Foundation in Digital Media & Design 2

University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT

Spring 2025 - 2026

Taught a required first-year Foundation course in creative media, covering narrative design, photography, photo editing, and video production. Also introduced the fundamentals of animation and practical sound recording techniques.

This course introduces the fundamentals of storytelling through multimedia. Students will work both individually and collaboratively to identify and produce digital media products that communicate stories to a predetermined audience. Students will also explore different tools and approaches necessary to produce engaging stories through various digital methods. Students will be allowed to become familiar with narrative and non-narrative structures, storyboarding, project management, video, audio, sound, and distribution platforms.

Module 01 : Interactive Story

A written interactive story based on a chosen painting by Edward Hopper. Students create a story that has at least 3 distinct endings using Twine.

Purpose

To introduce students to the fundamentals of storytelling, interactivity, and non-linear narratives.

Students practice the following skills that are essential to their development as storytellers. These skills can be applied across all disciplines of digital media.

Previsualization skills
Introductory writing and storytelling skills
Creating a story arc with a beginning, middle, and end
Translating a core emotional idea into narratives.

Student's Work

Module 02 : Story Through Stills

Students create a story told through 5-10 still photos. Photography only, no sound or time-based elements.

Purpose

To introduce students to the fundamentals of storytelling through imagery.

The purpose of this assignment is to help them practice the following skills that are essential to their development as a visual storyteller. These skills can be applied across all disciplines of digital media.

Previsualization skills
Creating a story arc with a beginning, middle, and end
Translating an idea into visual imagery
Learn to shoot images adhering to design principles – rule of thirds, visual aesthetics, etc.
Become comfortable taking pictures using manual exposure (ISO, shutter speed, aperture) and depth of field.

Student's Work

Module 03 : Story Through Audio

Students create a story told entirely through audio, without accompanying visual elements.

Purpose

To introduce students to the fundamentals of audio recording and storytelling through sound.

The purpose of this assignment is to help students practice the following skills, essential to utilizing sound in their storytelling.

Previsualization skills in how audio can impact your media
Creating a story arc with a beginning, middle, and end
Translating an idea into auditory media
Learn to record sound, adhering to standard practices - paying attention to pitch, tonal quality, background noise, room tone, peaking sound, etc.
Become comfortable recording audio to be clear and correctly leveled, and editing it together into a cohesive whole.

Student's Work

Module 04 : Story Through Animations

Students create a story told through a 10-30 second animation. This animation should also incorporate some foley/sound effects. Students work in teams.

Purpose

To introduce students to the fundamentals of storytelling through animation.

The purpose of this assignment is to help them practice the following skills that are essential to their development as a visual storyteller.

Previsualization skills
Creating a story arc with a beginning, middle, and end
Translating an idea into motion-based visualization using objects/drawings
Learn to apply basic animation principles such as staging, anticipation, timing, etc.
Develop familiarity with stop motion/flipbook animation apps & techniques

Student's Work

Module 05 : Story Through Video

Students' final project for this class is a short video project in the genre of their choice.
They use the digital media techniques they learned throughout the semester to develop their story, pre-visualize it, shoot video & record audio, edit, apply FX, mix, etc, for their final output.

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to help you practice the following skills that are essential to your development as a visual storyteller. These skills can be applied across all disciplines of digital media:

Development of a long-form project over multiple weeks
Previsualization
Creating a story arc with a beginning, middle & end
Translating an idea into motion-based visualization using digital video
Learning to apply basic video editing skills in practice.
Develop familiarity with film-making techniques such as practical camera work, standard practices on set, exposure, time-based media, audio sync, and basic editing skills.
Learning the basic workflow of film, including teamwork.