John Crawford - Teaching Statement
My teaching philosophy is structured and straightforward:
approach the material with enthusiasm, organize practical
opportunities to put knowledge to work, and never lose sight
of historical foundations. This experiential learning approach
helps to inspire innovative thinking and a sense of exploration.
My students learn to integrate technological tools into their
artistic practice. They develop skills in problem solving
and critical analysis, creating confidence in their ability
to leverage and further develop their knowledge, and to apply
their skills in new situations.
- My recent courses have included:
- Dance for the Camera
- Motion Capture
- Dance & Digital
- Web/Media Design
- Interdisciplinary Digital
Arts - History and Foundations
- Interdisciplinary Digital
Arts - Current Practice
Dance for the Camera
A practical introduction to the basic principles of creating
dance for the video medium, also known as videodance. Based
on the premise that video can be more than simply a recording
of dance performance, this course highlights ways that choreographers
can use video technology as a creative tool.
We explore practical methods for creating and studying videodance
through hands-on classwork and project assignments. Techniques
and technologies of video cameras, formats, editing and projection
are covered, along with an overview of digital video topics
including creation and compression of video for the web,
DVD and CD-ROM. We screen and discuss examples of dance works
for the camera, covering a sampling of early work as well
as recent videodance projects. We examine a variety of approaches
to creating dance for film and video, and discuss the evolution
and growth of videodance as a developing form.
Motion Capture
Motion Capture is the process of recording live motion over
time in three-dimensional space, then translating that motion
into a form that can be used by 3D animation software. The
motion that is recorded can be from any moving source: some
examples are full human body movement, facial expressions,
animal movement and the motion of inanimate objects such
as props. Applications of motion capture include live performance,
character animation, video games, film production, physical
rehabilitation, medical research, industrial measurement
and many others. A wide range of technologies are being developed
for motion capture applications, including optical (camera
arrays), mechanical (linked armatures), electromagnetic fields
and ultrasound.
This course is a practical introduction to the basic principles
of optical motion capture and how this technology can be
used for creating computer animation of human figures, with
a primary focus on creative applications in the arts. It
provides basic coverage of key portions of the motion capture
animation pipeline, including setting up the studio and preparing
capture subjects, acquiring and cleaning the motion data,
applying the data to 3D animated characters, and rendering
the 3D animations to movie files. It also touches on embodiment
and performance from the aesthetic, historical and theoretical
perspectives, investigating how motion capture contributes
to the overall practice of computer animation, and how animation
connects with other art practices.
This is an experiential course, emphasizing hands-on experience
and creative production. Students are responsible for completing
a series of assigned motion capture projects, working in
small teams. Effective collaboration between team members
is an important part of the class.
Dance & Digital - Web/Media Design
This course is for dance students who want to learn about
digital media technology and how it can be applied in their
work. For dancers and choreographers, websites and videos
featuring your work can help raise your profile with dance
companies, producers and funding agencies, as well as enabling
you reach new audiences. Dance teachers and scholars are
finding that video, audio and the web are becoming increasingly
more important components of performing arts education and
research. And digital media technology has many exciting
uses in creative projects.
Tailored to the needs of dancers, choreographers, dance
educators and researchers, this course provides a survey
of digital media techniques, including a basic introduction
to computer-based video, audio and web design tools. This
is an experiential course, emphasizing hands-on work and
digital media production. During the quarter, students are
responsible for completing a series of introductory web and
media design projects.
Interdisciplinary Digital Arts - History and Foundations
This introduction to the historical and theoretical foundations
of digital art examines major lines of development in the
last two centuries, focusing on the development and spread
of computers and related technologies and the emergence of
computationally based works in a wide range of fields, including
music, dance, drama, performance art, video, and other time
based media; literature and text-based art; visual and media
arts; and multimedia and interdisciplinary practices. Each
week, the course highlights one or more pertinent topics,
ranging from the history of computing discourses to the development
of networked art and the social phenomenon of computer games.
Lectures address the overlap of artistic and scientific
practices, critical issues related to dependence on new and
emerging technologies, and the long-term social, cultural,
and political consequences of technological change for the
arts. Students are periodically required to submit written
responses to reading assignments or lecture material.
Interdisciplinary Digital Arts - Current Practice
This overview of current international practice and research
in the digital arts focuses on areas especially affected
by recent technological, scientific, cultural and political
developments. Each week, the course highlights one or more
pertinent topics, establishing relationships between a range
of digital arts practices, touching on such areas as interface
design, digital music, telematic performance, intelligent
agents, virtual realities, artificial life and ubiquitous
computing.
Lectures address the increasing overlap of artistic and
scientific practices, critical issues related to dependence
on new and emerging technologies, and developments in national
and international law that affect artists and researchers
working with digital media. Students are periodically required
to submit written responses to reading assignments or lecture
material.
|
