WEEK 15: ZINES

Good Morning! Today is the last day before our final (aka ZINE FEST).

Today, our main objectives are:
8:30-10 AM:
1) REPORT + DISCUSS ZINE FEST COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES: location? times? poster (get me a file and I can make copies)? poster distribution? facebook event? tables? set-up/take down/decorating committee make plans? additional work time (see note below)*?
2) Basic InDesign Tutorial 
Some Resources: 
Artist Crash Course (this is on an older version of InDesign, but it is SUPER helpful and relevant for you with regards to setting up a document and placing images and in 9 minutes)
Printing Booklets to Printer via youtube (Goes through all printer settings, very helpful.)
Printing Booklets via youtube (Very Thorough. She mostly discusses how to print digitally, but it's a good tutorial, so if you choose to follow this one, you will need to disregard what she's saying about PostScript files and print to a printer on the network, or as a PDF to later send to a printer with duplexing capabilities. Combine this tutorial with the one above to get what you need.)
Tutorials from Adobe (always helpful, endorsed by Adobe)
3) Introduce 3 Basic Bookbinding Techniques: (Saddle stitch, fold, pamphlet stitch)

10AM- 12PM:
1) Visit Light Work to meet artists and ZINE makers Cara Luddy and Trevor Clement
2) Work on and discuss your draft zines, problem solve

Around 12PM:
1) Student Evaluations


See you Next Week at ZINE FEST!



*If anybody needs any help with your ZINES, please be in touch with me sooner than later. I will be in my office at Light Work Thursday, Monday, and Tuesday and I am happy to help you when possible. I am also available to meet you (within reason and with enough notice) to meet with you Fri-Sunday at LW if you need help. If enough of you feel you need support/help putting together or making zines, let's set up an additional work time.  

Week 14 (April 15): Crit Day 2

Today we will complete our crits for the Alter project! If you did not go last week, you will go this week. Your Persona  responses are also due, in hard copy, to me today.

Before we resume crits, we will update each other about ZINE FEST.


Next Week (April 22):
Next Week we will dive into 'ZINES! We will have two visiting artists, Cara Luddy and Trevor Clement, talk to us at Light Work; an introduction to InDesign; an introduction to 'zine history; and hopefully some time to work. Please bring a draft of your 'zine with you to class next week.  Be thoughtful and intentional, but do not overthink this. Your draft should be cut, pasted, and loosely organized; it should begin to communicate your ideas, tastes, and attitude. Use B&W, communicate your ideas as economically as possible.

APRIL 29:
ZINE FEST!!!! This is our last class and your final. Please bring 11 "finished" copies of your zine. You will give one to your instructor, and have the others to trade/sell amongst yourselves. Be prepared to talk briefly and succinctly about your zine.

Week 13: CRIT Day 1

Crit begins TODAY for our Alter projects.
Those that would like to volunteer to go first may, and the rest of the order will be determined by random selection.

Other things to talk about: 'zine fest planning update

WEEK 12: April 1

In class:

'ZINES:

Look at some 'zines and self-published 'zine-inspired books

Talk about April 29 'zine fest planning, make committees

ALTERS:

one-on-one meetings with Jessica

In class work time

optional one-on-one consultations with each other

Discuss Reading

Next Week:

Alter Crits begin! Please be ready to go, and have your work ready to present. Expect 15 minutes total for presentation of work and discussion. If you want more of a guide for time based work, about 5 minutes. If your work needs more time, talk to Jessica.

If you are performing live, either arrange for someone to document the performance OR have a plan for where you want to place a camera on a tripod to record the performance. If you are not performing live as your alter, please upload all work to the server AND send me any links to work located on the internet. Please upload files to server even if it is on the web. 

WEEK 11: MARCH 25

THIS WEEK:

In class:
ARTIST/ALTER presentation
Discuss reading, "Scattering Selves" by Lucy Lippard (on blackboard) and hand in reflections
Small-group/independent work time
One-on-one meetings with instructor

Homework:
Due April 1:
Next Week, we will have a combination of small group presentations and in-class work time. Please continue to make work as your alter. Please continue making work as your alter. I will be checking in with you and you will be checking in with yourselves. Be adventurous! Don't like your alter? This is an opportunity to change him/her/them/it/etc. Keep a record of everything you do, I will want to see it.

Due April 8:
Prepare your work for presentation for critique. You are to select one element of the research you have been doing over the past few weeks to deepen and refine into work that you will present for critique. You will present this more concentrated work alongside any other collateral information you desire. For example, you may choose to select one video to show from your alter's youtube channel, but you will still want to show us the range of what you've been up to. Perhaps your alter has been writing. You may choose to perform a selection of those works live, but also show us the blog where your alter's writing has been hanging out.

You may choose any medium or platform to present your work. Anticipate 5-10 minutes to present/experience you work, followed by 5-10 minute conversation about your work (expect 15 mins MAX per person). Consider performing live, though this is not a requirement.

Please upload works you will be presenting to the server. Please email me any links to online content.

Critiques begin April 8.

Reminder:
Due April 15:

Screen Persona (1966) directed by Ingmar Bergman (viewable on hulu.com as part of the Criterion Collection) and read Persona by Susan Sontag (on blackboard).  Do these both on your own time, and write a response to the following prompt:

Susan Sontag introduces “doubling” as one of the major themes of this film. In your own words, how does Bergman use doubling as a cinematic device? To what ends? Be sure to address the structure, characters, and visuals. This is not a book report or movie summary; so be bold. Offer your own critical analysis and ideas. Write three well constructed and thoughtful paragraphs. Support all opinions with concrete examples. Feel free to reference any other material introduced in class or other relevant examples. Bring a printed hard copy to class to turn in. 

Notes:
Be sure to check blackboard for an updated syllabus for the second half of the semester (the previous version omitted one week!). Our last class meeting will be on Wednesday, April 29th, time TBD. As always, be in touch with questions or issues.

WEEK 10: MARCH 18

THIS WEEK:

In class:

Introduce our new unit: Persona (A Character Study)

Screen Youtube videos by Alter Egos

Screen: Paris is Burning (1990), directed by Jennie Livingston

Due Next Week:

1. Record images, videos, and text for 7 consecutive days as your alter-ego. You may choose to continue using your youtube video, or choose a different platform upon which to document your alter-ego.
2. Read Scattering Selves essay by Lucy Lippard. Bring written reflection (three questions, one paragraph creative response) to class.

Notes:

All readings and an updated syllabus through the end of the semester are available on blackboard.

WEEK 8: MUSIC VIDEO CHALLENGE

Monday/Wednesday class:

Today is your MUSIC VIDEO CHALLENGE!

Last week, you were divided into groups. For homework, you prepared and original song. Today, each group will have 4 hours to shoot, edit, and present a music video for your original song. We will screen the videos together at the end of class. At the screening, everyone will vote for their favorite video, and that band will be the awarded the privilege of knowing that your group is the AUDIENCE FAVORITE of the challenge.

REMINDERS:
- Develop a solid concept for your video before you begin shooting and editing. It doesn't necessarily need to have anything to do with your song, but it should be able to stand alone as a video.

- Be adventurous and experimental! Many artists, filmmakers, and videomakers begin making names for themselves (and money) making music videos. Take risks! Don't rely on convention! Be wierd!

- Because your song is the soundtrack for this video, you do not need to be concerned with the recorded sound from today. You will delete the diagetic audio from today in editing.

- When shooting "singing," lip-sync. You can experiment with slo-mo and speeding up the video by experimenting with the speed of the song/performance while recording, and then changing it in post-production. For example, if you want a slo-mo effect of someone singing the lyrics at the correct speed as the song, increase the speed of the performance by 50%, and then slow it down by 50% in editing.

RESOURCES:
LOCATIONS: We have access to the two lighting studios in the basement of Shaffer for shooting "studio" footage. You may use any location (seek permission if necessary), except your dorm room.

CAMERAS: I have checked out Canon HFR30 Camcorders for you to use. However, you may choose to shoot with any device.

APPROPRIATING VIDEO: You may choose to use Download Helper, a firefox plug-in, to appropriate found video footage (for educational and fair use purposes) from sites like youtube, etc.

EDITING: You will edit your videos in Adobe Premiere Pro. After the first hour of class, I will be available to offer hands-on help with Adobe Premiere Pro and Download Helper.

SOME EXAMPLES:
Sleater Kinney: Bury Our Friends
Sia: Chandelier
Yoko Ono: Bad Dancer

Chicks on Speed: Utopia
Missy Elliot: Supa Fly
Pussy Riot: I Can't Breathe

Grace Jones: Slave to the Ryhthm
Peter Gabriel: Sledgehammer
Bongwater: Power of the Pussy
Le Tigre: TKO
TV On the Radio: Golden Age
Oren Lavie: Her Morning Elegance
Bjork: All is Full of Love
Ok Go: This Too Shall Pass

Lana Del Ray: Video Games
Rage Against the Machine: Testify
Peaches: F-ck The Pain Away
N.E.R.D.: Life as a Fish