More info:

Grading

30% final project

30% collaboration, based on assessment of your notes on others’ work

20% class participation and demonstrated familiarity with the assigned reading

20% smaller assignments

I grade based on where you start and where you end. Don’t work on me for a better grade—work on your work and making the work of those around you better. Show industriousness and seriousness and produce surpassing work if you want an exceptional grade.

Personal Standards

Don’t raise your hand in class. This isn’t Montessori, I expect people to speak up when they like, but don’t speak over anyone. Respect the opinions of others.

This is an intense, once-a-week immersion on the waterfront of modern media-making. If you don’t show up for class, you will flounder. If you show up late or unprepared, you will stick out in unpleasant ways. If you aren’t putting effort into your work, I will suggest that you might be more comfortable elsewhere.

If you text or email during class, I will ignore you as you ignore me. It won’t go well.

I expect you to behave as an adult and will treat you like one. I don’t want to parent you—I want to teach you.

Excuses: Don’t make them — they won’t work. Stories are supposed to be on the page, and while a spoken-word performance might explain everything, it will excuse nothing. The assignments for each week are due by start of class without exception unless specific arrangements have made based on an exceptional circumstance.

If you truly have a personal or family emergency, your welfare comes first. But nothing short of that will have any traction with me.

If you are having trouble understanding expectations or assignments or instruction, please speak up. I care a lot about not leaving anybody behind.

Academic Standards

This is a web-based course. We will transparently link to all sources. Failure to appropriately cite the work of others is a serious matter. Work done for Press Play may not be submitted for another class, and the reverse is also true. Do not use friends or Wikipedia as sources. All other BU academic standards and the University Code of Conduct will be observed and enforced.

Readings

Weekly assignments as noted in the outline. The assigned reading for each week must be completed before that class.

Before we begin the semester, do read:

“The Case for Reparations” by Ta-Nehisi Coates for The Atlantic

“The Empathy Exams” and “Fog Count” by Leslie Jamison (I highly recommend her whole book, btw, but it is not assigned as such.)

“The Wrestler” by David Carr for Medium