Media Arts & Cultures MAAC 1001 Understanding Media I: Technology and Culture 3 ch Provides an introduction to the study of media, technology and culture. Surveys a variety of contemporary media forms, from print to radio to film, television and the internet, considering their history, their impact on modern culture, and their present state in the digital age. Course may be taken on its own but is designed to be combined with MAAC 1002 for a complete introduction to the study of media and culture. Students who have already completed MM 1001 for credit may not enrol in MAAC 1001. MAAC 1002 Understanding Media II: Power and Pleasures 3 ch (LE) Complementing material covered in MAAC 1001, this course presents a more hands on approach to critical media studies by introducing students to basic concepts in semiotics and close analysis of media texts. Lectures will cover notions of signs and signification, the way codes and conventions contribute to socially constructed meaning, as well as the personal, political and cultural implications embedded in all media constructions. Students will learn to break down and analyze magazines and television ads, music clips and movie posters, websites and viral videos, isolating how each of these texts convey messages and reflect the values and assumptions of the world that produced them. In addition to tests and written assignments, students will complete individual projects that will apply what they have learned to communicate critically and creatively via digital media. Students who have already completed MM 1002 for credit many not enrol in MAAC 1002. MAAC 2001 Media Arts 3 ch Surveys artists engagement with electronic and digital media, as well as media institutions, from the early 20th century avant garde to the present. Topics may include Dada, Surrealism, Andy Warhol, experimental cinema, video art, modernism, postmodernism, electronic music, remix culture, art and public space, and new media art. In addition to traditional assignments and tests, students will complete individual and group creative projects. Students who have already completed MM 2001 for credit may not enrol in MAAC 2001. MAAC 2021 Popular Culture (Cross Listed: WLCS 2021) 3 ch (3C) [W] This course introduces historical and theoretical contexts for the study of mass mediated popular culture, from movies and TV to comic books and video games. It also explores the reciprocal relationship between creative expression and economic constraints, between the mainstream, sub cultures, and counter cultures, as well as familiar designations of "high brow" and "low brow." Using specific media case studies, students will engage with contemporary debates about the impact of representations, the role of ideology, the agency of the audience, 1 P age
the meaning of fandom, and the politics of taste. While learning to analyze and evaluate their relative merits, students will learn to step back and think critically about the larger implications and the cumulative effects of our constant exposure to popular culture texts. Students who have already completed MM 2021 for credit may not enrol in MAAC 2021. MAAC 2022 The Art of Film (Cross Listed: FILM 2022) 3 ch (3C) [W] Introduces students to the language of motion pictures and to critical tools for discussing and writing about the 7th art the art of film. By studying how movies function aesthetically, and how they become meaningful to audiences, students will acquire critical and formal analytical skills that will both enhance their appreciation for cinema and serve them more broadly as consumers and/or producers of visual culture. Topics will include mise en scène, framing, image composition, photographic space, colour, editing, sound, and narrative structure. MAAC 2095 Introduction to Video Games (O) 3 ch (3C) [W] An introduction to the study of games as interactive electronic and digital media. Topics may include the history of computer games and videogames, game genres, the current structure of the games industry, and an overview of game studies as an academic field. Assignments may include both written work and creative media projects. No previous experience with digital games is required. MAAC 2797 Rock and American Popular Music (Cross Listed: MUS 2797) 3 ch (3C) This course is a survey of the history of Rock music from its origins in the late nineteenth century to the present day. Topics addressed include: the effects of technology in the music industry, role of African American music in the development of popular music, the developments of Jazz, R&B, and early Rock and Roll, and the white appropriation of African American music. The course finishes with a survey of recent trends of disco, new wave, heavy metal, rap and alternative music. Restriction: Credit may not be obtained for both FNAT 2792 and MAAC 2797. MAAC 2998 Digital Film Production (Cross Listed: FILM 2998) 3 ch (3C) An introduction to the fundamental concepts and procedures of visual and audio production, including the techniques and aesthetics of shooting, lighting and editing. Over the course of the term, students will engage in a series of short exercises covering a variety of styles, genres and modes. Taught cooperatively with the New Brunswick Filmmakers Co op. NOTE: Students who have received credit for MAAC/FILM/ENGL 3999 may not take this course for credit. MAAC 2999 Digital Film Production 3 ch (3C) This second course in the production sequence puts emphasis on application of skills learned in MAAC 2998 by focusing on production of several short projects in various formats. Group work and analysis of 2 Page
student productions constitute the main course activities. Taught cooperatively with the New Brunswick Filmmakers Co op. NOTE: Students who have received credit for MAAC/FILM 3998 may not take this course for credit. Prerequisites: MAAC 2998, or permission of the instructor. MAAC 3003 Click Here!: Interactivity on the Web 3 ch (LE) The use of web applets that advertise, entertain or inform is ubiquitous, and a lexicon of good practice is developing. The course introduces the problem of designing web browser based interactive modules that are human friendly. Through the completion of individual projects, students will use Flash or HTML5 to display text, images, and computer generated graphics as well as techniques to control the presentation of material in response to how people interact with it. Open to students who have completed 45 credit hours, or with permission of the instructor. Students who have already completed MM 3003 for credit may not enrol in MAAC 3003. MAAC 3055 Women and Media (A) 3 ch (3C) [W] Investigates key issues and theoretical approaches in the study of women and media. The course will explore women as producers and consumers of media as well as representations of gender in a variety of media forms. Students will research and analyze how the media creates and challenges stereotypes, and ideas of difference. Readings, class discussions and projects reveal how media shape our attitudes and identities. Open to students who have completed 45 credit hours, or with permission of the instructor. MAAC 3065 Horror Access Media & Culture (A) (Cross Listed: WLCS 3065) 3 ch (3C) [W] Why have people in so many times and places enjoyed spooky stories? What, if any, value can we assign to tales of horror and the supernatural? Do ghost stories and monster movies differ across nations and cultures? Questions like these will guide our global study of gothic, horror and supernatural texts chosen from a wide array of media, from literature and cinema, to television, comic books, and video games. Topics may include visual culture and the sublime, Freud's notion of the uncanny, Jungian archetypes, gender identity, conceptions of ritual and myth, the modern and the postmodern, subcultures, folklore, religion and secularization. Open to students who have completed 45 credit hours, or with permission of the instructor. Students who have already completed MM 3065 for credit may not enrol in MAAC 3065. MAAC 3066 Trauma and Seduction : Early German Cinema (A) 3 ch (3C) [W] (Cross Listed: WLCS 3066, FILM 3066, GER 3066) Beginning with the earliest silent movies and concluding with National Socialist propaganda films, this course offers an introduction to a prolific and important era in German film history: the Weimar Republic and pre WWII period, 1918 1939. Our discussions will situate the films within larger political and cultural discourses. Emphasis will be placed on such topics as the 3 P age
cinematic response to the trauma of WWI; German national identity; expressionism and modernity; the politics of gender and sexuality; the impact of sound on film aesthetics; the relationship between cinema and other media; the ethics of film production. Films to be studied include features by directors such as Lang, Lubitsch, Murnau, Pabst, Riefenstahl, Sagan, von Sternberg and Wiene. In English MAAC 3072 (Re)constructing National Identity: Contemporary German 3 ch (3C) [W] Cinema (A) (Cross Listed: WLCS 3072, FILM 3072, and GER 3072) Studies the major accomplishments of East and West German cinema of the postwar period, as well as cinematic trends since German unification. We will consider questions of narrative, genre, and authorship, examine film's relationship to other media, and focus on the dynamic interaction between film history and social history. Films to be studied include features by prominent directors such as Wolf, Fassbinder, Wenders, von Trotta, Carow, Dörrie, and Tykwer. MAAC 3075 Framing Reality: Theory and Practice of Documentary Media (A) 3 ch (3C) (Cross Listed: FILM 3075) This course surveys the history and aesthetics of non fiction filmmaking from the birth of cinema to the digital age. It will examine epistemological and ethical questions raised by documentary's encounter with reality and its attempt to present the truth. Films screened are drawn from an array of nations and range from the personal to the political as well as more experimental and avant garde works. The course includes a film production component as students will apply what they have learned in class by producing a short non fiction film as a final project. Open to students who have completed 45 credit hours, or with permission of the instructor. Students who have already completed MM 3075 for credit may not enrol in MAAC 3075. MAAC 3082 History of Canadian Cinema (A) 3 ch (3C) [W] (Cross Listed: WLCS 3082, FILM 3082) Focuses on the first half century of filmmaking in Canada and the nation's long struggle to develop and sustain a functioning film industry in the shadow of Hollywood. Readings and screenings trace the history of the movies in Canada from the silent era to the 1970s. Issues raised may include Canadian/American relations, national and regional identities, tensions between art and entertainment, media and cultural policy, representation of race, class, gender, and relation of Canadian film to other media (TV, radio, video) and other arts (painting, music, literature) in Canada. Open to students who have completed 45 credit hours, or with permission of the instructor. 4 P age
MAAC 3085 Television Studies (A) 3 ch (3C) [W] This course explores the different approaches used by scholars to understand the cultural role of television in contemporary North American life. Special attention is paid to the impact of new technologies like colour broadcasting, satellite and cable systems, HDTV and the internet. Topics may include TV genres from sitcoms to soap operas, the rise of reality TV, fatherhood and family values, advertising aesthetics, Saturday morning cartoons, Hockey Night in Canada, and the ethics of the evening news. Open to students who have completed 45 credit hours, or with permission of the instructor. Students who have already completed MM 3085 for credit may not enrol in MAAC 3085. MAAC 3095 Digital Games Studies (A) 3 ch (3C) [W] Digital games are a major cultural and artistic force in the contemporary media landscape. In this course, students will have the opportunity to consider digital games of various kinds and how they might both relate to and be distinct from the other forms of media. Using critical readings, class discussion and gameplay projects, we will consider competing notions about the nature of games, gaming practices, gameplay, and gaming cultures. No previous experience with digital games is required. Open to students who have completed 45 credit hours, or with permission of the instructor. MAAC 3101 Media Design I 3 ch (LE) Explores strategies for creative visual expression across media, working within the constraints of the design paradigm. Topics will include formal design theory, colour theory, basic typography, image construction, and an introduction to visual communications using lectures, assignments, readings, in class seminars, group discussion and critique. Open to students who have completed 45 credit hours, or with permission of the instructor. Students who have already completed MM 2002 for credit may not enrol in MAAC 3103. MAAC 3102 Media Design II 3 ch (LE) Provides an opportunity for students to develop further skills and broaden their understanding of visual communication. Topics will include organizing efficient design systems, producing eloquent moving image typography and developing consistent visual identity programs. The work and design strategies of 5 P age
leading contemporary practitioners will be examined. Prerequisite: MAAC 3101. Students who have already completed MM 3001 for credit may not enrol in MAAC 3102. MAAC 3103 3113 Music, Computers, and Technology (Cross Listed: MUS 3113) Computers in Music, and introduction (Cross Listed: MUS 3113) 3 ch (3C) Formatted: Font: Bold Formatted: Font: Bold The use of computers in music from a practical and historical perspective is identified and studied. Early uses in notation, composition, presentation, interactive media applications are explored. Project based with work in current software and applications. Open to students who have completed 30 credit hours, or with permission of the instructor.the use of computers in all facets of the music industry from music theory and history to analysis and MDI applications. Formatted: Space Before: Auto MAAC 3212 Lens Media I 3 ch (LE) Examines the principles of still image construction using digital technology. Covers the general theories of light in natural and artificial environments. Introduces notions of colour, form, line and texture as they relate to photographic image making. Workshop activity will provide students with skills in making still images in the studio and the natural environment. Prerequisite: Students will have normally have completed 45 ch. Students who have already completed MM 3212 for credit may not enrol in MAAC 3212. MAAC 3213 Lens Media II 3 ch (LE) Explores the construction of a single image from multiple still photographs, and the concepts of aspect ratio and information density in image making. Students will examine how these images may be used to build immersive environments, and experiment with presentation technologies that expose consideration of physical and social presence in these environments. Prerequisite: MAAC 3212, or permission of the instructor. Students who have already completed MM 3213 for credit may not enrol in MAAC 3213. MAAC 3362 Sound Design 3 ch (LE) Sound design, though often overlooked, is an essential aspect of much contemporary media. Course focuses on creativity and technology for recording, editing and mixing sound to engage audiences in film, video, drama and multimedia production. Topics include: technical and artistic application of sound design for film with regards to specific genres, foley artistry, animation, game audio, soundscape design and sound motif. Open to students who have completed 45 credit hours, or with permission of the instructor. Students who have already completed MM 3362 for credit may not enrol in MAAC 3362. MAAC 3401 Digital Culture 3 ch (3C) [W] Examines major theories of digital culture and contemporary media. Using examples from a 6 P age
broad range of social, artistic, and cultural practices, the course analyzes the development of digital technologies and their impact on today s culture. Topics and approaches may include cyborg theory, the information economy, convergence, media ecology, virtual worlds, remix culture, and new media aesthetics. Open to students who have completed 60 credit hours, or with permission of the instructor. Note: Students who have received credit for MM 3107 may not take MAAC 3401 for credit. MAAC 3501 9 Individual Studies in Media 3 ch Courses of independent study in a topic of special interest to the student, to be taken under the supervision of a Faculty member. Topics will be specified in a written proposal and approved in advance by the Director of Media Arts and Cultures. Students who have already completed a MM 3501 9 course for credit may not enrol in the matching MAAC 3501 9 course. MAAC 3601 Game Design (O) 3 ch (3C) The fundamental challenges of creating interactive gameplay are the subject of this course that introduces students to the processes employed by designers for the creation of a game. Students may interrogate notions of gameplay and the evolution of the medium, compare and re design a variety of existing games, workshop ideas, and collaborate on projects in which they create their own game designs. This course is open to students who have completed at least 45 credit hours at university level. MAAC 3981 Introduction to Directing andscreen Acting (A) (Cross Listed: FILM 3981) Film 3 ch (1.5C/1.5W/S) (LE) for and Television (A) (Cross Listed: FILM 3081) Explores the relationship between actor, director, script and camera. Workshop exercises allow students to explore various modes of working with actors on a film set and during the rehearsal and audition process in order to realize the development of character within the setting of story and script. Limited to 20 students. NOTE: Students who already have credit for ENGL 3980 or FILM 3980 cannot obtain credit for FILM 3981.A hands on course that explores the relationship between actor, director, script and camera. The course utilizes a set of workshop exercises that allow students to explore various modes of working with actors on a film set and during the rehearsal and audition process in order to realize the development of character within the setting of story and script. Short videos will be produced during the class that students can use as calling card films. Taught co operatively with the Directors Guild of Canada and ACTRA. 7 P age
Limited to 20 students. NOTE: Students who already have credit for ENGL 3980 or FILM 3980 Directing and Acting for Film and Television cannot obtain credit for MAAC 3981. MAAC 3998 Film Production (Cross Listed: FILM 3998) 3 ch (3C/WS) (LE) This course introduces students to the processes and technical aspects of motion picture film production. Topics include: 16mm film camera, analog and digital sound recording, lighting for film, film crew roles, budgets, casting and rehearsals, locations, script breakdowns and film forms, and advanced editing. Students will participate in both the production of a short, smallgroup 16mm film project, and a larger, full class Super 16mm film project produced as an industry model film. Taught cooperatively with the New Brunswick Filmmakers Co Op and the Film Industry of New Brunswick. Limited to 20 students. NOTE: Students who already have credit for ENGL 3990 Advanced Film Production and/or ENGL 3999 Film and Video Production cannot obtain credit for MAAC 3998. MAAC 3999 Video Production (Cross Listed: FILM 3999) 3 ch (3 C/WS) (LE) This course introduces students to the processes and technical aspects of video production. Topics include: videography fundamentals, digital camera techniques, location sound recording, lighting for video, scriptwriting for documentary and dramatic productions, post production picture editing and finishing. Various scriptwriting, shooting and editing exercises will be done in a small group environment. Taught cooperatively with the New Brunswick Filmmakers Coop. NOTE: Students who already have credit for ENGL 3999 Film and Video Production cannot obtain credit for FILM 3999. MAAC 4001 Advanced Production (Cross Listed: FILM 4001) 3 ch (3C/WS) (LE) Students produce more complex films, developing a project from beginning to end, working on each other s projects, and gaining hands on experience in a variety of skilled positions on a film s crew. Prerequisites: MAAC/FILM 2999 or MAAC/FILM 3998, or permission of the instructor. MAAC 4021 Advanced Studies in Popular Culture (Cross listed as WLCS 4021) (A) 3 ch (3S) [W] Seminar focusing on theoretical approaches to the study of popular culture. Topics and theories covered may rotate from year to year. Prerequisite: 60 ch and MAAC/WLCS 2021, or permission of the instructor. MAAC 4401 Animations Principles (A) 3 ch (LE) Examines animated image making across a variety of media (film, TV, games), all of which rely 8 P age
on the Phi Phenomenon identified in Gestalt theory. Small project assignments will introduce students to some common animation tools and course discussions will focus on the application of animation concepts to storytelling. Prerequisites: Students will normally have completed 60 ch. Students who have already completed MM 4401 for credit may not enrol in MAAC 4401. MAAC 4402 Animation Methods (A) 3 ch (LE) Considers the practical aspects of storytelling using 3D model building tools. Students will gain practical experience using current digital animation software such as Autodesk Maya. Topics considered include modelling, skinning, texturing, lighting, animation, and rendering. Prerequisite: MAAC 4401, or permission from the instructor. Students who have already completed MM 4402 for credit may not enrol in MAAC 4402. MAAC 4404 Mobile Media (A) 3 ch (3S) This course explores the impact and influence mobile devices have had, and continue to have, on patterns of life, work and play. Examines the unique media forms and characteristic experiences emerging from the use of smart phones, tablets and other handheld digital devices. Discussions, readings and assignments encourage critical reflection on the relationship between technology and culture in a mobile world. Prerequisite: 60 ch, or permission of the instructor. MAAC 4403 4405 Creative Mobile App Design (A) 3ch (3C) An overview of principles of human interface design for creating, designing, and prototyping applications for smartphones and tablets. Topics covered may include social networking, information access, gaming and creative play. Students explore practical problems associated with planning game play scenarios, integrating computer generated imagery, and creating welldesigned information displays for mobile devices. Individual project work will focus on all the steps needed to produce a prototype for the app. Mobile devices will be provided for classroom use. Prerequisite: MAAC 4404, or with permission of the instructor. NOTE: Students who have already received credit for MAAC 4403 cannot obtain credit for MAAC 4405. The course provides an overview of principles of human interface design associated with creating, designing, and prototyping applications for the ipod, iphone & ipad. Topics covered may include gaming, augmented reality, creative play, or information presentation. Students will explore practical problems associated with planning game play scenarios, integrating computer generated imagery, or creating well designed information displays for mobile devices. Individual and group project work will focus all the steps needed to produce a finished prototype for the app. Mobile devices will be provided for classroom use. Open to students who have completed 75 credit hours, or with permission of the instructor. MAAC 4951 Professional Practice 3 ch Individual work study or internship consisting of 80 hours of work in one term on a project for an organization in the community that involves skills and/or ideas directly related to the Media 9 P age
Arts & Cultures program. A faculty member will supervise the progress of the student and a final report on the project undertaken will be evaluated for academic assessment. Subject to faculty and placement availability. Prerequisite: MAAC 3101, and at least 75 ch completed. MAAC 4952 Professional Practice 3 ch Individual work study or internship consisting of 80 hours of work in one term on a project for an organization in the community that involves skills and/or ideas directly related to the Media Arts & Cultures program. A faculty member will supervise the progress of the student and a final report on the project undertaken will be evaluated for academic assessment. Subject to faculty and placement availability. Prerequisite: MAAC 3101, and at least 75 ch completed. MAAC 4992 Current and Feature Directions in MultimediaTopics in Media Arts & Cultures (O) 3 ch (LE3S) An advanced seminar in theory of Media Cultures and/or practice of Media Arts. Topics will vary from year to year. Prerequisites: 75 ch, and MAAC 3401, or permission of the instructor. NOTE: Students who already have credit for MM 4992 may not enrol in MAAC 4992.Provides a forum for the discussion of the relation between new media technologies and the cultural, social, civic, and mercantile sectors of society, and how these structures may change as a result. Each student will be expected to contribute a substantial paper and a seminar that successfully combines a critical appreciation with an understanding of the practical advantages and constraints evident in new media technologies. Prerequisites: Students will normally have completed 60 ch. Students who have already completed MM 4992 for credit may not enrol in MAAC 4992. MAAC 5000 Honours Thesis 6 ch [W] A reading and research course open to students qualifying for Honours in Media Arts & Cultures. To enrol in this course, students must first arrange for a professor to supervise their thesis. The course will result in the writing of an Honours Thesis, normally 40 60 pages in length. Student may not enroll in both MAAC 5000 and MAAC 5980. MAAC 5980 Honours Project 6 ch [W] A reading, research and creative practice course open to students qualifying for Honours in Media Arts & Cultures. To enrol in this course, students must first arrange for a professor to supervise their project. The course will result in the creation of a Media Arts Project along with a 10 15 page Project Paper. Students may not enroll in both MAAC 5000 and MAAC 5980. 10 P age
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