Interactive Media Development

Graphic Design Fundamentals will focus on the basics of shape, colour, typography, composition and design principles to create graphic design projects such as logos, typographic designs, magazine layouts, and interactive PDFs. Students will acquire the skills and knowledge to create introductory level graphic projects using Adobe Illustrator and InDesign, as well as a sketchbook as an integrated part of the design process.

3D Modelling and Texturing are the building blocks of 3D animation, game development, and other interactive media development work such as virtual and augmented reality, and emerging 3D web technologies. Understanding how to create industry strength geometry and models with UV texture maps and materials will establish a strong foundation for the success of any 3D project. These skills can open exciting opportunities in film and television, visual effects, game development, online education and training, e-commerce, and other convergent fields such as architectural visualization as well as engineering design and manufacturing. A thorough understanding of 3D design concepts and the capabilities of 3D modelling and texturing technologies, along with the ability to apply them to meet the specific needs of various projects, will serve Interactive Media graduates across a wide range of interesting career pathways and may differentiate them from others in the workplace.

Students in this course will gain the fundamental knowledge and skills required to complete high quality audio/video projects, through pre-production planning and audio and video capture, to post-production work and video distribution. Students will become proficient with the use of cameras, microphones and other recording equipment, as well as industry standard editing software to create effective, well composed video content and clean, high quality audio. This course will blend theory with a hands-on approach. Through various exercises, assignments and exams, students will develop a good understanding and appreciation of what it takes to produce professional digital media content, and they will gain the skills to create and deploy their work for current digital content and social media platforms to meet employer and client needs.

Students will create original, visually appealing websites, following current web development practices and sound design principles. Starting with a solid foundation in creating and structuring basic HTML web pages, students will then learn the basics of contemporary web design techniques using CSS, and user interactions using JavaScript. Topics such as website planning, content creation, accessibility and user experience will also be introduced and evaluated. Throughout the course, there will be a focus on current trends and emerging technologies and solutions in the web industry. This course is designed to build a foundation for the more advanced web design and development courses in the Interactive Media Program.

This course introduces students to the basics of digital photography. Students will learn the most important camera controls, so that they may utilize them effectively during the creative process. Students will explore the elements of basic composition, with an emphasis placed on capturing high quality images. This course also provides students with the fundamentals of digital image manipulation along with basic digital workflow management skills.

In this course, students will be introduced to academic writing styles with a thematic focus on current issues. This course will help students to express themselves clearly and correctly in written form. Students will critically analyse assigned readings and express their thoughts. The course will also focus on the development of an academic paper utilizing the APA style of documentation.

User Experience Design (or UX) concepts and strategies are fundamental to the creation of interactive media projects, and essential for their success. No matter what career paths IMD students focus on, from visual design to coding and development to digital content creation, UX will play a very important role in their professional lives. In this course, students will be introduced to innovative, creative design strategies rooted in empathy and compassion for end users, and they will learn to employ effective Human Centered Design methodologies through discussions, collaborative exercises, and group assignments. This course will provide foundational knowledge and skills that will be applied in other courses throughout the IMD program.

In this course, students will strengthen the fundamental design principles learned in IM112, as well as extend those principles into the realm of illustration and animation. Using industry-standard software, students will discover how to bring illustrations to life as they create and animate emotive characters and engaging environments. Students will also continue to strengthen their creative capacity through themed exercises and critiques.

Students will continue to practice the fundamentals of 3D modelling and texturing as they bring their creations to life with motion. Animation requires an understanding of film making traditions and camera techniques, so many of the video production and photography skills gained in first semester will be reinforced here. Assets created for this course will be used in a 3D game engine so that students may begin to explore how their work can be integrated into exciting, real-time interactive experiences.

In this course, students will build on the knowledge gained during the first semester in IM114 Audio/Video Production. Students will hone their skills producing audio/video content in the correct formats for current video platforms using industry standard techniques, software and equipment. Through various assignments and exercises, the students will continue to develop more professional techniques and methods to create high quality digital content that can be used for a variety of interactive media projects.

Building on the foundations of IM115 - Web Design & Development Fundamentals, students will learn how to the use CSS and JavaScript to create engaging user interactions and elegant user interfaces. Students will be introduced to industry-standard design and development workflows, including the use of JavaScript libraries and CSS frameworks for rapid, responsive website development. The basics of web hosting and domain management are also covered, during which students receive their own domain and site hosting.

This course teaches students to build off the fundamentals learned in IM116 and begin to use the camera as a means of artistic communication and expression. The course concentrates on intermediate techniques in studio lighting, composition, portraiture, and creative thinking. Through a series of assigned themes and in-class assignments, students will investigate and create still images to strengthen their portfolio.

This course concentrates on Web communications, with a strong focus on researching, writing, editing and managing content on the Web. Students will develop a Web-savvy writing style with a focus on clarity and concision, by writing blogs, landing pages and social media post. Students will utilize the inverted pyramid model to prepare written content. They will also generate a creative brief. Students will prepare a formal written client proposal and present it to the class in an oral presentation. The course will also enable students to post their work in an interactive environment, with a blend of text, video and linkable content.

Students will explore the fundamentals of interactive design and development through creative coding exercises and assignments, creating intuitive and engaging experiences for a variety of potential uses. Whether it’s for gaming and entertainment, visual arts, e-learning, or web-based marketing content, creative coding skills are vital to all areas of the interactive media industry. This course will start with coding fundamentals and incorporate them with UX interactive design concepts throughout the course. Students will learn to use industry standard tools and technologies, with a focus on 2D web-based solutions using HTML5 canvas and WebGL with vanilla JavaScript and JavaScript libraries for visualization and interactivity, as well as sound, motion design, and asset management.

In this course, students will gain a thorough understanding of user interface design based on user-centred design principles and heuristics. Building on the basics learned in the first year, students will be introduced to principles, patterns, and best practices for creating engaging user interfaces and experiences for websites and mobile applications in a variety of screen sizes. Assignments will follow an iterative approach, beginning with research and documentation that includes market and design trends and end-user research. This is followed by wireframing, interface design mock-ups, critique, and final compositions. By the end of the course, students will have developed the skills necessary to design visually appealing and fully-functional user interface prototypes for a variety of applications and users.

Experience working with Real-Time 3D Game Engines, such as Unreal and Unity, is now more valuable than ever for a growing number of industry applications. Beyond video game development, interactive 3D design and development skills are growing in importance for many fields, from architecture and engineering, to medical care, education and film production, as well as marketing and e-commerce. This is being driven by rapid growth in the graphics capabilities of computers, devices and 3D software, as well as the emergence of immersive 3D platforms for virtual reality and augmented reality. Employers and clients in the interactive media industry are unlocking the potential of these real-time 3D tools to entertain, educate and improve lives. Throughout the semester, students will explore methods for creating game-like experiences for a variety of career options that involve the use of 3D game engines. Modelling, texturing and animation skills gained in previous semesters will be strengthened as you learn to generate 3D assets for these engines and implement them effectively for interactive platforms. With the introduction of real-time ray tracing, global illumination and hyper-realistic visuals, there has never been a more exciting time to explore this topic!

In this course, students will explore motion graphics using industry standard editing, sound, motion and compositing applications. Using video clips and still imagery, along with audio, students will create exciting motion video sequences and then output the complete compositions to various formats and resolutions. Students will create and render animated text and graphical elements that include sound for added impact. The creation of special effect compositions will also be studied and executed by the students.

In this advanced photography course, students will explore a range of cutting-edge techniques and tools to capture and enhance images specifically for interactive media platforms, while broadening their camera and lighting skills acquired in the first year. Students will be encouraged to focus on areas of photography that interest them the most, such as commercial, portraiture, and nature photography, empowering them to develop and refine their own unique style while mastering a professional workflow.

The Interactive Media Development program is focused on training creative professionals for a variety of dynamic fields where existing technologies are continually evolving and new technologies are emerging. This course is designed to help students research and analyze new interactive media solutions, as well as to provide a thorough introduction to specific emerging technologies that may impact their future careers and create new job opportunities after graduation. Having this course in the IMD program allows students to explore technologies that might not easily fit into other program threads and gives them the opportunity to bring a wider variety of innovative solutions to group projects in fourth and fifth semesters. Students will be required to research emerging technologies and evaluate their potential impact on interactive media work, and they will gain hands-on experience working with such technologies as virtual and augmented reality, physical computing and 3D printing, and artificial intelligence and machine learning. This course will not only help students to be more prepared for technological change in their chosen professions, but it may also open doors to exciting new career pathways.

Building on web development fundamentals, students will be introduced to advanced topics and the most current practices in web development including the Node.js development environment, JAM stack website deployment, JavaScript framework-based web applications, Progressive Web Applications, and cross-platform mobile application development. With a continued emphasis on best practices, modern workflows, security and performance, students will explore the techniques for creating rich, dynamic and user-centered digital applications.

Building on interactive design and development fundamentals from previous semesters, students will work individually and in collaborative groups to create immersive interactive experiences. This course will place a strong emphasis on research and collaboration, as well as creative play and experimentation. We will explore current and emerging interactive technologies such as 360 Video, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. Students will draw on the knowledge and skills and problem solving methodologies developed through research assignments and in-class activities to complete immersive, interactive projects through planning and development phases.

In this fourth-year Interactive Media course, students will build on the graphic design fundamentals and interface design skills developed in previous semesters to plan, produce and present a range of design solutions for multifaceted marketing and public education campaigns. Through these campaigns, students will become versed in producing design solutions across a range of print, outdoor, merchandise, and interactive media, while building a sensitivity for designing within the constraints of brand identity guidelines. A particular emphasis will be placed on design research and peer-led critique in order to create a variety of designs that convey meaningful information effectively to specific target audiences.

In this course, students will create an interactive 3D project based on the use of a game engine application. Timely execution of a project, both independently and as part of a team, is critical to its successful completion. Planning, time management and production quality will be stressed throughout the course. Assignments for this course will be built upon, culminating with the delivery of a finished 3D interactive experience for the targeted platform.

In this course, students will continue to develop their UX design and creative coding skills, while building on emerging interactive technology topics such as physical computing and 3D printing, to create engaging user experiences that go beyond keyboards, mice, and computer monitors. The course will include small, experimental lab exercises, and work towards larger more complex interactive installations that follow human centred design (HCD) methodologies through clearly defined project phases, in a collaborative, team environment. Hardware and software skills will be combined with material design work to create experiences for end users in real-world physical environments. With a basic understanding of electricity and electronics, students will learn to capture a variety of sensory user inputs, such as motion, distance, touch, temperature, sound, and light, as well as physical buttons, switches, and dials. This input data will then be used in programs written for microcontrollers to control output components such as lights, motors, servos, speakers, and display screens. There will also be a focus on producing polished physical installation materials from 2D and 3D printing, laser cutting and more. Whether for educational, entertainment, or other commercial purposes, or purely for artistic expression, this skill set will provide interesting new options for future projects and career pathways.

Successful creative professionals need more than a strong portfolio; they need to be able to find ideal work, manage projects, work collaboratively with their team-mates as well as with clients. This course helps IMD students build practical skills in self-promotion, job search and interviewing, presenting work, team dynamics, client management and other essential soft skills in preparation for placement and a thriving and fulfilling career as a creative professional.

In this course, students will learn how to create dynamic and user-friendly websites using popular Content Management Systems (CMSs) and e-commerce solutions such as WordPress, Squarespace, and Shopify. The course will cover CMS theme development, advanced workflow planning, and user research and content strategy based on the Human Centered Design (HCD) methodology. Students will also gain knowledge on managing ecommerce websites, including product management, conversion, and fulfillment. By the end of the course, students will possess the skills to build, deploy, and manage complex websites and online stores that meet various business and user requirements.

Having a professional, focused, and coordinated online presence is an essential first step into a successful career in the field of interactive media. In this course, students will draw on the skills and tools learned throughout the IMD program to design and develop a professional portfolio website, demo reel, and a strategic social media presence tailored to their professional aspirations as well as their unique personal character. One of the highlights of the course is to be coached in presenting their portfolios by a panel of industry professionals, providing essential insight in preparation for placement interviews. Students will emerge from this course with not only a polished portfolio but also the confidence and skills needed to thrive in the dynamic field of interactive media.

In this course, students will be provided with the opportunity pursue their individual areas of interest while collaborating on multifaceted interactive media projects such as websites, web applications, mobile applications, video games, virtual reality experiences, or interactive installations. They will be expected to create planning documentation, pitch their project ideas, give regular production updates, participate in group critique, and present their final work. The project management approach for these projects will borrow from Agile principles, with a focus on iterative design and innovation, along with effective collaboration and continuous productivity. Students will be challenged to create user experiences that will both engage and delight their end users, while prioritizing their own professional development and the commercial applications for the designs and technical solutions they create.

This course focuses on the implementation of real-world, community based, interactive media projects. Students will apply their accumulated knowledge and skills to plan, design, and implement a multiphase project with a local non-profit group or organization. Building on fundamentals of IM417, this course will provide practical experience in project planning and management, time tracking, team collaboration, coordination and delegation, and client communication skills. Major outcomes of this course include portfolio-ready work demonstrating a range of interactive media skills acquired throughout the IMD program, as well as professional development skills, networking experience, and higher-level experience working with real world clients.

In this course, students will be introduced to the business side of interactive media. Important issues facing interactive media professionals such as intellectual property rights, contractual agreements, and professional ethics and standards of practice will be explored. Students will also be given a practical introduction to the fundamentals of working as an interactive professional, including basic business planning and management, sales and marketing, bookkeeping, project planning and management, and client engagement. By the end of the course, students will have a solid foundation for a stable and profitable career in interactive media, whether they choose to work as an employee, a freelancer, or to start an interactive media business of their own.

Over 14 weeks, students will work full time hours with a business or organization in the Interactive Media industry. Students will be expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and function as a productive team member. There will be a focus on finding local placements, although out of province or international opportunities may also be explored. Online journal entries and final reports will be required of students. Employers will provide mentorship and feedback to ensure quality learning outcomes.