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Course Syllabus: ATEC 6351.501
MECHANICS OF STORY
Course Information
 SPECIAL TOPICS: “MECHANICS OF STORY”
Class Blog:
writerscurtain.blogspot.com
Professor Contact Information: alb032000@utdallas.edu
 
(albrackin@gmail.com)
Adam L. Brackin, Ph.D
- Visiting Assistant Professor, ATEC - University of Texas at DallasOFFICE:
JO 3.506
(OFFICE PHONE:
972-883-4350
) Alternate: 214-354-6161 / 972-516-8844OFFICE HOURS:
Monday 10-12, 1:15-3:30 & Wednesday 10-12, 1:15-3:30
(& other times by appointment)
Course Description
Students must be actively enrolled in or officially auditing this class in order to attend it due to UTD policy, firecode, and very real seating restrictions.
When you consider the millennia of storytelling that comprise our literarytradition, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the shadow of so many works. But there are common threads that link allstories--from Beowulf and Hamlet to Gone With the Wind and The Godfather to the story you are drafting right now in your head. These threads form the foundation that supports story whether you are writing a novel, a memoir, screenplay, videogame, or other "Alternate Reality" world. This class explores both historically traditional storytelling models and newmodels which require recognition of the balance of aesthetic story and mechanics within new media storytelling. Topicsinclude linear and non-linear storytelling methods across multimedia and trans-media methods of delivery with a focus on
1) reading/viewing/ playing stories, 2) critical analysis of storytelling mechanics in various works, 3) creating and  publishing original student works using the most modern and appropriate new-media methods such as social networking tools.
We will examine a range of topics, including storytelling in a multiplayer environment; narrative techniques for a3,000,000-page novel; continuity (or the impossibility of it) in pervasive fictional worlds; managing multiple intertwinednarratives; the spatial experience of virtual worlds; Emergent adventure texts created by designers and fans; and theserial storytelling, among many other essential insights into how fictions are constructed and maintained in very differentforms of media through to the beginning of the twenty-first century.
Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes
Students will examine the range of media available for storytelling. Students will learn to think critically about variousstorytelling issues and gain exposure to seminal examples of various writers and researchers in the field. Students willalso learn how to critique and analyze new media forms, and how to present this critical review in ways that areappropriate to the ever-evolving genre. Students will engage in discussion and debate with each other and withdevelopers in the field where appropriate through a class blog. Finally, students will create original IP in various classicand new media formats to demonstrate a fluency and proficiency in the above concepts.
Required Textbooks and Materials
The Hero with a Thousand Faces
by Joseph Campbell (Hardcover), New World Library, (July 28, 2008) 1577315936 
The Art And Craft Of Storytelling: A Comprehensive Guide to Classic Writing Techniques
by Nancy Lamb (Paperback) F&W Media, Inc., (December 15, 2008) 1582975590 
The Hero’s Journey 
by Harold Bloom (Hardcover), Facts On File, Inc. (January 30, 2009) 0791098036 
Third Person: Authoring and Exploring Vast Narratives
by Pat Harrigan (Hardcover) MIT Press (May 29, 2009) 0262232634
Quests: Design, Theory, and History in Games and Narratives
by Jeff Howard (Paperback), A K Peters Ltd (February 26, 2008) 156881347 (And selected short readings online and given in class as well as various “novel” selections from the book list - TBD.)
Course SyllabusPage 1
ATEC6384501Special Topics inGame StudiesMECHANICS OFSTORYWed : 7:00pm-9:45pm : SLC_2.302
 
STORY
 
Course Content, Assignments, & Academic Calendar 
Students will complete reading assignments throughout the semester followed by group discussion and individual analysison the class blog as a part of a daily participation grade. Students will turn in five additional deliverables throughout thesemester: first by keeping a DAILY Story Journal, which will be supplemented by various WEEKLY Story Drills, then byreading and critically analyzing a story example through a Critical Analysis (and Presentation) and finally creating anOriginal Intellectual Property Story in an appropriate (new) media genre. A more detailed description of the weekly readingassignments and other requirements will be posted each week on the Class Blog:
http://writerscurtain.blogspot.com/  Note:Case Studies are tentative, flexible, and subject to change as “new media” never stops – especially for academics suchas ourselves.
(Course requirements or due-dates may be amended or changed; such changes will be given in writing, with sufficient advance notice for completion.)
 
   M   E   C   H   A   N   I   C   S   A   X   I   S
STORY AXIS
   M   E   C   H   A   N   I   C   S   A   X   I   S
STORY AXIS
MONOMYTH & LINEAR MODELSNARRATIVE DEPTH OF CONTEXTINTERACTIVE MODELSNON-LINEAR MODELSMULTI-LINEAR STORYERGODIC NARRATIVE
   M   E   C   H   A   N   I   C   S   A   X   I   S
STORY AXIS
   C   H   A   R   A   C   T   E   R   A   N   D   H   E   R   O   P   L   O   T   A   N   D   C   O   N   F   L   I   C   T   S   E   T   T   I   N   G   A   N   D   S   I   T   U   A   T   I   O   N   P   O   I   N   T   O   F   V   I   E   W   T   H   E   M   E   A   N   D   T   O   N   E
Attendance and Grading Policy
Students are generally expected to attend ALL classes unless you have a special circumstance in which case, as a courtesy, please contact me inadvance by phone or email. Late work will be dropped by one letter grade (10 points) for each week it is late without exception. If there is a conflict,please turn it in early. Participation Grade is calculated as an average of all class related activity and communication.
Weekly Class & Blog Participation --------------------------------- 15% of total gradeD1: Critical Analysis --------------------------------------------------- 10% of total gradeD2: Comparative Analysis ------------------------------------------- 15% of total gradeD3: Original IP Story / Presentation-------------------------------- 25% of total gradeD4: Daily Story Journal (Begins Jan 10) ------------------------- 20% of total gradeD5: Weekly Story Drills (Begins Jan 10) ------------------------- 15% of total grade
This class relies heavily on discussion and class participation, and a high level of professionalism and good citizenship is expected.Attention should be given to the speaker at all times and respect shown as expected within the university classroom environment.Appropriate multi-tasking is permitted only so long as it does not interfere with the high expectations described above. This DOES NOTinclude personal use of the lab computers, social media sites, games, etc unless directly related to instruction at that moment. Anystudent who attends all classes, completes all coursework on time, and whose deliverables all meet the high standards expected of aUTD graduate student, will receive an A in this course.
UT Dallas Syllabus Policies and Procedures
Course SyllabusPage 2
A THEORETICAL “GRID”MATRIX OF STORY ANDMECHANICS ELEMENTS
 
JAN 18
WHY MOFS?
JAN 25
MONOMYTH
FEB 1
CHARACTER
FEB 8
CONTEXT
FEB 15
PLOT
(D1DUE)
 
FEB 22
INTERACTIVE
FEB 29
SETTING
MAR 7
NON-LINEAR
MAR 14
SPRING BREAK
MAR 21
PRESENTATIONS
(D2DUE)
MAR 28
POV
APR 4
MULTI-LINEAR
APR 11
ERGODIC
APR 18
 THEME/TONE
APR 25
PRESENTATIONS (D3DUE)
MAY 2
PRESENTATIONS (D4&D5)
*The above is a generalized scheduleof topics. I expect that we will get a little
There are five deliverables for this class NOTincluding any weekly homework or small assignments(which count towards the daily participation grade).
This class will be graded on a standard 10 pointgrading scale for all deliverables
. Grade weightswill be determined as follows:
of 00

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