Syllabus

Full Syllabus RADIO SYL S2015 FNL 2.pdf Download RADIO SYL S2015 FNL 2.pdf

Shawn Rosenheim Spring 2015
Office Hours: T 10-11:45 Hollander 246

Radio, Radio

Course Materials
Mark Kramer & Wendy Call, eds., Telling True Stories
Ira Glass & Jessica Abel, Radio: An Illustrated Guide (ebook from TAL)
Hindenburg Journalist $95; hindenburg.com
A pair of closed headphones
Tascam PCM Recorder MKII (free app from ITunes)

Class Meetings

W 2.4 Introduction
Katie Shao, “Collin Brown.” (Glow)

W 2.11 Interviewing: Techniques and Ethics
Emily Hsiao, “Tattoos and Memories” TAL 541, Act 1 (13 m.)
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/541/regrets-ive-had-a-few?act=1
Excerpts from Telling True Stories, ed Mark Kramer & Wendy Call:
22-28; 104-112; 129-132; 172-177.
Scott Carrier, “Signal-to-Noise”: http://transom.org/?p=38922.
Aimee Dennett, “Kid Symphony.” (Glow)
Anna Ryba, “Aldonna.” (Glow)
Liz Albert, “Self-Portrait.” (Glow)

W 2.18 Crit Self-Portraits.
Editing workshop.
Barry Goldstein, “Mass MOCA” vox pop. (Glow)
Sarabeth Mairs, “Cordoba.” (Glow)
Due: Self-Portrait

W 2.25 Place-Sounds
Crit Vox Pops.
TAL #388, Rest Stop, Act 1 (30 m.)
www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/388/rest-stop
Max Friend, “Ripper Dandy.” (Glow)
Alejandra Castaneda, “Summer Camp.” (Glow)
Ira Glass & Jessica Abel, Radio: An Illustrated Guide. (d/l from TAL)
Due: Vox Pop

It’s a lot easier to violate a person’s personal space if you remember you don’t really have a choice. If you hold the microphone a safe and comfortable distance from the person’s mouth then the recording will suck and you’ll have wasted the person’s time and your own as well. But if you act like you know what you are doing then the interviewee will probably relax. Scott Carrier, “Signal-to-Noise.”

W 3.4 Crit Vox Pops
Andrea Seigel, “A Tribe Called Rest” (TAL #491, Act II, Tribes):
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/491/tribes
Laura Starecheski, “Goat on a Cow” (Radiolab, Detective Stories):
www.radiolab.org/story/91518-goat-on-a-cow/
Lulu Miller, “Behind the Goat”
www.radiolab.org/story/224292-behind-goat

W 3.11 Repetition, Arrangement, Omission
Grace Paley, “A Conversation With My Father.” (Glow)
Abumrad & Krulwich, “On Repeat” (Radiolab Act I, Loops):
http://www.radiolab.org/story/161754-repeat/
Abumrad & Krulwich, “A Very Lucky Wind” (Radiolab, Stochasticity):
http://www.radiolab.org/story/91686-a-very-lucky-wind/
Ira Glass, “Radiolab: An Appreciation”
Due: Diagram structure of the Paley story

W 3.18 Scott Carrier
Scott Carrier, “Invisible Girl” (TAL #286, Act II, Mind Games). 12 m.
www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/286/mind-games?act=2
Scott Carrier, “Running After Antelope” (TAL #80, Act I):
www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/80/running-after-antelope
Emily Dugdale, “Closing NARH.” (Glow)
Due: Profile

Spring Break

W 4.8 Sarah Koenig
“Petty Tyrant.” TAL 419
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/419/petty-tyrant
“Blue Kid on the Rock.” TAL 449, Act V:
www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/449/middle-school?act=5
Listen to entire Serial podcast series by today. http://serialpodcast.org/

W 4.15 Sarah Koenig
Crit Acts and Tracks.
www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/oct/10/serial-this-american-life-sarah-koening
http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/videos/8i6klx/sarah-koenig
Paul Laudiero, “Serial - Cold Calls” and “Serial - Recreating the Scene.”
Due: Acts and Tracks

W 4.22 Finish Acts and Tracks Crit.
Sean Cole, “Long Distance” (Radiolab 10:6, Escape):
http://www.radiolab.org/story/187724-long-distance/
Abumrad & Krulwich, “Finding Emilie” (Radiolab, Lost & Found)
http://www.radiolab.org/2011/jan/25/finding-emilie/

W 4.29 Arcs and Surprises
Even the Worst Laid Plans…
Lulu Miller, “Weighing Good Intentions” (Radiolab Act II, Oops):
http://www.radiolab.org/story/91721-oops/
Pat Walters, “Reasonable Doubt” (Radiolab Act III, Are You Sure?):
http://www.radiolab.org/story/278180-reasonable-doubt/
Alejandra Castaneda, “Borders” (Glow)

F 5.1 Final Projects due.
Final projects count for 35% of the term grade. They will be penalized 2%
for each day they are late.

W 5.7 Crit Final Projects
Nick Van der Kolk, Love & Radio “Jack & Ellen”
Additional piece as decided by the class.

F 5.9 Continue Final Projects Crit as needed. Begin crit of Warped Portraits.
Due: Warped Portraits

W 5.14 Our final session will also be open to invited guests.

REQUIRED WORK

Self-Portrait Part 1: Record yourself speaking, nonstop, for 45 minutes, about whatever comes to mind. Record in a silent room where you won’t be interrupted, and listen through headphones as you record yourself. The finished tape should have good presence, and be free from excessive peaking, echo or hiss. Mucky recordings will have to be redone.
Part 2: Edit your recording into a compelling self-portrait, with a recognizable beginning, middle, and end. (90-120 seconds; due on Glow by 10 p.m., February 18.)

Vox Pop (75-120 seconds long, with at least five person-on-the-street interviews; due on Glow by 10 p.m., February 18)

Profile Here’s what you’re going to do: Find the most interesting person you know in
the area who had something happen to them and interview them. Focus on
something very specific event that makes them interesting. Then turn your
interview into a 2:30-3:00 radio story.. Possible locations for subjects include the
bakeries, garages, farms) churches, supermarkets, and so on. Make sure you
record abundant ambient sound from your chosen location. Due on Glow by
10 p.m., March 18.

Acts and Tracks
Talk through a draft of your piece with live spoken narration and select quotations. We’ll start this April 15 and finish the following week.

Final Project Create a new 5-10 minute reported and narrated piece on the subject of your choice, so long as it doesn’t concern Williams College. The completed final project will be due by midnight, May 1.

Warped Portrait
Edit someone else’s raw interview into a similar portrait. (I’ll assign tapes.) The finished piece should be natural and shapely – but should also warp what your subject says. The best edits will reveal something true about your speaker despite your distortions. (90-120 seconds; due on Glow by 10 p.m., May 9.)

Broadcast Each of you will select one or more of your pieces to be broadcast on WCFM sometime toward the end of term.

COURSE NOTES

This course is technology-dependent. Duplicate your files at the end of every session, copying them to your network folder or personal hard drive. And don’t push deadlines, especially before break. If I can’t listen to your work, I can’t grade it.

Test spaces for ambient noise before committing to recording in them, and always wear headphones to monitor your recordings. Remember: garbage in, garbage out. Part of your grade will reflect the technical competence of your work. If a recording is bad, do it over.

Attendance Repeated absences or failure to participate in class will result in my lowering your final grade by up to 15%.

Naming Projects should be submitted via Glow, and should follow a naming protocol as follows: LastName.Assignment Name.DFT (or FNL).

Subjects You must obtain permission (written or on tape) to record anyone who might be identified from your recording. You may not make pieces about Williams College students or staff without my prior approval. If you have any questions about the ethics of a piece, see me in advance to discuss it.

Problems Contact Tamra Hjermstad (thjermstad@williams.edu). Copy me on your emails.