ARTS 194 01S
Courses:ARTS 194 01S

Instructor: George Legrady
Phelps Hall 1517 (G4 lab) Tues-Thurs 2:00pm to 4:50pm


ADVANCED TOPICS IN DIGITAL MEDIA:
Envisioning Information Through Interactivity


A production course in interactive media with a conceptual approach to the structuring of information. Digital environments require metaphor based models by which they become meaningful to the user. The teaching objective of the course is to have students approach the design of interactive information environments from the perspective of a critical examination on how the structure within which information is organized influence the content that passes through it. Relevant topics specific to the course such as metaphor, multi-linearity, Peirce's semiotics (signs), Shannon's Information theory, narrative strategies, plot development through layering & fragmentation, mapping, icons/logos, and the shift in meaning that takes place throughtime, will be covered through lecture and visual presentations.
Individual or team based projects will be produced using the Macromedia Director environment's Lingo programming language. Research and production will occur in four phases: collection and analysis of realworld structures, storyboard design of a structure, collection of data, and realization of the interactive work. The course is aimed towards students coming out of the Arts, Humanities and Engineering with the intent to generate inter-disciplinary dialogue. Technical knowledge useful but not required.


Prerequisites Satisfactory completion (B+ or better) of art 1A, art 1B, and Art 22, orequivalent.


References The following texts will be referred to in the seminar:
Hodges, Sasnett, Multimedia Computing, Addison Wesley, Chapters 4,5
Gary Rosenzweig, Special Edition, Using Director 8, Que publications
Edward, R. Tufte, Envisioning Information.Graphics Press
George Lakoff, Mark Johnson, Metaphors We Live By
Additional Reading:
Richard Coyne, Designing Information Technology in the Postmodern Age, MIT Press
Other:
web research about virtual architecture, interactivity, new tecno based cultural trends, semiotics, comics, cinema, literature, music, etc.

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