MRTS 1330-01 FALL 2023

Foundations of Media Arts

Tuesdays - 9 am - RTFP 184

Email:
tanya.zuk@unt.edu

Drop-In Hours:
Wednesdays 9-12

Office:

Course Description
This course will introduce students to the field of media arts, with a
focus on radio, film, television, and digital media, including podcasting,
video games and social media. The course will offer an overview of basic
skills and knowledge related to media production, history, and
Location
criticism.  Students will cultivate their media literacy through
opportunities to study and write about media at the university level.

DR. TANYA D. ZUK

My research focuses on new media and collaborative storytelling, with a
particular emphasis on LGBTQ+ co-authorship in indie transmedia
narratives. I also do work with gothic genre, video games, television studies,
and fan studies.

I’m a giant geek and that re ects in my teaching and in my research. I’ve
presented my work at Comic Con San Diego, WonderCon, DragonCon, and
AnimeBoston.

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 MRTS 1330 FALL 2023

Course Objectives
By the end of this course, every student
should be able to:
• Explain key terms, practices and concepts
of media arts
• Identify prominent innovations and
individuals in media history
• Demonstrate media literacy through
analyzing the form and content of a
media text Course Requirements
• Develop evaluative and interpretive
Mini-Assessments 20%
arguments about media texts
Reading Quizzes 20%
Course Materials Review Video Essay 20%
This course uses a variety of texts including Analysis Essay 20%
two textbooks, academic and popular press
Final Exam 20%
articles, movies, episodes of TV, ads, podcasts,
and video games.
• Moving Pictures by Russell Sharman. U of
Arkansas, 2020.
• Electronic Media: Then, Now, and Later,
3rd Edition by Norman Medoff. Focal
Press, 2016.
20% 20%
• Additional materials are available on
Canvas. Analysis Essay Mini-Assessments
I strive to make my classes as financially
accessible as possible. So many of the
required texts are free to you including the Final Exam
Motion Pictures book. Video Essay
20% 20%

“We shape our tools,

Quizzes
and then our tools 20%
shape us.”
-Marshall McLuhan

MRTS 1330
REVISE & RESUBMIT
I have a long-standing, open,
revise and resubmit policy for
all my classes. I rmly believe
that students are more likely to
review and use feedback if
they can apply it immediately.
Therefore, you can revise
assignments during the
semester using the feedback
provided and resubmit for an
improved grade.
You may not revise/resubmit
the in-class assessments,
quizzes, or nal exam.
However, all other assignments
including the media review,
analysis essay, and open-
ended exam questions are
eligible.
To complete the revise/
resubmit, just re-submit the
assignment in its original
dropbox. Last call for revise &
resubmit is our last class
session.
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FALL 2023
Mini-Assessments
During the course of the semester there will be multiple
opportunities to complete in-class or hands-on activities
that relate to class. These assignments are intended to
encourage you to practice media skills and range from
keeping a media log for a week, taking photos, pulling
TikTok examples, or short in-class writing opportunities.
You need to complete at least 10 of these assignments
over the course of the semester, but there will be more
than 10 opportunities.
Media Review Video Essay
For your media review video essay you will pick one
media text of your choice (film, episode of television,
video game, or social media video) and evaluate it in
terms of its aesthetic qualities. Your video essay should
be 1-2 minutes and include at least 1 clip (roughly 30-
seconds) that you can either talk over or let play. Your
video essay should include at least 2 specific criticisms
and 1 praised element.
Analysis Essay
For this longer interpretation essay you will have an
option of 4-5 media texts from class with specific
prompts regarding the impact of aesthetic elements on
narrative structures and meaning. You will be asked to
provide your explanation of a key scene or moment
within the media text using terminology and concepts
from class. This essay should be approximately 750
words or 3 pages double spaced.
Quizzes & Exams
All quizzes and exams are open-note, open-book, and
online. Questions are multiple choice, matching, fill-in-
the-blank, ordering, and short answer. Questions cover
readings, lectures, and assigned media texts. Exams are
NOT cumulative. Questions are randomly assigned from
a repository.

 MRTS 1330 FALL 2023

Course Policies RESOURCES

It is in the best interests of you as an individual and us as a UNT Writing Center
classroom to create a positive, inclusive, classroom
environment. One of the greatest challenges as an instructor is There are several small papers, as
well as a nal project required in
to provide an engaging, entertaining, and intellectual this class. You may nd over the
classroom experience. I need your collaboration to create the course of the semester, that you
best educational experience for all involved. By participating in want help revising your work. You
class discussion, being respectful of others opinions, and can sign-up for a session at:
https://writingcenter.unt.edu.
preparing for class we can all work together to create a I’ve used writing assistance
creative and dynamic experience on and off screen. throughout my academic career.
No one gets citations or grammar
naturally. Use every resource at
Accommodation Statement your disposal!

I endeavor to make this class accessible to every student and Media Library
will do my best to make this class fit your needs. If you need
The Media Library contains the
special arrangements for a documented disability, please UNT Libraries’ non-print,
contact the Office of Disability Access. If you would like to audiovisual, tabletop games, and
share pertinent medical information, request special video games collections. The
Media Library also has The Nest,
arrangements for class seating, or need special assistance in the which is an e-sports and game
event of a building evacuation, please contact me in the first design space. The mission of the
week of class. I am happy to alter content formats and provide UNT Media Library is to support
the instructional and research
multiple points of access to course materials. needs of UNT faculty, sta , and
students by collecting,
maintaining, and providing access
Basic Needs & Security to media materials that represent
Statement all academic disciplines and all
genres of lm.

Any student who faces challenges securing their food or

housing and believes this may affect their performance in this
#Adulting
course is urged to contact the Dean of Students for support. UNT o ers a variety of seminars,
For immediate food assistance, visit UNT Food Pantry. For resources, and support services to
help you gure out the
emergency housing needs, visit here or Cloud 9 Charities. requirements of life outside of
There are additional Wellbeing and Safety Services through school. The #Adulting program
Student Affairs. If you are comfortable, please let me know includes money management,
career prep, managing medical
what is going on. I am ready and able to make course insurance, mental health support,
accommodations based on your circumstances, and assist in info on the shuttle and parking,
providing resources. and even emergency assistance
like late night e-ride program.

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MRTS 1330 FALL 2023

Instructor Availability & Response Time

I will be available for drop-in hours on Wednesdays from 9-12 am where you we can talk face-to-face
or virtually via Zoom. You can make appointments with me by following this link. Please, please
send emails directly to me at tanya.zuk@unt.edu and not through Canvas. Don’t forget to include
which class you are taking with me. I will generally provide a response within 24 hours.

Attendance Policy
This class meets once a week. I expect that you will attend class regularly and be prepared for each
class session having reviewed assigned materials. That being said, life happens, and I provide 2
unexcused absences for you to use throughout the semester as you need. Use them wisely. Additional
absences will affect your overall grade.

Late Policy
All assignments must be submitted through the appropriate Canvas tool by 11:59 PM CST on the
specified due date. Refer to the Assignment Guidelines and/or Rubrics for specific details on
completing the assignments in this course.

Appeals
If you wish to appeal a grade: within a week of getting your assignment back you must hand in,
along with the assignment you want re graded, a typed one page paper explaining why you believe
your grade was incorrect and should be regraded. I will respond in writing within a week. Please
note, that re-grading does NOT guarantee a better grade.

Academic Integrity Policy

Please note that by staying in this class you are agreeing to abide by all the standards of academic
integrity as found in the Honor Code. Please review the policies on AI generated content as
developed by the Media Arts department in Canvas. Additionally, you agree to hold to the legal and
professional standards set within the media industries in regard to credits.

Subject to Change Statement

The instructor reserves the right to modify the course requirements and other related policies as
circumstances may dictate, and with sufficient notification to all students. Even the professor can
have an unanticipated emergency, and the university—or the community at large—may experience
an emergency that requires changing the class schedule or requirements. I don't expect to invoke this
clause, but if I do, you will be notified as soon as possible. Any change will also be posted to Canvas.

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 MRTS 1330 FALL 2023

Course Schedule
All readings and screenings are to be completed for class the day it is assigned.
EM = Electronic Media, MP= Moving Pictures, MA=Mini-Assessment

Tuesday Due

Module 1: Media Art, Literacy, & Medium Speci city

8/22 Intro to Class • MA: Getting to

• Read the Syllabus! Know You Survey
• EM: Ch 1, “Opting into Today’s Media”

8/29 Media Literacy • MA: Media Log

• Sera n, “Media Mindfulness”
• Jenkins, “Core Media Literacy Skills”

9/5 Understanding Medium Speci cities • Reading Quiz

• MP: Ch 2, “How to Watch a Movie”
• Bimbowande, “Digital Affordance.” Medium
• Optional: “Medium Speci city” The Chicago School of
Media Theory

Module 2: Aesthetics & Style

9/12 Film Production Design • Reading Quiz

• MP: Ch 3, “Mise-en-Scène”
• Glass Onion (Johnson, 2022)
• Byford, “Pixel art games aren't retro, they're the future.” The
Verge.
• Optional: Caldwell, “The Terrain” from Televisuality

9/19 Camerawork • MA: Photo

• MP: Ch 5, “Cinematography” Scavenger Hunt
• Daughters of the Dust (Dash, 1991)

9/26 Editing • MA: Insta/YouTube

• MP: Ch 6, “Editing” Editing Examples
• Mad Max: Fury Road (Miller, 2015)

10/3 Audio Design • Reading Quiz

• MP: Ch 7, “Sound”
• EM: Ch 2, “Marconi to Mobile Listening”
• Baby Driver (Wright, 2017)

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Tuesday Due

Module 3: Narrative Structures & Play

10/10 Film Narrative • Media Review Video

• MP: Ch 4, “Narrative” Essay
• Jenkins, “Transmedia Storytelling
• Class Pick

10/17 Broadcast Narratives • Reading Quiz

• EM: Ch 4, “Television and Radio Programs &
Programming”
• Lavery, “Long Term Narrative”
• Optional: Newman, “Beats to Arcs”
• Class Pick

10/24 Video Games • MA: TBD

• EM: 6, “Digital Devices”
• Koster, “What Games Are” from Theory of Fun
• Optional: Sicart, “De ning Game Mechanics.”
Game Studies

10/31 Play • MA: TBD

Happy • Bogost, “Empathy” from How to Do Things with
Halloween Videogames
• dys4ia (Anthropy, 2012)

Module 4: Industry & Culture

11/7 Advertising • MA: Ad Analysis

GO VOTE! • EM: Ch 7, “Clay to Digital Tablets”
• Optional: EM: Ch 8, “Audience Measurements”

11/14 Media Industries • Analysis Essay

• EM: Ch 10, “Business of Entertainment”

Thanksgiving Break

11/28 Social Media • MA: TBD

• EM: Ch 9, “Private Conversations in Public”
• Optional: EM: Ch 13, “Personal and Social
In uence of Media”

12/5 Representation • Reading Quiz

• MP: Ch 9, “Women in Cinema”
• Warner, “Plastic Representation.” Film Quarterly
• Promising Young Woman (Fennell, 2020)

Final Exam Due midnight on December 11th.

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