Task 13 2023: Plan a new media project

Introduction

For this task you will choose a topic or medium that you’re curious or passionate about and propose a related new media project. Your goal for this task is not to build the project–although that is an option if you have time and inclination–but to brainstorm an original, creative idea and research how you might use a new media tool to make it.

👤🤖❓ Unlike previous tasks in the second half of this course, you are under no obligation to use AI at any stage of the process. Whether you choose to do so is entirely up to you.

👤👥❓ You can work alone or in a team of no more than two. Unlike some other Tasks in this class, you are free to choose your own collaborator if you want one.

Activity

1. 1. Start by brainstorming at least three ideas, either on a single subject or several.  Feel free to choose any of the media discussed in class, including 3d modeling, animation, digital art, design, digital stories, games, sound, video, and XR. You may also propose a medium not covered in this class as long as you get permission from your TA or instructor. You may use the class chatbot to help you (sample prompt below), normal Internet search, and/or talking with other people.
   2. Research what you would need to learn technically to accomplish your idea. You may do the research through our class chatbot (sample prompt below), normal Internet search, and/or by interviewing people familiar with the domain.
   3. Due by class Wednesday 6 December: In a post to #final-project, propose your project in a few sentences along with what makes it original or relevant to your particular interests. Add a second paragraph describing how you would accomplish it based on your research to date.
   4. In class Wednesday 6 December: Get feedback on this proposal, from our class chatbot,  classmate , and/or other person, including these questions:
      • Does the idea seem original?
      • Does the technology proposed for the idea seem appropriate?
      • Is the plan for accomplishing the idea realistic?
      • What resources might be useful in accomplishing the idea, such as hardware, software, personnel, funding, or legal agreements?
      • How would I go about obtaining these resources?
   5. Create some kind of audiovisual media to represent your idea, such as a logo, a rendering, a diagram, a storyboard, or a flow chart. You can create this using an AI image generator such as Leonardo.ai and/or a digital tool such as Canva, Figma, or Illustrator.
   6. Create a WordPress post that combines
      • the final version of your idea;
      • the illustration you made;
      • a list of any revisions you added based on feedback received from your AI or human collaborator.
   7. Due by Friday 8 December: Make sure to add the “Task 13” category, post your task, and complete this survey to get credit for this assignment.

Sample prompts

Sample prompt for brainstorming ideas:

Sample prompt for researching necessary technologies:

Sample result

This project plan by Troy Schotter outlines what would be required to make an innovative space survival game. Troy used AI to help generate the plan, but you don’t need to. And your topic doesn’t need to be a game; you can propose a project in any new media field, including but not limited to animation, art, audio, design, digital storytelling, web and mobile apps, or augmented and virtual reality.