Media Studies and Film Studies
Contact Name: Miss A Campbell
Who's who: (list of staff) Include areas of responsibility e.g. 2nd in Department
| Miss A Campbell | Head of Department |
| Miss J Coles | Media Studies |
| Miss L Shackleton | Media Studies |
Details of KS4:
Controlled Assessment 60%
Examination 40%
Controlled Assessment
3 Assignments
1. Introductory assignment
This consists of a written response to media texts and a linked production piece. For example, you may study two comics aimed at different target audiences and explain how the comic appeals to their respective audience, and then create a comic of your own.
2. Cross-media assignment
This consists of looking at a topic across two media platforms. You will produce a written, essay-style response to this topic as well as producing two linked practical production pieces. For example you may write am essay about how a pop band or artiste is represented in a magazine article and in one of their music videos, and then produce a magazine article and music video for a band of your own choice.
3. Practical Production and Evaluation
This involves the production of your own media text together with an written evaluation of your own work. This may be making a film trailer or the opening of a new television programme.
Examination
This is a written paper which lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes. It focuses on a topic set by the exam board and changes every year. In the past the topics have been:
- Situation comedies
- Quiz Shows
- The Popular Press
- Action Adventure Films
It is an external assessment and you sit the exam at the end of June of your final year
There are two tasks in the examination:
- Knowledge and understanding
- Research, Planning and Presentation; Production and Evaluation
What skills are being tested?
- Recall, select and communicate your knowledge and understanding of media products and the contexts in which they are produced and consumed
- Analyse and respond to media texts and topics using media concepts and appropriate terminology
- Demonstrate research, planning and presentation skills
- Construct and evaluate your own products using creative and technical skills
The Key Concepts
- Media Forms – including media language, genre and narrative
- Audience
- Institutions
- Representations
Results
2008 94% of students achieved a grade C or above
2009 95% of students achieved a grade C or above
KS4 Film Studies – New from September 2011
Controlled Assessment 50%
Examination 50%
Controlled Assessment
Production of four main pieces of work
Exploring a film of your choice
This is where you pick an extract from your film and explore the micro-features of the film language by writing a short essay
1. Pitch and Pre production
You create a pitch for an imaginary film and then use it to inform the other two tasks
2. Production
You have a choice of two production options:
- Create a short sequence of approximately 2 minutes which creates tension and or atmosphere
- Produce a home page and at lest one linked page for a website promoting a new film (you must include your own images)
3. Evaluative analysis
You will write an evaluation of your work highlighting what you have learned about the main study areas for film and your pre-production and production work
Examination
There are two sections to the examination
Paper 1: Exploring Film
You answer four questions focusing on one film genre
Paper 2: Exploring Film Outside Hollywood
You answer three questions on one non-Hollywood film
What skills are being tested?
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how films communicate meanings, evoke personal responses and engage audiences
- Explore, respond to and evaluate a range of films and topics, including your own pre-production and production work, using key film concepts and appropriate terminology.
- Demonstrate planning, research and presentational skills
- Use create and technical skills to construct film products
The Main Study Areas
- Film language
- Film organisations
- Film audiences
Details of KS5
AS Level Media Studies
The course offers you the opportunity to analyse texts from a huge range of media products from web sites, vlogs, games, films, magazines, advertising campaigns, documentaries, news etc.
Examination: 50%
Coursework : 50%
MEST 1 - Investigating the Media - Examination
This is a two part, two hour examination.
Section A – consists of four short answer questions in response to an unseen media text
Section B – consists of a response to one of a choice of two questions which focuses on a cross-media case study
MEST2 – Creating Media – Coursework
You will produce two practical productions from a choice of three media platforms – e-media, moving image or print. The coursrwork consists of three stages
1. Pre-production work
2. Production work
3. Evaluation
A2 Media Studies
Examination: 50% of A2
Coursework : 50% of A2
MEST3 - Critical Perspectives – Examination
This is a two part, two hour examination. You answer one question from a choice of two topic areas
- Media Representations
- The impact of new media/technology
MEST4 – Media : Research and Production
This includes two elements
- Written critical investigation of 2000 words
- Linked practical production
Forthcoming Events:
- Film Club - we watch and discuss a range of mainstream and independent films
- Student Magazine - get involved in writing articles for the student-led magazine
- The Oscars - an evening's celebration of Y11 and Y12 practical work
Web Links:
|
Site |
Info |
|
Movie database, the best site to find out who made a film, how much it made etc. Also includes a review database. |
|
|
The Internet's largest film and media directory. Also good links to world wide media industry. |
|
|
British Film Institute site, good for film information. |
|
|
Film reviews, features and commentaries on film and television. |
|
|
The UK's Media Education Website. Good links. |
|
|
Excellent explanation of Key Concepts and topic areas (please note that it is specifically for the WJEC exam board, we use AQA, however there are many similarities and it is an excellent site). |
|
|
Contains full listing of all UK media websites |
|
|
Infobase of resources for Media Studies students at school or early University. |
