Foundations of Immersive Storytelling: Theory & Practice (3 credits)
This introductory course will provide students with the tools and the mindset for making compelling VR/AR experiences. While the industry is nascent, the technological and storytelling innovations move forward at breakneck speed. Students will also, each class, dissect to understand the approaches to the current catalog of immersive experiences, ranging from 360 film, to animation and room scale installation experiences, often with creators who made them to understand challenges and lessons learned. Subsequently, after this overview, students will have the option to build their own prototypes and, also, to support a VR/AR project housed within the program with a leading artist.
Immersive Tech: Empathy and Cognition (3 credits)
Immersive technology is revolutionizing the relationship between storytellers and their audiences. But we still know very little about the cultural, ethical and psychological implications of such interactive interfaces. While it is clear the integration of VR/AR/AI will revolutionize multiple aspects of our society; careful consideration is required when extrapolating its benefits to media consumers. As the new medium evolves, students will learn how to evaluate empathy, identity, privacy, in addition to immersion, efficiency, and productivity.
Social Design: Concept, Story & Interaction (3 credits)
This course will cover designing immersive tech concepts, stories, or games with social and cultural impact. Students will address the various components of an immersive experience including narrative flow, art, interaction design, and social impact objectives. Each session will include case studies, industry best practices, and presentation by experts followed by in-class discussions.
VR Storytelling (3 credits)
Virtual reality is a powerful tool providing a 360-degree view of the story. It catapults participants right into the middle of the action, breaking physical and economic barriers by enabling them to travel into different environments and explore new realities. Each session will introduce students to VR films and review published 360 video formats. In addition to a comprehensive overview of the technology, its history, as well as current and future uses, students will learn how to plan, produce, and edit stories in VR.
Building Augmented and Mixed Reality (3 credits)
The AR/MR course teaches students how to create new immersive AR formats for publication, exhibition, or other forms of distribution. This course builds on skills learned during the Game Engine Camp and requires an understanding of Unity, Unreal Engine, 3D modeling, and animation. Three sections make up the course organization: concept development, building & iteration, and optimization & testing.
Future Tech: AI and Cognitive Technology (3 credits)
This course provides students with the opportunity to learn how to create prototypes and to explore immersive storytelling using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data journalism. Students get hands-on experience using open source AI tools including Google Cloud, Microsoft Cognitive Services, and IBM Watson. In addition, to technical skills, students will learn key considerations related to ethics and standards of deploying artificial intelligence.
Stories Through Conversation (3 credits)
Voice commands, conversational interfaces, and chatbots are redefining how individuals engage with the world around them. These platforms carry new opportunities for storytelling, art, and media display. Students will learn the design principles of conversational interfaces and how to adapt messages and stories to each medium. Furthermore, they will be taught to build experiences for voice devices such as Amazon Alexa as well as produce media for messaging apps.
Physical Computing and Installations (3 credits)
The internet of things provides storytellers an opportunity to rethink the traditional approach of media creation. Students will learn how to combine software and hardware to develop new forms of content. In this course, they will develop knowledge in JavaScript and Python which allows them to program microcomputers such as the Raspberry Pi and Arduino. In addition to programming, students will also use the modeling skills learned in the game engine camp to produce 3D printed installations that are capable of internet connectivity.