Demonstration Project
Notes:
Objective:
The point of this exercise is to give
students in Comm 14 (Introduction to Media Production) Lab the opportunity
to conceive, plan, execute, and present at least one practical project
that involves some of the theory discussed in the class. It is also seen
as a way to introduce the discipline of production. While the exercises
are simple, they do involve all of the elements of more complex productions.
Finally, these demonstrations are meant to be illustrative of theory and
consequently useful as learning tools for the rest of the class.
The Assignment
Each student will choose three demonstrations
drawn from the suggestions listed below. List them in the order of your
preference. Write brief summaries (a paragraph or two) of what you intend
to do and turn them in for approval. Needless to say, not everyone will
get his first choice. We want the presentations to cover a wide range of
principles. In general, earlier submissions stand a better chance of approval.
There is some chance you will be assigned a topic not of your choosing
if your choices have already been assigned and there is a glut of demonstrations
like the ones you wish to do. Your ideas are
due October 12, 2000.
Once you have your assignment, your job
is to consider how you will accomplish the demonstration, plan all phases
of execution of the demonstration, execute the demonstration, and present
your finished work to the whole class. For example, you may chose one of
the dynamic demonstrations of camera movement. In that case you will have
to pick some subject matter and take a series of pictures of the subject
as you move the camera in the prescribed manner. You could choose to dolly
in on a subject, or pan a landscape. Once you have shot the material have
the film processed then assemble the prints in the appropriate presentation
format. That could be a flipbook, a zoetrope, a thaumatrope (What the heck
. . .?), a series of PC based animations, or something else you come up
with.
Write a brief summary of the demonstration
in which you describe what you did to prepare the demonstration. Outline
each step you took. If you constructed or used some special apparatus other
than the camera describe it. Include a budget. Then talk about the underlying
principles of your demonstration. List any references you might have used.
The summary should be at least two reasonably spaced pages. No handwritten
work will be accepted. Demonstration projects
are due November 17, 2000. Teaching Assistants will be available
for technical assistance on demonstrations the week before. Use their help
for last minute troubleshooting and refinement only. They are not there
to help you do the entire project at the last minute.
The
Apparatus
These demonstration projects may be done
in any of several possible media. Unfortunately, students in Comm 014 do
not have access to the Check Out Room in Swain Hall. So how do you get
your hands on cameras, recorders, etc? Your choices are simple. Buy, Borrow
or Rent (assuming you do not already own what you need). There are a number
of rental possibilities including the Empowerment Project and any of the
several "Rent To Own" establishments in Durham and Raleigh. Actually, the
"Rent To Own" places are very reasonable, often offering VHS video cameras
for something like $25.00 or even less per week. They do not have high
end equipment but many of these demonstrations do not require it. Still
cameras, even the inexpensive point and shoot variety, can be used for
some kinds of basic demonstrations. Downloadable freeware or shareware
make audio and video editing a real possibility on your own computer. The
bottom line is that you may have to spend a little money to complete this
project. If it becomes a problem, consider what you are paying for your
textbooks.
The
Presentation
You will give your demonstrations in
the lab sessions near the end of the semester. Be prepared to make a brief
(15 minute max) presentation. You should be rehearsed and ready to speak
clearly and concisely. You may use handouts, visual/aural aids, Power Point,
Web-based presentations, video/audio tape, film, still photographs, constructions
or any other media you have put together for the presentation. Let me know
if you have special presentation apparatus needs..
The camera and other
apparatus: Most of these
demonstrations can be accomplished with inexpensive single-use disposable
still cameras, home video cameras, or home film cameras. The disposable
still cameras are limited to only a couple film speeds and a few configurations
that include flash, underwater, panoramic, and perhaps one or two more.
They do not include slide film. If your taste calls for something more
elaborate, use any camera you can legally get your hands on. One-hour processing
is easily available for those of you who like to flirt with deadlines.
It will cost you more. No free lunch. You will have to purchase or construct
any other apparatus you need for your demonstration. Of course you may
use video, film, and computer applications such as Adobe Premiere, PowerPoint,
or Astound if you have access to them. Comm 14 students do not have Equipment
Room privileges so you will have to come up with your own equipment for
more sophisticated projects.
Dynamic Demonstrations:
Dynamic demonstrations
are those that create the illusion of motion through the rapid presentation
of a series of photographs. Ordinarily they would include things like flipbooks,
and PC based animations. You may have some additional ideas. The timing
and order of presentation are critical to the effect. Here are some possibilities:
Camera movement
There are a number of possibilities here.
Cameras can theoretically move along any dimension in three-dimensional
space. You may choose a pan, dolly, tilt, are, or any other describable
movement and create a demonstration around it.
Movement of subject
Here you are invited to explore subject
movement relative to the camera (which, incidentally, also can be moving).
The effects of speed, and direction are appropriate explorations.
Animation
Animation can take on several forms including
the moving or deforming of objects within the frames of sequential photographs
(e.g. Claymation), altering the negatives (as with dyes or colored markers)
in some sequence, altering the prints, or combinations of all of these.
In each case, however, sequential still photographs will be required.
Time lapse photography
Use your camera to record some slowly
changing phenomenon in nature then present the photos in such a way as
to compress the action to a few seconds. This may require lots of photos
to get good effect. There are ways to figure out exactly what will be required
to achieve the desired effect.
Static Demonstrations
Static demonstrations
are those that do not require a specific timed sequence of presentation.
Pairs or sets of photographs that illustrate some principle are the most
common of such demonstrations. Slide shows or computer presentations would
also qualify. Of course some of the examples listed below also could be
adapted for presentation as dynamic demonstrations. Use your imagination.
Consider the following possibilities:
Focus or Depth of field
In this demonstration you could take
a series of photos that illustrate some aspect of focus. With a fixed aperture,
fixed shutter speed camera, there are some limits to what can be done.
Nevertheless some effective demonstrations are possible.
Two point resolution
Here one might experiment with varying
the distance to the subject, or varying the distance between two elements
of the subject to illustrate something about resolution.
Granularity and film type
In general, faster film stocks use a
courser emulsion than the slower daylight film stocks. In many cases the
differences are quite obvious, especially when enlargements have been made.
Shutter speed and subject movement
What is the effect of varying the speed
with which a subject moves across the photographic frame? How does shutter
speed or film speed figure in here? Again, using a fixed shutter speed
camera can complicate this demonstration, but it can be done.
Filtration or screening of light
Here one might experiment with placing
various optical devices between the camera and the subject. These might
include chromatic or polarizing filters, diffusers of various sorts, and
even other lenses. What, if anything, is the difference between using a
green filter over the lens and placing that same filter over the light
source (like the flash)?
Three dimensional images
Take a look at the various ways of producing
photographs that can be seen as stereoscopic or 3D images. Some systems
use special viewing devices like glasses or viewers while others rely on
the observer to make adjustments in his way of looking at the image(s).
Composition
Demonstrations in this area can include
examples of approaches to framing, symmetry, and balance as well as examples
of the various kinds of shots (extreme close-ups, medium shots, etc.) normally
used in video and film.
Problems
The creation of the photographic image
can be disrupted or degraded by artifacts of the photographic system or
by damage to the system. Aberration (spherical and chromatic), parallax
effects (especially with non-SLR cameras), and various mechanical problems
all provide material for effective demonstrations of some aspect of photographic
principles.
Lighting
Still photography is well suited to demonstrations
of some of the principles of lighting used in film and video. Here one
might arrange a series of photos in which various lighting schemes are
used. Such demonstrations are common in video, film, and photographic textbooks.
The assumption here is that you will
make a recording that illustrates some principle of acoustics or phonography.
It is further assumed that the project does not involve extremely sophisitcated
editing, mixing, or signal processing unless that is what you wish to do.
Rather, the recordings are to be made sequentially on the medium in such
a way as to allow you to demonstrate the principle of your choice. The
media may be anything from cassettes to computer hard drives depending
on what you have access to. Here are some possibilities. You may think
of others:
Interference
Devise ways of illustrating constructive
and/or destructive interference of sound waves from different sources.
Phase cancellations in miswired stereo speakers is a possible starting
point.
Law of Inverse Squares
What happens to the strength of an audio
signal as we move closer to it? Can the effect be quantified? Demonstrated?
Doppler Effect
Almost everyone recognizes the well known
apparent frequency shift that occurs as something like an automobile approaches,
passes, then leaves an observer. How might one demonstrate the phenomenon
in the classroom?
Microphone placement
This area is rich with possibilities. One can explore the effects of distance from the primary sound source on the overall quality of the recording. One could look at the apparent role of ambient sound as a function of distance from the primary sound source. How about a demonstration of proximity effect?
Diffraction, Reflection, Absorption,
etc.
We know that sound waves bounce off of, bend around, or are absorbed by various objects in the environment. Set up and record demonstrations of these phenomena. Does the frequency of the source make a difference in the strength of the effect you are attempting to demonstrate?
Perception
The issue of perception lends itself to a variety of demonstrations. These can range from Thresholds of hearing (of both frequency and amplitude) to spatial location based on available audio cues. How do we know where a sound is coming from? At what point does a series of pulses begin to sound more like a continuous tone and less like a series of individual events?
The Recording Environment
What difference does it make where a sound is recorded? Why does a cymbal or anything else sound one way when recorded in an open field and another way when recorded in a shower stall (assuming mic placement and recording levels remain the same)? Are these differences noticeable enough for a demonstration?