Course Title: Major Project MultimediaSpecialisation
Part A: Course Overview
Course ID: 001864
Course Title: Major Project MultimediaSpecialisation
Credit Points: 42
Course Code |
Campus |
Career |
School |
Learning Mode |
Teaching Period(s) |
COSC1017 |
City Campus |
Undergraduate |
345H Creative Media |
Face-to-Face |
Course Coordinator: Helen Dickson, Mark Lycette
Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 99259816
Course Coordinator Email: Helen.Dickson@rmit.edu.au, Mark.Lycette@rmit.edu.au
Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities
Successful completion of Advanced Diploma of Multimedia
Course Description
This core course will enable students to further develop their understanding of multimedia production and to practice and refine conceptual, management and creative production skills acquired through prior study, in an applied manner to solve specific project requirements.
In recognising that a portfolio is an essential pre-requisite for employment within the multimedia industry, this course gives students the opportunity to produce an original project of a high-standard as a prime indicator of their abilities and creative talent. The challenge of this significant requirement will develop graduates with the experience necessary to be potential leaders within the industry.
Students will develop their project based on the concept proposal they will have written in the previous Semester (Concept Development). They will either; further develop the proposed project; write and propose a new concept; or continue unchanged with the proposal previously written.
Students may choose projects within an educational, entertainment, corporate, community, or information context, or work in a purely artistic and experimental genre. Outcomes such as a web site, interactive CD-ROM, art installation, digital/video animation, computer game, are valid ’knowledge objects’ for assessment and demonstrate an ability to complete to a publication stage. The project is expected to reflect a keen interest in using innovative multimedia concepts to help instil the importance of lifelong learning in a field that is constantly undergoing rapid technological development.
Drawing on the knowledge acquired in the Concept Development and Design Studio courses, students are expected to use their ability to analyse and evaluate the requirements of their project, and through reflective practice with reference to a critical understanding of multimedia and good design principles, apply creative approaches to address the project’s design, content, structural, production and communication challenges.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development
Program Capabilities: Apply, manipulate & combine media:
Course Learning Outcomes:
Prepare visual, audio & text based material
Collect, create & edit content
Develop effective combinations of media to meet Major Project goals
Program Capabilities: Develop & design visual systems, navigation, structures and devices for communication outcomes:
Course Learning Outcomes:
Document, implement & complete interactive designs and methods if relevant to Major Project
Program Capabilities: Visualise, structure & author time based media:
Course Learning Outcomes:
Document, implement & complete time based components if relevant to Major Project
Program Capabilities: Define & develop methodologies of storytelling & narrative structures for multimedia:
Course Learning Outcomes:
Document, implement & complete narrative components if relevant to Major Project
Program Capabilities: Apply authoring systems for effective multimedia outcomes:
Course Learning Outcomes:
Create and complete a successful Major Project using relevant software
Program Capabilities: Production, organizational, time & information management skills:
Course Learning Outcomes:
Successfully plan & implement production schedule
Meet deadline for completion of Major Project
Program Capabilities: Awareness of contemporary methodology & developments:
Course Learning Outcomes:
Combine contemporary knowledge & methodology in the Major Project
Program Capabilities: Develop skills of self motivated learning & critical appraisal:
Course Learning Outcomes:
Involve in peer & individual based critique
Successfully self manage the Projects progress
Program Capabilities: Investigative problem identification & innovative creative solutions:
Course Learning Outcomes:
Explore & experiment with possible Project solutions
Actively identify, record & incorporate visual & conceptual influences
Program Capabilities: Initiate, identify, define, evaluate & apply research methodologies:
Course Learning Outcomes:
Utilise research effectively in Major Project proposal and construction
Program Capabilities: Record, document, present & exhibit concepts, process & outcomes:
Course Learning Outcomes:
Complete Major Project proposal, journals, online journal etc.
Program Capabilities: Ongoing analysis, development and application of conceptual processes:
Course Learning Outcomes:
Analyse & respond to conceptual development process of Major Project
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
a. Demonstrate conceptual abilities by designing an original project proposal.
b. Define concepts and develop creative approaches to presenting information.
c. Analyse and identify problems/challenges associated with specific multimedia projects.
d. Use critical thinking and high-order problem solving to choose/devise appropriate design/production strategies for the above.
e. Be aware of the devices that can be used to engage a target audience with content.
f. Use pre-production aids such as flow charts and storyboards to an advanced level as creative tools for refining concepts, to communicate project ideas, and plan a production.
g. Plan and schedule the steps necessary to complete a multimedia project within a given time-frame.
h. Demonstrate an ability to communicate ideas, content and information based on an informed understanding of the attributes of the medium.
i. Demonstrate skills in designing complex navigation tools and interactive elements
j. Develop multimedia production expertise and demonstrate a high-level of competence within their nominated area(s) of specialisation.
k. Exhibit a professional pride in their work through commitment to good design principles, high production values and craft skills.
l. Use the Internet to keep track of a production’s progress and appreciate its value in an increasingly networked global workplace.
m. Complete a major folio work.
Overview of Learning Activities
Throughout this course, students will incrementally acquire an expanding knowledge base of multimedia design and production strategies via the experience of a sustained period of practical production on a major project.
An intensive period of individual consultation, workshops and peer review at the beginning of this course will assist the student develop project ideas.
Students are required to use pre-production visualisation aids to refine their project proposal.
Students are expected to critically assess the suggestions of their peers and defend their project concepts as necessary. This requirement develops the kind of skills useful in ’pitching’ a brief to a client.
Students will primarily learn within a multimedia production studio environment modelled on the industry workplace. Students should be aware of the opportunities for experiential learning that the culture of studio centric practice affords, to share knowledge, expertise and to workshop ideas outside formal classes.
Advice and guidance will be available to students on a formal and informal basis throughout this course. Students will arrange consultations with individual lectures at appointed times.
Supervising lecturers will refer students to examples of relevant published work that may serve to inspire or illustrate solutions to production, design or communication problems. Short production tests and exercises may be recommended to verify approaches and build student confidence. The student-centred approach to learning and flexible design of this course (via choice of project, area of specialisation and negotiated outcomes), helps students to identify and target appropriate roles for themselves within the industry based on their own individual goals and aspirations and a personal assessment of their strengths and abilities.
Overview of Learning Resources
Many of the resources students will be expected to use are computer-based or computer peripherals and these resources will be provided in the school’s computer laboratories.
Students may need to use digital content acquisition tools such as cameras and sound recording equipment: these will be available for student-loan; students will organize the loan of such equipment themselves from the school’s equipment store.
Students should make uses of wider university resources such as its libraries, their print and audio-visual collections and, if appropriate, the University’s Learning Skills Unit.
Some course components may be presented in lecture theatres. Students will be advised of the time and lecture theatre location of such presentations.
Students will be also expected to use their own creative and conceptual skills:
1. Successful application of software skill-set
2. Writing, storyboarding, flowcharting, diagramming & other information visualisation methods (software based & manual)
3. Group critique & individual discussion
4. Analysis of contemporary texts, journal and magazines
5. Drawing & illustration (software based & manual)
Overview of Assessment
Throughout this course, students are expected to have an enthusiastic and mature attitude to their studies by showing commitment to their chosen project and by meeting agreed deadlines. Where the project is a collaborative endeavour, students must demonstrate good communications skills and work effectively as a responsible team member. In addition, students will be required to report regularly on the progress of their project to both their peers and supervising lecturers. Students are encouraged to use the Internet as a tool to facilitate this supervision through the establishment of a web site ’production diary’.
The proposed project is negotiated between student and staff on the basis of its feasibility in terms of scale; practicality of production; available time and resources; and on a realistic assessment of the student’s own abilities. Specific learning objectives and assessment criteria may also form part of the negotiated outcomes. In addition, students are encouraged to gain specialist expertise in one or two areas of production that builds on their choice of specialisation stream. Based on the knowledge gained in the ‘Studio’ and ‘Elective Series’ courses, students are expected to implement strategies to manage their time as well as technical and artistic processes, and are required to devise a production schedule time-line that includes the completion dates of various stages. This schedule is agreed on and approved by the lecturer as part of the student contract.
An expert panel of supervising lecturers will monitor the progress of the student and advise on particular aspects of their project. Where appropriate, industry mentors will be used to provide specialist input.