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The International Digital Media and Arts Association  


Workshops Overview | Workshop List

Workshops Overview

Most conferences are boring. It is often said that the best part of Siggraph is in the halls, talking to your old and new friends, at receptions and in small "birds of a feather" sessions where you can talk, and not just listen.

So we built iDMAa 2004 around a rich collection of intensive workshops, instead of the usual sit-in-the-dark-and-listen sessions. These 90 to 120 minute sessions are limited to 25 participants at any time, to encourage discussion. They are led by professionals with extensive experience in the topic area. They are each built around a set of Key Questions (see the Workshops below, for the questions).

Why do we call them intensive workshops? Because they are highly goal-oriented. Each workshop consists of open discussion of a set of key questions, and a quest for useful answers. In fact, you can contribute a new workshop to the program, if you submit your idea by 15 January 2004.

You will participate in a workshop as either an organizer, a contributor, or a participant.

Organizers submit workshop proposals by 15 January 2004. The proposal consists of a title, set of four to six key questions, set of four or more relevant web links, and a 1- to 3- page position paper that summarizes your interest in the subject (not necessarily your answers to the questions.) Workshop organizers must register for the conference, like everyone else.

Contact the Program Chair, Bob Kenny, idmacProgramChair@idmaa.org, if you would like to propose a new workshop topic.

Contributors submit 1- to 3-page position papers before 1 February 2004, also to Bob Kenny, idmacProgramChair@idmaa.org. These are posted on the conference web site by 14 February.

Participants are any registered iDMA 2004 Conference attendee. You may freely join any workshop in progress after the Contributors are seated, but the workshops are deliberately located in spaces that seat 25 people.

When you register for the conference, you will indicate the workshops you would like to attend as either Contributor or Participant. We will schedule multiple sessions of workshops as needed to assure that you will have a chance to discuss the Key Questions with others who are actively addressing these issues.

When you arrive at the conference and receive your materials, you will be given a schedule of the workshop sessions that have reserved seating for you, based on your requests. You may attend other sessions on a space available basis.

Quick Reference List of Workshops

 

Topic

Presenter

Organization

Nr.

      

1

Audio For Games

George Sanger

Big Fat, Inc.

2

Convergent News

Lori Demo

Ball State University

3

Cultural Preservation in Media

Steve Teicher

UCF School of Film & DM

4

Digital Asset Management

C. Bryson, I. Gibson

IBM, UCF Sch of Film & DM

5

Digital Audio and Music

James Oliverio

Univ of Florida

6

Digital Forensics

Carrie Whitcomb

National Ctr for Forensic Sci

7

DMA,Changing Narrative Paradigm

M. Niederman, Z. Pek

Columbia Col., Warwick U.

8

Digital Media Education

J. Rutenbeck, C. Blair

U. Denver, Union U.

9

Digital Media for Engineers

ZsuZsi Pek

Warwick University

10

Digital Smart Homes

Mike Bloxham

Ball State University

11

Digital Media and Disability

Pat Fleming

Central Fla Comm Col

12

Digital Media in Law Enforcement

Ron Eaglin

UCF Engineering

13

Finding Money for DM Projects

Scott Olson

U Minnesota - Mankato

14

Graduate Programs in DM&A

Jan Cannon-Bowers

UCF School of Film & DM

15

"Digital" in Traditional Media Curricula

Jeanine Mellinger

Columbia College Chicago

16

Internet Creativity and Technology

TBD

TBD

17

Interactive Performance

Jeff Wirth, JJ Ruscella

UCF SFDM DM, Theater

18

Measuring the Impact of Media

Rodger Smith

Ball State University

19

Community and K-12 Outreach Programs

Bob Kenny

UCF School of Film & DM

20

Mobile Media

Scott Shamp

University of Georgia

21

Professional Development

Conrad Gleber

Florida State University

22

SFX, Compositing for Cinema

Art David

WaveLight, Inc.

23

Text and Technology

Craig Saper

UCF Text & Technology

24

3D Graphics for Games

Chris Murray

CME3d, Inc

25

Video Games

Erik Dyke

n-Space, Inc.

26

Visual Language and Animation

P. Curasi, M. Altman

Disney Animation, UCF

WORKSHOP 1: AUDIO FOR GAMES

Organizer: George Sanger (The Fat Man himself!)
Key Questions:

  1. What are the special problems, tools and techniques associated with the production of audio for computer games?
  2. What advice can you offer to students who wish to enter this career field?
  3. Which games are regarded as the classics, the benchmarks in game audio, to which all game audio developers refer?
  4. What should we teach in our audio production courses, that is of special relevance to game audio?

Key Links:

WORKSHOP 2: CONVERGENT NEWS

Organizer: Lori Demo (Ball State University)

Key Questions:

  1. Traditionally, newsrooms for print media and television represent different cultures, with different work styles and tools. How are leading news organizations restructuring their newsrooms to generate copy for newspaper, television, radio and the Internet, ion a unified fashion?
  2. What impact does the emergence of convergent news have on the teaching of radio and television curricula?
  3. What are the career prospects for students with specialized training in convergent news?

Links:

 

WORKSHOP 3: CULTURAL PRESERVATION IN MEDIA

Organizer: Steve Teicher, UCF School of Film and Digital Media

Key Questions:

  1. How can digital media enable the preservation of essential cultural information such as oral traditions, folk art, local languages and the infinite richness of human society?
  2. What kinds of courses should Digital Arts and Media academic programs make available to students in Anthropology, Art History and other domains concerned with cultural preservation?
  3. What are the career opportunities for Digital Media and Arts students in this area?

Links:

 

WORKSHOP 4: DIGITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT

Organizers: Chuck Bryson, IBM Corporation

Ian Gibson, UCF School of Film and Digital Media

Key Questions:

  1. What are the key problems associated with storing and managing the digital assets (images, video, audio, scripts, intellectual property, computer generated geometric models, etc.) associated with a digitally produced film, computer game or other media project?
  2. What software tools are available to manage the production process, keep track of resources, subtasks and schedules, and facilitate the subsequent re-use of the material (e. g. to produce a sequel)?
  3. How can a Digital Asset Management (DAM) System assist in solving the challenging problems associated with technological obsolescence? When, in ten years or less, a DVD player becomes as obsolete as an 8-track audio tape is now, how will we gain access to the data we have stored in the DAM?
  4. What DAM software is available, appropriate for academic use, and what teaching materials exist to help in building courses in the area?

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 5: DIGITAL AUDIO AND MUSIC

Organizer: James Oliverio, Director: Digital Worlds Institute, University of Florida

Key Questions:

  1. What kinds of courses are being developed and offered in music departments, that are appropriate for Digital Media and Arts students?
  2. What sorts of specialized degree programs (such as Digital Music) are being developed, for those who wish to develop careers in this area?
  3. What are the employment prospects for students specializing in Digital Music and Audio?
  4. What kinds of opportunities exist for scholarly and creative work in the area of Digital Audio and Music,and how is it evaluated by academic institutions for purposes of tenure and promotion?

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 6: DIGITAL FORENSICS

Organizer: Dr. Carrie Whitcomb, Director, National Center for Forensic Science - University of Central Florida

Key Questions:

  1. What are the key new forensic problems that digital media have brought into focus?
  2. What opportunities for new forms of research, creativity and employment for digital media graduates are found in the area of forensics?
  3. What kinds of courses should be taught to Digital Media students to make them aware of key issues in computer security, digital evidence and forensics?
  4. Are their grant opportunities for creative research projects in forensics?

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 7: DIGITAL MEDIA AND ARTS AND THE CHANGING NARRATIVE PARADIGM

Organizers: Michael Niederman, Chair - Radio/Television, Columbia College Chicago and ZsuZsi Pek, University of Warwick, United Kingdom

Key Questions:

  1. What is a narrative paradigm?
  2. What is there about digital media and arts that renders the old paradigm obsolete?
  3. Is this a good thing?
  4. How can we make it better?
  5. What can we do to make students good storytellers in new media? How will they demonstrate their new abilities in objectively measurable ways?

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 8: DIGITAL MEDIA EDUCATION

Organizers: Dr. Jeff Rutenbeck, Director, Digital Media Studies, University of Denver and Dr. Chris Blair, Director, Digital Media Studies, Union University

Key Questions:

  1. What approaches have been taken so far, both domestically and internationally?
  2. What appears to be working?
  3. What funding and cooperation models are worth exploring?
  4. What forces within and outside of the academy are shaping digital media and arts curricula?
  5. What is the best balance among aesthetic, technical and critical approaches?
  6. What roles should industry partners play in developing academic programs?
  7. What emerging curriculum development opportunities are on the horizon?
  8. How can the IDMAA support curriculum development efforts?

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 9: DIGITAL MEDIA FOR ENGINEERS

Organizer: Zsuzsi Pek, Warwick Manufacturing Group, Warwick University, United Kingdom

Key Questions:

  1. Engineers are often tasked with the design of systems for entertainment and communications, but they are not trained in the "creative arts". What should we be teaching them, to make their jobs easier?
  2. Are there special issues associated in having engineers working with artists? Are the two cultures really as profoundly different as C. P. Snow's work would suggest?
  3. What media do engineers find most congenial, as a "toe in the water"?

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 10: DIGITAL SMART HOMES

Organizer: Mike Bloxham (Ball State University)

Key Questions:

  1. I hear a lot about "Smart Homes", with computers in the walls. Is it a fad? What real value can accrue from such an investment?
  2. Has anybody started teaching courses about smart home technology? To whom?
  3. How does the "wired home" impact the media that will be created for delivery into this home?
  4. What standards are emerging? Who are the industry's leaders? Do they care about education? How can we get them involved with your school?
  5. What are the impacts of smart home technology on accessibility for disabled folks?

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 11: DIGITAL MEDIA AND DISABILITY

Organizer: Patrick Fleming, Central Florida Community College, Ocala, Florida

Key Questions:

  1. What should we be doing in our digital media and arts curricula, to inculcate a fundamental awareness of the media needs of disabled people?
  2. What national standards and tools exist, as guides, references and requirements in this area?
  3. What inspiring projects can we study for success stories and suggestions?
  4. What disasters can we cite, so as to motivate people not to look as foolish as the creators of these turkeys?
  5. How do we support disabled students and faculty in our own courses?
  6. What related research areas need increased support and activity?

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 12: DIGITAL MEDIA IN LAW ENFORCEMENT

Organizer: Ron Eaglin, UCF College of Engineering

Key Questions:

  1. What are some illustrative projects to show how digital media can enhance law enforcement?
  2. What should we be teaching our students about special problems, techniques and procedures that are required for media development in law enforcement areas?
  3. What research and creative opportunities exist in this area?

Key links:

 

WORKSHOP 13: FINDING MONEY FOR DIGITAL MEDIA PROJECTS

Organizer: Dr. Scott Olson, Provost - University of Minnesota, Mankato

Key Questions:

  1. What are the basic techniques for reliably writing proposals that win grants?
  2. What special opportunities does the field of Digital Media and Arts presesnt?
  3. Please tell us some success stories about how you have funded your creative and research efforts in Digital Media and Arts.
  4. The support of curriculum development and laboratory creation is quite different from winning grants for scholarly work. What kinds of approaches have been successful?

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 14: GRADUATE PROGRAMS IN DIGITAL MEDIA and ARTS

Organizer: Dr. Jan Cannon-Bowers, School of Film and Digital Media, University of Central Florida

Key Questions:

  1. What unique problems and opportunities are related to the creation of new interdisciplinary graduate programs in areas where the sciences and arts meet?
  2. Identify some successful programs and point out why they are successful.
  3. Report on some situations that didn't work out as expected, and provide information on how to avoid repeating their mistakes.
  4. How do you organize research and graduate studies in an area like Digital Media where few external standards exist by which scholarship can be judged?

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 15: INTEGRATING "DIGITAL" INTO TRADITIONAL MEDIA CURRICULA

Organizer: Jeanine Mellinger, Columbia College Chicago

Key Questions:

  1. I teach in a traditional Radio/TV Department. How can I find out what other departments are doing to introduce new media into their curricula?
  2. What software, hardware, and skills are essential? How can I convince my dean that this investment is the best way to spend scarce money?
  3. What trends in the industry are driving innovation in Radio/TV curricula?
  4. What impact will interactive TV have on our curricula?

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 16: INTERNET CREATIVITY AND TECHNOLOGY

Organizer: TBA

Key Questions:

  1. 1) What are the standard Internet and web site construction tools and techniques that every Digital Media and Arts student should be expected to know?
  2. How do you teach your students the creative and artistic dimensions of Internet design? Do you have special courses that focus on aesthetic considerations?
  3. What do you teach your students about e-commerce?
  4. What do you teach your students about cgi scripting, JavaScript, Java, databases and other behind-the-scenes Internet tools?
  5. What are the job prospects for well trained web site developers? Has the web become a commodity market, and will much of the web development work go overseas?

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 17: INTERACTIVE PERFORMANCE

Organizers: Jeff Wirth, School of Film and Digital Media, University of Central Florida and J. J. Ruscella, Theater Department, University of Central Florida

Key Questions:

  1. What can the world of theater teach us about the design of interactive media?
  2. What opportunities exist within theater, for the development of new forms of interactive media?
  3. What is interactive performance, and how can it be used as a research technique for the exploration of user interfaces and interactive paradigms?
  4. What kinds of courses, laboratories, faculty and students are needed to introduce interactive performance into a Digital Media curriculum?

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 18: MEASURING THE IMPACT OF MEDIA

Organizer: Rodger Smith, Ball State University

Key Questions:

  1. The traditional telephone survey (e. g. as used to create the Nielson ratings) may be inappropriate for new media. How can new methods be developed to accurately measure an audience's use of new media, exposure to advertising, and response to programming?
  2. Can interactive media be used to measure their own audience response? What are the inherent problems associated with achieving an objective external view of actual usage?
  3. What special problems occur when you need to measure the impact of media in a foreign culture?
  4. What kinds of training should we be providing Digital Media and Arts students, in the skills necessary to measure media impact? Should this specialty be left primarily in the hands of Communications and Radio/TV majors?

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 19: Community and K-12 Outreach Programs

Organizer: Robert Kenny, UCF School of Film and Digital Media

Key Questions:

  1. Many colleges of education teach future media specialists and instructional design majors ABOUT media, but never teach them how to MAKE media. What opportunities exist for Digital Media and Arts programs to form partnerships with colleges of education?
  2. What should we be teaching teachers, in this area?
  3. What are appropriate concepts and skills to teach those high school students who expect to go to college? Do they differ from those we should be teaching the students who seek a quick path to vocational education through two year Associate of Science degrees, or other post-secondary training?
  4. What emerging technologies are most likely to be relevant to K-12 education, but are not now "on the radar screens" of most educators?

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 20: MOBILE MEDIA

Organizer: Dr. Schott Shamp, Director - New Media Institute, University of Georgia

Key Questions:

  1. What is a mobile medium? Almost everything is portable these days, but some of it is specifically taking advantage of telecommunications and location-finding technology.
  2. What are the hard problems in designing mobile media?
  3. What should we be teaching our students about mobile media?
  4. How do we equip our laboratories for the support of stimulating experiments with mobile media?

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 21: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Organizer: Conrad Gleber, School of Visual Arts and Dance, Florida State University

Key Questions:

  1. How can you identify, recruit, nurture and retain the right faculty?
  2. How can you help in-place faculty develop new skills for the new discipline?
  3. How can work in such an interdisciplinary area be fairly evaluated for promotion and tenure?
  4. Tell us some success stories, about unusual opportunities for recruiting new faculty, and how you succeeded.
  5. Tell us some trouble stories, about how a faculty member's career went sour.
  6. Tell us how to make 4 happen and prevent 5 from happening.

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 22: SPECIAL EFFECTS AND COMPOSITING FOR CINEMA

Coordinator: Art David, Wavelight Digital Images, Inc.

Key Questions:

  1. What should we teach students who want to produce cinematic special effects? Should they all become animators?
  2. What are the tools of your trade? How did you learn to use them?
  3. How does an independent compositor find work? How many people manage to make a living in a specialized market such as that of Wavelight, Inc.?
  4. What basic skills and concepts should a student master before beginning the study of special effects and compositing?

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 23: TEXTS AND TECHNOLOGY

Coordinator: Craig Saper, English Department, University of Central Florida

Key Questions:

  1. Please describe the emerging new academic specialization of Texts and Technology. How does it relate to the traditional academic mission of an English Department?
  2. List some of the Ph.D dissertation topics of students in your Texts and Technology program?
  3. What universities around the country are developing similar programs?
  4. How can I open up a dialog with my own university's English department, and involve them in multidiscplinary projects? What's the payoff?

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 24: THREE DIMENSIONAL GRAPHICS FOR GAMES

Organizer: Chris Murray, CME3D, Inc.

Key Questions:

  1. What are the key elements of a curriculum built around 3d modeling for realtime applications such as computer games?
  2. What artistic skills are critical, and how can they be taught? Should we recruit exclusively among Art majors, for students with the right skills?
  3. How can one stay abreast of the technology in a rapidly evolving domain like computer games?
  4. What areas of employment are available to students with 3d modeling skills, beyond the game industry itself?

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 25: VIDEO GAMES

Coordinator: Erik Dyke, President: n-space, Inc.

Key Questions:

  1. What should a student study, if they want to get and keep a job in the video game industry? Do these courses exist around the country, or should we be creating new kinds of courses?
  2. What are the challenges facing the video game industry? How is your company addressing them?
  3. Is it possible for a young person with a great idea, to start a game company and make a living? What is likely to happen to those who try?
  4. Tell us how you got to where you are today. What was your educational background? What was your business experience? What would you do differently if you started over?

Key Links:

 

WORKSHOP 26: VISUAL LANGUAGE AND ANIMATION

Coordinators: Paul Curasi, Marty Altman, both are veterans of Disney Feature Animation, now with UCF School of Film and Digital Media

Key Questions:

  1. What is Visual Language, as an academic discipline? How does it relate to animation and special effects? Must a student be an accomplished artist to enter the study of Visual Language?
  2. How big is the market for students with training in visual language? What should they be able to do, in order to have a good chance at a job? Where are these jobs .located?
  3. How applicable are visual language skills outside the film industry?
  4. What is the relationship between art and technology in visual language? What are some of the key tensions and difficulties that must be overcome?
  5. Why are there so many trade schools focusing on special effects and animation? Is this a topic that is not appropriate for university level education?

Key Links: