Monarch of the Glen_age

Here is the Monarch of the Glen clip used in the exam in January 2009 on the representation of age.

 

See the example essay of a high grade here:

G322 Exemplar Answer Cand A High Level by Julie Thrasher

Regional identity_Dr Martin

The exam board have uploaded sample answers to the question - click here to review the highest answer of 46/50 on page 12-14.  It is probably worth reading the lower answers to see the difference.

Here is the clip from June 2013 on regional identity and Dr Martin.

Gender_Primeval

This clip came up in June 2010 on gender.  See the example essay and it is worth reading the examiner's comments too!  Click here

A2 Coursework 2014/5

Centre Hub G324 - June 2015

ST. BONAVENTURES SCHOOL

Centre No: 23236

GCE MEDIA STUDIES: June 2015

All students have individual blogs which contain clearly labelled links to their research and planning, construction tasks and evaluation.

At A2 LEVEL, all students follow brief 2 to create a new promotion package for a new film. This includes a trailer, together with two of the following three options: a website homepage for the film; a film magazine front cover (featuring the film) or  a poster for the film. They were allowed to work in genres of their own choice. 

The links below are for each student's blogsite which contains all their work, including their final 3 products at A2 level.

Yvonne (3247), Genesis (0392) & Steven (0454)_Venison Media
Ray (0512), Roden (0366) & Morgan (3249)_Luna Arts
Zannath (3369), Bethan (3364) & Natalie (3354)_Calibre Films
Jamul (0518), Rory (0406) & Danielle (3235)_Crystal Peak Productions

Please contact the school if there are any issues with these blogsites or links.

Mrs Lory
Head of Media Studies

St. Bonaventures RC School / Boleyn Road / London / E7 9QD

t:  0208 472  3844

Vimeo page links

Please find the links below to our YR12 vimeo pages:

Jacqueline B

Phil B

Kingsley C
James C
Sebastian C
John C
Zhane E
Darran H
David O
Louie P
Acshayan S
Marc Y

AS Coursework (G321) 2015

Centre Hub G321 - June 2015

ST. BONAVENTURES SCHOOL

Centre No: 23236
GCE MEDIA STUDIES: June 2015

All students have individual blogs which contain clearly labelled links to their research and planning, construction tasks and evaluation.

Preliminary exercise: using DTP and an image manipulation program, produce the front page of a new school/college magazine, featuring a photograph of a student in medium close-up plus some appropriately laid-out text and a masthead. Additionally candidates must produce a DTP mock-up of the layout of the contents page to demonstrate their grasp of the program. 

Main task: the front page, contents and double page spread of a new music magazine (if done as a group task, each member of the group to produce an individual edition of the magazine, following the same house style). Maximum four members to a group. 

All images and text used must be original, produced by the candidate(s), minimum of FOUR images per candidate. 

Jacqueline B, 6031

Phil B, 6036
John C, 6039

James de la Cruz, 6047
Sebastian C, 6040
Kingsley C, 6045
Darran H, 6072
Zhane E, 6055
David O, 6129
Louie P, 6151
Acshayan S, 6171
Marc Y, 6200

AS re-submissions
Morgan H, 3249
Zannath U, 3369

What is amazing/different about this music video?

Horror genre conventions

Horror film convention from gmckillop

Frozen - recut as a horror trailer

WHAT MAKES THIS A HORROR TRAILER?

Mary Poppins - recut to a horror trailer

WHAT CHANGES THIS FILM FROM FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT TO HORROR?

Useful sites for cinematography (camera shots, angles, movement and composition)

General guides

A good detailed guide to cinematography - which includes
Media Knowall has good links to terminology with examples
Empire's version - The film magazine


Camera shots according to OCR (our exam board)

Composition: Depth of field explained

(a little technical but it does explain the basics)

Slideshare overview:

Media key terms revision slides shots angles movement composition from MissConnell

Create your own:

Example identification of cinematrography

Test yourself - without annotations:

With annotations:

Past essay example

To what extent are contemporary media regulated adequately?  (2011, June, Level 4 response)

Proliferation of hardware & content

This is a useful video on how to constuct a response to this question.

Consider the particular challenges to regulation posed by digital media: example answer

44/50  - a good example answer

Click here

Marketing and distribution

“Successful media products depend as much upon marketing and distribution to a specific audience as they do upon good production practices.” To what extent would you agree with this statement, within the media area you have studied?

High level 4 response - click here

Social class & status_examples

Merlin was the clip in 2011 on social class and status.  Here is a high level 4 response.  Click here

OCR G322 2011 - Merlin -class&status from Howard on Vimeo.

What significance does the continuing development of digital media technology have for media institutions and audiences?

Click here for example answer
39/50

Technological convergence: example essays

Discuss the significance of technological convergence for the media industry you have studied  (Jun 2009)  Click here - to read a full mark response to this question or read below

OCR Audience and Institution A Grade response

Another example:

How important is technological convergence for institutions and audiences within a media area which you have studied?  34/50

Gender - Dr Who

Dr Who
41/50 - Grade A response for Dr Who click here

Some useful notes:

07 as a Level Media Studies UnitG322 June2009 Exemplar Analysis of Doctor Who Extract

Example essay: TV Drama (disability)

This is an example essay that received top marks:
Top marks_Coming down the Mountain_2012

Here is the clip:

How films make their money back

P:\media studies\as level media\film industry\working title\how film makes its money back.1pptx from ecclestona

Key concepts & a revision activity

We have addressed these issues in class in relation to your case studies and the film industry.  These are the seven concepts the board expects you to know.  

• the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice;
• the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing;
• the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange;
• the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences;
• the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences;
• the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions;
• the ways in which your own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour.

Task: Get 7 sheets of paper, one for each of the concepts listed above. For each one, divide the sheet into three sections: production, distribution and exhibition, and make detailed notes including examples from your case studies (statistics, facts etc). For revision, attempt to memorise these 7 sheets and copy them out from memory. That way it'll be the first thing you can do when you start the exam.

Useful synergy & convergence definitions

Convergence:

Technological convergence refers to the process where new technology is moving towards single platforms delivering multiple media outputs that can be used to reach audiences, for example, a PS3′s primary function is video gaming but you can download and watch movies from Lovefilm.com on it and also watch catch up TV and music videos.

Convergent technology is technology that allows an audience to consume more than one type of media from a single platform.  Lots of aspects of the internet e.g. social networking, YouTube, online editions of newspapers and magazines are convergent but candidates cannot quote the internet as the sole aspect of their answer. Their answer needs to be linked into the media area they are talking about (Film, Music, Magazines, Newspapers, Radio, Video Games). E.g if they were talking about newspapers you could link in to their online editions and talk about how this differs from the traditional paper version and the opportunities it presents or if talking about film, candidates could, for example, point to facebook campaigns advertising a film or viral marketing spread via the internet.

Digital projection is convergent technology because films that are produced digitally have moved away from the physical film medium and can be supplied to theatres in digital format (lower costs for distribution versus higher start up costs for theatres switching to digital technology). As the film is in digital format there are also cost savings as potentially less work needs to be done on the film to get it onto Blu-Ray, DVD, internet trailers etc as no physical conversion needs to take place because the film is already in digital format.

Cross Media Convergence is really a Business Studies term and refers to companies coming together vertically or horizontally (or both). The example often cited in exams is of Working Title making use of its parent company(s) to gain access to bigger stars and a better distribution network for their films.

Synergy:

Synergy basically means working together to achieve an objective that couldn’t be achieved independently. Cross-media convergence can help with synergy if companies are wise enough to take advantage of the links they have forged. Disney is an obvious example of a synergistic company from the top down from Film Studio to Kids’ TV Channel (where it further plays and promotes its films) to the Disney Store (in the street and online) where your kids can pester you to buy all the merchandise and DVDs/CDs they’ve seen on the TV/Web or in the cinema.
Rob Carlton  (OCR)

This PPT is on Universal but it holds some very useful examples:

Synergy And Convergence from craigwinch

Examiners comments on this question:

• Examiners Comments:  ‘…more able candidates could develop an argument which could discuss and evaluate how technological convergence enables effective digital distribution, supports viral marketing campaigns, such as the Dark Knight or The Simpsons, creates media synergy and, for example, the use of Sony BMG to record the soundtrack, and merchandising tie in deals. These able candidates could also evaluate how institutions and audiences used media technology across different platforms, for example on the iPod and other mobile devices/phones and the use of social networking sites to share and offer fan comments. Candidates also discussed downloading (including the issue of internet piracy) films, but did not give specific examples of websites or how you could subsequently watch the movies. On occasion candidates could offer criticism that independent and often British film releases which do not have the budget of major conglomerate film studio’s had to find alternative non- convergent methods of distribution and marketing.’

Media Ownership essays

An example essay:

Here is a useful link to a media ownership question:

Read through some of the arguments raised and apply it to your own case studies on the second page.  It is worth having a paragraph or two on Working Title and the impact on film production and exchange.

Mr Taylor by sparkotronic

Warner Bros info

A useful breakdown of their assets and dominance!
Click here

Useful media blog

A2 - http://a2mediaclaremont.blogspot.co.uk/p/g325-critical-perspectives-in-media.html

David Lynch on Product Placement

The Kings Speech and Investment in the UK

What does the future of the film industry look like?

Free downloading - vs. the film industry - good focus on audience

Useful film on digital technology in the film industry

A real insight into the British film industry?

This film looks really interesting - I'm not sure if it will be out before the exam as it is only premiering at Cannes Film festival on May 20th 2014 - but have a watch of the trailer to get a sneak peak at the issues in the British film industry!

What is media convergence?

An excellent blog on the film industry...

Well worth exploring, reading or even asking him a question!

http://stephenfollows.com/

Press regulation

Article 19
A useful website which highlights some of the key challenges surrounding regulation of the media.
Article 19 on Press regulation
Article 19 - an open letter to government about press regulation
Article 19 - Don't spy on us campaign started


The Guardian website:
David Cameron under pressure to repeal the statute that underlies the royal charter on press regulation.

The role of the distributor in the film industry

Visit these really useful websites to find out about the role of the distributor in the film industry:

Launching films
2 min video introduction to the film industry
15 min video on Distribution - P1
15 min video on Distribution - P2

Film distributors website

Distribution is the highly competitive business of launching and sustaining films in the market place. Films don't become talking points, or find their place in the world, by accident. The distributor's challenge is to bring each one to market by:

• identifying its audience
• considering why they'd go and see it
• estimating the revenue potential across all the formats of its release
• persuading exhibitors (cinema operators) to play the film
• developing plans and partnerships to build awareness of and interest in the film
• aiming to convert as much interest as possible into cinema visits

Like other forms of entertainment, the film business is product-driven: the films themselves are the main reason for buying tickets. There's an insatiable, deep-rooted desire for great stories on screen as well as in print. But today more than ever, consumers call the shots, deciding for themselves what information or 'content' to receive or reject, access or delete.

Editing terminology

If you are unsure about editing techniques - this link is quite detailed but has some good examples and definitions.  It is quite technical but worth exploring:- http://classes.yale.edu/film-analysis/htmfiles/editing.htm

In addition, this has lots of contemporary clips and gives useful definitions with good exemplars.  It doesn't go on to explain the impact of the editing shots in terms of representation but it certainly gives you some good clarification.  To master this, you will want to take an hour to fully explore and understand this page:- http://collegefilmandmediastudies.com/editing/

There is an 11 minute film on this link that discusses the effects of using contrast, parallelism, symbolism, simultaneity and leit motif (repetition) in editing.  It is focused on the effects rather than the cuts per se but it also has useful clips http://www.indiewire.com/article/watch-vsevolod-pudovkins-5-editing-techniques

Different stereotypes in the media

Another useful blog that has information on different stereotypes in the media according to sexuality, ethnicity, age, gender and more.  This site has some media theorists which you don't need to refer to but it does help to read up on the subject.  Revision world link to representation

Representation of ethnicity

This site is really useful for definitions and introductions to different topics - have a read of their write up on the different stereotypes for race and ethnicity in the media.  Remember in the exam, you will be asked about ethnicity only - and not race.  Do you know the difference?  Representation of race & ethnicity

Useful audience theory

This website walks you through the development of Audience theory from 1920s.  Our understanding of how audiences consume media has evolved from passive, unthinking receivers to active consumers who are capable of reading media texts in diverse ways for multiple reasons.  Click here

BFI Film Statistic Yearbook of 2012

Link to the BFI statistical yearbook of 2012  - this has excellent statistics for Section B of the exam on the film industry.

Intro to the process of representation