MM 213 - Basic Multimedia Authoring

Spring, 2002

Section 1 MW 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Section 2 TT 9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

Instructor: Howard Goldbaum, GCC 307, 677-2998

Home: 676-3578 (before 10 p.m.)
E-Mail address: “howard@bradley.edu”
Multimedia Computer Lab: GCC 205 677-4260
Equipment Check Out Room: GCC 129 677-2235

Office Hours: MW 9:45 - 10:45 p.m.

Tu 10:30 – 11:30
Th 2:00 – 2:45

Class Mail Alias: MM213@students

Course Resources Web Site:
http://gcc.bradley.edu/mm/faculty/goldbaum/213/

Texts: Gross, Phil. Director8 and Lingo Authorized. Peachpit Press, 2000. (includes CD-ROM).
There are also numerous required tutorials and lecture-reviews which are available on the lab
computers or on the Internet. You may, if you choose, print out lecture notes where available. Other
software manuals will be noted; many available on-line. Additional text resources for mastering
computer software are available at area bookstores or on the Web.

Course Goals: This course is the second part in a four-part multimedia-authoring sequence. Basic
exposure to the aesthetics and software environments essential to media production are the focus
of MM 113. Researching a subject, acquiring appropriate media, basic navigational interfaces, and
the authoring of a final web-integrated CD-ROM will be covered in this class.

We will achieve a thorough understanding of the components of desktop multimedia: text,

photographs, illustrations, sound, and video. We will investigate the creation, digitization, and
manipulation of these media. We will explore the basic structures of non-linear interactive
multimedia navigation. We will learn to incorporate our media components into an interactive
multimedia document by gaining a basic understanding of the Macromedia Director authoring
environment. By the end of the semester we will have created a CD-ROM and web site with a
completed documentary multimedia project.

Attendance and Commitment: Attendance will be taken at class meetings. Each student is allowed
one no-penalty absence. Additional excused absences are allowed only for participation in
University-sanctioned activities. Each unexcused absence in excess of one will result in one point
being deducted from your final average.

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It is expected that students enrolled in this course are prepared to spend considerable time and
energy outside of class time researching subjects, acquiring media components, processing the
acquired media files, and assembling the material into an interactive format. That’s one reason why
this is a four-hour class; you should plan to spend an average of four hours a week beyond class
lecture times working on your own in the computer labs.

Lab Use: Students working in multimedia courses such as MM 213 have priority for using the
multimedia lab (GCC 205). A schedule and complete operating rules and procedures will be posted.
You must enter your unique password in order to have access to the lab and its resources. You may
not use another student's password, nor may you allow others to access the lab using your
password. Print-outs will be billed to your ID number. Violations of specified lab policies will result in
your loss of access to the computer labs.

Assignments: There will be but one major assignment in this course: An interactive multimedia
documentary project, due at the end of the semester. But some component parts of that project will
have their own due dates and pass-fail grading, detailed elsewhere in this syllabus.

Critiques: Class critiques will be held on a number of the assignments’ due dates. Within a
mutually-supportive learning environment, we will plan to discuss our work-in-progress openly in
order to share our learning experiences.

Grading: The semester grade will be mainly based upon your completed major project (70%), and
two quizzes covering the terminology of Macromedia Director (5%).

You will also be graded on your submissions for the 24 work-in-progress deadlines (25%). For
these, there will be a modified pass-fail grading system. If you meet the deadline and complete the
assignment correctly, you will receive an "A” or a “B.” Submissions with major problems will receive
an “F,” and work not submitted will receive a “0.” No late work will be accepted. February 8th is the
last date to drop the class without any consequence to your academic record. Classes dropped after
that date will be noted on your record with a grade of “W.” April 24th is the last date to drop the
class.

Major Project Grade: Your major project will be evaluated by these criteria:
 Adequacy (depth) of subject coverage: 8%
 Navigational structure: 12%
 Interface design: 25%
 Introduction node: 6%
 Icons and buttons: 6%
 Project’s web site: 5%
 Exploitation of multimedia potential of subject: 6%
 Writing (text style, factual accuracy, and grammatical correctness): 6%
 Photographs (original): 6%
 Audio (original): 5%
 Video (original): 6%
 Reproduced media quality: 4%
 “Wow!” factor: 5%

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Extra Credit: You may receive extra credit points, which will be added to your final grade, by
completing work within one or more of the following categories:

Creating additional digital videos (original: shot and edited) beyond the one required “interview w/B-
roll” video. The videos must be related to your project.
• 1 to 5 points (depending upon degree of difficulty)
Completing one or more QTVR (virtual reality) panorama or object movies to be integrated within
your final project.
• one to four points (depending upon degree of complexity)
Creating a “kiosk version” of your project, as per the kiosk tutorial.
• 2 points
The maximum extra-credit you can earn is limited to ten points. You must email me the details
during the final week of classes to claim your extra-credit.

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Grading Guidelines

• Quality is what matters:

– Although the depth of the project and the quantity of media it contains does matter…
– Your project and its media must – more importantly – demonstrate high quality to merit the
highest grade.
–
• Factors taken into account when judging the project’s quality will include:
– Appropriate navigational interface.
– Logical and comprehensible linkage.
– Engaging but not overwhelming programming.
– Following the guidelines in the Final
Checklist tutorial.
– Media quality.
– Depth of documentary.

• The media quality throughout your project is an important aspect of your project’s quality
evaluation.
– Text grammar, spelling, readability.
– Typography.
– Use of color.
– Photographic quality.
– Sound quality.
– Video quality.
–
• Depth of documentary.
– Your project should present a reasonably complete view of your subject.
– The user of your completed project should feel that his/her questions about your subject have
been resolved.
– You should take advantage of available resources, artifacts, and media-acquisition
opportunities that your subject presents.

Equipment: Most equipment necessary to complete the MM 213 assignments may be checked out
from the Equipment Check Out room (GCC 129). Additional audio cassette recorders are available
from Audio Visual in Bradley Hall. Students must sign a form acknowledging their understanding and
acceptance of the regulations regarding the loan of equipment. We will be using a variety of media
equipment, including digital still and video cameras. We will take very seriously the rules designed to
protect the equipment and make it available to the students needing to use it. There will be a $5.00
per-day fine for equipment not returned on time.

Supplies: Students will need to purchase the following supplies:

You will need removable-storage cartridges for backing up your multimedia files. Backing up is an
essential part of computer work; you will be responsible for the maintenance of updated backups in
the event of failure of the central storage system.

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 You may purchases cartridges for the ZIP drive. They hold up to 250 MB of data in GCC 205;
you will probably need two or three.. OR, you may copy your files on CD-R’s or CD-RW’s. Each
computer in GCC 205 has an internal CD-RW drive.
 At least one high-quality VHS videotape for recording your video.
 An audio cassette tape for recording audio interviews.
 At least two blank CD-R (NOT CD-RW) CD Recordable disks. 640 or 700 MB. Do NOT buy one
that is for music recording only.

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
Final exam dates (final critique)
Section 1 & 2 combined Wednesday, May 15 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.

MM 213 Assignments - Spring, 2002

If you HAVE NOT successfully completed COM / MM 113 (Introduction to Media Production)
NOR taken its equivalency exam, you will have until class #15 to demonstrate that you have
acquired these essential skills independently.

On that date, you will need to:

 Pass the a “digital vocabulary” test.

 Show the completed tutorial projects for SoundEdit, Photoshop, and Premiere.

OR you may submit the complete MM 113 Equivalency Test materials.

The Major Project

This is a semester-long project which will encompass most of your creative efforts in MM 213. It
won't be due in its final form until the end of the semester. But we will divide its components into
manageable pieces, each of which will have its own due date in a preliminary form.

It is explained in some detail in the PowerPoint presentation (PP#01), the outline of which is
presented here:

The Semester Assignment

A Documentary Project
• Text
• Pictures
• Audio
• Video
All assembled into a Non-linear, Interactive, Multimedia CD-ROM

Some Possible Choices...

 The Family Album.
 A Local Institution.
 A Personal Promotion.
 An Instructional Project.
 A Multimedia Documentary

The Family Album: A New-Media Biography

• Multi-Generational

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• Genealogical
• Personalities
– Accomplishments
– Relationships
– Ethnic and cultural attributes.

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A Local Business or Institution:
• A Commercial Institution.
– A business.
– A manufacturing plant.
– A media company, etc.
• A unit of government.
– The Park District.
– the Health Department

A Personal Promotion:
• A Multimedia Portfolio.
– Samples of your work.
– Your biographical information (a resume).
– Professional influences.
– Your goals and professional ideals.
– Unique interface designed to appeal to key audience.

An Instructional Project:
• Explain the mechanics and aesthetics of some media type.
– An introduction to photography.
• A handbook for an avocation of yours.
– Keeping pet canaries.
• A health project.
– Good dietary habits.

A Multimedia Documentary:
• An nearby destination.
– The Illinois River
• A subject that intrigues you..
– Monarch butterflies.
• A fine or performing art form.
– A local musical theatre
• A noted regional sculptor.

Whatever Your Subject Consider the Content:

• Text
• Photographs
• Illustrations
• Audio
• Video
• Interactivity

Text
• Your own writing which results from your own research.
• Documents which you acquire and quote the text.
• Documents which you include as images.
– A marriage certificate.
– A letter from the “old country.”

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Pictures
• Photographs you will take.
–Photographs made with the digital camera.
–Conventional photographs you will take and then scan.
–Your project must contain at least ten photographs that you shoot and edit yourself.
• Existing photographs you will scan.
– From family albums.
– From publications, ads, etc.
• All to be edited or “processed” digitally.

Illustrations
• Pictures you draw, paint, or otherwise create.
• Pictures you acquire and scan.
• Graphic elements which function as “buttons” or other types of interactivity activators.

Audio
• Sound-bites from interviews you conduct, digitized and edited on the computer.
• Narration
• Your project must include at least three voice audio assets (interviews or narrations)
that you record and edit yourself.
• Music
• Background or “ambiance” music.
• Music which illustrates an aspect of the subject.

Video
• Video you will shoot, import, and edit on the computer.
• Your project must include at least one “interview w/B-roll” video that you shoot and edit
yourself.
• Video from private or archival sources.
• Short video segments from broadcast or movie sources.

Use of Your Original Media

 Although it is permissible to use archival and scanned media assets in your project where
necessary, you should use your own original media wherever possible.
 Projects using largely your own media will...
 demonstrate your multimedia skills and credibility, and…
 avoid copyright questions.

Interactivity
• It exists between the viewer and the media elements you create and acquire.
• It also can exist between media elements.
• You will construct the pathways through which the viewer can navigate the resources you’ve
assembled.

But Where Do I Start???

• The first step is to...
DECIDE
• Decision is due by Class #5.
– If you decide to do something other than your family, post an e-mail to the class mail alias
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 mm213@bobcat.bradley.edu
» Whoever posts a subject first will have the “rights” to that subject.

How to decide?
• Where do your interests lie?
• Consider your options, your connections, your opportunities.
• For some, the decision will be made purely by logistical considerations...

You Can’t Go Home Again

– If you don’t go home at least every other weekend...
– If your immediate family is scattered across the country...
– If your family has no “archives” of pictures, film, or video...
– If your family has none of the older generation left...
Then you probably will not want to choose the “Family” project.

You’ll find Interesting Subjects Right Here in River City...

Interest = Achievement
• You should choose your subject with the understanding that you’ll do your best work when
you feel a commitment which engages you fully.
• If you are enthused about your subject, the hours spent will be enjoyable.

Due Dates???
• The main project is due in its final form before the Final Exam session.
– The individual components of the project will have their own preliminary due-dates.
– Grading of the these 24 preliminary assignments will be (modified) pass - fail.

One through Fifteen...

• Complete 15 of the first 16 tutorials (chapters) from the Director 8 and Lingo Authorized
textbook, using the modified tutorial instructions on the class web site.
– Due on classes 3 through 18.

Sixteen...
• Submit a text file describing your project in some detail. (300-500 words).
– Due on class #6.

Seventeen...
• Schedule a meeting with your instructor to discuss your project.
– Make appointment on class #6.

Eighteen...
• Submit a list of potential media (text, sound, illustration, photo, and video) resources for your
project, using the spreadsheet format to be described.
– Due on class #10.

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Nineteen...
• A ten-minute review of a published documentary CD-ROM from the course library.
– Each student has a different due date.
• The “CD-ROM Review Evaluation” form must be submitted at that time.

Twenty …
• Your project’s Node map (submitted as a MacFlow file) is due.
– Due on class #17.

Twenty- One...
• At least ten original(self-shot) photographs (different subjects) including at least two ”studio”
portraits and two “environmental portraits”, all related to your subject.
Due on class #18

Twenty-Two...
• Your completed storyboards are due.
– Due on class #20.

Twenty-Three...
• Schedule a meeting with your instructor (no later than the end of this week) to preview your
project.
– Make appointment on class #21.

Twenty-Four...
• “Interview w/B-roll” movie due.
– Due on class #23.

Remember...
• All these preliminary assignments are graded A-B-F-0;
• They are all intended to be used as component parts of the semester’s
major project.

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