View"

WK 4 /// SEP 20 + 22

Tues: Present 5 Point Perspective stills

Lay out all 25 stills in sequence. With everybody’s input, select the strongest shot sequence.

HW: 5 Point Perspective Sequence: Arrange the best perspective sequence for your narrative.

Thurs: Present FINAL 5 Point Perspective sequences.

Concrete ideas - Ways of making abstract concepts more memorable.

Propaganda techniques - Methods of audience manipulation.

thetruth.com campaign http://www.thetruth.com/

Good example of concrete and propaganda techniques.

HW: Concrete/Propaganda: Take an abstract idea and explain it in concrete, memorable terms.

For instance, how many rolls of toilet paper does it takes to span the distance from the Earth to the Sun?

Or go deeper and add a propaganda technique - what does the saturated fat used to pop movie theatre

popcorn really do to your arteries?

Prepare your concept in digital storyboard format.

Read: Made to Stick: Chapter "Concrete" + Propaganda techniques hand-out

WEEK 5 /// SEP 27 + 29 (NO CLASS)

Tues: Present INITIAL Concrete/Propaganda STORYBOARDS

Are they concrete enough? Develop ideas further as a class.

How can we make each others’ ideas more concrete, more memorable?

HW: Revise Concrete/Propaganda STORYBOARDS

Read: Made to Stick: Chapters "Simple", "Unexpected"

Thurs: NO CLASS

WEEK 6 /// OCT 4 + 6

REVISED Concrete/Propaganda STORYBOARDS

Tues: Groups A + B

Thurs: NO CLASS ROSH HASHANAH

WEEK 7 /// OCT 11 + 13

FINAL Concrete/Propaganda STORYBOARDS

Tues: Group A (we'll try to get thru some of Group B so there's more time on Thurs to discuss Final Project).

Thurs: Group B

HW: FINAL PROJECT // THEORETICAL SYNTHESIS

Let’s apply what you’ve learned to a real world scenario.

Design an effective narrative of any genre in any format of your choice.

For instance, you may want to create a broadcast narrative in the form of a PSA (like the truth.com campaign),

applying propaganda techniques and concrete visual messages to get your message across. Others may want

to craft a traditional narrative, like a children’s story, but translate it to an interactive format where the user is

lured by "gap theory" or mystery to engage deeper into the experience. Perhaps, a physical computing format

where the story is told through soft sculpture effigies with recorded audio triggered by the user in some fashion.

Even a music video visually expressing the lyrics in a memorable way - experiment with all kinds of animation

video techniques - stop motion, split screen, experimental mixed media. A title sequence for a film would

require suggesting the essence of the larger narrative, using the reductive storytelling techniques. You can

even cross-pollinate several formats and come up with your own hybrid. Sky's the limit - test-drive your new

narrative wings.

Prepare a formal PITCH PRESENTATION

How to write a proper Pitch Statement:

Pitch Statement: [1] sentence stating your project.

Paragraph 1: [1] short paragraph - Brief synopsis of story.

Paragraph 2: [1] short paragraph - Isolate the important theme(s) of the story.

Paragraph 3: Define design approach with relation to paragraphs 1+2.

ALSO prepare all pertinent research, references, precedents in digital format to support your presentation.

WEEK 8 /// OCT 18 + 20

FINAL PROJECT PITCH PRESENTATION

Include all supportive research, references, precedents.

Be sure to define your format - broadcast, interactive, physical computing, hybrid, etc…

Tues: Group A

Thurs: Group B

WK 9 /// OCT 25 + 27

INITIAL STORYBOARDS

Discussion, discussion, discussion.Use all of the techniques we covered to strengthen each other's concepts.

Tues: Group A

Thurs: Group B

WK 10 /// NOV 1 + 3

FINAL (REVISED) STORYBOARDS

Begin production if you were given the greenlight last week.

Make your own production schedule. Include equipment reservations if necessary.

Tues: Group A

Thurs: Group B

WK 11 /// NOV 8 + 10

1st Pass Animation (25% done)

Tues: Group A

Thurs: Group B

WK 12 /// NOV 15 + 17

2nd Pass Animation (50% done)

Tues: Group A

Thurs: Group B

* * * * /// NOV 22 + 24 THANKSGIVING BREAK WEEK * * * *

Tues: TBA

Thurs: NO CLASS - Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

WK 13 /// NOV 29 + DEC 1

3rd Pass Animation (75% done - should be close to finished).

Tues: Group A

Thurs: Group B

WK 14 /// DEC 6+ 8

4th Pass Animation (100% done - aim to complete by this week for next week's final presentations)

Tues: Group A

Thurs: Group B

HW: Prepare material for upcoming FINAL thesis presentations and all deliverables for final submission.

WK 15 /// DEC 13 + 15

FINAL PRESENTATION

Tues: Group A

Thurs: Group B

Hand in all FINAL DELIVERABLES on data DVD.