Cover work for Miss Matthey

Miss Matthey isn't in school today due to illness. She has sent the following work for you to complete in your double lesson with her P3/4:

Students to watch opening trailers of Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction, 2001- A Space Odyssey, Inception, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Donnie Darko. Ask them to research how this reflects postmodern concepts of Pastiche, Hyperreality, Time Bending, and Altered States and how it differs from the idea of a Grand Narrative. They can do this independently in the library and be ready to discuss on Monday.

Homework: video analysis

By next lesson, everyone in your group needs to have completed a DETAILED analysis of a music video in your chosen genre.

Think about the skills we are looking for:

• analysis of codes and conventions
• annotated screen shots
• application of media theory: eg representation of different groups within that video (class, age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, etc)

Use the blog we've been looking at in class as a reference point for what good work looks like.

REMEMBER: IF IT ISN'T ON THE BLOG, IT DOESN'T EXIST. UPLOAD YOUR WORK!

Research checklist

Based on your analysis of a successful A2 Research section, here are the things we've agreed as a class we're going to do in our own research:

• Analyse videos from within your chosen genre:
• specific screen shots: looking at camera angles, lighting, mise-en-scene
• codes and conventions of her genre
• use media theory to deepen analysis
• Annotated versions of ancillary tasks
• Audience questionnaire
• Audience mood board
• Analyse existing media coursework: evaluate strengths/weaknesses - lessons for her own video

Skills that are important to remember:

• Incorporate different types of media: text, videos, imagery, own work
• Presentation and writing style are important

Sample videos

Using the video mark scheme, put these sample videos, all genuine student work, into rank order (worst to best):

And lastly, this one (only works as an embedded video): http://a2media-steph.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/finalised-music-video.html

Video mark scheme

Here is the mark scheme for the music video. Have a look at the elements you are marked on and start to think about how this will affect the way you approach your work over the course of the next few months:

Level 1 (0-14 marks)
Work is likely to be unfinished. There is evidence of a minimal level of ability in the creative use of any of the following technical skills:

• shooting material appropriate to the task set; including controlled use of the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot sizes and close attention to mise en scene
• editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of shot transitions, captions and other effects
• recording and editing sound with images appropriately.

Where a candidate has worked in a group, there is only minimal evidence of a contribution to construction.

Level 2 (15-23 marks)
There is evidence of a basic level of ability in the creative use of some of the following technical skills:

• shooting material appropriate to the task set; including controlled use of the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot sizes and close attention to mise en scene
• editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of shot transitions, captions and other effects
• recording and editing sound with images appropriately.

Where a candidate has worked in a group, a basic contribution to construction is evident.

Level 3 (24-31 marks)
The candidate is expected to demonstrate proficiency in the creative use of most of the following technical skills:

• shooting material appropriate to the task set; including controlled use of the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot sizes and close attention to mise en scene
• editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of shot transitions, captions and other effects
• recording and editing sound with images appropriately.

Where a candidate has worked in a group, a proficient contribution to construction is evident.

Level 4 (32-40 marks)
The candidate is expected to demonstrate excellence in the creative use of most of the following technical skills:

• shooting material appropriate to the task set; including controlled use of the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot sizes and close attention to mise en scene
• editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of shot transitions, captions and other effects
• recording and editing sound with images appropriately.

Where a candidate has worked in a group, an excellent contribution to construction is evident.

Example Research section

Have a look at this Research section from a former student: http://cheneya2media2016-sophiehodgson.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Research

Using the mark scheme you already have on your blogs, what level would you give this student?

As you go through it, make a list of the things you think make a good Research section. We will use this to build a class checklist for what EVERYONE is going to do for their own Research sections.

Wheatley Park Film Festival - Friday 4th November

Wheatley Park School hold a student film festival every year and this year it's being held on Friday 4th November. Media and Film students from schools across Oxford meet and share work and take part in Q&A sessions with professionals from within the film industry.

I'd like us all to attend this event as I think it's something you would all gain a great deal from. We've been in the past and it's always been a really successful trip.

The timings would be:
09:00:   Meet at Wheatley Park
13:00:   Return to Cheney

You would have to make your own way to and from Wheatley Park (there are regular buses).

I would like to show some examples of your work from last year (along with some of last year's Year 13 work) so have a think about whether you'd like your work to be put forward.

Opportunity with the BFI

There is an amazing opportunity to work with the British Film Institute (BFI) on the BFI Film Academy here in Oxford. If you are interested in film as a potential career path, this is definitely something you need to have a look at: https://www.filmoxford.org/youth-training/bfi-academy

Welcome to A2 Media Studies

"Once more into the breach, dear friends, once more..."
Henry V, Shakespeare

Your A2 coursework is EVEN MORE IMPORTANT than you AS coursework. Why?

1. You have to do more work (3 media products rather than one)
2. It's still worth 50% of your overall A2 grade but...
3. ...Section A of your exam is the Theoretical Evaluation of Production, which asks you to review and analyse your practical work - so your ability to produce and then analyse your practical work is worth 75% of your overall A2 grade
4. The marking criteria is harsher at A2 as the exam board are expecting to see progress in your technical ability from AS

Marking

The breakdown of how your A2 coursework is marked is exactly the same as AS:
Research and Planning: 20%
Practical Productions: 60%
Evaluation: 20%

Section A of the A2 exam: Theoretical Evaluation of Production

You will answer TWO questions related to your practical work over the past two years (AS and A2). 

1 a): Describe and evaluate how your skills have developed between AS (Foundation Portfolio) and A2 (Advanced Portfolio) in relation to ONE/TWO of the following skills areas:

• Digital technology
• Creativity
• Research and planning
• Post-production
• Using conventions from real media texts

1 b): Select ONE of your media productions (your AS film or one of your three A2 productions) and evaluate it in relation to ONE of the following media concepts:

• Genre
• Narrative
• Representation
• Audience
• Media language

So...let's get cracking

First of all, set up your A2 blog:

cheneya2media2017-YOURNAME.blogspot.com 

And then, as a group, complete your AS coursework reflection sheet.

Add this information to your own individual blogs.