Chew Valley School

MEDIA STUDIES A-LEVEL

An ability to analyse how media products are constructed

How to produce media products across diff erent platforms - either on your own or as part of a team This includes skills in using digital still and video

cameras, sound recording equipment, and industry-standard software for desktop publishing and video editing

How to do individual researchHow to evaluate your own media products and

those of others

WHAT SKILLS WILL I LEARN?

Year 12 – AS LevelG321 Coursework:

Foundation Portfolio in Media Creating a range of media

texts and analysing and evaluating them via a blog

G322 Exam: Key Media Concepts (TV Drama) A case study of

representation and construction of TV Drama

A case study of a key media industry such as film, music or magazines

Year 13 – A LevelG324 Coursework:

Advanced Portfolio in Media Creating a range of media

texts and analysing and evaluating them via a blog

G325 Exam: Critical Perspectives in Media Exploring key critical

theories in the media Evaluation of production

skills from across the course

WHAT WILL WE STUDY?

All units are equally weighted

All your coursework is assessed via your blogWe will be using the Tumblr blogging platformSee your booklet for guidance

All blogs are organised around a central hubThe “central” blog will be administered by me and

can be found at chewvalleymedia.tumblr.com This blog will be updated with lesson content, links,

additional guidance and material

BLOGGING

Customise the theme of your blog. Try to customise it so that it represents your interests

and personality. Remember, media is a creative subject with an eye on

design and originality! Make your blog stand out.

Post an introductory text post that explains: who you are why you have chosen to study the media how you’d like to use the subject in the future

OVER THE SUMMER…

Post: A music video you like, embedded from YouTube or

similar, with a brief analysis of why you like itA fi lm trailer you like, embedded from YouTube or

similar, with a brief analysis of why you like itAn advert (still or moving image) that you like, posted

as an image or video clip, with a brief analysis of why you like it

A link to a media website (see overleaf for some options – but don’t be limited to this list!) that you like with a brief analysis of why you like it.

See chewvalleymedia.tumblr.com for some examples

OVER THE SUMMER…

ObjectivesWe will learn:

How a trailer is constructed The difference between a teaser and a full trailer How trailers are used in film marketing

INTRODUCTORY TASK

In pairs, analyse this teaser trailerTry to answer the question:

How does the trailer build up suspense? First viewing – watch the trailer to get the sense of it. Second viewing – divide the trailer up:

Person A: note the use of the camera (framing, distance, movement) and editing (how the sequence is put together and how one shot links to the next)

Person B: listen to the soundtrack (music, dialogue, sound effects) and note what you see in the frame (mis-en-scene – includes setting, costume, props, lighting)

Link to trailer

INTRODUCTORY TASK

Discuss together: how does the trailer build up suspense using:CameraEditingSoundMis-en-scene

HOW DOES THE TRAILER BUILD UP SUSPENSE?

What genre is the fi lm? Who is in it? What is the story about? What would you expect if you went to see the fi lm in

the cinema? Who do you think the target audience is? How eff ective do you think the trailer is overall?

For each question, be prepared to answer “how do you know?” or “why?” questions!

Five minutes in pairs before feedback

HOW EFFECTIVE IS THE TRAILER?

That was a “teaser” trailer for The Woman in Black (2012)

Here is the full trailer. What are the diff erences? Why? How would a fi lm production company use a teaser

and a full trailer to market a fi lm? Which trailer did you prefer, and why?

TEASER VS TRAILER

Customise your blogPost an introduction and then:

A trailer A music video An advertisement A link to a website

Briefly explain what you like about each one

See you on results day…and then in September!

SUMMER WORK