Digital Media Courses
DMED 500 - Foundations of Digital Media (3)
Business, technological, social and ethical issues and realizations of digital entertainment are introduced and framed. The emergence and ongoing development of the digital entertainment industry is discussed through an historical exploration and critical analysis of the economics, technical innovations, social demands and ethical constraints which define it. Outcomes are exploration and a critical perspective of digital entertainment, which will act as a common basis for all subsequent discussion and collaboration between students with artistic, technical or interdisciplinary backgrounds.
DMED 501 - The Visual Story (3)
The many facets of storytelling are explored, with an emphasis on the meaningful visualization of creative content. Text and sound are used as the stimulus for development of visual narratives through shape, colour, line, texture and composition. Students cultivate essential art direction skills through photo essays, storyboards, animatics, character design, costume design, lighting design, mise-en-scene and cinematography. Classic texts are re-envisioned to develop a critical analysis of contemporary visual archetypes.
DMED 502 - Improvising Story and Character (3)
This course provides students with the practical skills to improve collaboration with others, for the end goal of creating successful projects together. From improving their performance in team based scenarios and developing strong presentation skills, to creating stories and characters on the fly, improvisation is an essential skill in a digital media industry that demands increasing flexibility and creativity, relies on innovative minds for its evolution and depends on rapid prototyping and iterative product creation for its survival.
DMED 503 - Foundations of Game Design (3)
Game design is a seminar and project-based course that teaches the mechanics and processes of game design. The principles learned in this class apply equally well to card games, board games, party games, athletic games and computer games. Students analyze many types of games and design many games of their own, alone and in groups, using these principles.
DMED 520 - Projects I: Building Virtual Worlds (6)
Building Virtual Worlds is the first project course. Teams from different backgrounds and disciplines design and implement an artifact in a virtual environment. Student-lead projects have an explicit role in teaching project management and business aspects of team based creations. This hands-on immersion into a group problem solving environment is designed to break down student inhibitions and to foster rapid project planning and prototyping.
DMED 521 - Projects II (12)
Projects II, III and IV cohesively build on the Project I experience with projects of increasing technical, artistic and management sophistication. Projects II, III and IV are independent, semester length group studies based on working with an external client and/or collaborators. Teams of three to eight students work on a dedicated project(s) during that semester. In all four of the Projects courses, students learn, experience and execute the business aspects of team based projects from scoping to the creation of business plans, from on-going project management to final product delivery which is on time and on budget.
DMED 522 - Projects III (12)
Projects II, III and IV cohesively build on the Project I experience with projects of increasing technical, artistic and management sophistication. Projects II, III and IV are independent, semester length group studies based on working with an external client and/or collaborators. Teams of three to eight students work on a dedicated project(s) during that semester. In all four of the Projects courses, students learn, experience and execute the business aspects of team based projects from scoping to the creation of business plans, from on-going project management to final product delivery which is on time and on budget.
DMED 530 - Internship (6)
Students will work full-time in the digital media or entertainment technology industry. This term gives students real-world experience in working to concrete deadlines with a motivated, often multidisciplinary, team. Students learn firsthand the importance of effective communication and cooperation to achieve specific goals and timelines.
DMED 531 - Internship Continuation (6)
This course is a continuation of DMED 530. Students are required to work full-time in the digital media or entertainment technology industry. This term gives students real-world experience in working to concrete deadlines with a motivated, often multidisciplinary, team. Students learn firsthand the importance of effective communication and cooperation to achieve a specific goal and time-lines. Prerequisite: DMED 530.
DMED 540 - Special Topics in Digital Media (3)
Special Topics.
DMED 550 - Directed Studies in Digital Media (3)
Normally a student would take at most one directed studies course during their degree. Directed studies offered within the program will be approved by the MDM Program Committee to essentially the same criteria required for approval of a new elective. If approved, this course can be taken in place of an elective.