Critical perspectives in media

Exam section A

Question 1aYou will be examined on how you have developed your skills

over the course of 2 years; from your foundation portfolio to advanced. There are 5 areas that you may be asked to comment on:

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

There may be an overlap between these areas and you will be expected to make links between these points.

Examples of past questions

• Explain how your research and planning skills developed over time and contributed to your media production outcomes. Refer to a range of examples in your answer

• Describe a range of creative decisions that you made in post-production and how these decisions made a difference to the final outcomes. Refer to a range of examples in your answer to show how these skills developed over time

• Describe how your analysis of the conventions of real media texts informed your own creative practice. Refer to a range of examples in your answer to show how these skills have developed over time

• Explain how far your understanding of the conventions of existing media influenced the way you created your own media products. Refer to a range of examples...

• Describe how you have developed your skills in the use of digital technology for media production and evaluate how these skills contributed to your creative decision making.

• Describe the ways in which your production work was influenced by research into real media texts and how your ability to use such research for production has developed

• Describe how you developed research and planning skills for media production and evaluate how these skills contributed to creative decision making. Refer to a range of examples in your answer to show how these skills have developed over time.

Genre questions

Explain how far your understanding of the conventions of existing media influenced the ways you created your own media products. Refer to a range of examples to in your answer

~Analyse one of your coursework productions in

relation to genre

Conventions of short filmsLooking specifically at ‘Black Hole’, analyse how it includes the

conventions of the genre ‘short films’• Includes a twist• Small budget• Shot on location• Action and images, rather than lengthy dialogue, to develop

characters/narrative• Social commentary/ emotionally provocativeHow do these conventions work to create a successful short

film?Consider, film type and audience expectations. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5_Msrdg3Hk

Conventions of social realist films

• Filmed on location• Commentary on wider society• Long shots (emphasising realistic aesthetic)• Regional identities• Working class heroes

Task• Find 2 films which use typical conventions of short films.• Find 2 film clips (from different films) which demonstrate

typical conventions of the social realist genre• Find 2 examples of film posters which reflect the conventions of

the social realist genreAnnotate the posters and stills from the films so that genre

conventions are clearly highlighted. (if possible, these should be examples that you have already looked

at in your research)

Think about the following question:How far, do you think, does your production(s) conform to or

challenge typical conventions of short films/ social realist genre?Be prepared to share your films/ clips and posters and discuss

them.

Your film

• How did including/ adhering to the conventions of short films affect the way in which you constructed your film?

• How did including/ adhering to genre conventions affect the way in which your film was constructed?

• How did including/ adhering to conventions of short films/ genre affect the way in which you wanted the audience to react/ read your film?

• What specific examples from media texts inspired this?• What specific examples from your own production

reflect this?

Conventions of film openings

• What did you learn about the conventions of film openings in your research?

- How are enigmas created?- how are characters introduced?- How did you consider genre conventions?• How did you include conventions of film

openings in the planning and production stages of your project?

Task

Find 2 examples which illustrate how your film openings follow conventions of structure and conventions of genre. Collect screen shots/ still images to illustrate this too.

If possible, use screen shots/ still images of how your construction challenges genre or format conventions.

Annotate your images to show exactly how your have conformed to or challenged conventions

Your film openings

• How did including/ adhering to the conventions of film openings affect the way in which you constructed your film?

• How did including/ adhering to conventions of short films affected the way in which you wanted the audience to react/ read your film?

• What specific examples from media texts inspired this?

• What specific examples from your own production reflect this?

Demonstrate your progression as a media student!!

How has the development of your knowledge and understanding of conventions enabled you to produce successful and interesting products?

AO1: analysis, explanation or argument: use examples from your productions and real media conventions to analyse how you have developed over the years. Consider the necessity of understanding conventions. Also consider how conventions of ancillary tasks influence your research and outcomes. How has the development of your knowledge and understanding of conventions enabled you to produce successful and interesting products?

AO2: use of examples from your research, planning and outcome(s) to illustrate how you have developed your skills or how key media concepts have influenced decision making . Use examples of how real media conventions affected decision making

AO1: Use of terminology

Question:

Explain how far your understanding of the conventions of existing media influenced the ways you created your own media products. Refer to a range of examples to in your answer .

AO1: analysis, explanation or argument: use examples from your productions and real media conventions to analyse how you have developed over the years. Consider the necessity of understanding conventions. Also consider how conventions of ancillary tasks influence your research and outcomes. How has the development of your knowledge and understanding of conventions enabled you to produce successful and interesting products?

AO2: use of examples from your research, planning and outcome(s) to illustrate how you have developed your skills or how key media concepts have influenced decision making . Use examples of how real media conventions affected decision making

AO1: Use of terminology

Question:

Analyse one of your coursework productions in relation to genre

Digital technology