Welcome to A2 Media Studies

"Hello students and welcome to the brave new world that is the 'blogosphere' and indeed a window into the structure of the A2 Media Studies course for our media studies students at Landau Forte Academy - Tamworth Sixth Form. What follows is the layout of the course which has very useful website links and video clips that are an important part of the course. This page will be updated regularly with information and material that will support your educational endeavours. There are two main aspects of the course: The practical element which is called Advanced Portfolio (G324) which is 50% of the course and the examination element which is called Critical Perspectives in Media (G325) which is the other 50%. You will be working through both of these areas throughout the year until completion. Read, learn and most of all enjoy......."

A2 Music Videos

A2 Print Artefacts

A2 Print Artefacts 10/11

Course Outline Structure 2010/11

A2 G324: Advanced Portfolio in Media

The purpose of this unit is firstly to assess candidates’ ability to plan and construct media products using appropriate technical and creative skills (AO3); secondly to assess candidates’ application of knowledge and understanding in evaluating their own work, showing how meanings and responses are created (AO2); and finally to assess candidates’ ability to undertake, apply and present appropriate research (AO4).

The unit requires candidates to engage with contemporary media technologies, giving them the opportunity to develop their own skills in these technologies. It also enables them to develop the skills of presentation that are required for further study at higher levels and in the workplace.

This is a coursework unit. Centres must set the brief from the menu below, though they may define more precise details in negotiation with candidates.

From these brief, candidates will produce:

A media portfolio, comprising a main and ancillary texts;

·         A presentation of their research, planning and evaluation in electronic format(s).

The media portfolio will be produced through a combination of two or more of the following media:



Video



Print

In all cases, candidates should be discouraged from seeing the evaluation as simply a written essay and the potential of the format chosen should be exploited through the use of images, audio, video and links to online resources. Marks should be supported by teacher comments and may be supported by other forms such as audio or videotaped presentations.

G324 is marked and internally standardised by the centre and marks are submitted to OCR by a specified date, a sample is then selected for external moderation.

The unit is marked out of a total of 100 marks: 20 marks for the planning and research and its presentation; 60 marks for the construction; 20 marks for the evaluation.

1.      In the evaluation the following questions must be answered:

2.      In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

3.      How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

4.      What have you learned from your audience feedback?

5.      How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Briefs

1. A promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video, together with two of the following three options:

·         A cover for its release as part of a digipak (CD/DVD package);

·         A magazine advertisement for the digipak (CD/DVD package).

2. A promotion package for a new film, to include a teaser trailer, together with two of the following three options: 

·A film magazine front cover, featuring the film 

· A poster for the film.

3. An extract from a new documentary TV programme, lasting approximately five minutes, together with two of the following three options:

·  A double-page spread from a listings magazine focused on the documentary

·         A newspaper advertisement for the documentary

·         A newspaper advertisement for the documentary

4. A short film in its entirety, lasting approximately five minutes, which may be live action or animated or a combination of both, together with two of the following three options:

·  A poster for the film

·  A film magazine review page featuring the film. 

Acceptable formats for production texts and research presentations

Video work must be in DVD format and must be playable on standard domestic DVD players for moderation purposes. Audio work must be in CD format. No print item should be larger than A3 size

Web pages and blogs must be accessible on line to the moderator for the duration of the moderation period. The moderator must receive notification of the URL when the work is sent.

Slideshows and podcasts should be burnt to CD. All CDs and DVDs must be checked before despatch to ensure that the files are accessible. No hard copy printouts of online material will be accepted. Research, planning and evaluation MUST be presented in electronic format.

Marking of work

The centre will be expected to allocate marks according to four levels for each of three categories:

·          Research and Planning

·          Construction

·          Evaluation

In arriving at a level for each category, teachers are advised to look for evidence of ‘best fit’. It is possible both for a candidate to be placed in different levels for each of the three categories and to receive quite different marks from other members of the same group responsible for producing an artefact, according to his/her contribution. Teachers are asked to support marks with written comments under the three categories on the assessment sheet.

In centres where there is more than one teacher involved in the marking, there must be evidence that internal standardisation has taken place to ensure a consistent rank order.

A2 Examination component

A2 G325: Critical Perspectives in Media

The purpose of this unit is to assess candidates’ knowledge and understanding of media concepts, contexts and critical debates, through their understanding of one contemporary media issue and their ability to evaluate their own practical work in reflective and theoretical ways.

The examination is two hours. Candidates are required to answer two compulsory questions, on their own production work, and one question from a choice of six topic areas.

The unit is marked out of a total of 100, with the two questions on production work marked out of 25 each, and the media theory question marked out of 50.

There are two sections to this paper:

Section A: Theoretical Evaluation of Production (50 marks)

Section B: Contemporary Media Issues (50 marks)

Section A: Theoretical Evaluation of Production

Candidates answer two compulsory questions. The first requires them to describe and evaluate their skills development over the course of their production work, from Foundation Portfolio to Advanced Portfolio. The second asks them to identify one production and evaluate it in relation to one theoretical concept.

Question 1(a) requires candidates to describe and evaluate their skills development over the course of their production work, from Foundation Portfolio to Advanced Portfolio.

The focus of this evaluation must be on skills development, and the question will require them to adapt this to one or two specific production practices. The list of practices to which questions will relate is as follows:



Digital Technology



Creativity



Research and planning



Post-production



Using conventions from real media texts

In the examination, questions will be posed using one or two of these categories.

Where candidates have produced relevant work outside the context of their A Level media course, they are free to additionally refer to this experience.

Question 1(b) requires candidates to select one production and evaluate it in relation to a media concept. The list of concepts to which questions will relate is as follows:

Genre



Narrative



Representation



Audience



Media language

In the examination, questions will be set using one of these concepts only.

In some circumstances, candidates will be expected to select the production that appears to relate most effectively to the specific concept that arises in the exam question. However, the requirement for candidates to evaluate one of their productions in relation to a concept does not assume that the concept will necessarily always fit easily and in an orthodox way. Thus in some cases candidates will be describing their productions in terms of them not relating straightforwardly to the concept. For example, a candidate producing three websites over their two portfolios might describe ways in which websites cannot be understood easily through applying conventional narrative theory. Whether the candidate applies the concept to the product or uses the production to challenge the concept, it is essential that candidates are sufficiently knowledgeable about the concept for either approach. Candidates may choose to write about work undertaken at AS or A2, main task or preliminary/ancillary.

Further Guidance

Section A:

In order for candidates to be best prepared for the exam, it is suggested that preparation for G325 should take place alongside production work. However, centres are not recommended to design A2 production briefs purely to be ‘suitable‘ for G325. Rather, candidates should be guided in reflective, theoretical evaluation of production as an ongoing way of learning throughout their AS and A2 studies. Question 1(a) directly requests an evaluation of how candidates’ media production skills have developed progressively from AS to A2, so centres are advised to guide candidates through regular ‘audits’ of skills development. As the question for 1(b) is different in focus for each assessment session, and draws from a list of possible concepts, candidates should either prepare to answer on more than one of their productions (so they can choose the production in response to the specific demands of the question) or prepare an evaluation of one production which covers all of the possible concepts.

Critical Perspectives in Media: Section A - Question 1a

Critical Perspectives in Media: Section A - Question 1b

Section B: Contemporary Media Issues

Section B: Contemporary Media Issues

One question to be answered from a choice of six topic areas offered by OCR. There will be two questions from each topic area.

The topic areas require understanding of contemporary media texts, industries, audiences and debates.

Candidates must choose one of the following topic areas, in advance of the examination and, through specific case studies, texts, debates and research of the candidates’ choice, prepare to demonstrate understanding of the contemporary issue. This understanding must combine knowledge of at least two media and a range of texts, industries, audiences and debates, but these are to be selected by the centre. The assessment of the response will be generic, allowing for the broadest possible range of responses within the topic area chosen. Each topic is accompanied by four prompt questions, and candidates must be prepared to answer an exam question that relates to one or more of these four prompts. There should be emphasis on the historical, the contemporary and the future in relation to the chosen topic, with most attention on the present. Centres are thus advised to ensure that study materials for this unit are up to date and relevant. Candidates may choose to focus on one of the following contemporary media issues:

Topic Content Prompts

Candidates are free to study any media texts, theories, case studies, debates and issues, providing they relate to the four prompts for the topic area selected. The exam question will relate to one or more of the prompts.

‘We Media’ and Democracy



What are ‘We Media’?



Where / how has ‘We Media’ emerged?



In what way are the contemporary media more democratic than before?



In what ways are the contemporary media less democratic than before?

Candidates might explore combinations of any two media in relation to the above prompts. Starting from Gillmoor’s definition, all media that are ‘homegrown’, local, organic and potentially counter-cultural can be studied for this topic, as long as two media (eg web-logging and digital film uploading and sharing) are studied.

a2 Media We Media and Democracy Booklet

Critical Perspectives in Media: Section A - Question 1b

Section A: Theoretical Evaluation on Prezi

The Facebook revolution

The Facebook Revolution from NewsTsar on Vimeo.

Crackdown in Bahrain

Crackdown in Bahrain from NewsTsar on Vimeo.

Huffington Post

Huffington Post Deal from NewsTsar on Vimeo.

The Virtual Revolution - Burning Down the Web

BBC - Virtual Revolution - Burning Down The Web from Oliver Wicke on Vimeo.

Tim Berners Lee gives an overview of the future possibilities of the internet: Linked Data

Tim-Berners Lee & Linked Data from lumioso on Vimeo.

Interview with Austin Heap - Haystack

Austin Heap final2 from Trust Tour on Vimeo.

Tony Blair and Colonel Gaddafi - Friends dis-united

Tony Blair on Colonel Gaddafi and the Libyan uprising from matthew lloyd on Vimeo.

Iran: 2 Sisters and Democracy

Iran: Two Sisters, One Cause from National Endowment for Democracy on Vimeo.

Burma: Revolutionary Media from National Endowment for Democracy on Vimeo.

Amish Paradise - Gangster Paradise Mash up/Swede

Weird Al' Amish Paradise from Flight on Vimeo.

Eminem

Eminem - Without me from bind on Vimeo.

Shania Twain - Man I feel like a woman

Shania Twain - Man! I Feel Like A Woman from Jose Roberto Rosales Llanas on Vimeo.

Addicted to Love

09—Addicted To Love from Tres Zapotes on Vimeo.

The unit is marked out of a total of 100 marks: 20 marks for the planning and research and its presentation; 60 marks for the construction; 20 marks for the evaluation.


P L A N N I N G (20)


The following evidence of work is required in order to constitute a mark/grade out of 20 for PLANNING for any/all production options:


TASK 1: NEW A2 BLOG SET UP

Create your new blog within your old blog by adding a new blog address. e.g.:


http://www.kjudge-suttonmediaa2.blogspot.com/




TASK 2: RESEARCH INTO EXISTING PRODUCTS


This is where you should’ve conducted some level of prior research into 4 existing products that are the same as the products you are creating. This depends on the kind of product you are creating in the medium you have chosen to work in. i.e.:


Video: 4 Music videos on any channel, TV: 4 Documentaries, Film: Short film (any type)


Documentary

Analyse the codes & conventions of 4 different types of documentary. You should comment on the following, along with any other points you feel are relevant:

• What TV Channel it’s broadcast on?


• What is the Title of the Documentary?


• What Type of Documentary is it?



Historical, biographical, Investigative, Artistic, Wildlife, Political, Drama documentaries, Reality TV, Celebrity etc



• What Style of Documentary is it?


(Think in terms of Narrative structure, Editing, Voice-overs, Archive footage, Graphics, Text etc)



• What is the Subject matter / Content of the documentary?


• What are the Messages & meanings behind the documentary – What is it trying to communicate to the audience?

http://documentaryheaven.com/louis-theroux-behind-bars/



Music Video

Analyse the codes & conventions of 4 different types of music videos, by different artists. You should comment on the following, along with any other points you feel are relevant:



• Channel? Track and Artist?


• Genre of music?


• Characteristics – How has it been constructed? Is it a live performance video? Does it have a storyline? Is it artistic/abstract?


• Style – How is it filmed? , Think in terms of Camera angles, Editing, Special effects, Mise en scene etc


• How is meaning being conveyed? What is the underlining message behind the video/ song etc?


A Short Film

• A short film (Maximum 5 mins in duration)


• A complete narrative with a beginning, middle and end


• The film should have titles and a soundtrack


• Dialogue is optional



Conduct Research into either the History of Documentary Film (e.g.: John Grierson etc)


Or The History of Music Videos (e.g.: post 1980 - wikipedia etc) or Short Films


TASK 3: MIND MAPPING OF INITIAL IDEAS



You should mind map and assemble at least (3) ideas for your production project:


• Mind map ideas for either your Music video/Documentary/Short film


TASK 4: AUDIENCE RESEARCH



Conduct a questionnaire incorporating both QUANTITATIVE. QUALITATIVE questioning into your potential target audiences views on Music videos & Documentaries.


Create a questionnaire with least 5-10 questions and get at least 10 responses to them:


E.g.: What are your favourite types of music videos? Etc


What type of documentaries do you enjoy watching? Etc


What codes and conventions of feature films should appear in a short film?



* TASK 5: SCRIPT (Documentary and Short film* only) *optional for Short film



You will need to think about constructing a script with dialogue for your productions.

 I.e.: A documentary will need a fully scripted VOICE OVER transcript -


QUESTIONS FOR INTERVIEWEE’S will also need to be assembled and letters sent to interviewees in terms of asking them permission to take part in your production.


TASK 6: STORYBOARDS


Now you need to storyboard your visual ideas for your production:


Remember to identify what framing the shots are? i.e. Close up (CU) Medium Long shot (MLS) etc


What lighting is going to be used?


What sound effects will be used? And where does the dialogue fit into the shot sequences?


What transitions are going to be used? i.e. straight cuts, dissolves, fades etc


TASK 7: ROLE ALLOCATION


• If you are working as a group please identify who is doing what role in the production team. i.e. Who is the Director ? Writer? Cameraperson? Editor? Etc


• If you are working as an individual you will be adopting all of these roles as an ‘Auteur’. You could research the ‘Auteur’ theory and incorporate that into your blog and apply it to yourself.



TASK 8: FINAL PROPOSAL

Write a final proposal for your product – you should now have a clear idea of what you are going to create. The Final Proposal must be incorporated in to your blog, ready for assessment.


The following elements will make up your proposal:



 1. Working Title: What is the title, name of your production?


 2. Channel for Broadcast: What TV channel do you think your production would be best suited to be shown on and why?


 3.Target Audience: Who do you consider to be the typical target audience for your production project? ABC1 / C2DE – think in terms of age, class, gender, ethnicity etc


 4. Genre:


 Type of Music video: Think about what genre of music, your video fits into and how that determines how it looks. Is your video going to be (i) Performance based (ii) Artistic/abstract (iii) Narrative/ storyline based or a combination of these?


 Type of Documentary: Historical, biographical, Investigative, Artistic, Wildlife, Political, Drama documentaries, Reality TV, Celebrity etc


 Type of Short film: Linear narrative, non-linear narrative, avant-garde, surreal, experimental etc


 5. Style:


Style of Music video: Think in terms of unique camera angles, B & W, colour, dissolves, fades, and change of speed: slow/fast motion etc


Style of Documentary: Think in terms of Narrative structure, Editing, Voice-overs, Archive footage, Graphics, Text etc)


CONSTRUCTION (60)


TASK 9: CASTING


Video/Film: Is anybody going to act/perform in your Music production/Short film? What characters will they play and what props will they need (if any?) Make a list


TASK 10: FILMING

Create a PRODUCTION SCHEDULE which will map out how, where, what, when you will film.

  Are there any Health & Safety issues or concerns?


 Do you need permission to film at your locations?


 What camera equipment will you need? Etc


TASK 11: EDITING


Create your RECORDING LOG/EDIT DECISION LISTS and highlight how you are planning to assemble and edit you final piece.


TASK 12: CREATE PRINT ARTEFACTS

 Using the various digital images you have accumulated as jpegs/video clips assemble and deconstruct them using print software such as Photoshop etc to create your 2 print artefacts. Examples of print artifacts are: Film Poster, Magazine front cover, Magazine advert, Magazine article, Newspaper advertisement.


TASK 13: AUDIENCE FEEDBACK


Once all of your production materials have been completed you will need to get some audience feedback on how successful your film and print products are compared to real products in terms of codes and conventions. You could develop a questionnaire, a focus group etc to elicit information from people who will appraise your work.