GCSE FILM STUDIES

WELCOME TO FILM STUDIES GCSE!

Your First Homework assignment is to research and watch as many Superhero films as you can. For your research and homework, you need to

keep a detailed scrapbook, entitled: SUPERHERO MOVIES. (You can buy reasonably priced scrap books or you may wish to keep an electronic scrap book or Blog on line. You will have to give me your Blog address so I can check homework and award marks.)

Bookmark my GCSE Film Studies Blog and check in regularly:

http://gcsefilmstudies.blogspot.com/

The Blog will show you how to set up your own Blog. You will have to access this at home as the South West Grid for Learning has blocked Blogger. VERY annoying!

Below you will find a list of some of the land mark Super Hero Films provided by you exam board: WJEC. There are, of course, many more, but this will give you a starting point for your study.

The information you need to collect on each film is as follows:

Director and Year releasedProduction companyMain actors and characters played2 – 3 film reviewsFilm posters. - Stick a copy of the poster in your scrap book and annotate how the film poster tries to attract the audience. Also comment on any meanings conveyed. (Look at words, images, fonts layout, mise-en-scene – setting, props, costume actors, lighting.)DVD Cover (Annotate as above)List typical features or characteristic of the Super Hero Genre which the film displays. Your favourite sequence in the film and why? Remember, you are a FILM student now, so try to comment on the effect of some filmic devices such as: cinematography, mise-en-scene, editing, sound.

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Explore the film’s official web site. Explore how the site tries to persuade you to watch the film. Also what else does the site offer? Any special merchandise or tie-ins, games? (You could also look at some fan sites, but their purpose will be different)

Have a look at these sites to start with:

http://spiderman.sonypictures.com/movies/newyorkmap/http://captainamerica.marvel.com/http://greenlanternmovie.warnerbros.com/#/homehttp://www.disney.co.uk/tron/index.jspNow research more of your own.

At the end of this booklet I have included a number of web addresses to help with this project. I will be marking and checking your work on this project approximately every six weeks or once per half term.Dates also sat end of this booklet. Put them in your homework diaries.

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TIME LINE OF SUPER HERO MOVIES:

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The Super Hero Film is the genre you will be examined on.

Paper 1

30% of your GCSE mark.

1hour 30 mins.

4 compulsory questions.

Here’s a sample paper so you understand the kind of questions you will be asked.

The first 20 minutes – 30 minutes of this exam will be watching a short extract from a Super Hero Movie. You are allowed to read the questions before you watch the extract. You are allowed to watch the extract 3 times and you are allowed to make notes after the first viewing.

Here is a sample paper for you to try.

Go to my Blog for the Spiderman extract : http://gcsefilmstudies.blogspot.com/ The labels on the side bar guide you to the correct posts, so click on Exam Paper 1 or Super Heroes.

Answer all the questions.

Read the questions before viewing the extract. You will be given 3 minutes for this.

The extract is taken from Spiderman (2002).

The sequence shows Peter discovering more of his spider abilities while at High School.

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1. (a) Identify one example of sound used in this extract? (1)

(b) Why is sound used at this point? (2)

(c) How are two of the following used to create tension in this extract:

• use of camera

• editing

• special effects

• mise-en-scène? (7) [10]

2. (a) Identify one typical super hero movie theme or issue used in this extract. (1)

(b) What makes this theme or issue typical? (3)

(c) Explain how this type of theme or issue is used in one other Super Hero movie you have studied. (6) [10]

3. How do DVD covers encourage us to rent or buy a DVD? You may refer to the resource material to help you. (See Below) [10]

4. You have been asked to design a box set for a selection of existing Super Hero movies. Complete the following tasks:

(a) Choose two appropriate films for the box set. (2)

(b) Briefly describe one extra feature in your box set. (3)

(c) Design and annotate the cover for your box set. (6)

(d) Explain how your extra feature and the design of your cover will help to sell your box set. (9) [20]

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Useful Sites to research the Super Hero Genrehttp://gcsefilmstudies.blogspot.com/

http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/

http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/review.asp?FID=11021

http://www.totalfilm.com/

http://www.movieweb.com/movies/2011/action

http://www.ugo.com/games/superhero-generator-heromachine-2-5

http://www.imdb.com

http://www.dccomics.com/dccomics/

http://marvel.com/

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