COURSE PROJECT: DIGITAL MEDIA DEPRIVATION
Project Description
Select a form of digital media that you use every day. For the purposes of this project we will define digital media expansively: anything communicative that involves computers. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Computer software, e.g. Microsoft Word, UCI EEE
- Digital recording devices, e.g. digital still and video cameras
- Smartphone – either the whole phone or specific, regularly used applications (e.g. texting; Skype; WhatsApp)
- Other digital communication devices, e.g. GPS, intercom
- Social networks, e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Strava
You are welcome to propose a form of digital media not found on the list above. The most important thing about your choice is that it be something you use often, so that your deprivation experience is significant. Don’t necessarily choose the first thing that comes to mind. Consider the creative potential of a less obvious choice.
Select a period of time (min. of three days) between now and the middle of February, and deprive yourself of your chosen digital media. Prepare a creative response to your deprivation experience that is not an essay. It might be a documentary photo or video response; a creative fiction or non-fiction piece; a work of audio or visual art. The only constraints are that your final submission must be:
- Submittable via EEE, and uploadable to the course website (e.g. text; PDF; JPG, TIFF, or PNG; a link to Youtube, Prezi, or another online location).
- Digestible by the viewer in no more than 3-5 minutes (e.g. approximately 500 words; 10 images/slides; 2 minutes of audio or video).
Some questions to consider during your deprivation experience:
- What do you miss the most about the digital media?
- Have you needed to replace the functions it provides? If so, how?
- Did you feel isolated, liberated, or neither?
- Did your experience change throughout the duration of your deprivation?
- Can you live without this digital media?
There will be a Q&A session devoted to the project on February 6, so be sure to have selected your digital media and considered your creative response before then.
The project is worth 25% of your final grade, and is due on Tuesday, March 4 at 11:55PM.
Submission Instructions
Submit two files to the appropriate folders provided on EEE dropbox:
- Your project file (one only), in the format of your choice as described above. In the case of a web link, simply upload a text or Word file containing the link.
- An artist’s statement of no more than 100 words describing your choice of digital media, the nature of the deprivation experience, and why you have chosen to represent this experience in the way that you have.
Evaluation Criteria
I just noticed there was a file labeled “Project Statement” under the dropbox. What was specifically suppose to go under that file? I believe that I integrated everything I needed to under one file (the project itself). Will I be penalized because I did not separate the two and submit it under two separate files?
my computer has been experiencing glitches lately after i dropped it and so sometimes not everything shows up as it should on the web
Good morning professor Jackson,
I uploaded my final project as a powerpoint in the dropbox because prezi did not allow for sufficient transitions that would justify my visual art.
Also, converting the powerpoint to .pdf format ruined the .gif formatted picture that was embedded within the powerpoint itself.
If necessary, I can upload the PDF to display the individual pictures, but the .gif will not play. (If this is the case, I can also upload the .gif separately).
Would it be necessary for me to reformat the project or would it be alright to leave it in the dropbox as a powerpoint?
Thank you!
for submitting 10 images as my project into one file, what format is preferred? word, powerpoint, pdf, or other?
thanks!
I’d prefer a single PDF.
-J
Hi Professor Jackson,
I had a quick question regarding the artist’s statement. Can it be over 100 words?
Hi Daniel,
The word limits are not strict. But please don’t go too far over the limit.
-J
I made a game for my project, and put it in a zip file to upload to EEE. This worked just fine, but the project description says it also has to be uploadable to the course website. Would it be possible to put a download link to the zip file on the website or should I make a gameplay video instead?
Hi Samantha,
Interesting question. A download link in the game file is fine but a gameplay video would be really useful in case we want to show the game to the class. Can you do both?
-J
Hi Professor,
I uploaded my art project onto EEE as a PDF file. When I click to download it though it takes about 5 minutes to download because of the images in it. Is it ok if I submit it as a PDF even though it takes a while to download and open?
Hi Alix,
In general this is fine, we’ll download everything as a large group. However, it might help to “optimize” your PDF. Do a search, and I’ll show you all this in class on Tuesday. It’s a common problem.
-J
Dear Professor,
For the Art 11 project, I am making a video for the project, however, the shortest video that I can make is no more than 5 minutes. According to the rubric, it says “Digestible by the viewer in no more than 3-5 minutes “, but in one of your comments above it says 2-3 minutes. Is it okay if my video is no more than 5 minutes at least?? Please let me know as soon as possible. Thank you!
Hi Pariya,
The time limit isn’t strict, but the idea is that a 2-3 minute video plus explanatory text would be digestible in 5 minutes. Try your best to keep the video short. It will have more impact.
-J
Hi jesse,
I was wondering if I can write my project in a poem form?
Hi Andy,
There’s no particular reason why not. What do you have in mind?
-J
Heads up for those who are confused with the due date for the project. Ignore the following statement written in the project description: “The project is worth 25% of your final grade, and is due on February 25 at 11:55.” The due date is actually on March 4 NOT next Tuesday, Feb 25. The schedule as well as EEE says March 4.
Fixed! Thanks Tiffany.
Im kind of confused on what an audio project would be like? Can you give an example? Thanks!
Hi Ken,
Let’s discuss this on Tuesday.
-J
PROJECT DISCUSSION:
Art is evaluated on a couple of things. THe degree to which it’s thought provoking is the highest criteria, which is a hard thing to do– this is the challenge of the project.
If you’re talented at something, I would recommend that you channel whatever you have and use it. But I’m not grading you on how skilled you are.
Create a journal? I don’t want an essay.
There’s no good answer to the question of grading. Since most of us are “non-artists” this is an EFFORT BASED project. Engage in the project and it will shine through; half ass it and it will shine through.
Throw yourself/ commit to this deprivation project. It will make the art better since you’ll have something to respond to.
“Does it have to be a digital media form? Can it be a hard copy or does it have to be uploaded?”
If you want to be an analog, make a note that it’s a hardcopy. But still make it something you can submit electronically.
A point of the analog form: tell the size.
“Guidelines on digestibility to the viewer”
– Make the video approximately 2-3 minutes
“Can it partially fictional?”
ABSOLUTELY. You are responding to the experience, NOT necessarily documenting.
Will continue project discussion Tuesday.