MRTS 1330-02 (11706) FALL 2024

Foundations of Media Arts

Tuesdays & Thursdays - 9:30 AM - RTFP 184

Email:
[email protected]

Drop-In Hours:
Mondays 2-5
Wednesdays 11-1

Course Description
This course will introduce students to the field of media arts, with a
focus on radio, film, television, and digital media, including podcasting,
video games and social media. The course will offer an overview of basic
skills and knowledge related to media production, history, and Office:
criticism. Students will cultivate their media literacy through RPTF 266
opportunities to study and write about media at the university level.

DR. TANYA D. ZUK

My research focuses on new media and collaborative storytelling, with a
particular emphasis on LGBTQ+ co-authorship in indie transmedia
narratives. I also do work with gothic genre, video games, television studies,
and fan studies.

I’m a giant geek and that re ects in my teaching and in my research. I’ve
presented my work at Comic Con San Diego, WonderCon, DragonCon, and
AnimeBoston.

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Course Objectives
By the end of this course, every student
should be able to:
• Explain key terms, practices and concepts
of media arts
• Identify prominent innovations and
individuals in media history
• Demonstrate media literacy through
analyzing the form and content of a
media text Course Requirements
• Develop evaluative and interpretive
Attendance 10%
arguments about media texts
Mini-Assessments (6) 20%
Course Materials Reading Quizzes (10) 25%
This course uses a variety of texts including Media Journal (4) 25%
two textbooks, academic and popular press
Exams (2) 20%
articles, movies, episodes of TV, ads, podcasts,
and video games.
• Moving Pictures by Russell Sharman.
• Suggest reading it online to take
advantage of the embedded videos.
Scroll to see ToC.
Attendance
• Media, Society, Culture & You by Mark
Poepsel 10%
20%
• Suggest reading it online to take
Mini-Assessments
advantage of URL links.
• Additional materials are available on 20%
Canvas. Exams

I strive to make my classes as financially Quizzes

accessible as possible. So all of the required 25%
texts are free to you including the Motion
Media Journal
Pictures and the Media, Society, Culture & You
books. However, there may be occasions 25%
where you need to rent a film for class.

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Mini-Assessments
During the course of the semester there will be multiple
opportunities to complete in-class or hands-on activities
that relate to class. These assignments are intended to
encourage you to practice media skills and range from
keeping a media log for a week, taking photos, or short
in-class writing opportunities. You need to complete at
least 6 of these assignments over the course of the
semester, but there may be more than 6 opportunities.

REVISE & RESUBMIT

Media Journal
I have a long-standing, open,
revise and resubmit policy for Over the course if the semester we’ll watch and play a
variety of media. You will be asked to complete a
all my classes. I rmly believe
journal entry for at least 5 of these. Each entry is your
that students are more likely
notes and observations of a media text, focusing on the
to review and use feedback if
element highlighted that week. Your first note-taking
they can apply it immediately. session will be in class.
Therefore, you can revise
assignments during the
Quizzes & Exams
semester using the feedback
provided and resubmit for an All quizzes and exams are open-note, open-book, and
improved grade. online. Questions are multiple choice, matching, fill-in-
the-blank, ordering, and short answer. Questions cover
You can revise all journal readings, lectures, and assigned media texts. Exams are
entries, essays, and in-class NOT cumulative. Questions are randomly assigned
assignments (assuming that from a repository.
they are turned in on time. .

To complete the revise/

Course Policies
resubmit, just re-submit the It is in the best interests of you as an individual and us
assignment in its original as a classroom to create a positive, inclusive, classroom
environment. One of the greatest challenges as an
dropbox. If it’s not open,
instructor is to provide an engaging, entertaining, and
please email me. Last call for intellectual classroom experience. I need your
revise & resubmit is our last collaboration to create the best educational experience
class session. for all involved. By participating in class discussion,
being respectful of others opinions, and preparing for
class we can all work together to create a creative and
dynamic experience on and off screen.

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Accommodation Statement RESOURCES

I endeavor to make this class accessible to every student and UNT Writing Center
will do my best to make this class fit your needs. If you need
There are several small papers, as
special arrangements for a documented disability, please well as a nal project required in
contact the Office of Disability Access. If you would like to this class. You may nd over the
share pertinent medical information, request special course of the semester, that you
want help revising your work. You
arrangements for class seating, or need special assistance in the can sign-up for a session at:
event of a building evacuation, please contact me in the first https://writingcenter.unt.edu.
I’ve used writing assistance
week of class. I am happy to alter content formats and provide
throughout my academic career.
multiple points of access to course materials. No one gets citations or grammar
naturally. Use every resource at
your disposal!
Basic Needs & Security
Statement Media Library
Any student who faces challenges securing their food or The Media Library contains the
UNT Libraries’ non-print,
housing and believes this may affect their performance in this audiovisual, tabletop games, and
course is urged to contact the Dean of Students for support. video games collections. The
For immediate food assistance, visit UNT Food Pantry. For Media Library also has The Nest,
which is an e-sports and game
emergency housing needs, visit here or Cloud 9 Charities. design space. The mission of the
There are additional Wellbeing and Safety Services through UNT Media Library is to support
Student Affairs. If you are comfortable, please let me know the instructional and research
needs of UNT faculty, sta , and
what is going on. I am ready and able to make course students by collecting,
accommodations based on your circumstances, and assist in maintaining, and providing access
providing resources. to media materials that represent
all academic disciplines and all
genres of lm.
Instructor Availability & #Adulting
Response Time
UNT o ers a variety of seminars,
I will be available for drop-in hours on Mondays 2 - 5 pm resources, and support services to
and Wednesdays 11 am -1 pm where you we can talk face-to- help you gure out the
requirements of life outside of
face or virtually via Zoom. You can make in-person school. The #Adulting program
appointments with me by following this link or Friday virtual includes money management,
only appointments here. Please send emails directly through career prep, managing medical
insurance, mental health support,
Canvas. I will generally provide a response within 24 hours. info on the shuttle and parking,
and even emergency assistance
like late night e-ride program.

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Attendance Policy
This class meets twice a week. I expect that you will attend class regularly and be prepared for each
class session having reviewed assigned materials. That being said, life happens, and I provide 3
unexcused absences for you to use throughout the semester as you need. Use them wisely. Additional
absences will affect your overall grade.

Late Policy
All assignments must be submitted through the appropriate Canvas tool by 11:59 PM CST on the
specified due date. Refer to the Assignment Guidelines and/or Rubrics for specific details on
completing the assignments in this course. Remember it is better to turn something-anything in on
time and then revise and resubmit than to turn it in late or not at all.

Appeals
If you wish to appeal a grade: within a week of getting your assignment back you must hand in,
along with the assignment you want re graded, a typed one page paper explaining why you believe
your grade was incorrect and should be regraded. I will respond in writing within a week. Please
note, that re-grading does NOT guarantee a better grade.

Academic Integrity Policy

Please note that by staying in this class you are agreeing to abide by all the standards of academic
integrity as found in the Honor Code. Please review the policies on AI generated content as
developed by the Media Arts department in Canvas. Additionally, you agree to hold to the legal and
professional standards set within the media industries in regard to credits.

Subject to Change Statement

The instructor reserves the right to modify the course requirements and other related policies as
circumstances may dictate, and with sufficient notification to all students. Even the professor can
have an unanticipated emergency, and the university—or the community at large—may experience
an emergency that requires changing the class schedule or requirements. I don't expect to invoke this
clause, but if I do, you will be notified as soon as possible. Any change will also be posted to Canvas.

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Course Schedule
All readings and screenings are to be completed for class the day it is assigned.
MP= Moving Pictures, MSCY=Media, Society, Culture & You, MMM = Making Media Matter,
MA=Mini-Assessment

Tuesday Thursday

Module 1: Media Art, Literacy, & Medium Speci city

Week 1 Intro to Class (8/20) Media & You (8/22)

• Read the Syllabus! • MSCY: Ch 1, “Media, Society, Culture & You”
• MA: Getting to Know You Survey • Start Media Log

Week 2 Media Literacy (8/27) Medium Speci cities (8/29)

• Sera n, “Media Mindfulness” • “Medium Speci city” The Chicago School of
• MSCY: Ch 3, “Media Literacy” Media Theory
• MA: Media Log Due • Bimbowande, “Digital Affordance.” Medium
• Reading Quiz

Week 3 Brief Film History (9/3) Film Production Design (9/5)

• MP: Ch 1, “A Brief History of Cinema” • MP: Ch 3, “Mise-en-Scène”
• Reading Quiz • Knives Out (Johnson, 2022)
• MA: Location Scouting

Module 2: Aesthetics & Style

Week 4 Film Notes (9/10) Other Production Design (9/12)

• MP: Ch 2, “How to Watch a Movie” • Caldwell, “The Terrain” Televisuality
• MES Journal Entry Due • Byford, “Pixel art games aren't retro, they're
the future.” The Verge.
• Reading Quiz

Week 5 Camerawork (9/17) Camera Movement (9/19)

• MP: Ch 5, “Cinematography” • MP: Ch 5, “Cinematography”
• MA: Photo Scavenger Hunt • Moonlight (Jenkins, 2016)
• Reading Quiz

Week 6 Editing (9/24) Audio Design (9/26)

• MP: Ch 6, “Editing” • MP: Ch 7, “Sound”
• Class Pick • Baby Driver (Wright, 2017)
• Reading Quiz

Week 7 Audio Design (10/1) Exam Review (10/3)

• MSCY: Ch 7, “Radio, Podcasting & • Midterm Due by midnight on October 7th
‘Superbugs’” • Sound Journal Entry Due
• Reading Quiz

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Module 3: Narrative Structures & Play

Week 8 Film Narrative (10/8) TV History Recap (10/10)

• MP: Ch 4, “Narrative” • Ch 5, “Television through Time”
• Class Pick
• MIDTERM DUE

Week 9 TV Programming (10/15) Broadcast Narratives (10/17)

• “TV Programming, Planning, and • Newman, “Beats to Arcs”
Implementation” RSG Media • Lavery, “Long Term Narrative”
• MA: Programming & Pitches • Reading Quiz

Week 10 Video Games & Play (10/22) Empathy Games (10/24)

• Koster, “What Games Are” from • Bogost, “Empathy” from How to Do Things
Theory of Fun with Videogames
• MSCY: Ch 8, “Digital Gaming”

Week 11 Social Media (10/29) Transmedia Narrative (11/31)

• MSCY: Ch 2, “Digital Culture & • Jenkins, “Transmedia Storytelling
Social Media” • Class Pick
• MA: Networks • Reading Quiz
• Games Journal Entry Due

Module 4: Industry & Culture

Week 12 Election Day Representing Gender (11/7)

NO CLASS - GO VOTE! • MP: Ch 9, “Women in Cinema”
• Barbie (Gerwig, 2023)

Week 13 Representing Race (11/12) Representing LGBTQ+ (11/14)

• MP: Ch 10, “African Americans in • MMM: Ch 7, “Celebrating Diversity”
Cinema” • Class Pick
• Warner, “Plastic Representation.” • Rep. Journal Entry Due
Film Quarterly • Reading Quiz

Week 14 Media Industries (11/19) Advertising (11/21)

• Crisp, “Intro to Film Distribution” • MSCY: Ch 10, “Advertising, PR, & Propaganda”
• Reading Quiz • MA: Ad Analysis

THANKSGIVING BREAK

Week 15 Audience (12/3) Fans & Fandom (12/5)

• Goetz, Excerpts from Audience- • MMM: Ch 5, “Authoring Identity”
ology • Class Picks Case Study
• Final Exam Review

Final Exam Due midnight on December 10th!