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Graphic Narratives

Columbia GSAPP How do we tell, and how do we read, stories? how thinking about narrative informs the
Fall 2018 The answer to those questions elucidate design process.
essential aspects of narrative, the way The class is a hybrid of a workshop and
Michael Rock parts can stand for wholes, the distinction a seminar. In the first half of the semester
Whitney Dow between mood and plot, the difference there is a very straightforward visual
between things that happen in sequence project every week that will be critiqued and
and things that happen simultaneously, discussed in class. These short assignments
R E Q U IREMENT S
and the way details reveal truths. We will are designed to investigate a single facet of
— Attendance is investigate those issues through careful making narratives.
mandatory. 3 reading and watching, but most importantly, At the same time, there are weekly
absences will result in by making. readings and viewings that support the
a failing grade. We come to this material from two work in class. Each student will be
distinct points of view: Michael is a designer responsible to make a presentation
— 3 unexcused tardies
will count as an and Whitney a documentary filmmaker. on several of the additional materials
absence Graphic Narratives is closely linked to our throughout the semester.
own work dealing with the relationship In the second half of the semester we
— Always follow the between form and meaning. We have both will concentrate on a multi-week project that
provided format been engaged in the way that ideas are uses your own work, or your own interests,
guidelines
broadcast through things like films, books, as a subject. You will develop a short film or
— Access to and basic magazines, posters, diagrams, collages, AV presentation that both describes your
knowledge of simple videos, websites, and so on. process and reveals your project using the
video editing tools Michael has been exploring the way techniques developed in together in class.
the graphic and the architectural inform Our intention is that Graphic Narratives
— Smartphone with
one another. In addition he is engaged with is an extremely practical class – the
camera and video
function the question of how architecture reveals tools you acquire should be immediately
itself both as a process and as a spatial applicable to problems of presentation
experience. Whitney’s work explores the and documentation of your work.
relationship between representation and Simultaneously, we hope that through
truth, and how process drives form and practicality we can investigate the structure
meaning. of narrative itself in precise and profound
So in this class we aim to look at ways that will influence the way you think
multiple aspects of narrative: how we tell about making design. – WD, MR
the story of an architectural project, and
 ASSIGNMENT READING VIEWING

1 9/6 MW Intro to the Structure of Narrative Goodman, Twisted Tales In class

2 9/13 MW Making Meaning Discuss: Brooks, Chapter 1 Discuss: Nolan, Memento (2000)
Present: Project A (section I + II)

3 9/2 0 M Diagram and Time Discuss: McCloud, Chapters 3 + 4 Discuss: Linklater, Slacker (1991)
Present: Project B Read: Mullican, Essex Watch: Wood, Still Life (2001)

4 9/27 W How to. Discuss: Le Guin, It Was a Dark Discuss: Figgis, Timecode (2000)
Present: Project C and Stormy Night

5 10 /4 M Synchronic/Diachronic Discuss: Eisenstein, Beyond the Discuss: Vertov, Man with a Movie
Present: Project D Shot, Pages 15–25 Camera (1921)

6 10 /11 M W Compression/Expansion Discuss: de Botton, Chapter 3 Discuss: Morris, The Thin Blue Line
Present: Project E Read: Barrow, Picture Discuss: Calle, Contact vol. 2

7 10 /18 M W Space v. Time Discuss: Coover, The Babysitter Discuss: High Rise (Out my
Present: Project F Read: Perec, The Apartment Window), Bear 71, Pine Point

8 10 /25 Pitch Document Discuss: McCloud, Chapters 6 +7 Discuss: 3 short films

9 11/1 W Tone of Voice Discuss: Queneau, Exercises Discuss: Haynes, I’m Not There
Present: Project G2 Read: Murch, 1-72 (2007)

10 11/8 Storyboard Discuss: Malcolm, 41 False Starts Discuss: Varda, Beaches of Agnes
M Present: Project G3 Read: Sijll: Cinematic Storytelling (2008)

11 11/15 W Rough Edit Discuss: BIG, Yes is More Discuss: Von Treir, The Five
Present: Project G4 WIP OMA, Content Obstructions (2003)

11/22 M W THANKSGIVING

12 11/29 M W Desk Crits

13 12/6 MW Desk Crits

14 12/13 M W FINAL REVIEW

Class Presentations Who is the author (or creator) and what After your presentation you will be
is their significance? expected to lead a discussion anchored
Each student is required to give a in three specific questions or ideas the
minimum two presentations: one each What are the themes and ideas raised by the work.
on a reading and a film. (Sign up on explored?
Courseworks.) Presentation and question period should
How does the form support the
be no longer than 20 minutes.
conceptual ideas explored?
Presentations should be supported by
at least 10 slides, clips, or excerpts and What is the argument?
explore some, or all, of the following
questions: How does the work relate to the broader
body of work of the creator?

Is the work successful? Why or why not?

How does the work connect to the

PROJECTS
Robert Altman, Short Roland Barthes, An
Cuts (1993) Introduction to the
A G Structural Analysis of
Bring in five objects from your daily The next set of projects will Matthew Bate, Mystery Narrative (pp. 237–272)
life that when taken as a group tell continue to focus on your studio of the Flying Kicks
a story. this semester. The intention is to (2010) BIG, Yes Is More:
tell a story of the studio that may or An Archicomic on
B may not include the project you are Alan Berliner, The Architectural Evolution
Make a narrative diagram that developing. Think of it as a kind of Sweetest Sound (2001)
charts the trajectory of your time at documentary that could investigate Alain de Botton, How
Columbia. Consider how multiple the assignment, your professor, Sophie Calle, Proust Can Change
stories can be mapped onto the classmates, travel, and/or your Contacts vol 2 (2011) Your Life (Chapter 3)
same space. Pay attention to how internal state. There are several
you measure, expand, and compress aspects you could focus on: the Katerina Cizek, Highrise Peter Brooks, Reading
time. Size: 17 x 22” studio environment, the interactions (out my window) (2010) for the Plot: Design and
with your classmates, critiques or Intention in Narrative,
C interaction with your teacher, the Mark Columbus, Battle (Chapter 1)
Using a both words and pictures process you followed to develop of the Jazz Guitarists
create an instruction slide show your project, a presentation of the (2013) Robert Coover, The
that explains how to accomplish a project itself, etc. Babysitter
process essential to your work in Ross McElwee,
studio. PDF in landscape format G-1 Sheman’s March (1985) Sergie Eisenstein,
Create a proposal document (8 Beyond the Shot, Pages
D pages max) that describes your Mike Figgis, Timecode (pp. 15–25)
Using the front page of the print final project that includes your (2000)
edition of the New York Times over-arching concept (the story Le Guin, It Was a Dark
transform it from a single page you intend to tell), approach (how Tod Haynes, I’m Not and Stormy Night
format to a multiple page booklet in you will tell it), technique (methods There (2007)
a way that uses design to interprets for creating material), structure Nelson Goodman,
the news of the day. The booklet (how the parts fit together), and Richard Linklater, Twisted Tales
must use only (and all) the elements anticipated effect (what impression Slacker (1991)
of the front page. You may include are you trying to make.) Janet Malcolm, Forty-
either black or white pages as Kevin B. Lee, One False Starts
needed. Booklet should be 8 x 10” G-2 Transformers the
portrait format, exactly 24 pages Describe your project (not the Premake (2014) Scott McCloud,
including the cover. studio) in one ‘tweet’ —140 Understanding Comics;
characters — calling out the single Jeremy Mendes et al., The Invisible Art,
E most important point about the Bear 71 (2012) (Chapters 3,4,6,7)
Using simple video editing tools and project. Make 4 more versions trying
your smart phone, create an exactly different voices. Expand the tweet in Errol Morris, The Thin Walter Murch, In the
one minute film that represents a a short narrative of five sentences. Blue Line (1988) Blink of an Eye (pp.
single activity in studio. Consider Rewrite the five sentence narrative 1–72)
how you compress time to tell your in 2 other different voices. Christopher Nolan,
story.Quicktime movie in 1920x1080 Memento (2000) Bill Nichols: The Voice
landscape format. G-3 of the Documentary, (pp
Develop a storyboard/sketch/ Paul Shoebridge, Pine 48–63)
F workplan for your project that Point (2011)
Create an exactly 90 second video organizes all the various materials OMA, Content
portrait of the site for your studio you could bring to bear for the final Agnes Varda, Beaches
project. The site could be shot narrative. Include script elements, of Agnes (2008) Georges Perec,
if it is accessible, or it could be animations, sound references, etc. Species of Spaces
recreated from found footage. The Dziga Vertov, Man with a and Other Pieces (The
video should have a clear trajectory, G-4 Movie Camera (1921) Apartment)
starting, and ending. You may Make a film or scripted slide
use one shot in which the camera presentation that tells the story of Lars Von Treir, The Five Raymond Queneau,
moves, all the rest should be lock- your semester of no less than 3 and Obstructions (2003) Exercises in Style
offs (fixed frames). no more than 5 minutes total.
Quicktime movie in 1920x1080 Sam Taylor Wood, Still Jennifer Van Sijll,
landscape format. Life (2001) Cinematic Storytelling