Completed iMovie Projects
African Burial Ground Project:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lnswoyij_40&feature=youtu.be
Roosevelt Island Tramway Project:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnas7iyA75c&feature=youtu.be
Coney Island Project:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/iFizw8Fp4xQ
The Plaza Hotel Project:
https://youtu.be/XevU_LQqlJQ
NYC Subway Project:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvHe10jJhf8&feature=youtu.be
Independent Research Paper (25%) & In-Class Presentation (5%)
Fall 2017
Your primary independent research and writing project for the semester is to develop an 8-page paper exploring a significant art exhibition or theatrical production in context. This should be written on a performance/exhibition we have not seen together as a class and should focus on a singular artist or company from any period in any genre of art. To complete this assignment effectively, you must attend the show in person this semester. Since this is a research paper, focusing on prominent artists who have generated substantial criticism would be helpful, especially if there has been scholarly engagement with their work. More obscure artists will make research more challenging, though I’m open to suggestions.
This project requires that you conduct in-depth research in the library and online, finding sources that will help you contextualize and historicize the artist’s work within their specific medium (i.e. theatre, sculpture, painting, dance, etc.). Your paper should make an argument about this work and use evidence gathered from research to support thesis. You should also draw from field notes taken during your site visit(s) to help explain the artist’s development and techniques, making specific reference to the work(s) you viewed. Be sure to keep the program and visit the production website to aid in the research process.
This paper is not a performance review and should not be about whether you personally liked or didn’t like the show, but should instead contextualize and explain the significance of the work itself and how it maintains or pushes artistic boundaries. In addition to connecting your research to the production, you might also wish to apply some of the aesthetic/social theories we have read and discussed this semester as a critical framework, though this is not required.
As you visit the production, consider the following questions: What aspects of the show are you interested in? Its formal components? Its thematic components? A mix of both? Are you interested in the implications of identity and representation? Of power? Of geographical location? Your paper should apply some of the terminology and ideas we have learned about in class. A successful paper will move beyond summarizing what you saw or giving a biographical sketch of the artist; instead, you should examine the wider historical and cultural context from which this production/exhibit emerged, how it was created, where it was staged, and its cultural significance. Avoid “data dumping,” or simply listing/summarizing facts found during your research period. Instead, think about how you can demonstrate and defend an original argument using these sources.
At the end of the semester once your paper is submitted, you will give a brief 5-7 minute presentation of your findings to the class, including a Powerpoint with relevant images and a short overview of your research. Note that the assignment will be developed across the semester and has several stages to encourage thoughtful engagement and revision with your paper.
A note on cost: Please do not spend a lot of money (or any!) to complete this project. NYC is full of opportunities for free or discounted events with your student or idNYC cards. In class, I will discuss discount ticket opportunities and provide you with a list of some suggested exhibits or productions on which you might focus (though you will not be limited to this list). If you have something in mind, but you’re finding it difficult to get an affordable ticket, come and speak to me immediately so we can figure something out.
DUE DATES:
One-Paragraph Topic Proposal: October 11th (by email before class)
Library Workshop: October 11th
One-Page Revised Topic Description and Annotated Bibliography: November 1st (by email)
Once I have approved your initial paper ideas and offered feedback, you will proceed with developing a more coherent project outline. In this phase of the assignment, you will present an expanded description of your research topic and establish the structure of your essay by presenting the central areas that will support your argument. You should identify your thesis statement by bolding it in your paper (i.e. the key argument of your research).
This outline should be based on the initial research you have conducted surrounding your topic. You must provide an annotated bibliography of sources, which should include at least 4 scholarly sources along with other sources such as interviews, curator notes, exhibition books, etc. (along with any Primary Sources you’ve consulted such as a play text) and write 2 sentences per entry. Your bibliography should be handed in on a separate page from your project outline. Citational instructions for MLA or Chicago style can be found at: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/.
A note on sources: Wikipedia and other unaccredited online sources are not permitted for use in your bibliography. The academic databases I recommend include: Project Muse, Academic Search Premier/EbscoHost, and JStor. I also highly recommend using the resources of the New York Public Library. Talk to me if/when you have questions about appropriate sources. (Encyclopedias and bibliographies do not count as sources but are helpful for preliminary research).
Full Draft of Essay: December 6th
Final Paper and Presentation: December 20th
Seminar 1: NYC Urban Space iMovie Project (20%)
Prof. Benjamin Gillespie
Fall 2017
Your creative project for the semester consists of creating an iMovie representing or documenting an aesthetic landscape somewhere in New York City. You can choose to approach this project in a number of different ways. For example, you might create a video essay exploring the aesthetic construction of the space by documenting various aspects that make it artistic in your opinion, or you might focus on how New Yorkers engage with the space and how it fits into the social landscape of the city. Alternatively, you might utilize compositional aspects of the space to construct your own piece of art. You might even choose to stage and film a performance within the space, exploring its contours in abstract ways or writing a script and making a short film. Be creative! My only requirements are a) that your project be constructed entirely of elements from your chosen space, so nothing in the film should be represented/take place beyond this space, and b) that everyone has a significant role in the creation of the project.
Collaborating in groups of 3 or 4, decide upon an urban setting to focus your project on. This could be a space you know well or one you want to learn more about. It will be required that you visit the space together at least twice and document your field notes while there which you will share with me through two of your blog post assignments. Consider the aesthetic aspects of the space or how you find yourself moving through the space. What kind of creative project would best suit this type of a space? Ask yourself: What kinds of shapes, colors, and textures do you find in the space? Is it natural or manmade (or a mix of both)? Does the space feature architectural curiosities, graffiti, sculptures, murals, artworks, street performances, festivals, gardens, stages, fountains, public meeting spaces, spectacular views, or other notable elements? After observing the space, consider how best to to capture, document, and represent the space in an artistic project.
This assignment asks you to consider the space as a total environment, potentially encompassing artistic, social, political, material, and geographical factors. Cities like New York differ greatly from block to block, and so you might also consider how your particular space is distinct in the landscape of New York. A few examples of urban spaces include: an historic building, a public park, a city square, a community center, a neighborhood, a particular block, a subway platform, a city landmark, a theatre, a school, a church, a museum, public transit, or any other discrete space that has some appeal to you! This space could be encountered on your daily commute, the neighborhood where you live, or a particular area you are drawn to visually and want to consider more deeply through a creative project.
These projects should consist of original footage and representational evidence captured by smartphones, cameras, sketches, sculpture, video, or other means. Once you have chosen on a mode of representation and gathered the materials you need, you thoroughly edit these materials into a short movie running +/- 5-minutes in length. If you’ve never used iMovie, don’t worry! Our tech fellow, Tommy Wu, will lead a workshop with other Macaulay students to help you learn about this program. This project will be completed in a sequence throughout the semester. If you would are interested in showcasing these projects, you can participate in the STEAM festival happening at Macaulay Central Dec 2-3!
*Due Dates*
a) 1-paragraph iMovie Proposal: October 11th
This should be emailed to me by a group leader with all team members copied. It should include: the space you plan to visit, your planned schedule for visits, and how you intend to represent or use the space artistically.
b) Site Visits and Blog Posts: October 24th and November 7th
You must visit your space at least twice and take field notes and photos/video as evidence. You should also meet with your group after these visits and discuss your findings, working together to think through how you’ like to approach the project together and how you will divide up tasks. This project is as much about coordination as it is artistic. The prompts for these two Blog posts will require that you have visited your space and taken field notes and pictures/video to complete effectively, so please plan ahead!
c) iMovie Workshop led by ITF:October 25th in class
d) In-Class iMovie Screenings: November 29th
