adamedia

AS FILM STUDIES (WJEC)
There is an opportunity to take AS Film Studies this year. It’s a great subject and a great course.
 

Who can take it?
The option is offered to all Yr 13 Media students who scored at least a ‘C’ in AS Media Studies.
 

How will it be taught?
I am not timetabled (or paid!) to teach it. I have taught the course before and will be able to supervise students via my blog via e-mail and via occasional meetings. If timetables allow, I may try to make myself available for discussions once a week.
 

Is it possible?
Yes. Other institutions offer it in this way. There will however be quite a lot to do, especially reading (for the first exam) and watching for the second, so you have to be sure that you’re committed and be sure that it won’t adversely affect your other subjects.
 

Do we all study the same films?
Not necessarily.
For the May exam, I would encourage students to choose the same ‘theme’. I won’t be able to support work on a range of different films. It would also be good if we tried to agree on one or two films for the ‘Focus Film’ so that I can support you and you can support each other.
For the coursework (parts 1 & 2) you are actively encouraged to choose extracts from two films that you know and like. You would in fact be free to use something that you studied with Rick last year.
 

Want to sign up?
Downfielders – let your exam officer know asap.
All students – start watching some of the listed films and I will start giving you some material for the Jan exam.
 

On the following pages, I have tried to summarise the course content. The full syllabus can be found at
 

http://www.wjec.co.uk/al-spec-film-07-e.pdf
January exam
 

By January you need to be ready to do a 90 minute exam:
Producers and Audiences: Hollywood and British Cinema
 

What’s this about?
The film industry and the social practice of going to the cinema
 

You will need to do quite a lot of reading on the following topics. I will give you some notes, but mainly I will be giving you some articles and book chapters etc.
-         film finance, production, distribution and exhibition in American and British contexts
-         film consumption in the UK as a whole and particularly in the local/regional area
 

What’s in the exam?
 

There will be stimulus material for you to read and this is a starting point for 2 essay questions

1. One question on Audiences
2. One question on Industry

 

You will have covered some of this material with Rick last year.
 

 

May exam
This is another 90 minute exam on. The subject this time is
Messages and Values: British and Irish Cinema
 

What’s this about?
Exploring ‘Messages and Values’  in some specific British/Irish films.
 

The unit has two parts and there are two parts to the exam:

1. A comparative study
   

You choose one of the following themes:
The 1940s – The War and its Aftermath
Swinging Britain 1963-73
Passions and Repressions
Social and Poltical Conflict
Scottish Cinema
Comedy
You watch 2 specific films (see pp20-22 for details) for you chosen theme and you are encouraged to watch a few more too.
In the exam you write an essay comparing the two films in your chosen theme. You have a choice of 2 questions.
 

1. Single Film Close Study
   

You choose one film from the list below and watch it repeatedly. You also research into the film as much as you can. In the exam, you write an essay on your chosen  film. You have a choice of 3 essay titles.
The Thirty Nine Steps
The Wicked Lady
The Third Man
From Russia With Love
The Witchfinder General
Get Carter
Burning an Illusion
Drowning By Numbers
Hedd Wyn
My Son the Fanatic
House of America
Elizabeth
Solomon and Gaenor
Chicken Run
Sweet Sixteen
Dirty Pretty Things.
 

Coursework – By May/June
 

The Coursework is entitled – ‘Making Meaning’
This is the unit that you have already substantially ‘covered’ in AS Media Studies. It’s about:
-         close observation of the features of a film’s form or style
-         identifying the techniques of storytelling specific to narrative film
-         narrative, genre, mise-en-scene, performance, cinematography, editing, sound
 

You need to produce 3 items of coursework:
Written Analysis 1 1000-1500 words (30 marks)
-         how narrative and genre features create meaning and generate response in a film sequence of no more than 10 minutes, or two sequences of no more than 5 minutes each
 

Written Analysis 2 1000-1500 words (30 marks)
-         how one or more of mise-en-scene, performance, cinematography, editing and sound create meaning and generate response in a film sequence of nor more than 7 minutes.
Practical Application of Learning (40 marks)
-         create a sequence from an imaginary film in 3 parts:

1. an outline of the cinematic ideas for the sequence (500-600 words)
2. the sequence itself in the form of either:

-         a photographed or drawn storyboard
-         a screenplay
-         a short video sequence of 1-2 minutes containing between 10-25 shots (can be completed in groups)
3. An evaluation of the success of the sequence in making meaning