GCSE Film Studies

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GCSE Film Studies
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Rationale

• Build on Student experience
• Recognition of relationship with film
• Attitudes, ideas and Cultural beliefs
• Three inter-related study areas

Language Organisations Audiences
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Course Overview
Exploring Creating
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Coursework
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Exploring Film
Develop film analysis skills Study of film
Language Study one set genre Set genre for
first examination in Summer 2009 and last
examination in 2012 will be Disaster films.
Gain an awareness of the contemporary film
industry (mainly Hollywood) and of the audiences
for film.
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Assessment

• 4 Compulsory Questions
• Respond to an unseen moving image stimulus. One
  Question on Film Language
• One Question on Genre
• Respond to a still image stimulus.
• One question on marketing/promotion
• Creative Task
• Series of small tasks in relation to Film
  Language, Genre, Marketing and Promotion

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Genre Study

• This will involve three main areas ,film
  language, audience and film industry
• Students will use the knowledge and understanding
  built up in the first film language stage of
  the course.
• Through this close study of a specific genre they
  will increase their understanding of genre as a
  key concept exploring the benefits and problems
  encountered when trying to categorise films.
• They will also investigate the relationship
  between genre and audience, genre and industry.

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• Conventions
• Exploration of the typical ingredients of
  specific genres what we have come to like and
  expect.
• Focus upon setting, themes, characters, props,
  narrative and plot, style
• Consider expectations, introduce need for
  variations to keep the genre fresh encourage
  students to look for patterns of variation as
  well as repetition.
• Begin to build a to more complex definition of
  genre as something that is dynamic and open to
  change.
• Focus on the ways in which films mix genres.

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Non-Hollywood Cinema
Candidates study one non-Hollywood film from a
prescribed list in terms of

• Characters
• Narrative
• Representation
• Issues raised by the film
• Film language

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Assessment

• 3 Compulsory Questions
• Questions will relate to a non-Hollywood film
  chosen by the centre from a list of recommended
  texts.
• One Question on Representation in close study
  film people, places, events
• One Question on Issues in close study film
• One Creative Task
• Centred around personal response reviews,
  forum posting

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Exploring Creating
Five components
Exploration Written exploration of micro features in an extract of candidates choice (350 -750 words)
Pitching Pitch for an imaginary film. This should form the basis of the following tasks
Pre-production From a set of 4 options
Production From a set of 5 options
Reflection Brief reflection on learning in the key areas (language, audience and organisations)
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Film Exploration

• The film exploration consists of 2 elements
• Industry research students complete brief
  research on film of their own choice addressing
  the following areas
• Production Who made it and how?
• Distribution Who sold it and how?
• Exhibition- Why have audiences chosen to see ?
  Who saw it? Why? Where?
• Micro Analysis of 5 minute sequence from film
  chosen by student. (350-750 words)

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Pre-production

• Script a short opening scene for your film (max
  500 words)
• Create a storyboard of no more than 20 frames for
  a key sequence from your film
• Produce digitally a design for a front page and
  contents page for a new film magazine, featuring
  your new film
• Produce a marketing campaign for your film (at
  least 4 items)

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Production

• Create a short sequence of approximately 2
  minutes which creates tension and/or atmosphere.
  (This can be for any section of the film
  including the pre-credit sequence.)
• Produce a home page and at least one linked page
  for a website promoting a new film (including at
  least two original images).
• Produce a poster campaign for a new film (2-4
  posters, using original images)

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• Produce a press pack for a new film (minimum 4
  items, including at least two promotional still
  photographs, using original images)
• Produce a feature based on the production of a
  new film (including star/director interviews,
  biographies and at least two appropriately
  captioned images from the production original
  images must be used) for a film magazine or a
  school/college magazine.

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Reflective Analysis

• A reflective analysis of approximately 350-750
  words for both preproduction and production work
  highlighting what students have learnt about the
  main study areas of film (language,
  organisations, audiences) from their practical
  work.
• This may be presented in 2 parts and in any of
  the following forms
• Discursive essay (with or without illustration)
• Digital Presentation with slide notes e.g. Power
  Point
• Suitably edited blog.
• Group work preproduction and production
  options apart from film sequence options must be
  completed individually. Film sequence in groups
  of no more than four. Two may share camerawork
  and two may share editing providing
  responsibility is equally divided. Reflective
  analysis must clarify individuals contribution.-

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GCSE Film Studies

• Questions?