COMS 4501 digital media production: final projects (winter 2020)
the winter semester of 2020 was unexpectedly cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. coursework continued but in-person classes didn’t. in my COMS 4501 course “digital media practice”, the only thing that remained following the disruption was the final project. the requirements were that it include some form of multi-tracked audio media, a few original photographs, and that it was organized and presented in the form of a website or blogpost. students had full autonomy over the format as well as the topic they’d explore.
it came as no surprise that many students decided to focus on the pandemic. how did the lockdown change their routine? how were they coping? what sort of changes did they observe in their neighbourhoods? in family? friends? these are some of the questions that inspired their work.
the skills we developed throughout the semester gave students a means through which to creatively express how they were working through the difficulty of this moment. by the time the university closed, we had discussed oral histories, storytelling, and the relationship between sound and space (or, the soundscape). we had learned basic editing skills, how to conduct an interview, voice recording, field recording, and how to multitrack. each of these ideas and techniques show up in their final projects and help them communicate their stories.
i’ve developed this blog post to document the work that students produced during (and about) the lockdown. but i’ve also developed it because these students never had the opportunity to present their work to their peers—the final presentations were cancelled. so this is one way of offering them the chance to see what others developed and how they were coping while in isolation.
to say that these assignments were produced in a state of uncertainty and duress would be putting it lightly. so i can’t overstate the tenacity and resilience each of them demonstrated in developing this work, and it was them who inspired me to see the semester through and not the reverse. i’m very fortunate to have taught this group of students, along with all of the others in the class whose final projects didn’t happen to directly respond to the pandemic.
congrats to all of you on doing such an exceptional job!
vincent
the projects
“The Adam Brunelle Experience, Episode 1: Muskoka Fever” is a podcast by Adam Brunelle that explores the tensions surrounding urban and suburbanites making use of their cottages in the time of COVID. through interviews with respondents, Adam represents the conflicting perspectives that comprise this debate.
“Transit of Thought” is a multimedia project by Elani Phillips that explores the pandemic through ottawa’s changing patterns of mobility. using the sounds of empty busses, terminals, and streets, Elani observes slowing of movements’ profound social and economic impacts on the everyday life of city.
“The Big Cut: an adventure in male grooming” is a satirical news story by Jared Hudson in fictional newspaper “The Bridlewood Inquirer”. Jared’s audio media news report documents an in-home haircut, something not everyone’s been daring enough to attempt while in isolation.
“Ravens Dance Pak 2019-2020” is a multimedia account of Carleton University’s competitive dance team by co-captain Jasmine Lim Tung. Jasmine’s podcast retells the story of how the team managed to save the season despite the pandemic.
“Still Earth” is a monologue by Junique Gooden, who finds poetry in the calm of her neighbourhood spaces during the lockdown. Junique offers a powerful vocal performance that’s brought to life by the sounds of her surrounding environment.
“The Power of Habit During a Pandemic” is a medium.com blog post + radio short by Kathleen Collins that explores the themes of ritual and routine. Through a series of interviews, Kathleen unearths some of the many ways that individuals are coping with the lockdown.
“Create at Home” by Kerbens Boisette is a multimedia project that responds to the #createathome initiative launched by an ottawa-based photographer. Kerbens uses his blog to showcase some of his own photography and echoes the hashtag’s call to create new media while in isolation.
“The Isolation Museum” by Kit Chokly is a crowd-sourced collection of material artifacts and captured moments during the lockdown. Kit’s project has garnered coverage on the CBC and since its launch has received contributions from all over the world (!!!).
“A Day in the Life: social distancing edition” by Mackenzie Braithwaite is an audio doc that finds new meaning in some of the small things we took for granted before isolation. Morning coffees and afternoon walks are some of the strategies Mackenzie used to cope with the lockdown.
“Meaghan’s COVID-19 Breakdown” is a multimedia project by Meaghan Daher that uses photos, video, and a newscast-inspired radio show to discuss COVID-19. Meaghan offers an overview of governmental measures while speaking to what these measures mean for her as a student and as someone who works in the restaurant industry.
“Thoughts During Quarantine” is a thoughtful reflection by Xiyue Zhang on how everyday life changed following the onset of the lockdown. using interviews with other students, Xiyue communicates some of the difficulties the Chinese community now faces here in Canada and elsewhere in the world on account of pandemic-related discrimination.
“Quarantine Feelings” by Renee Dancause is an audio diary that communicates Renee’s many mixed feelings as she learned to cope with the lockdown. the diary has 5 entries: 1. unmotivated, 2. overwhelmed, 3. alienated, 4. acceptance, 5. joy. because Renee’s website wasn’t compliant throughout much of the process, i’ve included each entry here in this post.
