Course Information
SemesterCourse Unit CodeCourse Unit TitleT+P+LCreditNumber of ECTS CreditsLast Updated Date
3RTS037Media Aesthetics3+0+03517.10.2026
Course Details
Language of Instruction Turkish
Level of Course Unit Bachelor's Degree
Department / Program Radio, Television and Cinema
Type of Program Formal Education
Type of Course Unit Elective
Course Delivery Method Face To Face
Objectives of the Course The Media Aesthetics course aims to help students understand the aesthetic elements used in visual and auditory media and apply these elements in a conscious and creative manner. In this context, the course aims to help students better understand media arts, master visual storytelling techniques, and combine technical knowledge with artistic sensitivity when making aesthetic decisions in media productions. Examining how fundamental aesthetic components such as light, color, space, time/motion, and sound function in media production and their effects on the audience, the course thoroughly explores how these elements are utilized in cinema, television, digital media, and other audiovisual platforms. By integrating the theoretical foundations and practical methods of media aesthetics, the course will ensure that students develop both analytical and practical skills.
Course Content This course examines the fundamental aesthetic elements of visual and auditory media, teaching students how to make informed aesthetic decisions in media production. The course covers fundamental components such as light, color, space, time/motion, and sound, and examines their effects on narrative. Students gain theoretical knowledge in areas such as visual composition, framing, perspective, color theory, lighting techniques, editing aesthetics, and sound-image synchronization, and engage in practical exercises.
Course Methods and Techniques Anlatım, metin ve görsel incelemesi, karşılaştırmalı çözümleme, tartışma ve sunum.
Prerequisites and co-requisities None
Course Coordinator Prof.Dr. Erol Nezih ORHON
Name of Lecturers Prof.Dr. E. Nezih Orhon
Assistants Research Assist. Melike ÇELİK
Work Placement(s) No

Recommended or Required Reading
Resources Personal Lecture Notes
Course Notes Zettle, H. (1973). Sight-Sound-Motion. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Manovich, L. (2001). Post-media aesthetics. Transmedia frictions, the digital, the arts, and the humanities, 416.

Arnheim, R. (2023). Visual thinking. Univ of California Press.
Exams 1 Ara Sınav - 1 Final Sınavı

Course Category
Social Sciences %100
Field %100

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods
Activities are given in detail in the section of "Assessment Methods and Criteria" and "Workload Calculation"

Assessment Methods and Criteria
In-Term Studies Quantity Percentage
Mid-terms 1 % 40
Final examination 1 % 60
Total
2
% 100

 
ECTS Allocated Based on Student Workload
Activities Quantity Duration Total Work Load
Course Duration 15 3 45
Hours for off-the-c.r.stud 15 7 105
Mid-terms 1 2 2
Final examination 1 2 2
Total Work Load   Number of ECTS Credits 5 154

 
Course Learning Outcomes: Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
NoLearning Outcomes
1 Identify the fundamental components of media aesthetics (light, color, space, movement, sound) and analyze the role of these elements in visual and auditory storytelling.
2 Evaluate the impact of light and shadow on the atmosphere of a scene and apply various lighting techniques in media productions.
3 Identify the fundamental components of media aesthetics (light, color, space, movement, sound) and analyze the role of these elements in visual and auditory storytelling.
4 Analyzing the narrative and aesthetic functions of movement and time, and making adjustments in accordance with the principles of narrative and continuity.
5 Understanding the narrative power of sound in media aesthetics, and applying creative sound design techniques that ensure harmony between sound and image.

 
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
WeekTopicsStudy MaterialsMaterials
1 Introduction to Media Aesthetics: Basic Concepts and Components Students should read the introduction to Herbert Zettl’s book Sight, Sound, Motion.
2 The Aesthetic Use of Light and Its Dramatic Effects Examples of light and shadow should be analyzed, and examples from film scenes should be examined.
3 Lighting Techniques and Composition Researchers should read about different types of lighting and evaluate the use of light in the selected film scenes.
4 Color Theory and Its Role in Visual Narrative Basic information about color theory should be read, and the use of color in film scenes should be analyzed.
5 Two-dimensional space: Framing and composition Readings should be done on framing and composition rules, and example scenes should be analyzed.
6 Three-dimensional space: Depth and perspective Reading should be done on techniques for creating depth and perspective, and different shooting scales should be examined.
7 The Role of Time and Movement in Narrative Readings should be done on the perception of movement and time, and classic and modern fiction examples should be examined.
8 Midterm Exam
9 Principles of Narrative and Continuity Readings should be done on continuity fiction, and analyses should be conducted on classic fiction techniques.
10 Complex editing techniques Editing theories and experimental editing examples should be read, and scene analyses should be performed.
11 Integration of Sound into Visual Narrative The contribution of sound to narrative should be studied, and the sound design of film scenes should be analyzed.
12 Audio-Visual Harmony in Media Aesthetics Techniques for achieving harmony between sound and image should be studied, and film analyses should be conducted.
13 The Ethical Dimension of Media Aesthetics Articles on media ethics should be read, and examples of films that address ethical debates should be examined.
14 Project Presentations Students must prepare their term projects and complete the necessary materials for their presentations.
15 Project Presentations and Overall Evaluation Students should complete the necessary materials for preparing and presenting their term projects, review the topics, and focus on analysis and practical work.

 
Sustainable Development Goals
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10 P11 P12 P13 P14 P15
C1 5 2 4 2 5 5 4 4 4 5 4 2 1 5
C2 5 2 4 2 5 5 4 4 4 5 4 2 1 5
C3 5 2 4 2 5 5 4 4 4 5 4 2 1 5
C4 5 2 4 2 5 5 4 4 4 5 4 2 1 5
C5 5 2 4 2 5 5 4 4 4 5 4 2 1 5

  Contribution: 1: Very Slight 2:Slight 3:Moderate 4:Significant 5:Very Significant