8/8/2019 Syllabus ATEC 6342 (MofS)
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Course Syllabus: ATEC 6342.501
MECHANICS OF STORYCourse Information
SPECIAL TOPICS: MECHANICS OF STORYCourse: ATEC 6342.501
Day/Time: MONDAY 7:00 PM - 9:45 PM Room: ATEC 1.103
Class Blog: writerscurtain.blogspot.com
Professor Contact InformationDr. Adam Brackin 214-354-6161
(leave a message and I will call you back asap!)[email protected]
([email protected])
[ATEC 1.602] I share office space with Dean Terry.I am available
MON from 10:00 - 12:00 & 1:15 - 3:45, and by appointment WED
(and at other times).
Course DescriptionStudents must be actively enrolled in or
officially auditing this class in order to attend it due to UTD
policy, fire code, and very
real seating restrictions. When you consider the millennia of
storytelling that comprise our literary tradition, it is easy
tofeel overwhelmed by the shadow of so many works. But there are
common threads that link all stories--from Beowulf andHamlet to
Gone With the Wind and The Godfather to the story you are drafting
right now in your head. These threads formthe foundation that
supports story whether you are writing a novel, a memoir,
screenplay, video game, or other "Alternate
Reality" world. This class explores both historically
traditional storytelling models and new models which
requirerecognition of the balance of aesthetic story and mechanics
within new media storytelling. Topics include linear and non-linear
storytelling methods across multimedia and trans-media methods of
delivery with a focus on 1) reading/viewing/
playing stories, 2) critical analysis of storytelling mechanics
in various works, 3) creating and publishing original studentworks
using the most modern and appropriate new-media methods such as
social networking tools. We will examine arange of topics,
including storytelling in a multiplayer environment; narrative
techniques for a 3,000,000-page novel;continuity (or the
impossibility of it) in pervasive fictional worlds; managing
multiple intertwined narratives; the spatialexperience of virtual
worlds; Emergent adventure texts created by designers and fans; and
the serial storytelling, amongmany other essential insights into
how fictions are constructed and maintained in very different forms
of media through tothe beginning of the twenty-first century.
Student Learning Objectives/OutcomesStudents will examine the
range of media available for storytelling. Students will learn to
think critically about various
storytelling issues and gain exposure to seminal examples of
various writers and researchers in the field. Students willalso
learn how to critique and analyze new media forms, and how to
present this critical review in ways that areappropriate to the
ever-evolving genre. Students will engage in discussion and debate
with each other and withdevelopers in the field where appropriate
through a class blog. Finally, students will create original IP in
various classicand new media formats to demonstrate a fluency and
proficiency in the above concepts.
Required Textbooks and MaterialsThe Hero with a Thousand Facesby
Joseph Campbell (Hardcover), New World Library, (July 28, 2008)
1577315936
The Art And Craft Of Storytelling: A Comprehensive Guide to
Classic Writing Techniquesby Nancy Lamb (Paperback) F&W Media,
Inc., (December 15, 2008) 1582975590
The Heros Journeyby Harold Bloom (Hardcover), Facts On File,
Inc. (January 30, 2009) 0791098036
Third Person: Authoring and Exploring Vast Narrativesby Pat
Harrigan (Hardcover) MIT Press (May 29, 2009) 0262232634
Quests: Design, Theory, and History in Games and Narrativesby
Jeff Howard (Paperback), A K Peters Ltd (February 26, 2008)
156881347
(And selected short readings online and given in class as well
as various selections from the book list - TBD.)
Course Syllabus Page 1
STORY
8/8/2019 Syllabus ATEC 6342 (MofS)
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Assignments & Academic CalendarStudents will complete
reading assignments throughout the semester followed by group
discussion and individual analysisas a part of a class blog as a
part of a daily participation grade. Students will turn in five
additional deliverables throughoutthe semester: first by keeping a
DAILY Story Journal, which will be supplemented by various WEEKLY
Story Drills, thenby reading and critically analyzing a story
example through a Critical Analysis (and Presentation) and finally
creating anOriginal Intellectual Property Story in an appropriate
(new) media genre.
(Course requirements or due-dates may be amended or changed;
such changes will be given in writing, with sufficient advance
notice for completion.)
A more detailed description of the weekly reading assignments
and other requirements will be posted each week on theClass
Blog:http://writerscurtain.blogspot.com/Note: Case Studies are
tentative and subject to change as new medianever stops especially
for academics such as ourselves.
WK 01: Jan 10 - Course introduction and expectations & Why
STORY / What is MECHANICS of STORY?*** Jan 17 - MLK, NO CLASS
***
WK 02: Jan 24 - Monomyth Part 1WK 03: Jan 31 - Monomyth Part 2WK
04: Feb 7 - Contextual StoryWK 05: Feb 14 - (D1 DUE) Non-Linear and
Interactive Story Part 1WK 06: Feb 21 - Non-Linear, and Interactive
Story Part 2WK 07: Feb 28 - Multi-Linear and Ergodic Literature
Part 1WK 08: Mar 7 - (D2 DUE) Multi-Linear and Ergodic Literature
Part 2
*** Mar 14 - SPRING BREAK, NO CLASS ***
WK 09: Mar 21 - Character / CASE STUDY 1WK 10: Mar 28 - Plot
& Conflict / CASE STUDY 2WK 11: Apr 4 - Setting / CASE STUDY
3WK 12: Apr 11 - Point of View / CASE STUDY 4WK 13: Apr 18 - Theme
& Tone / CASE STUDY 5WK 14: Apr 25 - (D3 DUE) Presentations IWK
15: May 2 - (D4 & D5 DUE) Presentations II
Attendance and Grading PolicyStudents will be expected to attend
ALL classes unless you have a special circumstance in which case
you MUST contactme in advance by phone or email. A student who
misses more than one class session or misses without approval will
berequired to do an additional project or have their grade dropped
by one letter. Late work will be dropped by one lettergrade (10
points) for each week it is late. No Exceptions!
There are five deliverables for this class NOT including any
weekly homework or small assignments which will counttowards the
students daily (attendance) participation grade. This class will be
graded on a standard 10 point gradingscale for all deliverables.
Grade weights will be determined as follows:
Weekly Attendance / Class & Blog Participation
--------------- 15% of total gradeD1: Critical Analysis
--------------------------------------------------- 10% of total
grade
D2: Comparative Analysis / Presentation ------------------------
15% of total gradeD3: Original IP Story /
Presentation-------------------------------- 25% of total gradeD4:
Daily Story Journal (Begins Jan 10) ------------------------- 20%
of total gradeD5: Weekly Story Drills (Begins Jan 10)
------------------------- 15% of total grade
This class relies heavily on discussion and class participation,
and a high level of professionalism and good citizenship is
expected. Attention should be given to the speaker at all times
and respect shown as expected within the universityclassroom
environment. Appropriate multi-tasking is permitted only so long as
it does not interfere with the highexpectations described above.
This DOES NOT include personal use of the lab computers, social
media sites, games, etcunless directly related to instruction at
that moment. Any student who attends all classes, completes all
coursework ontime, and whose deliverables all meet the high
standards expected of a UTD grad student, will receive an A in this
course.
UT Dallas Syllabus Policies and Procedures
The information found at the following link constitutes the
University's policies and procedures segment of course syllabi.Be
aware that all information contained at this link are considered to
be fully a part of this syllabus herein withoutexception as if it
were printed below.
http://provost.utdallas.edu/syllabus-policies/
Course Syllabus Page 2
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