Department of Film & Media Arts
2024-25 Awarded Amount: $10,996
Title: Performance Cinema & Live Streaming
Project Summary
The "Performance Cinema and Live Streaming" course, funded by the 2024-25 Dee Grant in the amount of $10,996, successfully achieved its objectives of introducing students to cutting-edge broadcast technologies while bridging the gap between avant-garde performance cinema and mainstream live streaming. The course enrolled fourteen (14) students during Spring 2025, including thirteen (13) undergraduate students and one (1) graduate student, in addition to one (1) graduate independent study (due to scheduling conflicts with the course dates/times) and culminated in LIVE/WIRED, a public festival showcasing student work on Friday, April 25, 2025, from 7:30-10:00 PM.
Implementation and Course Development
Following the grant award in February 2024, equipment procurement began immediately to ensure all necessary technology would be available for the Spring 2025 semester. The Fall 2024 semester was dedicated to testing equipment and developing workflows that would best serve student learning. The course was offered in SPRING 2025, meeting twice weekly, with students engaging in hands-on instruction and collaborative workshops throughout the semester.
Student Projects and Learning Outcomes
Students formed five (5) production groups throughout the semester, with four (4) groups of undergraduate students and one (1) graduate student working independently. An additional graduate student also participated in LIVE/WIRED via an independent study, since her class schedule conflicted with the course offering. Each group developed original 15-20 minute performance cinema pieces that merged live performance with cinematic elements.
The course achieved its stated learning objectives, with students demonstrating the ability to understand the history and contemporary significance of performance cinema, integrate live performance elements with film and video installations effectively, and design and execute immersive, real-time cinematic experiences for live audiences. Students also developed skills in critically examining the relationship between performer, audience, and digital media while analyzing how performance cinema addresses contemporary shifts in audience engagement.
LIVE/WIRED Festival and Public Impact
The semester culminated in LIVE/WIRED, a festival of student work open to the public that showcased Performance Cinema pieces by both undergraduate and graduate students. The event was well attended by faculty, staff, students, and members of the public. The festival demonstrated significant interdisciplinary collaboration, with students from across campus participating as performers in the works, including students from the School of Dance and students studying fashion design.
This public presentation fulfilled the course's mission of creating work that exists between traditional artistic boundaries and demonstrated how performance cinema leverages the experience economy to create distinctive value for in-person audiences. The integration of students from multiple departments exemplified the interdisciplinary nature outlined in the original grant proposal and showed how the course fostered collaboration across artistic disciplines at the university.
Broader Curriculum Impact
The immediate impact of this program reached an inaugural cohort of fifteen (15) students (thirteen (13) undergraduate, one (1) graduate, one (1) graduate independent study), though enrollment fell slightly short of the projected twenty (20) students. However, the course's influence extends far beyond this initial group. As outlined in the original proposal, insights gleaned from this course will impact how media arts is taught in the Department of Film & Media Arts moving forward. The course is being offered again in FALL 2025, due to the success we had last semester. Additionally, at least another dozen students from across the university performed in the festival.
My hope is that the course will be repeated annually and will continue to grow. The investment in equipment necessary for the course has empowered students to navigate the evolving landscape of film and media arts, preparing them for success as artists in the 21st century by providing them with practical skills that directly align with the priorities of the University in preparing students for success in their future careers.
Assessment of Grant Objectives
This project successfully aligned with the aims of the Dee Grant program by facilitating access to an innovative and impactful educational opportunity that is inherently interdisciplinary in nature. The acquisition of cutting-edge broadcast technologies enhanced teaching by enabling students to be conversant in the language of two completely different and distinct disciplines within the context of a single course. The resources purchased with this grant enhanced both teaching abilities and the educational experience of students by preparing them for the evolving landscape of the 21st-century creative industries.
Conclusion
The Dee Grant's support for "Performance Cinema and Live Streaming" has established a foundation for ongoing innovation in media arts education in the Department of Film & Media Arts at the University of Utah. The successful completion of the course and the positive reception of the LIVE/WIRED festival demonstrate that the investment in equipment and course development has created lasting value for the department and its students. The course will continue to be offered annually, ensuring that future cohorts of students will benefit from this innovative approach to media arts education that bridges the gap between avant-garde artistic practice and contemporary digital platforms.
Budget
- SDI to HDMI 6G Mini Converter (x3): $515.82
- Web Presenter 4K: $583.20
- ATEM SDI Extreme ISO Switcher: $1,291.68
- ATEM Camera Control Panel: $2,657.55
- Studio Camera 6K Pro (x3): $4,311.36
- Pictor Lens Kit: $1,989.01
Total: $11,348.62
Video Documentation
Student work created as part of this course and related independent study work (access requires current University of Utah ID and password):
Nora Lorraine Price, graduate student, Film & Media Arts
https://uofu.box.com/s/yrioqs31qrn5c9ve1k0i70hc0feyw06y
Aneta Parpouli, graduate student, Film & Media Arts
https://uofu.box.com/s/v7tkjm7jbslj6cvzdhccg94vbyq0x0dm
