Animate Arts II:
Perception and Programming in Time
CAT-380/480 Spring 2005
TTh 4:00-6, W 4:00-5:30pm   /    Kresge 1-370

Overview

This is the second quarter of a 4-quarter curriculum in interactive, computer-based art and entertainment systems. This quarter focuses on time-based media, such as film and music, and on software in which time is an integral part of the systems behavior, such as interactive simulator programs (video games, etc.).  Projects will involve the construction and manipulation of of time-based software and media. Pieces will be critiqued both as works of art and as engineering. The interaction between art practice and art theory will be addressed through discussions, critiques and readings, examining issues in the interpretation, understanding and production of art and visual culture.

Tentative curriculum by week

This will be updated throughout the quarter

1. Introduction Time and Time-based Media
   Introduction and administrivia; Philosophy and models of time; Use of time in time-based media.
   Readings: Thomas McEvilley, "13 Ways of Looking At a Blackbird", in Art & Discontent: Theory at the Millennium.
   Assignments: 13 Ways assignment (described in class, Wednesday).
   Media:
   • A Hard Day's Night (Richard Lester, 1964).  Music by/Starring The Beatles.
   • Koyanisquatsi: Life Out of Balance (Godfrey Reggio, 1983).  Music by Philip Glass.
   • The Reflecting Pool (Bill Viola, 1977)
   • Serial Experiments Lain (Rytaro Nakamura, 1998).

   Slides: Intro and administrivia, Time and temporality.
   
    

2. Music and Melodic Line
   Introduction to supercollider; composing melodic lines; Programming: imperative programming.
   Assignments: Audio assignment 1;
   Media: Memento (Christopher Nolan, 2000).
   Slides: Imperative programming
   
    
3. Art Theory and Criticism
   Group Presentations of 13 Ways assignment; Barthes on the function of advertisment; Programming: Objects and members; Collection classes.
   Assignments:  Programming assignment 1
   Slides: Types, subtypes, and inheritance, container classes
   
    
4. Narrative I
   Narrative and Narrative structure; Audio project critique.
   Assignments: Narrative assignment 1.
   Media: Rashomon (Kurusawa, 1950).
   Slides: Stream classes
    
5. Narrative II
   Pierre Huyghe; Narrative assignment crit; Programming: more on classes and methods; object-oriented simulation
   Media: Lola Rennt (Run Lola Run) (Tom Tykwer, 1998).
   Slides: Object-oriented simulation
    
6. Film
   Film form; Space and time; Programming: Text adventure games
   Assignments: Narrative 2; Text adventure game.
   Media: Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941)
   Slides: More on the adventure game
    
7. Appropriation
   Contemporary images garnered from the past; Appropriation; Narrative 2 crit; Programming: Event-based programming
   Media: The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michael Gondry, 2004).
    
8. Polyphony
   Theory of polyphony; Programming: ALGOL-style syntax; Static typing.
   Assignments: audio 2
   Media:
   • In class: La Jetée (Chris Marker, 1962).
   • Optional: 12 Monkeys (Terry Gilliam, 1995).
      
9. Sound and image
   Sound and image; Programming quiz (in class, Wednesday).
   Assignments: Final project
    
10. Wrap up
    Audio 2 crit., TBD.
     
11. Final Crit
    Monday, June 6, 7pm-10pm.  Attendance mandatory.

Grading

Grading will be based on the following components:

• Exercises 50%
  There will be roughly 2 assignments per week, some will involve art or music, some programming, others a combination.  Art and music assignments will be critiqued in class.  For this reason, it is critical that they be turned in on time (see late penalties, below).
   
• Quiz 15%
  The quiz will be in week 9 and will focus on programming concepts.  However, we reserve the right to add other topics.  If we do so, we will announce it in advance.
   
• Final Project 15%
   
• Critique 10%
  You are required to present completed work at every critique as well as to participate verbally.  This is one of your primary ways of demonstrating mastery of the concepts in the class.
   
• Class discussions 10%
  Discussion will focus on material covered in lectures and the assigned reading.  You are expected to have read the material before the lecture/discussion sections as well as having prepared questions or comments for discussion.   Failure to actively participate or to adequately prepare will result in a lowered grade.

Attendance

This is a studio art course in addition to a programming course.  It involves a process of active apprenticeship that takes place during class.  Moreover, not all of the lecture materials will be covered by readings or will be available on the web.  Therefore, as with other studio art courses, attendance is required.  Unexcused absences, tardiness, or leaving early may lower your grade by a full letter grade.

Late penalties

• Homework extensions for programming projects will be granted for nearly any reason, provided you request one more than 24 hours in advance.  Otherwise, you need to have a really good reason.
• Unless you receive an extension, you should turn in your assignment when it is due.  Assignments turned in late will be given a late penalty:
  • 10% for assignments less than one day late
  • 20% assignment for 1-2 days
  • 30% for 2-4 days
  • 40%for 4-8 days, etc.
• Assignments which are turned in late enough to miss the critique period will also affect your critique grade.

Cheating policy for programming assignments

[Sorry this is so long; it's essentially a catalog of every misunderstanding we've ever had in class, along with what our policy is on it.  So please read this - you will be held responsible for understanding it. ]

You are encouraged to consult with other students, and even to ask them for help. Working with other students is often more enjoyable and allows you to learn ideas faster with less frustration.

For some assignments, you may be allowed, or even required to work with other students on your program. On these assignments, you will all work together on one program that you submit as a group. These assignments will be rare and will be clearly marked as group assignments.

For all other assignments, however, you must write your own code. You are allowed and encouraged to discuss the problem set with other students, but it is not acceptable to:

• Blindly copy someone else's code
• Base your program on someone else's code (unless specifically instructed to do so as part of the problem set)
• Collaborate with other students to write the same program
• Collaborate with other students to write the same program, then have each student modify the basic shared program.

Every term, a couple of groups of students get caught cheating and claim they didn't realize they were cheating. For this reason, we will adopt the "edit contamination policy":

• If someone (ever) edits a piece of code, then no other student can (ever) submit it or any code based on it for an assignment.
• Therefore, if two students edit the same piece of code, it is "contaminated" and neither of them can submit it or any code based on it as part of an assignment.

In other words:

• You can ask each other questions but no one else can (ever) touch your keyboard or mouse.

For those of you who want to grow up to be lawyers:

• You may not copy from any code that another student has edited
• No, you can't dictate code to someone either

That said, we do still want to encourage you to work together. In particular the following are acceptable and encouraged:

• Groups of friends having "hacking parties" where they sit down at separate machines and program in parallel. They can discuss the problem set as much as they want, as long as they don't actually edit one another's code, or copy one another's' code.
• Asking questions about the assignment, or about your program, of friends in the class
• Asking questions on the blackboard system
• Asking questions over IM (instant messenger)
• Asking questions of friends who aren't in the class
• Asking questions of the instructors and TAs
• Getting help with debugging from friends, TAs, etc.

So basically, you can get lots of help from friends, but you have to (at a minimum) do all the typing.

For further information, see Northwestern's policy statement on academic integrity, below.

University policy statements

Students with Disabilities

In compliance with Northwestern University policy and equal access laws, the instructors are available to discuss appropriate academic accommodations that you may require as a student with a disability.  Request for academic accommodations need to be  made during the first week of the quarter, except for unusual circumstances, so arrangements can be made. Students are encouraged to register with Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) for disability verification and for determination of reasonable academic accommodations.  For more information, visit: http://www.northwestern.edu/disability/.

Academic Integrity at Northwestern

[See also the policy on cheating on programs, above]

Students are expected to comply with University regulations regarding academic integrity. If you are in doubt about what constitutes academic dishonesty, speak to one of the instructors before the assignment is due and/or examine the University web site. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to cheating on an exam (e.g., copying others' answers, providing information to others, using a crib sheet) or plagiarism of a paper (e.g., taking material from readings without citation, copying another student's paper). Failure to maintain academic integrity on an assignment will result in a loss of credit for that assignment - at a minimum. Other penalties may also apply. The guidelines for determining academic dishonesty and procedures followed in a suspected incident of academic dishonesty are detailed on the website.  For more information, visit: http://www.communication.northwestern.edu/programs/undergraduate/policies_procedures/academic_integrity/