wra 417, multimedia writing, michigan state university
fall 2008 & 2009: bump halbritter
The main projects will include writing in digital-video, a variety of other integrated-media formats (that you choose), and delivering live, multimediated presentations.
Assignment 1: Who am I?
Assignment 2: Who made my media?
Assignment 3: Project proposal
Assignment 4: Integrating media
1. Who I am, What I do, Where I'm going, What they do/don't there, Who "they" are/n't, What needs to be done there, What I'll do there, What I need to do to get ready for being there, What "they" need to do to get ready for me when I get there--oh yeah, and how I know all of this. (10%)
1st Draft workshop Thurs Sept 17
2nd Draft workshop Tues Sept 22
Final Draft DUE Thurs Sept 24
Audience: Us--this class.
Part 1: Textual Essay: Visual or audio text
This portion of the assignment should respond directly to the prompt above by filling in the details that congregate around each of the claims. It will integrate media to support those claims with the following constraints:
Your response should exemplify the writing that you do and that you intend to do as a writing professional.
Your response should exemplify at least TWO forms/genres of writing that you do/expect to do. For example, a user manual in pdf format and a PowerPoint tutorial. A memo and a professional ad flyer. A song and a photo essay.
Your response must refer SPECIFICALLY to the samples provided in Part 2.
Include a meta-commentary that defends/explains your choices above in relation to the models below.
Part 2: Models of situated writing at work
This portion of the assignment addresses the "oh yeah, and how I know all of this" bit above. For Part 2, you should present samples of the works that we can consider as models by which to know and evaluate your work. You should include at least two models for each of your two forms/genres above (i.e. no fewer than 4 samples). Think of this as a bibliography for anyone! We need more than just references--we need the library too! You may turn in hard copies, links, files, attachments, discs, whatever makes the most sense. Don't worry, I'll return all hard copies. The main thing is to make sure that the items actually work before you turn them in.
Criteria for success:
Your responses should consist of two or three texts: the two genres/forms mentioned above that address all of the points in some way and possibly a separate essay that contains responses to stuff that didn't fit and/or the meta commentary. The ideal response will incorporate all of these elements, meta-commentary included, as integral to the genres you have chosen to use. For example, you and your talents may be the company for which you write an ad slick or for which you create a newsletter.
Your submission here should be creative and consistent in content and form. Each of your texts should integrate media (words & pictures/figures, pictures and sound, still images and moving images, ? & ?). Your response to this assignment, overall, should present an argument about you & your professional future that is founded upon the evidence (form & content) that you give us to consider.
Let's see what you come up with!
Assignment 2. Who made the media in my media? The Media-Supply-Chain, Remix Assignment. (20%)
1st Draft workshop Tues Oct 6
2nd Draft workshop Thurs Oct 8
Final Draft DUE Tues Oct 13
For this assignment you will each make a Documentary/Video Essay Remix along with a vis/text annotated media-bibliography. And here's the rub: you'll do this without shooting any "original" footgate. Our "use" for the texts that we make will be to make remixes and to make fair-use determinations about our remixes in our multimedia authoring class. Our "use" for the texts you create will be restricted to our class. With that in mind, you essentially have two jobs:
1) You will create a video-based remix that forwards a point/perspective/argument. Following Nichols' assertion that documentary shows us what we are not supposed to see, we will expect your remix to shed new light on your topic. In this respect, your remix will make an original response to established conversations about your topic. You will most likely need to write novel information, create textual and/or voice-over script and audio narrative. That will be yours; that will be novel. However, the bulk of your content will be constructed from found assets: video clips, still images, audio clips, music, and possibly a variety of texts (Web-based and otherwise). If you "must" create video assets, please consult with me first.
Your movie should be 2-5 minutes in length. It may use no fewer than 6 and no more than 10 found media assets. It may engage essentially any topic that our class approves.
2) You will create an annotated bibliography (MLA style) that lists each found media artifact in your movie. Your annotations will note all of the following information:
Who created the asset?
Who is the author?
Is the asset collaboratively authored?
If the asset is an integrated-media asset, who created each discernable component (i.e., assets within the asset: photos, footage, music, etc.)?
Is your use of the asset (and its components) "fair"?
What rights do you have to use the asset?
What rights do you not have?
How do you know?
Do you need to make a Fair Use Determination for this asset?
From whom would you need to secure additional permissions should your use for your text change (i.e., if you should share/publish the text outside of the context of this assignment)?
Should your use for your remix change, what would be your strategy for working around this particular asset if you could not get permission for your new use?
What are the essential rhetorical ends to which you are putting the asset?
Is the asset replaceable?
Could you create a replacement or would you need to find a replacement?
If you could create a replacement, who, if anyone, would need to help you create the asset?
Your movies may be made in iMovie, FinalCut, Windows Movie Maker, VideoSpin, PowerPoint, whatever. You may use your own computer (laptops perferred, so you can bring the project to class) or on any of the computers in 317 or the DocLab.
Together, we will make determinations for successful responses to this assignment.
Assignment 3. Project Proposals & Presentations (15%)
1st Draft Presentations Tues Oct 20 & Thursday Oct 22
Final Draft Presentations Tues Nov 3 & Thurs Nov 5
OK, so we have two types of projects going on here: group and individual. In both cases, you will be responsible for presenting a synopsis of what your project will accomplish. These presentations will build from the written draft that you submitted for homework. Again, here's the information that you should address:
Topic
Angle
Schedule: Timeline
Goals: Learning, Actions
Outcomes: Text(s)
Purpose(s) for text(s) produced
Individual & Team Duties (Partners)
Media Needs
Skills Needs
Research Needs
Now, you will need to determine how best to mediate a presentation to our class in order for us to get a good idea about your project--what it will accomplish, final outcomes, any background information to situate us to your topic and its importance--and about YOUR ABILITY to make it happen. In your presentation, you should show us a model (or two) so that we may imagine collectively the type of project you are undertaking. We will expect that your presentation will help us know what you are trying to accomplish and will invite us to help you respond to challenges as you bring it to completion.
Your presentation must include multiple media important to your project--these should include, at least, the models mentioned above, but may also include bits of your project underway. Your presentation must handle all of the content above, but will be evaluated, as well, on style: you will need to move us through this information in a meaningful and polished manner. In other words, you'll need to PRACTICE not only your delivery, but also how you will manage the media for your presentation. We will expect that you will have back up for files you need to access, etc.
In the interest of fairness I've divided the duties for each as follows:
Group Projects: You will have 20-30 minutes to deliver your presentation. We will expect an overview of the project and then individual presentations (@ 5 minutes each) that will detail the responsibilities of and products to be generated by each group member. Group members will receive two scores: one for project coherence (same for each member) and one for individual presentation. Each of these scores will evaluate both content and delivery. These two final scores will be avaeraged 50/50. We will expect as many models as necessary for the scope of the project's components. If you need more time, please let me know.
Individual Projects: You will have 10-15 minutes to deliver your presentation. You will receive one score for project coherence that reflects both content and delivery.
The class will approve the scope, complexity, and merit of your project(s)--or not. You need the class' approval to proceed. If we do not approve, you will need to revise and re-present to us the following class period.
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Assignment 4. Integrated Media Project (55%)
4a Project (30%):
1st Draft DUE Thursday, Nov 19
Final draft Due Tuesday Dec 1
4b Project Presentation (15%): Tuesday Dec 8 & Thursday Dec 10
4c What the Project Taught Me (10%):
1st Draft workshop Thurs Dec 3
DUE Thursday Dec 10
This is the Big Kahuna: the final project proposed above. We will expect that it will make good on those promises and/or account for deviations from that plan. We will stick to the schedule for each of the three parts above. The final presentation (4b) will be evaluated similarly to the presentations above, but will accomodate the time to adequately view or present the component texts. The final commentary piece (4c) should be 5-7 pages in length. We will discuss the parameters of this reflective piece more as we get closer to the end of the semester.
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