Let me tell you a bit about my college. I belong to the School of Communications and Theatre at Temple University in Philadelphia. It’s not bad. Some of the faculty I get along well with and the equipment is pretty decent. The fellow students are, overall, pretty cool. All in all, it doesn’t at all feel like a bad place to learn. I am learning, I think.
I’m taking a class right now in our Topics in Film Study curriculum called Exhibition and Distribution of Independent Media. It’s going to be an intense class. One, I feel, that would serve me better in my final year once I finally have made something worthy to show off, but I don’t want to risk this class not being available again. So here I am. The course will go over, mainly, working within and submitting pieces to film festivals and the potential of web distribution for Independent Media.
Back up.
The potential of web distribution for Independent Media.
Paydirt.
In our first class, as we discussed the syllabus and the course objectives, she asked (show of hands) if anyone had any films they were ready to use for the future assignments involving distribution. Many raised their hands. I, of course, did not. Then she asked (again, show of hands) how many people had “Alternative Media” they were interested in using for the distribution assignments. I raised my hand. Called upon, I sheepishly squeaked out my response.
“…webcomics?”
Her reaction was more than positive. Being one who experiments in New Media (and since our school is a major proponent of New Media) she was very receptive to the idea. Later, after class, I approached her and followed up on the webcomics thing. At first she thought I was talking about animations. I decided to show her what I was talking about. She was excited, and liked what I showed her.
For those curious, the materials I used to represent webcomics as an entity were Penny Arcade, PVP, Comixpedia, Dinosaur Comics, KeenSpot, Websnark and Clickwheel. Afterwards, I showed her my own works. She informed me that she would like to call on my expertise and experience when the class discussions are on internet distribution and blogging.
I’m damned excited.
So how many of you get to use/have used webcomics for class assignments? It’s pretty cool, ain’t it?
Yup, I’ve found ways here and there, to work webcomics into things, though probably not in ways as involved in the class you have. The only significant one I did, was for an “informative speech” for my Human Comm class. We could literally take any topic and explain it to the class for 3-4 minutes. I explained SketchBattle, complete with the only class-appropriate battle I could find for the overhead projector.
However, I also have a Philosophy of Technology course this semester, that I may manage to work the topic into at some point (though it’s more likely that it will be the other way around, seeing that my newer comic’s plot is going to be about the same things we’re going to discuss).
I have actually had a webcomics report done on me. Thought that was kinda weird, but apparently I’m interesting enoigh to wrrant a 98% on the assignment.
I tried to work webcomics into my final resentation in my popular culture class, but alas, it was easier said than done and since it didn’t fit the type of assignment we were doing I had to let it go.
I Used my Megalomaniacon site in a website builders class. Got perfect on the final assignment (maybe because I was finished it before the class started).
You have my full permission to spread the faith of the church of The William G to your class.
No thanks.
You showed her Qwantz? Risky business, but sounds like it paid off.
Well I showed her Dino Comics after using it as a random example from clickwheel. She thought it was brilliant.
And I knew she would, she’s a proponent of experimental art.
FOOL!