Skip to content

Media Arts Majors, 10-23-2026 – Week 7

Published on

Objective:

    • Students will select their Film Festival category and begin the planning process.
  • 11:50-12:00: Start of Class 
    1. Warm-Up: 2026-10-23: Ask Mr. Smith
      1. Ask Mr. Smith a question using this Canvas assignment. 
        1. You should NOT already know the answer. (If we've covered it several times this year, you should know it.)
        2. It should NOT be a question that can easily be answered by doing a Google Search.
        3. It SHOULD be a question that relates to Media Arts.
        4. It should NOT be about Mr. Smith.
  • Warm-Ups are usually a 5 point Independent Work grade if a written response is expected, or a 5 point Assessment grade if the Warm-Up is a quiz. If copying notes is expected, notebook checks are 10 point Independent Work grades. Warm-Ups are due at the start of class and not eligible for late submission or re-submission.
  • Announcements:
    1. Computer Buying Guide | Camera Buying Guide | Project Suggestions | "Portable" Software | Photography Club | Media Arts Newsletter: September
  • 12:00-12:55: Instruction & Student Work
    1. Today we begin writing our scripts! The official rules and rubrics can be found here.
    2. WE WILL BE CRITIQUING OUR SCRIPTS FOR A GRADE THE NEXT DAY WE HAVE CLASS! COME WITHOUT A HAND-WRITTEN SCRIPT AND YOU EARN A ZERO!
      1. Micro-Movie | 60 seconds or less (This is off-limits for Media Arts Majors. We can do better with the time we have to get this done.)
        1. Tell a complete story with impact and conciseness.
        2. Focus: Clear, compelling storytelling within one minute..
      2. Narrative Film | 5 minutes or less
        1. Create a dramatic work showcasing story structure and character development.
        2. Focus: Storytelling, emotional impact, and originality.
        3. Criterion What judges consider
          Story Structure A clear beginning, middle, and end with effective pacing.
          Character Development Characters are believable, purposeful, and developed.
          Originality The film offers a fresh concept or treatment.
          Emotional Impact The story engages the audience emotionally.
          Cohesiveness The film's elements work together effectively.
      3. Documentary | 5 minutes or less
        1. Present a real-world issue, event, person, place, or subject.
        2. Focus: Research, authenticity, and message clarity.
        3. Criterion What judges consider
          Research & Accuracy Information is well researched, factual, and responsibly presented.
          Compelling Narrative The documentary has a clear and engaging storyline.
          Relevance The film addresses a meaningful or timely subject.
          Interviews & Sources Contributions are purposeful, credible, and varied when appropriate.
          Visual Storytelling Footage and visuals effectively support the narrative.
      4. Animation | 5 minutes or less
        1. Create an original 2D, 3D, stop-motion, claymation, paper cut-out, or mixed-media animation with the required elements of a story.
        2. Focus: Animation technique, storytelling, and creativity.
        3. Criterion What judges consider
          Animation Quality Movement and techniques are controlled and support the story.
          Character Design Characters are creative, purposeful, and well designed.
          Art Direction Color, style, and aesthetic choices are cohesive.
          Storytelling The narrative is engaging and coherent.
          Originality The concept or execution is fresh and inventive.
      5. Special Category: Future Forward: Stories of Tomorrow | 5 minutes or less
        1. Create a film that imagines the future. Entries may explore emerging technology, environmental change, future careers, redesigned communities, or creative solutions to challenges facing the next generation. Films may be narrative, documentary, animation, or hybrid productions.
        2. Focus: Imagination, thoughtful exploration, originality, and the relationship between present-day choices and future possibilities.
        3. Criterion What judges consider
          Connection to Theme The film meaningfully explores the future or a future-focused solution.
          Originality & Imagination The concept demonstrates inventive and thoughtful ideas.
          Storytelling & Message The film communicates a coherent and engaging story or message.
          Thoughtfulness & Relevance The film connects future possibilities to meaningful present-day questions.
          Creative Execution Visual, audio, and production choices strengthen the concept.
    3. Deadlines: (Content is subject to change due to various factors including All-Major days and inclement weather days.)
      1. Q1 Mini-Project Deadlines:
        1. One Day Lessons MAKE-UP WORK DUE BY 9-13!
          1. 08/26, Introduction
          2. Q1MP1 Inkscape Character, Due 08/28
          3. Q1MP2 Kdenlive Stinger, Due 09/01
          4. Q1MP3 Tenacity Interview, Due 09/03
      2. Q1P1: Digital Citizenship, Due 09/17
        1. Pick one of the following 3 projects:
          1. Digital Citizenship 1: Netiquette
          2. Digital Citizenship 2: Fact Checking
          3. Digital Citizenship 3: Copyright and Creative Commons
        2. Q1P1 Week 1 Exit Ticket Due 09/10
        3. Q1P1 Week 2 Exit Ticket Due 09/17
        4. Q1P1 Critique Day 09/22!
        5. Q1P1 Re-Submits Due 10/02!
          1. Remember, if the first deadline was missed, you CAN'T re-submit!
      3. Q1P2: Student Choice, Due 10/02
        1. Q1P2 Week 3 Exit Ticket Due 09/24
        2. Q1P2 Week 4 Exit Ticket Due 10/02
        3. Q1P2 Critique Day 10/06!
        4. Q1P2 Re-Submits Due 10/17!
          1. Remember, if the first deadline was missed, you CAN'T re-submit!
      4. Q1P3: Student Choice, Due 10/14
          1. Q1P3 Week 5 Exit Ticket Due 10/08
          2. Q1P3 Week 6 Exit Ticket Due 10/14
          3. Q1P3 Critique Day 10/19!
          4. Remember, the last project of each Quarter is not eligible for re-submission due to its proximity to the grading window.
      5. Q2P1: Festival Entry 1: Pre-Production, Due 11/12
        1. Q2P1 Week 1 Exit Ticket Due 11/05
        2. Q2P1 Week 2 Exit Ticket Due 11/12
        3. Q2P1 Critique Day 11/16!
        4. Q2P1 Re-Submits Due 11/27!
          1. Remember, if the first deadline was missed, you CAN'T re-submit!
          2. ALSO: Since your NEXT project depends on THIS one being finished, DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE!
      6. Q2P2: Festival Entry 2: Production , Due 12/03
        1. Q2P2 Week 3 Exit Ticket Due 11/20
        2. Q2P2 Week 4 Exit Ticket Due 12/03
        3. Q2P2 Critique Day 12/07!
        4. Q2P2 Re-Submits Due 12/17!
          1. Remember, if the first deadline was missed, you CAN'T re-submit!
          2. ALSO: Since your NEXT project depends on THIS one being finished, DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE!
      7. Q2P3: Festival Entry 3: Post-Production , Due 12/17
        1. Q2P3 Week 5 Exit Ticket Due 12/11
        2. Q2P3 Week 6 Exit Ticket Due 12/17
        3. Q2P3 Critique Day 01/04!
        4. Q2P3 Re-Submits Due 01/14!
          1. Remember, if the first deadline was missed, you CAN'T re-submit!
      8. Q2P4: Student Choice, Due 01/14
        1. Q2P4 Week 7 Exit Ticket Due 01/08
        2. Q2P4 Week 8 Exit Ticket Due 01/14
        3. CQ2P4 Critique Day 01/19!
        4. Remember, the last project of each Quarter is not eligible for re-submission due to its proximity to the grading window.
    4. Projects are 100 point Classwork grades, and are not eligible for late submission.
    5. Feedback from the critiques is provided in the Canvas assignment for that project.
    6. Projects are eligible for re-submission, but only once. They must be resubmitted using the same form as before, and no later than 10 days after feedback has been shared with them in Canvas. The 4th project of each Quarter is not eligible for re-submission due to its proximity to the end of the Quarter!
    7. Deadlines for future projects are not adjusted. Students are encouraged to not put off starting Project 4 because they've decided to work on redoing Project 3 from scratch.
  • 12:55-1:05: End of Class
    1. Save all work on your flash drive and back it up in Google Drive, as "I couldn't access my project" will not be seen as a valid excuse.
    2. If it's the last B Day of the week, submit the week's Classwork as an Exit Ticket, then check to make sure you uploaded the correct thing.
      1. Odd Numbered Exit Ticket Rubric:
        4 pts Student has shared their plan for their current project.
        3 pts It is clear which project has been selected.
        3 pts It is clear that the student is following the rubric for their chosen project, even if they have not yet met all of the criteria.
      2. Even numbered Exit Ticket Rubrics will vary, and are included with the project information.
      3. NOTE: Links that do not show any content and files that cannot be opened do not count towards the completion of this assignment. Sharing the work with the rest of the class is ESSENTIAL for getting a grade above a zero.
      4. Feedback from the critiques is provided in the Canvas assignment for that project.
      5. Odd numbered Exit Tickets are work-in-progress checks and so CAN'T be eligible for late submission or re-submission. You can't go back in time to be on task when you originally were not.
    3. Properly shut down your assigned computer and line up, prepared to go to lunch.

Previous Lessons: 8/26, 8/28, 9/01, 9/03, 9/8, 9/10, 9/14, 9/17, 9/22, 9/24, 10/02, 10/06, 10/08, 10/12, 10/14, 10/19, 10/21, 10/23