module specification

Module brief:
This practice oriented module gives continuity to the work in Introduction to Music and Sound for Media from Certificate level. In the first half, students will enhance their skills in sound design working on an audio/video post-production project focusing on the acquisition and manipulation (through editing and other post production techniques) of video and sound. Students will work in groups (of approximately 3 members) to produce a video piece of around 8 minutes in duration. It could be based on either an original or adapted story, or it could be an abstract video art project (each student will initially develop a script/proposal individually). The script/proposal should involve at least one actor (dancer/performer) and both interior & exterior scenes.
The second part of the module will introduce the new subject of interactive arts — and it could unfold from concepts and materials originally used to produce the first audio/visual assignment. The focus will be on the package Max 7 (cycling74.com). From the basic programming with audio and video playback, to principles of controlling data flow, the basic sets of objects for processing numeric data, audio stream, and the Jitter matrix will be studied. This project considers the creativity of the inquiring student at its core for the investigation on innovative ways to manipulate sound and/or video in real-time. Students will have the option of working either individually or in pairs on this second project.
At the end of this module the student will have completed two substantial pieces of work: a short film (or video art) and an interactive installation. In doing so, they will have travelled a higher-level journey through audio/video post-production and design and programming of interactive media, both individually and in collective practice.
Aims of the module:
The module aims to extend students’ skills in working independently while at the same time developing their skills in working with others in groups. It will provide students with the experience of a live project aiming to integrate the understanding of their developing practice with wider issues and contexts. The module expands on addressing creative, technical and critical learning and skills in the field of Sonic Arts with access to a variety of contemporary technologies. It fosters their understanding of practice through learning from and with other students; learning to manage and plan their time effectively; and exploring the domains of Sound for the Moving Image and Interactive Arts.

MD4002 – Media Skills and Practice 1 (Level 4)

The syllabus is organised to meet the needs of the Sonic Arts pathway cohorts. It consolidates the practice in audio visual works with two specialist projects in sound for the moving image and interactive media, aiming to equip students with a specialised set of skills that will allow for a faster response to the diverse demands the creative arts industry will ask of them on the professional environment.
Key subject areas:
● Roles and Workflows in Film; Story: Plot, Narrative & Character  LO1, 3, 5
● Script formatting; Location Risk Assessments; Schedule  LO1, 3, 5
● Sound for the Screen; Lighting and camera work; The art of video editing; Advanced post-production techniques  LO1, 3, 4
● Video art; abstract videos; non-narrative  LO1, 3, 4
● Interactive arts; Theory, production, and literature; Reference works & history  LO2, 4, 5
● Cycling 74 Max; Signal workflow; User interface; MIDI data and controllers  LO2, 4
● MSP – real-time audio; Audio Processing  LO2, 4
● Jitter matrix; real-time video effects; Audio/Video Input; Audio/Video Interaction  LO2, 4

The balance between independent study and scheduled teaching activities within this module is 70% and 28% respectively (+2% assessment preparation/delivery).
Scheduled teaching follows the average contact time, per standard 30-credit module across the University, at 84 hours (3 hours per week). We excluded from this total the two weeks following delivery of the two summative assessments on weeks 14 and 29, which are dedicated to Presentations & Feedback sessions. The scheduled teaching is divided in Lectures, Workshops, and Seminars and they take place in the Music Studios and other local lecture rooms.
Independent study provides students with the opportunity to develop all LOs, especially LO5 – The ability to work with, and learn from other students developing critical learning, managing and planning their time productively, sharing new skills and responsibilities as part of a production team. Students have access to the entire Music Studios facilities via online booking system, and Library facilities at London Met.
Blended Learning is maintained via Weblearn Course and Module pages with full documentation of the activities developed in class. Opportunities for reflective learning/PDP are promoted through feedback and written reports, embedded in all assessments with emphasis on reflection of their work. Formative assessment and feedback is planned to address their learning development needs and to capture their learning achievements with a regular request of reflective commentaries in all written submissions.

On completion of this module, students should be able to demonstrate:
LO1. Skills and understanding of advanced practice in sound for the moving image.
LO2. Skills and understanding of the history, aesthetics, and techniques of interactive arts.
LO3. The skills to integrate audio/visual creativity and expression in sound design, video post-production, and audio post-production in an authored video piece.
LO4. The skills to integrate music and video technologies, especially sound and music production, audio and video capturing and editing skills with basic computer programming, in an authored interactive art work.
LO5. The ability to work with, and learn from other students developing critical learning, managing and planning their time productively, sharing new skills and responsibilities as part of a production team.

Summative Assessment 1 (Week 14 submission). Students will work in groups (of approximately 3 members) to produce a video piece (short film or video art project) of around 8 minutes in duration. It should also include an individual report of 2500 words.

Summative Assessment 2 (week 29 submission). Option of working either individually or in pairs for the production of an interactive audio-visual installation. It should also include an individual report of 2500 words.

Both practical outcomes are presented in class (15-min group and 10-min individual presentation, according to the assessment format) on the weeks following submission.

Resit strategy for group work:
Based on the University Assessment Framework:
If the group component is failed and all members fail the written assessment then the group should revise the entire work done during the first sit and resubmit the work as resit.
If some individual members of the group fail then only those students will individually resit the written component.
If the group component is failed with an overall aggregate pass at the module level, then students who failed both the components will individually resubmit the revised work, particularly with improvements to the practical component.

Textbooks:

Core Text:

Ascher, S & Pincus, E. (2013) The Filmmaker’s Handbook. New York: Plume
Block, B. (2007) The Visual Story. Oxford: Focal Press. [2nd edition 2008: e-book]
Breder, H., Busse, K-P‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ (2005) Intermedia: Enacting the Liminal, BoD – Books on Demand‬, Dortmunder Schriften zur Kunst‬‬
Cipriani, A., Giri, M. (2013) Electronic Music and Sound Design –
Theory and Practice with Max/MSP – Vol. I
Dixon, Steve (2007), Digital Performance, A History of New Media in Theater, Dance, Performance Art, and Installation. [e-book available]
Hugill, A. (2012) The digital musician, 2nd Ed., New York ; London : Routledge [3rd edition hardcopy due November 2018]
McKee, R. (1999) Story. London: Methuen.
Packer, R. & Jordan, K. (2002) Multimedia: From Wagner to Virtual Reality, Norton, Available online at: www.w2vr.com/Book.html
Sonnenschein, D. (2001) Sound Design. California: Michael Wiese.
Thompson, R. (2009) Grammar of the Shot. Oxford: Focal Press. [4th edition 2017: e-book]
Thompson, R. (2009) Grammar of the Edit. Oxford: Focal Press. [3rd edition 2013]
Viers, R. (2012) The Location Sound Bible. California: Michael Wiese.
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Recommended Reading:

Faulkner, M. (2006) VJ: Audio-visual Art + VJ Culture, D-Fuse, Laurence King Publishing
Fiebrink et al (2010) Toward Understanding Human-Computer Iinteraction in Composing the Instrument, Proceedings of the ICMC 2010. Available online: http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~fiebrink/publications/Fiebrink_etal_ICMC2010.pdf
http://hdl.handle.net/2027/spo.bbp2372.2010.027
Izhaki, R. (2012) Mixing Audio: Concepts, Practices and Tools [electronic resource], Oxford; Focal. [3rd edition 2017: e-book available]
Katz, S. (1991) Film Directing Shot by Shot. California: Michael Wiese.
Paul, C. (2002) Renderings of Digital Art in: Leonardo, Vol. 35, No. 5, Tenth Anniversary New York Digital Salon, The MIT Press. [e-journal]
Winkler, T. (2001) Composing Interactive Music: Techniques and Ideas Using Max, MIT Press
Journals:

Journal of Film and Video: https://www.jstor.org/journal/jfilmvideo
Leonardo Music Journal : LMJ : journal of the International Society for the Arts, Sciences and Technology. Oxford ; New York : Pergamon Press, c1991-
PAJ, a Journal of Performance and Art, The MIT Press: www.mitpressjournals.org/loi/pajj

Websites:

International Computer Music Association, Resources, Array, Online access: http://www.computermusic.org
IRCAM: Research Teams, Online access: http://www.ircam.fr/equipes.html?&L=1
EARS: ElectroAcoustic Resource Site, Online access: http://www.ears.dmu.ac.uk
International Computer Music Association, Online access: http://www.computermusic.org
Adrien M & Claire B, Online access: www.adrienm.net/projets
Cycling ’74 Articles, Online access: cycling74.com/category/articles
Cycling ’74 Projects, Online access: cycling74.com/project
Natasha Barrett, Online access: www.natashabarrett.org/installations.html

Electronic Databases:

Dell’Antonio, A (ed.) Beyond Structural Listening? Postmodern Modes of Hearing (Berkeley, University of California Press, 2004). E-book - Full text from JSTOR DDA
Wright, M. (2005) Open Sound Control: an enabling technology for musical networking. networking, Organised Sound 10, no. 3 : 193-200. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355771805000932