DESMA 130

SYLLABUS

DESMA 130
Experiments in Virtuality

Fall 2025
University of California, Los Angeles
School of the Arts & Architecture
Department of Design Media Arts

Monday + Wednesday
9:00 – 11:50 AM
Broad Art Center | Room 4230

Instructor: Breanna Browning
Office Hrs: By appointment
Email: bbrowning@ucla.edu

TA: Aidan Strong
Email: aidanstrong@ucla.edu

OVERVIEW SCHEDULE
CLASS MATERIALS
RESOURCES

00 PDF DOWNLOAD

Download a pdf copy of the full syllabus here.

01 COURSE DESCRIPTION

Virtuality is not software or platform specific—it is a realm of potential, defined by its proximity to reality and our bodies. This course provides a framework for students to develop projects that explore different kinds of virtual platforms and spaces, and will focus on tools, workflows, and modalities that correspond to the instructor’s unique specialization, potentially including virtual reality, spatialized sound, projection mapping, expanded cinema, or mixed-reality live performance practices. Individual research, readings, screenings, and discussions will center on building collaborative projects, linear and nonlinear storytelling, spatial design, and approaches
to expression through designing, and interfacing with the virtual.

This is a 5 unit upper division studio class.
Expect to work/attend 6 hours a week in class and 9 hours a week outside of class.

02 COURSE OBJECTIVES/ LEARNING OUTCOMES

Develop proficiency with tools and techniques to make projects that explore virtual space
Apply principles of spatial design to audio, digital, or performative projects
Experiment with nonlinear storytelling methods
Engage in critical discourse and explore theoretical perspectives on virtuality and its relationship to reality, physicality, and other disciplines

03 COURSE FOCUS: SYNTHETIC MEDIA AND NARRATIVE ASSEMBLY

This course approaches virtuality as a practice of experimental storytelling through digital assemblage. We’ll explore how narrative can emerge through the collection, composition, and reimagining of fragments of synthetic media - material generated or mediated by digital processes. This includes sources like internet culture, AI-generated content, 3D assets, simulations, images, sound, video, and other forms of found media.

The goal of this course is not to master a single tool or workflow. Instead, we’ll approach technology through the expansive lens of making with - treating tools as active collaborators that bring their own biases, limits, and surprises. This means leaning into friction and unpredictability, and asking what becomes possible when we begin to see technology as a co-creator instead of an inflexible tool that we attempt to master.

At the same time, we’ll look closely at the evolving role of curation in contemporary digital practices. In a media landscape saturated with content, curation is becoming an increasingly important part of the creative process. What we keep, what we discard, and how we frame our choices within broader cultural and aesthetic contexts all shape the positions, perspectives, and propositions our work puts forward.

The output of the course is the creation of new kinds of stories - stories that could only emerge through the assemblage of synthetic media and engagement with contemporary technologies. Student projects may take the form of short films, 3D environments, interactive interfaces, installations, performances, or other hybrid formats that combine fragments into experimental narratives. Each project will be an experiment in authorship, worldbuilding, and the possibilities of virtuality.

image by Breanna Browning

04 COURSE PROJECTS + ORGANIZATION

Students will choose a theme or conceptual thread early in the term, and every project will build on it. Each mini-project adds a new layer of practice and perspective so that by the end of the course, students have developed a cohesive body of work and a critical framework around it. The course moves through three short projects before a final synthesis:

Mini Projects

01: Media Bank
Students will generate, collect, and curate a large archive of synthetic media - images, video, sound, and 3D assets around their chosen theme. They will manipulate and critically evaluate their materials, reflecting on how curation itself shapes narrative potential.
02: Digital Assemblage
Students will begin composing with their media bank. They will use editing, sequencing, and interface experiments (e.g., video edits, Cursor prototypes, 3D compositions) to explore how fragments come together into emerging narratives.
03: Emergent Stories/ Simulations
Students will simulate aspects of their narratives using SOTA multi-agent AI systems or other generative/simulation frameworks. They will capture the unexpected dynamics that emerge when systems or agents interact.

Final Project

Synthetic Media and Narrative Assembly
Students will synthesize their theme into a cohesive final project. Outcomes may take the form of a short film, interactive interface, 3D environment, installation, performance, or hybrid format. Students will demonstrate technical fluency and use virtuality and virtual processes as a medium for exploring the stories they want to tell.

05 COURSE INFORMATION

Grading Breakdown

Participation / Attendance: 20%
Exercises: 20%
Other Projects: 30% (3 mini-projects at 10% each)
Final Project: 30%

Course Materials

All course materials including an updated schedule, class notes, lecture slides, assignment briefs, software/hardware instructions, supplemental resources, and important links can be found on the course website.

Readings

Any required readings will be provided at the time they are assigned. Supplemental readings will be added to the Resources page of the course website.

How To Succeed

To be successful in this course, students should show up to class each day on time, open-minded, and ready to engage. Success comes from being present and prepared, staying curious, and approaching projects with a willingness to take risks. Students are expected to complete assignments on time, document their process, and actively contribute to discussions and critiques. Thoughtful feedback and collaboration with peers are central to the class, as is practicing critical reflection and curation rather than focusing only on production.

06 SCHEDULE

To ensure the course aligns with the needs of the class, the schedule is subject to change. Please refer to the Schedule page on the course website for the most updated information, including homework and project deadlines.

Course Introduction and Framing

Week 1 — Foundations: Making With

Mon: Welcome + course overview. Introduce key concepts (assemblage, synthetic media). Idea survey.
Wed: Course framing talk: Assemblage, Synthetic Media, and “Making With.” Students choose themes.

________________________________________

Mini Project 01: Media Bank

Week 2 — Intro to Synthetic Media

Mon: History + intro workshops in generative image/video tools. Begin building a media bank.
Wed: Advanced GenAI workflows, basics of generative 3D. Language and prompting workshop.

Week 3 — Advanced Generative Workflows

Mon: Instructor out of town → Virtual project critiques (by appointment).
Wed: Advanced generative 3D (Claude + Blender using MCP).

________________________________________

Mini Project 02: Digital Assemblage

Week 4 — Composition + Narrative

Mon: From media bank to narrative: strategies for presenting complexity.
Wed: Curation and editing workshop: video editing, 3D assembly through kitbashing.

Week 5 — Complexity + Interfaces

Mon: Composing with layers: montage, sound, and interactivity. Cursor workshop (GUIs, “vibe coding”).
Wed: Workshop/ technical help day.

________________________________________

Mini Project 03: Emergent Stories

Week 6 — What are Generative Agents?

Mon: Intro to agents + emergent storytelling.
Wed: Workshop: designing agents with Emergentic.AI (guest: Dr. Parag Mital, TBC).

Week 7 — Simulations

Mon: Workshop: simulating agents with Emergentic.AI.
Wed: Documenting and presenting emergent behaviors.

________________________________________

Final Project: Synthetic Media and Narrative Assembly

Week 8 — Final Project Pitches

Mon: Final project brief + proposal guidelines. Pitching workshop.
Wed: Final project pitch presentations + group feedback.

Week 9 — Development Week

Mon: Work day + technical help sessions.
Wed: Work day + technical help sessions.

Week 10 — Final Review

Mon: Final presentations of work.
Wed: SET surveys + wrap-up chat + Q&A.

07 COURSE POLICIES

Communication and Contacting Me
You can reach me via email at any time, and I will make every effort to reply promptly. Unless you need to speak to me privately, please copy our TA on email communications. In addition to my availability via email, I can be contacted on our class Discord.

Teaching Assistant
Teaching Assistants play a crucial role in the classroom and greatly enhance the educational outcomes of students. In this course, our TA will act in the following capacities:

Monitoring attendance and participation
Offering technical support during tutorials, assisting in answering questions about software/ skills
Confirming and cataloging on-time submissions for all assignments and projects
Providing valuable feedback on assignments
Assisting in communication and troubleshooting any course-related issues that may arise

Technology Policy
Technology should be used during class exclusively for taking notes, participation in in-class activities, or following along with tutorials or research relevant to class topics / discussions. Use of AI is allowed unless indicated otherwise in assignment briefs. Use of AI will be required for some assignments.

Late Work
Late work will not be accepted. Students should complete each assignment on time, with submission before class on the date it’s due. Should extenuating circumstances arise please alert me, via email, before the assignment deadline and we will work together to find a solution.

Participation
Your participation grade involves actively engaging in critique and discussions, sharing ideas, and responding to technical questions on our Discord. Most importantly, you’ll be graded on promptly and clearly communicating with us your needs throughout class. If you will be late or absent, or have questions, need direction, or are struggling with your work, it is important (and part of your grade!) to email us so we can help you. Always cc TA on emails unless you need to speak with me confidentially.

This class is meant to be a safe space in which you feel encouraged and supported in learning and taking creative risks. This means being aware and considerate of different backgrounds, perspectives, and identities. Respect each other and this space we are building together. Don’t assume, ask. Remain open, be willing to take responsibility, apologize, and learn. Help each other in this. If you have concerns, please let me or the TA know.

Attendance
Physical and mental health comes first. Medical notes (of all types) will be accepted. However, there will be a limit of 2 excused medical absences per semester. Contact me with extenuating circumstances, such as prolonged illness.

Unexcused absences will lower your grade. More than 5 total absences is an automatic fail and must be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

There will be a 5 minute grace period after the starting time of the class. You will be marked late if you arrive between 9:05-9:15am. You will be marked absent If you arrive after 9:15am. Two late marks equate to one unexcused absence.

Plagiarism + Original Work
This course actively engages with synthetic media, found material, and appropriated sources as part of its critical and creative framework. Because of this, the use of external media is not only permitted but required - provided it is done thoughtfully and with integrity.

Give credit where it’s due. Always acknowledge the origin of any appropriated material.
Transform the material. When using appropriated sources (images, 3D models, motion capture data, sound, video, text), you must change, recontextualize, or remix them enough that they constitute a new work.
Consider making citation part of the content. If a source is important enough to use, make it visible - incorporate why, where, and how you took it. Citations may appear in your piece itself, not just in a footnote.
How you borrow and reframe materials carries meaning. Treat ethical appropriation itself as part of your storytelling, not just a technical shortcut.

What is not acceptable: passing off unaltered appropriated material as your own, or failing to acknowledge sources.
What is expected: critical engagement with the ethics, aesthetics, and politics of appropriation.

08 OTHER RESOURCES + INFORMATION

OVID-19
Students must adhere to the current campus directives related to COVID-19 mitigation, and refusal to do so may result in the student being asked to leave the classroom or referred to the Dean of Students. For more information about COVID-19 requirements on campus, please visit: https://covid-19.ucla.edu/information-for-students/.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The University of California, Los Angeles occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary Lands of the Tongva and Chumash peoples. Our ability to gather and learn here is the result of coercion, dispossession, and colonization. We are grateful for the land itself and the people that have stewarded it through generations. While a land acknowledgment is not enough, it is first step in the work toward supporting decolonial and indigenous movements for sovereignty and self-determination. Read more about what land you’re occupying: https://native-land.ca/

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY & SAFER SPACES:
We understand the classroom as a space for practicing freedom; where one may challenge psychic, social, and cultural borders and create meaningful artistic expressions. To do so we must acknowledge and embrace the different identities and backgrounds we inhabit. This means that we will use preferred pronouns, respect self-identifications, and be mindful of special needs. Disagreement is encouraged and supported, however our differences affect our conceptualization and experience of reality, and it is extremely important to remember that certain gender, race, sex, and class identities are more privileged while others are undermined and marginalized. Consequently, this makes some people feel more protected or vulnerable during debates and discussions. A collaborative effort between the students, TA, and instructor is needed to create a supportive learning environment. While everyone should feel free to experiment creatively and conceptually, if a class member points out that something you have said or shared with the group is offensive, avoid being defensive; instead approach the discussion as a valuable opportunity for us to grow and learn from one another. Alternatively if you feel that something said in discussion or included in a piece of work is harmful, you are encouraged to speak with the instructor or TA. *Statement adopted from voidLab at: https://github.com/voidlab/diversity-statement

CENTER FOR ACCESSIBLE EDUCATION (CAE)
Students needing academic accommodations based on a disability should contact the Center for Accessible Education (CAE) at (310) 825-1501 or in person at Murphy Hall A255. When possible, students should contact the CAE within the first two weeks of the term as reasonable notice is needed to coordinate accommodations. For more information visit www.cae.ucla.edu.

UNDERGRADUTE WRITING CENTER
The Undergraduate Writing Center is a free service for all UCLA students, providing one-on-one appointments. Appointment topics include course papers, capstone projects, senior thesis papers or application materials (resumes, CVs, statements of purpose or cover letters).

INCLUSIVITY STATEMENT
UCLA’s Office for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion provides resources, events and information about current initiatives at UCLA to support equality for all members of the UCLA community. I hope that you will communicate with me or your TA if you experience anything in this course that does not support an inclusive environment. You can also report any incidents you may witness or experience on campus to the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion on their website (https://equity.ucla.edu).

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND INFORMATION ON STUDENT CONDUCT
UCLA is a community of scholars. In this community, all members including faculty, staff and students alike are responsible for maintaining standards of academic honesty. As a student and member of the University community, you are here to get an education and are, therefore, expected to demonstrate integrity in your academic endeavors. You are evaluated on your own merits. Cheating, plagiarism, collaborative work, multiple submissions without the permission of the professor, or other kinds of academic dishonesty are considered unacceptable behavior and will result in formal disciplinary proceedings usually resulting in suspension or dismissal. As specified in the UCLA Student Conduct Code, violations or attempted violations of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, multiple submissions or facilitating academic dishonesty. When a student is suspected to have engaged in academic dishonesty, Academic Senate regulations require that the instructor report the allegation to the office of the Dean of Students. For more information, see theUCLA Student Conduct Code.

TITLE IX
UCLA prohibits gender discrimination, including sexual harassment, domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. If you have experienced sexual harassment or sexual violence, there are a variety of resources to assist you.

CONFIDENTIAL RESOURCES:
You can receive confidential support and advocacy at the CARE Advocacy Office for Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, 1st Floor Wooden Center West, CAREadvocate@careprogram.ucla.edu, (310) 206-2465. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) also provides confidential counseling to all students and can be reached 24/7 at (310) 825-0768.

NON-CONFIDENTIAL RESOURCES:
You can also report sexual violence or sexual harassment directly to the University's Title IX Coordinator, 2241 Murphy Hall, titleix@conet.ucla.edu, (310) 206-3417. Reports to law enforcement can be made to UCPD at (310) 825-1491. These offices may be required to pursue an official investigation.

Faculty and TAs are required under the UC Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment to inform the Title IX Coordinator—A NON-CONFIDENTIAL RESOURCE—should they become aware that you or any other student has experienced sexual violence or sexual harassment.

PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH, WELL-BEING AND RESILIENCE
UCLA is renowned for academic excellence, and yet we know that many students feel overwhelmed at times by demands to succeed academically, socially and personally. Our campus community is committed to helping all students thrive, learn to cope with stress, and build resilience. Remember, self-care is a skill that is critical to your long-term success. Here are some of the many resources available at UCLA to support you:

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): https://www.counseling.ucla.edu/ Provides counseling and other psychological/mental health services to students. Walk-in hours are Monday-Thursday 8am-4:30pm and Friday 9am-4:30pm in John Wooden Center West. Crisis counseling is also available 24 hours/day at (310) 825-0768.
Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center: http://www.studenthealth.ucla.edu Provides high quality and accessible ambulatory healthcare and education by caring professionals to support the academic success and personal development of all UCLA students.
Healthy Campus Initiative (HCI): https://healthy.ucla.edu Provides links to a wide variety of resources for enhancing physical and psychological well-being, positive social interactions, healthy sleep, healthy eating, healthy physical activity and more.
Campus and Student Resilience: https://www.resilience.ucla.edu/ Provides programs to promote resilience and trains students to help support their peers.
UCLA Recreation: https://www.recreation.ucla.edu/ Offers a broad array of services and programs including fitness, yoga, dance, martial arts, meditation, sports, and much more.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: https://equity.ucla.edu/ Committed to providing an equal learning, working and living environment at UCLA and supports a range of programs to promote these goals campus-wide.
UCLA GRIT Coaching Program: https://www.grit.ucla.edu/ GRIT stands for Guidance,Resilience, Integrity and Transformation. In this program, UCLA students receive individualized support from trained peer coaches to manage stress, fostering positive social connections, set goals, and navigate campus resources.

Resources for Students Dealing with Financial Stress

Economic Crisis Response: https://www.studentincrisis.ucla.edu/Economic-Crisis-Response provides support and guidance to students who have self-identified, or are identified by UCLA faculty or staff, as experiencing a financial crisis that impacts their academic success at UCLA.
Bruin Shelter: http://www.bruinshelter.org/ provides a safe, supportive environment for fellow college students experiencing homelessness by fostering a collaborative effort between universities, community-based organizations, and service providers.
The CPO Food Closet: http://www.cpo.ucla.edu/cpo/foodcloset/ provides free food for any UCLA student who may be experiencing hunger and/or struggling to attain food due to financial hardships.