Gavilan College
DM/Art/CSIS 77: Introduction to Digital Media

 

 

Schedule: Spring ’08 Final schedule

Free or open studio hours can be found here. Check that page often for additional hours.

January 30 Course description and requirements. The Digital Media program. Introduction to hardware and software requirements and the tools available in digital media studio. Introduction to the lab, its operation, and restrictions.
Lab: Log on to the computer if you have a password (registered earlier than 36 hours ago), use the default password if not. Using the Safari web browser, read the web page that automatically shows or select Home Page if not.
Assignment 1: Introduction to Multimedia Concepts. Due February 13.

February 4, 6

 Digital numbers and terminology. Introduction to history and concepts of multimedia reading assignment.
Class Lab: Exlore the equipment.
Assignment 2: The history and concepts of Multimedia. Due February 18. Assignment 2B. Read the handout Laurie Anderson song and write a 1/2 page paper on how Digital Media affects your own life. Turn in February 13.
February 11, 13 The concept of sampling or digitizing of sound and video. Compression and decompression of digital data. Types of codecs (algorithms for compressing and expanding files). Multimedia file types.
Class lab: As a team, review a web site and answer the questions on the assignment #3 page. Turn in a hard copy by February 18. Start reading chapter 2 and watching the Photoshop CS3 tutorial movies in sections A, B, C, & F on AtomicLearning.com.
February 18 (Holiday!), 20

File types, more discussion of web sites. A look at photo oriented web sites.
Class lab: Finish watching the Photoshop CS3 tutorial movies in sections A, B, C & F on AtomicLearning.com
Assignment 4: Do the Review and Hands-on questions at the end of Chapter 2. It is due February 27. At home, gather 6-10 digital or scanned images that would tell a story about Gavilan College--any campus. Please photograph new images if possible. Images found on the web are not allowed.

February 25, 27 Image editing and file types. Painting and drawing.
Class lab: Scan or import your photos into Mac/Photoshop. Save these as Photoshop (.PSD) files. Open Photoshop, then under the Help menu, go through "How to Create Images for the Web."
While waiting for the scanner or card reader, paint in Photoshop and save the file to the desktop in both .psd, and .jpg files. Import your files into iPhoto. Print one scanned/imported image.
March 3, 5

More image preparation for Assignment #6. See Photoshop Help and atomiclearning.com at the Mac tutorials under Photoshop CS3. Do E. Web Graphics, #3 Saving the Picture for Web Use. March 5: Construction of photo web site.
Class Lab: Prepare files for web site. Construct web site using Photoshop.
Assignment: Assignment 5 is due at the end of class March 5.

March 10, 12

(Mid-Term Exam)

HTML, Dreamweaver, and homepages. See StoryBoard Doctor, http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/authoring/studio/index.html for clues as to what a storyboard is.
Class lab: Finish Assignment 6: Photo Gallery. Study the lessons in Assignment #7, the HTML tutorial page and constructing your home page using Dreamweaver. Be prepared to start on Assignment 7: Constructing your homepage and web site next class.
Assignment: Read Chapter 3. Work on Assignment #7.
March 17, 19 HTML, Dreamweaver review. Show web page layouts. Web homepage except for banner.
Class lab: Finish your web suite Home Page including Gallery and other links to sites that support Tech on campus.
March 24, 26 SPRING BREAK! -- Note: class will be help in Cacun, Mexico -- I wish.
March 31, April 2

Introduction to Macromedia Flash: a program commonly used for web animation. Flash player files vs. document (.fla) file type. Vector graphics and the pen. Flash draw tools.
Class lab: Work on web page. Go to this web site http://www.freeflashtutorials.com/lessons.html and download the Beginner Lesson 1. Explore Flash drawing tools. Watch AtomicLearning.com A. Basics #1 - 8, B. Working with the Flash Interface #1 - 5, and C. Basic Tools #1 - 9.
Assignment: Make a drawing and drop in my class box drop box. Assignment 8: Constructing your homepage and web site.
April 7, 9 Animating with Flash. The concepts of timelines, keyframes, motion guides, tweening, and shape animation.
Class lab: On your own, do a simple animation using motion tweening. Show the instructor. Use the movies at www.atomiclearning.com for assistance. See http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/authoring/studio/index.html or the StoryBoard Doctor. See AtomicLearning.com and watch D. Modifying Shapes #1 - 12, E. Layers and TimeLine #1 - 5, F. Symbols Library and Behaviors #1 - 4, and G. Frames and Animation #1 - 12.
Assignment: Take a good look at miniUSA.com or www.zefrank.com. Do Hands-On exercises 1 and 5 on page 71 as assignment #9. Turn this in on November 27. Finish class lab.
April 14, 16 Description of final project More animation: shape tweening, text, masks.
Class lab: Finish your web banner/site. Work on ideas.
Assignment: Read Chapter 4, Sound on the Web. See http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/authoring/studio/index.html or the StoryBoard Doctor. Answer Review Questions and do Hands-On Exercise #1 on page 102 as assignment #10.
April 21, 23
Deadline for a W grade is April 25!

Flash Questions. Intro to video and digital storytelling.
Class lab: Finish, drop in the class box-drop box, or burn onto a CD, then show class your Flash project/web site (assignment #8) when completed. This is due at the absolute latest on April 28, 2008.
Assignment: Write a short story about technology used by students or used by Gavilan and its students. This will be a video for your web sight and Podcasting (i.e., digital storytelling). If you can use the script example and template found here.
April 28, 30

Digitizing, file types for Video and Sound. Video recording tips. Lighting, camera settings, tripods, etc.
Class lab: Finish the writing assignment study video production See Production Info here and iMovie Editing Basics. Team planning.
Assignment: Gather assets for Video Story. Go to Atomic Learning and study the Video Storytelling Guide found under the Resources menu.
May 5, 7 Shooting and capturing video, using photos, effects and transitions in iMovie. Capturing video, using photos, effects and transitions iMovie. iMovie sound.
Class lab: Gather assets for project. Shoot video.
Assignment: Gather assets for project. Study iMovie HD 6 tutorials on Atomic Learning
May 12, 14 Authoring the DVD. Menus, Chapters, Photo DVD, and Interactivity. Converting (e.g., compressing video for use, on your web site, on YouTube, in iPods, and cell phones.
Class lab: Work on final project.
Homework: Finish final Video and incorporate in your web site.
May 19, 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Final Exam and Presentation. Present your web site and video story.

 

Syllabus, R Beede, Gavilan