• Undergraduate Course Blogs
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    • DMS 103B Basic Video

      Grado :: TR 9:00am-10:50pm :: CFA 235
      REG#20432

      This course is a basic introduction to the tools and techniques of video production. Students will become familiar with using video and develop strategies for its application as an alternative medium of communication. Crucial to this project is the concurrent development of a critical perspective on mainstream media culture. Video art screenings and readings in media theory will critically address the relations between viewers, producers, and the media. Students must expect to acquire materials and texts costing approx. $50.00 to be used in exercises in classroom presentations. Access to equipment and editing facilities will be available. Lab fee: $100. Class size is strictly limited. Fulfills Basic Production Requirement.

    • DMS 103 Basic Video Summer

      Session J May 23 – July 1, 2011
      Vo :: TR 6:30pm – 9:40pm :: CFA 278
      Reg# 15175

      This course is a basic introduction to the tools and techniques of video production. Students will become familiar with using video and develop strategies for its application as an alternative medium of communication. Crucial to this project is the concurrent development of a critical perspective on mainstream media culture. Video art screenings and readings in media theory will critically address the relations between viewers, producers, and the media. Students must expect to acquire materials and texts costing approx. $50.00 to be used in exercises in classroom presentations. Access to equipment and editing facilities will be available. Lab fee: $100. Class size is strictly limited. Fulfills Basic Production Requirement.

    • DMS 417LEC J Food & Emerging Media

      Session J May 23 – July 1, 2011
      Bardin :: Online Course
      Reg#14000

      A course dedicated to exploring the role of emerging media and new technology on the exploration and articulation of topics focusing on the many facets of food. We will be looking at artists who utilize technology to explore and in many cases expose issues within our tightly veiled food production systems. The course also focuses on issues of sustainability and artists who are currently using their practice to explore ways of improving upon food production and distribution models. Through a rigorous practice of watching, investigating, talking and writing about artists, media makers, chefs and culinary scholars who utilize media in their discussion, research, profession and practice of food related endeavors, students will gain insight into how these emerging technologies and artistic practices influence the realm of gastronomy as well as the food we eat.

    • DMS 108LEC M Film History II

      Session M July 5 – August 12, 2011
      Roussel :: Online Course
      Reg#12862

      This course is a survey of significant films produced between 1945 through the late 1970′s. Movements/films will include post -WWII US [Wyler's The Best Years of Our Lives], Italian Neo-Realism [DeSica's Bicycle Thief], French New Wave [ Godard's Masculine/Feminine] as well as a selection of filmmakers from the 1960′s and 70′s including Fellini, Bergman, etc. Since this was not only a productive time for film but for film theory as well I include important critical works that provide a context for these films.

      This is an on-line course. Students are expected to access these films on their own. Where possible, I’ve chosen films that stream on Netflix but this is just a suggestion. Beyond viewing of the films themselves, the critical readings will be provided to students through the course website. In addition there will be regular chat room meetings, a course blog. Assignments include short essays on the films, regular responses to the critical readings and a final. Fulfills Introduction to Analysis requirement.

    • DMS 213 Immigration & Film

      Session M July 5 – August 12, 2011
      Waxman :: Online Course
      REG#15174

      By looking at representative examples of American and foreign films, this course will critically examine the role of cinema in the construction and exploration of the figure of the racial, ethnic, cultural and social theory. Our topics will include (1) racial, ethnic and cultural identity and its reciprocal relationship with cinema, (2) the notion of realism in relation to the representation of race and ethnicity in film, (3) the cinematic representation of inter-ethnic and intra-ethnic conflict, (4) the position of cinema in the debate between assimilation and multiculturalism. Films will be screened in class and discussed against the background of focused critical readings. The aim of the course is to provide you with an opportunity to develop your critical thinking and writing abilities through class discussions, close readings of films and critical literature, and writing assignments. Fulfills the American Pluralism requirement or Media and Culture or Media Study Elective

    • DMS 215LEC J Portfolio Production

      Session M July 5 – August 12, 20111
      Parkins :: MW 9am – 12:40pm :: CFA 232
      REG#14083
      This course is geared toward incoming transfer students and current UB students who have taken at least two basic production courses and intend to become Media Student majors in the Production Concentration. Work with the instructor to produce intermediate level work that integrates conceptual ideas with technical ability. Student who are eligible may submit to a portfolio review that will take place prior to the beginning of the Fall 2011 semester. $100 Lab fee.

    • DMS 101B Basic Film Making

      Staff :: MW 9:00-10:50pm :: CFA 278
      REG#20707

      This course is intended to provide a basic introduction to 16mm film production. Classes will include screenings, lectures, and demonstrations. Students will learn basic camera operation, lighting, editing, and sound acquisition. In addition, the course will explore the critical relationship between theory and practice in the context of film production. Students will be required to complete collaborative class projects, individual assignments, and a critical paper. Each student will also be required to complete a short, non-sync, 16mm film project. Class materials will cost approx. $150. Lab fee: $100. Class size is strictly limited. Fulfills Basic Production Requirement.

    • DMS 103A Basic Video

      Hurson :: MW 9:00AM – 10:50PM :: CFA 232
      REG#20590

      This course is a basic introduction to the tools and techniques of video production. Students will become familiar with using video and develop strategies for its application as an alternative medium of communication. Crucial to this project is the concurrent development of a critical perspective on mainstream media culture. Video art screenings and readings in media theory will critically address the relations between viewers, producers, and the media. Students must expect to acquire materials and texts costing approx. $50.00 to be used in exercises in classroom presentations. Access to equipment and editing facilities will be available. Lab fee: $100. Class size is strictly limited. Fulfills Basic Production Requirement.

    • DMS 105A Basic Documentary

      Avery :: MW 11:00am-12:50pm :: CFA 232
      REG#20719

      This course will present students with the fundamental, theoretical, creative, and technical concerns of documentary and video production. Students will be introduced to methods of research, production design, approach to subject, interviewing and the structuring of information, as well as the technical video skills of camera work, sound recording, and lighting and editing, as they apply specifically to the documentary process. The demands of documentary expression require preparation with a different emphasis from that which applies to the personal and experimental approaches to filmmaking and video making. Materials and texts will cost approx. $50. Lab fee: $100. Class size is strictly limited. Fulfills Basic Production Requirement.

    • DMS 105B Basic Documentary

      Waxman :: TR 9:00AM – 10:50AM :: CFA 278
      REG#20479

      This course will present students with the fundamental, theoretical, creative, and technical concerns of documentary and video production. Students will be introduced to methods of research, production design, approach to subject, interviewing and the structuring of information, as well as the technical video skills of camera work, sound recording, and lighting and editing, as they apply specifically to the documentary process. The demands of documentary expression require preparation with a different emphasis from that which applies to the personal and experimental approaches to filmmaking and video making. Materials and texts will cost approx. $50. Lab fee: $100. Class size is strictly limited. Fulfills Basic Production Requirement.

    • DMS 108 FILM HISTORY 2

      Fink :: TR 11:00-12:50pm :: CFA 112
      REG# 16597

      Film History (DMS 108) will expose students to screenings and scholarship chronicling the political and technological conditions of film production from the 1890’s to the present. We will broadly examine early motion pictures, pre-code Hollywood, German Expressionism, French Impressionism and Surrealism, Soviet Montage, Neorealist, the French New Wave, Post-Colonial African filmmaking, 1970’s Hollywood, digital filmmaking, and large format documentary. Attendance, readings, weekly response journal, and research paper are required.

    • DMS 109 FILM INTERPRETATION

      Kohlberg :: TR 9:00am-10:50am :: CFA 112
      REG# 17060

      Film Aesthetics have had an enormous impact on the development of media, from television to the internet to video games, as well as on our personal experiences of our everyday lives: “I feel like I’m in a movie!” This course provides an introduction to the main concepts and themes that constitute the rapidly expanding field of Film Studies. In this course, we will learn to recognize the techniques and conventions that structure our experience of cinema – narrative, mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing, sound, genre – in order to understand how these various components combine to yield an overall sense of film form. We will survey global film history, critically viewing examples of silent film, classical Hollywood, world cinema, experimental, documentary, and independent narrative film. We will also examine isolated clips from a variety of films as they relate to the weekly discussion topics. Fulfills Intro To Interpretation Requirement.

    • DMS 110 Programming For Digital Art

      Pfister:: TR 9:00am – 10:50am :: CFA 242
      REG#17658

      Beginner programming course geared towards Media Study majors with little to no experience who want to pursue Programming Graphics, Game Design and Virtual Reality. This course introduces basic concepts of Computer Science with the Python programming language, while incorporating a Media Study perspective. Non Majors welcome if space available. Lab fee: $100. Fulfills Basic Production Requirement.

    • DMS 121A Basic Digital Arts

      Levin :: MW 9:00am-10:50am :: CFA 244
      REG#20858

      This course will present fundamental concepts and methods that underlie the use of computers in generating and processing digital works and examine them in the context of contemporary artistic practice in painting, photography, film, and video. The impact of computers, both present and potential, on the more traditional arts will be discussed. Through the use of imaging audio and presentation software, students will explore the various ways in which computers deal with images, sound and structures, adapting these methods to produce work of their own. Work by contemporary artists working in the digital medium will be shown and examined on a regular basis. The class size is strictly limited. Lab fee: $100. Fulfills Basic Production Requirement.

    • DMS 121B Basic Digital Arts

      Sargent :: MW 11:00AM – 12:50PM :: CFA 244
      REG#20546
      This course will present fundamental concepts and methods that underlie the use of computers in generating and processing digital works and examine them in the context of contemporary artistic practice in painting, photography, film, and video. The impact of computers, both present and potential, on the more traditional arts will be discussed. Through the use of imaging audio and presentation software, students will explore the various ways in which computers deal with images, sound and structures, adapting these methods to produce work of their own. Work by contemporary artists working in the digital medium will be shown and examined on a regular basis. The class size is strictly limited. Lab fee: $100. Fulfills Basic Production Requirement.

    • DMS 121LEC J Basic Digital Arts

      Session J May 23 – July 1, 2011
      Noonan :: MW 9am – 12:40pm :: CFA 244 REG#

      This course will present fundamental concepts and methods that underlie the use of computers in generating and processing digital works and examine them in the context of contemporary artistic practice in painting, photography, film, and video. The impact of computers, both present and potential, on the more traditional arts will be discussed. Through the use of imaging audio and presentation software, students will explore the various ways in which computers deal with images, sound and structures, adapting these methods to produce work of their own. Work by contemporary artists working in the digital medium will be shown and examined on a regular basis. The class size is strictly limited. Lab fee: $100. Fulfills Basic Production Requirement.

    • DMS 155 INTRODUCTION TO NEW MEDIA

      Dalton :: 1:00pm – 2:50pm :: CFA 244
      REG# 10856

      This course provides an introduction to design and the production of interactive multimedia. The content of the class will focus on the theoretical and practical aspects of creating and integrating digital media with authoring/presentation tools. This class will lay the foundation for creating interactive projects for the web and will integrate art, journalism, and music through hands-on developmental projects in our new state-of-the-art Mac lab. Students will learn the process and skills necessary to create a web site and an interactive CD-ROM which integrates animation, graphic design, sound, and text, working in Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Flash animation, and Illustrator. The course will accommodate 48 students. Enroll now! Get the technological edge! Lab fee $100 Fulfills Basic Production Requirement.

    • DMS 212 Indian Image On Film A

      Adare-Tasiwoopa :: W 4:10PM – 6:50PM :: Location TBA
      REG#15807
      Course is crosslisted with American Studies. For more information, refer to the course descriptions on the Department of American Studies website. Fulfills the Media & Culture requirement.

    • DMS 213 IMMIGRATION & FILM

      Hernandez-Stewart :: MW 1:00PM – 2:50PM :: CFA 232
      REG#17536
      By looking at representative examples of American and foreign films, this course will critically examine the role of cinema in the construction and exploration of the figure of the racial, ethnic, cultural and social theory. Our topics will include (1) racial, ethnic and cultural identity and its reciprocal relationship with cinema, (2) the notion of realism in relation to the representation of race and ethnicity in film, (3) the cinematic representation of inter-ethnic and intra-ethnic conflict, (4) the position of cinema in the debate between assimilation and multiculturalism. Films will be screened in class and discussed against the background of focused critical readings. The aim of the course is to provide you with an opportunity to develop your critical thinking and writing abilities through class discussions, close readings of films and critical literature, and writing assignments. The course fulfills the American Pluralism requirement. Fulfills the American Pluralism requirement or Media and Culture or Media Study Elective.

    • DMS 213 IMMIGRATION & FILM

      Jaramillo :: TR 9:00AM – 10:50PM :: CFA 232
      reg#20351
      By looking at representative examples of American and foreign films, this course will critically examine the role of cinema in the construction and exploration of the figure of the racial, ethnic, cultural and social theory. Our topics will include (1) racial, ethnic and cultural identity and its reciprocal relationship with cinema, (2) the notion of realism in relation to the representation of race and ethnicity in film, (3) the cinematic representation of inter-ethnic and intra-ethnic conflict, (4) the position of cinema in the debate between assimilation and multiculturalism. Films will be screened in class and discussed against the background of focused critical readings. The aim of the course is to provide you with an opportunity to develop your critical thinking and writing abilities through class discussions, close readings of films and critical literature, and writing assignments. Fulfills the American Pluralism requirement or Media and Culture or Media Study Elective.

       

    • DMS 213LEC J J Immigration and Film

      Session J May 23 – July 1, 2011
      Demckenko :: MW TR 9am – 12:40pm :: CFA 232
      REG#13106

      By looking at representative examples of American and foreign films, this course will critically examine the role of cinema in the construction and exploration of the figure of the racial, ethnic, cultural and social theory. Our topics will include (1) racial, ethnic and cultural identity and its reciprocal relationship with cinema, (2) the notion of realism in relation to the representation of race and ethnicity in film, (3) the cinematic representation of inter-ethnic and intra-ethnic conflict, (4) the position of cinema in the debate between assimilation and multiculturalism. Films will be screened in class and discussed against the background of focused critical readings. The aim of the course is to provide you with an opportunity to develop your critical thinking and writing abilities through class discussions, close readings of films and critical literature, and writing assignments. Fulfills the American Pluralism requirement or Media and Culture or Media Study Elective

    • DMS 216 CREATIVE VIDEO WORKSHOP

      staff :: MW 11:00AM – 12:50PM :: CFA 278
      REG# 16554

      Prerequisites: DMS 103 or DMS 105.

      This course is a workshop in the tools of video, and an introduction to grant writing and budget creation. It offers exercises in video production for students who have had some previous experience with video as a creative medium, and the opportunity to learn about and apply current granting formats, using in class projects for grant proposals. The course will emphasize the development of technical skills and knowledge, which are necessary for the effective use of video as an artistic tool and for documentation or personal expression. The student will produce a series of projects using cameras, lighting, editing, and other aspects of production and post-production. Using cross-culture material to create video work, each student will need to spend a substantial amount of time working with studio, portable, and editing facilities outside the regular class hours. In addition, some outside videotape viewing, gallery visits, as well as short papers will be required. Reading will include classroom handouts in addition to the assigned book. $100 lab fee.

      . This course can count towards the “non- *” Intermediate Production course or as an elective.

    • DMS 231LEC J 3D Modeling

      Session J May 23 – July 1, 2011
      Baumgartner :: TR 5pm -8:40pm :: CFA 232
      REG#15173

      This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of how to make 3D models for “real time” programs like games and simulations. Students will utilize Autodesk Maya 2010 as well as Adobe Photoshop to make models and other assets from scratch for their own unique creations. The topics taught in this class include low polygon modeling, photography, texture creation, and material creation. Additional material may be taught on Mental Ray texture baking. Enrolling students should come to the first class with a sketch pad (unlined) which can be purchased at the student bookstore. $100 lab fee. Fulfills non “*” intermediate production requirement or can be used as an elective.

    • DMS 259 MEDIA ANALYSIS

      James :: MW 9:00am-10:50am :: CFA 112
      REG#17625
      is introductory course to Media Analysis examines the rise of especially visual mass media in the 20 th century, from photography, television, and film, to new media. It pays close attention to media historical moments, such as fascism and film in post world war II Italy, or the postmodern turn with the event of digitality. Due to the urgency of political events, we will closely analyze the current media-war-coverage considering mainstream as well as independent media discourses. The respective media are analyzed in light of their materiality. Methodologies vary between Ideology-critique, Cultural Studies, Political Theory, Postmodern Theory, and Semiotics. Students will write essay exams based on course lectures and essays from the course reader. Fulfills Intro to Interpretation.

    • DMS 259LEC M Intro to Media Analysis

      Session M July 5 – August 12, 2011
      James :: Online Course
      reg#15172

    • DMS 305 LEC J Film Analysis

      Online Course July 5 – August 12, 2011
      Jaramillo
      REG#15171

      Film aesthetics have had an enormous impact on the development of media, from television to the internet to video games, as well as on our personal experiences of our everyday lives: “I feel like I’m in a movie!” This course provides an introduction to main concepts and themes that constitute the rapidly expanding field of Film Theory through a series of case studies. We will focus on global film history, critically viewing examples world cinema, experimental, and independent narrative film. We will also examine isolated clips from a variety of films as they relate to the weekly discussion topics. In this course, we will learn to recognize the techniques and conventions that structure our experience of cinema – narrative, mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing, sound, genre – in order to understand how these various components combine to yield an overall sense of film form.

    • DMS 315 Web Programming

      Pape, D.E. :: TR 9:00AM – 10:50AM :: CFA 244
      REG#24251

      Introduction to web-based script programming. Course will examine the scripting and database tools that are used to create modern, dynamic web sites. Students will learn to use open source systems such as PHP, MySQL, and Apache. Other topics will include client-side scripting (AJAX) and application development with current “Web 2.0″ sites such as Google Maps, Flickr, or Facebook. Students are expected to have background experience in either programming or web design (HTML, CSS, etc).
      Lab fee is $100

    • DMS 316 3-D Modeling for Games

      Baumgaertner :: MW 4pm-5:50pm :: CFA242
      Reg# 17742

      This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of how to make 3D models for “real time” programs like games and simulations. Students will utilize Autodesk Maya as well as Adobe Photoshop to make models and other assets from scratch for their own unique creations. The topics taught in this class include low polygon modeling, photography, texture creation, and material creation. Additional material will be taught using Turtle for texture baking and surface transferring. Enrolling students should come to the first class with a sketch pad (unlined) which can be purchased at the student bookstore. $100 lab fee. Fulfills non “*” intermediate production requirement or can be used as an elective.

    • DMS 315LEC J VIDEO AND SOUND DESIGN

      Session J May 23 – July 1, 2011
      Bouquard, M.J. :: MW 5:00pm – 8:40pm :: CFA 278
      REG#14014

      Prereqs for DMS Majors in Production: DMS 103 and passed portfolio review.
      Students outside of DMS, please contact instructor – bouquard@buffalo.edu

      This course will introduce film/video/animation students into world of image and sound postproduction, to provide knowledge and tools necessary to complete postwork on their projects. All areas of digital postproduction editing and sound design from editing to final mixing will be explored. As well as how to effectively use sound design to enhance storytelling capability of films, evaluate music choices, music edit, create sound design to enhance story points, discover design opportunities, and select right sound effects. Powerful sound design helps create a strong emotional effect on audiences by enhancing a video/film’s pace, tone, and feel. In this course, learn how to make convincing sound effects and tracks for a video/film/animation. Through the study of effects and Foley, gain a thorough understanding of what it takes to create a high-impact soundtrack to support a picture. Gain hands-on experience using Pro Tools and walk away knowing how to use sound to give projects emphasis and punch.. $100 Lab fee. Fulfills * Intermediate Production

    • DMS 341 INTERMEDIATE VIDEO WORKSHOP

      Vo :: TR 11:00am – 12:50pm :: CFA 278
      REG#17343 Prereqs: DMS 103 or 105 and Portfolio. Corequisite : DMS 422

      In this course, students will explore and experiment with the video medium through a series of short exercises. Improvement of technical knowledge and skills will be emphasized, and creativity encouraged. Topics to be explored will include: video camera, advanced shooting techniques, sound gathering techniques, microphone placement and selection, non-linear sound editing, lighting techniques for studio and location, non-linear editing. Students learn properties of audio, video and still assets, and practice importing, logging, and insert assembly editing. They also develop a sensitivity to the unique aesthetic and usability criteria of digital video in application environments. Must take DMS 422 concurrently. Fulfills * Intermediate Production requirement.

    • DMS 411 FILM THEORY

      Roussel :: MW 1:00PM – 2:50PM :: CFA 112
      REG#16907

      This course is an exploration of the principal theories of film through a critical reading of texts and a close examination of films. The texts to be perused comprise several groups. Classical film theory includes Munsterburg, Kuleshov, Pudovkin, Eisenstein, Balasz, Arnheim, Bazin, and Godard. The critique of classical film theory includes Burch, Perkins, and Henderson. The course will also explore semiotics, psychoanalysis, and poststructuralism, in Barthes, Eco, Metz , Pasolini, Baudry, Heath, and in feminist film theory, including Gledhill, Mulvey, Silverman, Modleski, Doane, and Studlar. A section on avant-garde theory will include Vertov, Epstein, Deren, Brakhage, Sitney, and Michelson. These topic areas will be set in interaction throughout: e.g., Soviet editing and antirealism are continued in the avant-garde; rhetorical figures such as metaphor, metonymy, ellipsis, condensation, and displacement, can be traced in very different theoretical contexts and in close readings of individual films. This course is an exploration of the principal theories of film through a critical reading of texts and a close examination of films. The texts to be perused comprise several groups. Classical film theory includes Munsterburg, Kuleshov, Pudovkin, Eisenstein, Balasz, Arnheim, Bazin, and Godard. The critique of classical film theory includes Burch, Perkins, and Henderson. The course will also explore semiotics, psychoanalysis, and poststructuralism, in Barthes, Eco, Metz, Pasolini, Baudry, Heath, and in feminist film theory, including Gledhill, Mulvey, Silverman, Modleski, Doane, and Studlar. A section on avant-garde theory will include Vertov, Epstein, Deren, Brakhage, Sitney, and Michelson. These topic areas will be set in interaction throughout: e.g., Soviet editing and antirealism are continued in the avant-garde; rhetorical figures such as metaphor, metonymy, ellipsis, condensation, and displacement, can be traced in very different theoretical contexts and in close readings of individual films.

    • DMS 415 Int/Advanced Film Production: Alternative Means

      Lee :: F 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM :: CFA 278
      REG# 11945

      This is a media production course open to undergraduate and graduate students who have successfully completed a basic-level film production course and solidly grasp the fundamentals of 16mm film production. This course will build upon the basics of film production with an emphasis on: alternative and experimental methods of 16mm production (hand-processing, camera-less film techniques, in-camera special effects, etc.); use of motorized synch-sound film cameras; and the notion of “expanded cinema” in film and video presentation. Short exercises will be assigned in addition to a substantive final project. Hands-on production will be supported with praxis- and theory-based readings and screenings of contemporary and historical work. Note: Emulsion-based film processes can be expensive, so students should expect to spend $250-$400 in additional costs for materials and processing for the course. Students will receive some assistance with supplies and film stock. Lab fee: $100.

    • DMS 415 Social Web Media

      Clark :: T R , 6:00 PM – 7:50 PM :: CFA 244
      Reg# 24635

      What does social media look like after the recent world events? How will the advent of Google+ and emerging social media change the landscape of the social web? What comes after social media? How will you use it? What will you create? This class combines analysis of web media in terms of participation and community formation with practical skills needed to shape the future of social media. We will examine social networking sites, blogging, peer-to-peer networks, reputation economies, mobile communication technologies, activism, and surveillance while developing a critical framework for discussing the state of networked culture. We will also gain a practical understanding of New Media through the use and creation of our own social web tools.

    • DMS 415 JOURNALISM FOR THE WEB

      Session J May 23 – July 1, 2011
      Larsen :: TR 6pm -9:40pm :: CFA 244
      Reg#13699

      “Multimedia Journalism for the Web”
      In this course students learn to produce multimedia news content for distribution on the web. Students develop their own story ideas, reporting, shooting, editing, and uploading the completed work to a website. The course is aimed at those with an interest in pursuing journalism or social activism. Students will gain experience in: shooting and editing simple video news pieces saving and compressing video for the web uploading content to a blog or other content management system integrating with social web platforms for distribution or promotion creating other news media content for the web, such as slideshows or audio programs. $100 lab fee. Fulfills Advanced Analysis requirement or can be used as an elective

    • DMS 416 Gender and Film

      Shilina-Conte  :: R, 6:00 to 9:40 pm :: 112 CFA
      Reg# 17429

      This course is designed as a survey of international women’s filmmaking. We will engage in conversations about images of / by women and women-related issues, both from a historical as well as contemporary point of view. The course will be structured around the concept of Gender Across Borders, which will be interpreted both geographically and theoretically, literally and metaphorically. Trans-, cross- and inter- will be the key elements of this class, as we talk about Boundaries and Binaries, Margins and Merges. We will discuss works by American and international women directors in the global / transnational context, as well as analyze the intersections of gender and sexuality, identity, race, ethnicity and the theory of the senses, looking at the ways these concepts traverse and converse. In addition, we will learn about the development of critical feminist and post-feminist thought, reading essays by Laura Mulvey, Barbara Creed, Tania Modleski, Linda Williams, Ann Kaplan, Kaja Silverman, Joan Copjec, Vivian Sobchak, and Laura Marks. In order to expand the boundaries and diversity of women’s filmmaking, we will view one full-length narrative or documentary film and one short video work each week.

      This class will also provide you with a unique opportunity to be part of the Gender Institute’s International Women’s Film Festival, which will showcase a broad variety of films directed by women. Films for the festival are carefully selected and in some instances may be otherwise unavailable for viewing in Western New York.  Admission to the festival will be free of charge to students in this class. This course will also introduce you to film terminology and sharpen your ability to generate and articulate personal responses to films. There are no prerequisites and both film and non-film majors are welcome.

    • DMS 416 Wearable Media

      E. Conrad :: Friday 11:00am – 2:40pm :: CFA 246
      Reg# 24602

      This production course explores the expressive potential of soft circuitry and wearable media. We will explore the materials and construction techniques of “soft computing” (conductive fabrics, yarns, etc.) to create expressive objects and interactive fashions. Technologies are not merely exterior aids, but interior changes of consciousness. They affect how we understand ourselves by co-structuring possibilities of thought. The focus of this course will be the interaction and interrelationship between soft technologies and bodies. There are no prerequisites – introductory electronics and sewing techniques will be reviewed. $100 Lab Fee.

    • DMS 418 Scriptwriting: All Media

      Anstey :: MW 11:00AM – 12:50PM :: CFA 235
      reg#17217

      In this production workshop students will concentrate on writing and editing text/script elements for their media projects. The course will explore both traditional and experimental methods for generating and structuring text for fictional and documentary work. Texts may include original writing, interview material, collaged or found fragments, that will be performed, heard or displayed in the final piece. The texts may be linear, non-linear, interactive, poetic … This opportunity to focus on the text is for students at any stage of a project (conception through finishing); in any media (film, video, animation, performance, interactive); and those working with English as a second language or with translated material.
      Fulfills Advanced * Intermediate Requirement.

    • DMS 422 VIDEO ANALYSIS

      Conrad, T.
      T 5:00pm – 6:50pm SEM CFA 112
      R 3:00PM – 4:50PM LAB CFA 232

      Reg # 24469 SEM (3 cr.), #13921 LAB (1 cr.)

      Pre-Requisite: DMS 341 Or DMS 400

      Note: Students must enroll in DMS 422SEM and DMS 422LAB  in the same term.

      A survey of contemporary video and media art. The aim of this course is to provide access to contemporary media arts information, and in particular to media work which is generally unavailable otherwise in Buffalo — and then to provide a forum for discussion, and for developing our own ideas. Most of the Tuesday meetings will comprise screenings of work. Then on Wednesdays the Undergrad and Graduate sections will meet separately to discuss the artists whose works have been seen and related topics of media arts interest. Some of the classes will be conducted via Skype, including interactive meetings with visiting artists whenever possible. Students should plan to take notes on the screenings and other activities, since a lot of ground will be covered rapidly. Assignments will include online viewing of other video works and short weekly written exercises in the form of terse commentaries with accompanying citations from online sources. Some assigned articles will be made available online, along with lots of recommended reading resources. Since access to the work screened in class is very limited, attendance is mandatory. There is no lab fee and no final exam – so regular weekly participation is especially important.

      Fulfills Advanced Analysis, Media & Culture or elective requirement.

    • DMS 424 (LECTURE/LAB) PROGRAMMING GRAPHICS 2

      Pape, D E :: SEM M 11:00am – 12:50pm :: CFA 242
      REG# 13001

      Coletta :: Lab W 11:00am – 12:50pm :: CFA 242
      REG# 13918

      This production course extends students knowledge of interactive and real-time graphics programming, building on the fundamentals learned in Programming Graphics 1. The course will cover advanced techniques for rendering, animation, and interaction. We will also look at the past work of established artists and technologists in computer graphics. Students will work individually or in small teams to produce a significant semester project, of their own choosing.Prerequisites are experience in a programming language such as Python, C, C++, or Java (DMS 121, CSE 113/4/5 or equivalent). Permission of Instructor required. Lab fee $100. Contact: dave.pape@acm.org Fulfills Intermediate Production

    • DMS 434 Art of Vision — Cancelled

      Caplan :: T R , 11:00 AM – 12:50 PM : CFA 232
      reg# 16521

      In every production situation there are a series of questions, which detail a variety of aesthetic choice. Those issues have to do with camera placement, camera angle, and length of shot, exposure, framing, all light, sound and movement. The Art of Vision is a course structured to increase student sensibility toward the art of filmmaking. This course will examine and answer those production issues in an attempt to make the student aware of the range of possibilities when confronted with shooting on location, in the field or in a studio. Through intense weekly production, lecture, selected screenings, and a high degree of experimentation, students will be guided individually to develop their own filmmaking skill. Students will be responsible for choosing their direction of production, which can incorporate any number of genres, including thesis work. A high level of production will be stressed and students will work in digital video, film, photography and sound-only situations. Students who attend this class should be prepared to work hard to achieve results.
      Lab fee is $100

    • DMS 435 Narrative Scriptwriting

      Session X June 6 – June 23, 2011
      Reisman :: MTWR 9:30am – 1:00pme :: CFA 235
      Reg# 15230

      FROM CONCEPTION TO COMPLETION: How to develop a screenplay:
      This intensive summer course will explore development of feature films and the steps involved in transforming an idea to a screenplay. We will assess story ideas and their origination; will discuss character, theme, plot; outlines and treatments, examine existing screenplays and script coverage (log lines, synopsis); learn to verbally pitch projects, and the art of collaboration. The course structure will be comprised of exercises, lectures, and screenings with each student working on a screenplay project.

    • DMS 436 Narative Film Production

      Session X : June 27 – July 14
      Caplan :: M,T,W,R :: 9:30am – 1pm :: CFA 232
      Reg#14423
      A condensed, extensive summer approach to cinematography and filmmaking. What the world needs now, is a good film. Register for this class and learn how.

      Students will choose to work in 16mm, 8mm, or digital video. The concentration for the filming will be centered on issues discussed in class having to do with art values rather than camera technique.
      Camera technique will be explored, discussed and practiced, though emphasis will be placed on recognizing and solving visual problems through practical assignments and in-class discussion. Students will learn ‘how to construct a visual sequence’ through camera operation, framing, exposure and sound recording. Work will be discussed in class and build daily on recorded material. Discussions will include selected screenings as well as viewing of painting and photography reproductions. Students will work independently and/or in groups to produce assignment sequences. Selected screenings and discussion on issues relating to the making of film as art will be discussed and presented. Students will be expected to participate and contribute to these discussions on a daily basis. Students will be graded on presentations, class participation and two short written descriptions on their own work.The serious graduate student will have the opportunity to develop his/her individual visual aesthetic through enhanced productio Adanced Production Course!! Prereq- DMS 341 or DMS 315.

    • DMS 439 Virtual Worlds 2

      Noonan :: TR 1pm – 2:50pm :: CFA 242
      REG #16364

      Increasingly we live, play, and work in virtual worlds created by computer graphics, 3D models, scripts and programs; places inhabited by networked people and autonomous computer characters. Students with a background in 3D modeling and/or programming are encouraged to take this production course, where the creative process will be seeded by a study of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality worlds built by artists, activists, and game-designers. We will also consider questions of values in games, and critical, experimental & activist design practices.

      Students will be introduced to production flow and issues of working collaboratively as student teams focus on the creation of one major, finished project in Unity 3D. Projects will go through the following stages: concept brain-storming; concept refinement; design documents (design drawings, interactive plan, allocation of tasks, timeline etc.); implementation1; user/player testing; implementation 2; final show

    • ENG 441 Contemporary Cinema

      Shilina-Conte :: W 5:00PM – 7:40PM :: CFA 112
      Reg# 17611

      This course will be structured around the contemporary cutting-edge paradigm of the theory of the senses in film studies. Cinema is traditionally regarded as an audio-visual medium, but in our course we will transgress the borders of this bilateral definition, aiming at a multisensory or “embodied experience of cinema” (Laura Marks). In this class we will interpret not only the ways we “see” and “hear” films, but also explore them through our senses of touch, smell and even taste. As Thomas Elsaesser points out, “film and spectator are like parasite and host, each occupying the other and being in turn occupied.” This synesthetic experience and unique approach of confrontation and conflation with the screen through our Mind, Body and Senses will open for us new modes of knowing and representing the world through film and media. It will help us to cultivate a deeper appreciation of cinema as an art form, and discover the “hidden senses” (both literally and metaphorically). The class will also give you an opportunity to learn more about yourself in terms of engaging your mind and spirit in ways that you haven’t thought of before. The assigned readings will include excerpts and articles by Linda Williams, Laura Marks, Vivian Sobchack, Jennifer Barker, Hamid Naficy, Thomas Elsaesser, Elena del Rio and others. By definition, exploration of taste and smell will include screenings and discussions of food in the movies. We will sample different cuisines around the world:  Babette’s Feast by Axel (French), Eat Drink Man Woman by Ang Lee (Chinese), Tampopo by Itami (Japanese, and the first “noodle western”), Big Night by Scott and Tucci (Italian), Like Water for Chocolate by Arau (Mexican), and Chocolat by  Hallstrom (for dessert), which will provide us a lot of “food for thought.” Make sure you eat before you come to class!

    • DMS 447 Sound Design

      Bouquard :: MW 3:00PM – 4:50PM :: CFA 235
      REG# 24252

      This course will introduce film/video/animation students into world of image and sound postproduction, to provide knowledge and tools necessary to complete post work on their projects. All areas of digital postproduction editing and sound design from editing to final mixing will be explored. As well as how to effectively use sound design to enhance storytelling capability of films, evaluate music choices, music edit, create sound design to enhance story points, discover design opportunities, and select right sound effects. Powerful sound design helps create a strong emotional effect on audiences by enhancing a video/film’s pace, tone, and feel. In this course, learn how to make convincing sound effects and tracks for a video/film/animation. Through the study of effects and Foley, gain a thorough understanding of what it takes to create a high-impact soundtrack to support a picture. Gain hands-on experience using Pro Tools and walk away knowing how to use sound to give projects emphasis and punch. $100 lab fee

    • DMS 455 B Movies

      Online Course July 5 – August 12, 2011
      Kolberg :: Online Course
      Reg#15170

      Beginning with the B-Movie’s origins in the 1930′s this course will explore the history and evolution of the B-Mov.
      The postwar science fiction boom of the 50′s gave rise to some of the B’s most popular movies: “Them!,” “Earth vs the Spider,” “The Amazing Colossal Man,” “I Married a Monster from Outer Space,” “The Brain that Wouldn’t Die,” “The Attack of the Killer Shrews,” “Attack of the Crab Monsters,” and “Tarantula” to name just a few.

      We will look at the ways that these movies embody the symbolic representations of Cold War anxieties: communist infiltration; nuclear disaster; and worries about new developments in science and technology. Other interpretations read these films as a Freudian expression of the id: the external embodiment of our darkest unconscious drives and desires.

      We will look at the B-movie aesthetic, including how the low budgets heightened the directors’ creativity and gave them the freedom to experiment, with both fabulous and disastrous results. We will explore what it is that makes these films “so bad they’re good” and examine why some of these films are simply terrible, while others have become cult classics.

      Along the way we will watch a variety of B-Movies, such as “Robot Monster,” “Forbidden Planet,” “The Wasp Woman,” and what many have called the worst movie ever made, the cult classic “Plan 9 from Outer Space.”

      Course expectations include regular participation in on-line discussions, readings, short written responses to the readings, and a short critical paper. Popcorn is optional, but recommended.
      The films will be readily available through Netflix and/or public libraries.

    • DMS 463 Game Studies Colloquium

      Mak :: MW 1:00 PM – 2:50 PM :: CFA 235
      REG#24468

      The goal of this advanced theory course is to provide you with analytical tools and a background in readings to address the history, design, cultures, and theory of games and gaming. Taking games as a broad category describing a variety of design, production, and play practices, we will examine analog games, digital and computer games, as well as other, more experimental forms, through lenses varying from art history to economics to philosophy to computer science. This course will provide a strong foundation for students interested in the history of games, game design for artists, play as activism, and contemporary media cultures.
      Students will engage in independent research and develop their own ideas around games and gaming. We will provide you with support – both theoretical and technical – to expand your research, writing, and rhetorical skills. The broad base of topics we will address will guarantee that you will find something that piques your interest.

    • DMS 484 Language Media Poetics

      Glazier :: MW 3:00PM – 4:50PM :: CFA 232
      REG# 16877

      This course offers an immersion into language media in literature, performance, film, and digital media, with an emphasis on Beat literature and postmodern poetries. THIS MAY BE ONE OF THE BEST COURSES ON BEAT LITERATURE YOU WILL EVER FIND! The course centers on a variety of literary artists including Kerouac, Ginsberg, Creeley, Olson, Duncan, Burroughs, Bowles, Weiner, Bernstein, Andrews, Howe, Hejinian, Cortez, Bukowski, and Henry Miller, among others. These are writers and writers who explore different levels of literary and artistic explorations, sometimes the seamy underside, sometimes the ecstatic extremes, the visionary, the experimental, the marginalized, the sensory, spiritual, or down-and-out, sometimes the truly avant-garde. Students will undertake readings of texts by these writers, watch films, video, and other documentary resources about/related to them, explore New Media works that extend these experimental practices into the twenty-first century, and hear from current leading authors in the field. We will explore why these writers entered these margins of experience, what can be gained from engaging their illusions, inspirations, and exhaustions, and how these practices might inform what students do with language in their own practice, thinking, and media production. Course will develop student skills on reading/writing in all areas, including critical and creative practices useful to media project production and other creative and scholarly endeavors. These include reflections, responses, creative close reading approaches, and analysis by students, themselves as artists and engaged cultural participants. Whether applying for graduate school, entering the work force, devoting their energies to their own artwork, or simply enriching their undergraduate education, this course offers students, regardless of major, working both in and out of the creative arts a unique opportunity to engage these works. There are NO prerequisites for this class. Course requirements include reading, exams, a film journal, an oral presentation, and a final project. Attendance is crucial. For Media Study majors, this course fulfills advanced analysis or Media Study elective. Course text: TBA.

    • DMS 496 (1- 4 CR VARIABLE) MEDIA ARTS INTERNSHIP

      Staff
      REG# Permission of Instructor
      Media Study majors have the opportunity to gain variable academic credit for internships in local and national media production companies, television stations, cable companies, and media access centers. This is an unpaid internship available to majors. Guidelines are set by an internship supervisor in collaboration with a faculty sponsor to provide hands-on practical experience in an on-the-job training program. For registration information, see Luann Zak in 231 CFA. Media Study Elective.

    • DMS 499 (1-4 CR VARIABLE) INDEPENDENT STUDY

      Staff
      REG# Permission of Instructor
      Students may arrange for special courses of study with faculty through “Independent Study.” The instructor will set the guidelines for the course on an individual basis. It permits the student to study, independently, in an area where no course is given. Syllabus for Independent Study should be prepared prior to semester, signed by the instructor, with one copy on file with the department. For registration information, see Luann Zak in 231 CFA. Lab fee for production work: $100 Media Study Elective.

    • DMS 518 On the Road: Media Geographies

      Summer 2012
      Session M July 26 – August 10
      Rueb / Lavenstein
      reg# 12500

      “A traveler! I love his title. A traveler is to be reverenced as such. His profession is the best symbol of our life. Going from ___ toward ___; it is the history of every one of us.”  — “Summer” (Henry David Thoreau)

      The recent convergence of film, video, and sound as delivered via mobile media is explored in this field-based production course that literally takes place on the road.  Students and faculty travel together and work in small teams to create mobile media works that engage the interrelationship of media, movement, and geography as they learn about and experience the landscapes, histories, and cultures of the United States.

      The course begins with a two-day workshop in Buffalo which includes short exercises to introduce formal and technical skills and techniques spanning experimental, non-linear, documentary, narrative and non-narrative forms, especially as they relate to locative media, film/video and site-specificity.  Students then break into 3-5 teams to follow separate itineraries as they create works that explore their experiences of place and people. Each year a unique itinerary will be determined based on faculty interest and student enrollment.

      For Summer 2012 we will follow a trajectory that takes us to sites of significance in the writings of Henry David Thoreau.  Using the texts “Walking,” “A Yankee in Canada,” “The Maine Woods,” and “Cape Cod” as spring boards for our inquiry into itinerant art forms, we will travel by foot, railway, boat and car throughout the territory defined in the Champlain maps that so impressed Thoreau.  One such map sketched by Thoreau extends from the Great Lakes to Maine and down to Massachusetts.  Accordingly, we will travel from Buffalo to Montreal, Quebec, Maine (where students may optionally choose to climb Mount Katahdin) and finally to Cape Cod and Walden Pond in Massachusetts.

      Enrollment is open to graduate and undergraduate students. Students will be responsible for travel expenses, which will run approximately $800 per student (transportation and lodging) + meals. In addition to hostelling, we will camp at points along the way, so students should be prepared to bring and/or pool their equipment. Advance registration is recommended.

      Lab Fee is $100

      Instructors:
      Teri Rueb
      http://www.terirueb.net

      Hollie Lavenstein

      http://www.cla.auburn.edu/cmjn/people/faculty/hollie-lavenstein