BMS Supplemental Application

You will be asked to provide two examples of original work, and to assign a category from 7 broad forms of media:

• Scholarly writing (academic essays, reports, etc.)
• Creative writing (poetry, fiction, game narrative, screenplay, etc.)
• Journalism (editorials, reviews, interviews, reporting, etc.)
• 2D visuals (drawing, graphics, paintings, photography, etc.)
• 3D visuals (sculpture, installation, augmented/virtual reality, 3D modelling, etc.)
• Time-based visual (film, animation, VFX, motion graphics, etc.)
• Audio (podcast, sound design, etc.)

You will upload each portfolio object individually. It is encouraged, but not mandatory, to submit two different types of media for the two objects.

The category you select will determine what form of upload you are prompted to provide and what follow-up questions are asked; in all cases, you will provide the title of your work, specify the year it was completed, and indicate whether it was part of a collaboration. (If so, you'll also credit your collaborators and describe your contributions to the project.)

• Scholarly writing, creative writing, and journalism will prompt you to upload a PDF containing your work. Writing samples must be in English; in your PDF, ensure you highligh a 300-word excerpt that you feel the committee must read.
• 2D and 3D visuals will prompt you to upload a JPEG image file, which must be under 2000 by 2000 pixels; it can be of any proportion within these bounds. The image can be a finished drawing, painting, graphic, illustration, photograph, documentation of a sculpture, or installation documentation of an AR/VR space you created.
  • You should include images from different vantage points when showing 3D work and compile them into one image.
  • Do not include collections of visual work wherein the individual images do not connect to each other. Instead, be selective: for a 2D work, choose a single image that you feel the committee must see.
  • You will additionally indicate the dimensions of your work in centimetres. This is width by height for a 2D image, and width by height by depth for a 3D work.
• Time-based visual works and audio works will prompt you to provide a link to an external site (e.g. WordPress, Wix, Vimeo, Soundcloud, YouTube, Google Drive, etc.). It is your responsibility to ensure that reviewers are able to access the work; sites that require users be logged in to an account or password-protected files will not be considered.
  • You will indicate the full length of the work (hh:mm:ss)
  • You must also select a two-minute segment the committee must see, and specify when that two-minute segment begins (hh:mm:ss).
• Data and interactive media will prompt you to choose whether you wish to showcase the project by uploading a PDF, or by linking to an external site; it is your responsibility to ensure that external links are accessible—content requiring a user be logged in and password-protected material will not be considered.
  • You will indicate the coding language or software you used to produce the work.

• Consider submitting samples in different mediums to illustrate your range of interests, skills and experience.
• Be creative and use your portfolio to show your interest, experience and familiarity with media studies.
• You may submit more than one artifact together for one portfolio sample. For example, you may submit a short story with original illustrations to be considered as one portfolio item, or you can submit five photographs together as one portfolio artifact if they are a series that work in a purposeful way, and fit within the 2000x2000 maximum dimensions. Consider which category provides the most relevant upload and follow-up criteria.
• If a sample of work is a collaborative effort, please clearly state your role in its production.
• Physical portfolios and letters of recommendation will not be accepted as part of the supplemental application.
• Make sure all of your original pieces are not password protected or inaccessible in any way

The following explanation of media was generated by open Artificial Intelligence (specifically Chat GPT) in response to the prompt: “Explain media in 200 words.” Please read the text and then proceed to the follow-up questions.

Media refers to the various means through which information, entertainment, and educational content are delivered and consumed. Historically, traditional forms like newspapers, magazines, radio, and television dominated the scene. However, the digital revolution has vastly expanded the scope and speed of media with the rise of the internet, social media platforms, blogs, podcasts, and streaming services.

Media plays a pivotal role in shaping public opinion, reflecting cultural norms, and providing a platform for dialogue and expression. It can enlighten, inform, entertain, and sometimes, misinform, which underscores the importance of media literacy among consumers. With globalization and digital connectivity, media has made the world more interconnected, allowing instant access to global events and diverse cultural content.

In today's digital age, media is also characterized by its interactivity, enabling audiences not just to consume but also to create and share content, thereby blurring the lines between producers and consumers. However, this democratization also brings challenges, like the spread of misinformation and the echo chamber effect. The ever-evolving landscape of media demands a discerning audience, ethical practices by creators, and an understanding of its profound impact on society.

Reference: ChatGPT. (2023, October 1). Explain media in 200 words. Retrieved from https://chat.openai.com/.

Prompt 1: address the following in 1200 characters or less

In your own words, analyze the content generated by the AI program about media. Communicate your insights in the text box below; consider the following when composing your response:

• Identify any misunderstandings of media, or insights into media, that you see in this AI-generated piece.
• Are there areas about media that this explanation is missing? What are they?
• Can you add more depth to the content generated by ChatGPT? If so, please share.
• What attitudes or values does the AI-generated text reproduce? Do they align with your own?

Prompt 2: address the following in 1200 characters or less

Describe how your portfolio submissions relate to the reflections you shared in your previous response. The following questions may be used to guide your answer:

• How do your works embody the definition, process, and values about media that you named in the response above?
• Why did you choose to feature these two specific works in your portfolio?
• What was your process and overall planning in making the work, and how was that process integral to the development of your practice? Or, what did you learn by making this work?
• Reflecting on your portfolio, what do you think is most important about being a media practitioner/theorist?