Media Studies

Media & Film Studies

Head of Department – Ms N. Moore
Overview

The Media industry is booming in the UK, bringing over £100bn to the UK economy. Media and Film have been at the forefront of cultural innovations in the 20th and 21st century and are major art form. Those who study it bring with them a high degree of enthusiasm and excitement for what is a powerful and culturally significant medium. In an age of filters and mass media manipulation, being able to look critically at our own media consumption is crucial in the modern age and enable students to question their own media habits. At A Level, Film Studies can make an important contribution to the curriculum, offering the opportunity to investigate how film works as a medium of representation and aesthetics. Both GCSE and A Level Media and Film Studies are underpinned by both the creative nature of the subject as well as an academic rigour to the exploration of case studies from film, television, video games, journalism, the music industry, online and social media.

Core concepts and Intent

Across both GCSE and A Level, TBGS students will:

  • demonstrate skills of enquiry, critical thinking, decision-making and analysis
  • develop appreciation and critical understanding of the media and film, their role both historically and currently in society, culture and politics
  • understand and apply specialist subject-specific terminology to analyse and compare media and films and the contexts in which they are produced and consumed in order to make informed arguments, reach substantiated judgements and draw conclusions about media issues
  • develop practical skills by providing opportunities for creative media and film production
Implementation

Lessons at both GCSE at A Level are balanced between the study, inquiry and appreciation of media texts alongside more collaborative group practical workshops and individual research-based case studies. Students will have access to a range of technical equipment including an Apple Mac suite with Adobe Creative Cloud software, DLSR cameras and a dedicated green screen with studio lights.

Impact

Both Media and Film Studies are popular and enjoyable choices for students at TBGS with GCSE and A Level results reflecting the engagement that they find in their courses to a large proportion of higher grades being achieved. Post-18, a number of students have continued with the subject both at University level and in Industry with degrees including Media, TV/Film Production and Sports Journalism being opted for as well as on-the-job Apprenticeships with the BBC and broadcast productions including a BBC3 documentary and working for Sky.

GCSE

Exam board – OCR

GCSE – OCR

Students will be taught 6 hours of Media Studies across a fortnight which will be a balance between:

  • in-class case studies for exam content or creative draft-work such as storyboarding or designing
  • small group or individual practical-based lessons using the department’s camera, tripods and green-screen equipment – both in-class and around the school environment
  • digital workshops in an ICT suite to learn how to edit film and photography work using Adobe Premiere/Photoshop.

Students will complete two final exams at the end of Year 11 worth 70% of the GCSE grade. After an induction course in the Autumn Half Term to introduce students to key media concepts through wide-ranging case studies supported with practical workshops, the main course content begins from October.

Year 10
Television Crime Drama
Film Marketing

Year 11
News Journalism
Music Industry

Additionally, there will be a practical production (Non-examined Assessment) worth 30%.  This is an individual project that could include creating a magazine portfolio using original photography or a filmed opening to a television programme or music video.  This brief changes each year and details will be released in March of Year 10.

Sixth Form

A level Film Studies (from September 2024) Exam board – Eduqas

Students do not need to have studied Media or Film at GCSE to be able to opt for Film Studies at A Level.

There are 2 exams, each worth 35% and a practical production task (30%).

Across their course of study, students will explore 9-10 feature-length films and a selection of short films ranging from across the cinematic eras of silent cinema right up to recent releases from the 21st Century.

  • Hollywood 1930-1990
  • American Independent Film
  • British Film
  • European Film
  • Global Film
  • Documentary
  • Silent Film
  • Experimental Film
  • Short Film
  • Film Production

Skills developed include:

  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Film and Textual Analysis
  • Communication and Research skills
  • Literacy
  • Technical competence (i.e. film editing)

The creative production element (30%)allows students to showcase the film-making or screenwriting skills developed during the course:

Short Film (video)
OR
Short Film Screenplay (with storyboard)
AND
Evaluative Analysis

A-Level Media Studies (last class – 2025) – OCR

There are two exams taken at the end of Year 13 worth 70%.

Paper 1
News Journalism (Print and Online)
Print Advertising Campaigns
Magazine Industry
Music Videos

Paper 2
Television Drama (English language and non-English language case studies)
Radio Industry
Film Industry
Gaming Industry

Additionally, 30% of the course is obtained through a practical Non Examined Assessment (NEA).  An individual project that is introduced after Easter in Year 12.  The brief changes each year and involves the creation of filmed and online content fully supported with the department’s equipment and editing facilities.