Multimedia Creation

The period of study is determined for individual types of study programs in accordance with §45 - §47 of the University Act and with the internal regulations of JAMU. The standard period of bachelor's studies in the Multimedia Creation program is set at 4 years after several years of experience. This length corresponds to the goals and content of the study, the resulting study load and the gain of the required knowledge, skills and competencies of the graduate. The program is unique in that it uses experts and the location of the faculties of the three Brno universities. The students of Department of Composition, Conducting and Opera Directing of the Faculty of Music cooperates with experts in the field of video and multimedia and also with theorists of FaVU BUT and with pedagogues and researchers of Theory of Interactive Media (TIM) ÚHV FF MU. In its structure, this bachelor's program tries to accommodate the widest possible range of multimedia and is thus much more extensive than is common in other specializations. It was therefore conceived from the beginning as a four-year study. Unfortunately, the last Accreditation Commission reduced the original plan to 3 years by its decision. Till this day, therefore, we face the problems of the extreme study load of students and much less space for their own practical work, which is essential for study outcomes in the form of students artistic projects. During this necessary transition from the original bachelor's field of Multimedia Composition to the study program Multimedia Creation, we have prepared documents for accreditation in the original scope of 4 years of study, taking into account all valuable previous experience in teaching organization and directing graduates to expected professional practice and employability.

Four years of bachelor's studies are standard in the offer of art study programs of other schools and faculties. The bachelor's study program, which is focused on the musical context and content comparable to the presented program Multimedia Creation is, but unique in the Czech Republic.

After successfully completing his/her studies the graduate is able to:

• has a basic overview of the principles, methods and history of the specialisation field in its variability and richness of multimedia forms of artistic production and in a wider range of their possibilities of expression;
• has a sufficient degree of skills in the field, including mastering the basic range of creative processes and compositional techniques of the 20th century and the ability to understand or apply knowledge of science and development in a new media;
• has knowledge about changes in social processes, art history and the development of artistic trends;
• has a good knowledge of Czech and one foreign language, including orientation especially in music, art, theater and film terminology;
• has the necessary insight into the field of pedagogical work: methodology, didactics of arts and psychology for basic art education;
• has practical experience gained by working on faculty or school-wide projects (solo projects, chamber and orchestral projects often with international participation) or by experience gained studying abroad;
• has practical organizational experience gained by working on school projects, productions in the school studios and music and drama theatre/laboratory, and at international festivals.

A graduate of the bachelor's study program Multimedia Creation can be employed in the following characteristic professions:

- author of multimedia art works

- author of the websites

- author the art work in the field of audiovisual production

- composer of contemporary or stage music, music for computer games and other experimental art forms

- pedagogue at basic and middle cycle of art education (basic art school, gymnasium, high school or conservatory, other secondary vocational school) in various subjects (multimedia production, multimedia theory and music composition, history of art and music, audiovisual production, etc.)

- technologist of new media for projects production in a public space, of an art agency or ensemble

- organizer or dramaturg of a multimedia art festival

- secretary of an artistic ensemble, assistant director of a theater or cultural and non-profit institution

- initiator of own agency activities.

The ECTS system is used to create the study plans. A teaching unit is 45 minutes and regular courses are usually taught in two teaching units, i.e. 90 minutes. The study plan consists of compulsory, elective and optional courses and of compulsory artistic study outputs. The study system is designed so that a total of at least 240 credits is achieved in the 4 years of studies. The draft study plan is created so that a student can acquire 30 credits per semester as a standard from the courses (60 credits for one year of studies) with a minimum requirement of 15 credits per semester to progress to the next part of the studies. The study programme Multimedia Creation is guaranteed by the Composition, Conducting and Opera Direction Department at the Faculty of Music JAMU. Teaching is comprehensively designed to combine individual in-person teaching, training, instruction and project-based education; the students directly acquire skills and professional habits, verify their skills and theoretical knowledge and realise original projects, works or performances, practical exercises, work with text, lectures, as well as self-study and other forms of education.

Compulsory courses include:

– courses creating the basic profile of the study programme Multimedia Creation in the Field of Musical Arts of the bachelor’s degree studies at the Faculty of Music JAMU;

– courses forming the theoretical basis selected from the common for all students of the author-oriented fields of the Composition, Conducting and Opera Direction Department and from the offer of the Department of Musicology and Humanities for study programmes of the whole Faculty of Music and specialised courses from the partner faculties of other Brno universities on the basis of a long-term memorandum of openness and cooperation (Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University and Faculty of Fine Arts, Brno University of Technology);

– the profiling courses are set up to lead to a successful graduation, which consist of the following:

– a state final examination examining in particular the knowledge acquired from courses dealing with the history of music and fine arts, the theory of multimedia creation and composition theory;

– a defence of a bachelor’s thesis in the form of a professional essay of at least 20 standard pages of text without appendices;

– a public performance and defence of the graduation multimedia performance / work (project, composition, public art, etc.).

The set of compulsory courses is designed so that the final sum of credits for the whole period of studies is higher than 120.

The profiling basis is further expanded through elective courses, which include an expanding set of courses that develop and complement the content of compulsory courses in order to increase the necessary specialised skills. Students can choose to include them in their study plans for a particular year based on their needs and capacities. Their offer is designed so that the final sum of credits for the whole period of studies is higher than 180, together with the compulsory courses.

Optional courses complement the knowledge and skills of compulsory and elective courses and provide an opportunity to further develop these through related courses. The courses must be chosen so that the final sum of credits awarded for compulsory, elective and optional courses exceeds the required 240 credits for the entire studies.

The set of optional courses is also supplemented by courses from other programmes of the Faculty of Music JAMU and partner faculties – Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University and Faculty of Fine Arts, Brno University of Technology.

The bachelor’s degree State Final Examination in the study programme Multimedia Creation consists of the following parts:

– a public performance and defence of the graduation multimedia performance / work;

– submission and defence of a bachelor’s thesis in the form of a professional essay of at least 20 standard pages of professional text without appendices;

– an examination from: History of Music and Fine Arts, Theory of Multimedia Creation and Theory of Composition.

The bachelor’s degree graduation performance consists of the implementation of an interdisciplinary composition, usually in the form of a comprehensive and informative musical-visual installation, interactive environment, concert, film or theatre performance, etc. The technical and artistic quality of all components shall be significantly elaborated and follow current artistic trends. The student shall consult all parameters of the work with the supervisor of the graduation performance, or with another professional consultant or technologist. Consultations are focused on the components of music, art, movement, stage, technology, etc. The graduation performance can take place in the Chamber Hall of Faculty of Music, in the corridors of the Faculty of Music building, in the Theatre on Orlí Street rehearsal rooms or in other suitable premises.). The length is set at a minimum of 15 minutes, for which it is necessary to the attention of the audience.

Through the graduation performance, the student shall demonstrate the following competence:

– basic skills in the creation of autonomous works of contemporary art in various forms using adequate means of expression;

– advanced skills in applying different styles of contemporary art in the 20th century within their own concepts;

– the ability to implement projects at the national level, using various technological procedures in the field of multimedia creation of a complex work, applicable in the professional production of current artistic operations;

– the ability to cooperate in the field of utility in creative industry, the ability to work with a team in the implementation of performances, concerts, films, installations or public art.

The evaluation of the graduation performance includes the graduate’s profile prepared by the graduation performance supervisor, a written opinion of the graduation performance opponent, defence of the graduation performance at the State Final Examination and possible feedback of participating students and spectators (especially from the professional public).

The following criteria are taken into account in the evaluation of the graduation performance:

– the content of the project and its setting in the context of contemporary art;

– creativity of artistic representation;

– adequate use of musical, visual, movement and other means from a technical and expressive point of view;

– coordination of individual components of projects from the semiotic point of view;

– handling of the project’s organisation and cooperation with potential members of the creative team.

The topics of the final theses reflect the research in the field of art forms belonging to the broad field group “Time Based Art”. In addition to traditional artistic methods, they also include mapping of borderline genres in contemporary art and exploring the possibilities of using their means of expression against the background of information technology, integrated and computer systems and the evolving digital culture. Interconnection of the interpretive and author’s principles of creation, aimed at forming a new and distinctive artistic expression, allows the future graduate to form his or her authentic creative programme.

Graduates of the bachelor’s degree studies can continue at the master’s degree level in study programmes related to Multimedia Creation or Composition or in other related study programmes with a focus on multimedia from the offer of other schools and art faculties.