AS Level Media Studies
Mr. Alex Anderson
Cambridge Assessment: International Education
For examination in June 2022
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2Vo1BYGXHs&list=PLZlv_N0_O1gbNPvy7WzEE-2lIO2exfHBb
Welcome to AS Level Media!
Today we will:
Consider what we mean by 'media'.
the course is structured and how you will be
Explain how
graded.
Look
6
at how we will tackle the subject throughout the
year.
18/03/2022
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Welcome to AS Level Media!
Today we will:
Consider
Explain
Look
7
what we mean by 'media'.
(more importantly what Cambridge means by 'AS Media)
how the course is structured and how you will be graded.
at how we will tackle the subject throughout the year.
18/03/2022
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What do we mean by 'media'?
8
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What do we mean by 'media'?
Media refers to the different mediums through which we c__________
When discussing media on a large scale we are referring to m___ m____
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18/03/2022
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What do we mean by 'media'?
Media refers to the different mediums through which we communicate
When discussing media on a large scale we are referring to m___ m____
10
18/03/2022
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What do we mean by 'media'?
Media refers to the different mediums through which we communicate
When discussing media on a large scale we are referring to mass media
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Communication
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Top 15 Social Media Platforms in
January 2020
How many can you name?
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https://www.webfx.com/internet-marketing/traditional-media-vs-new-media.html
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Movie Industry: $42 billion (2019)
Netflix: $20 billion (2019)
Movie Industry: $42 billion (2019)
Netflix: $20 billion (2019)
Movie Industry: $42 billion (2019)
Netflix: $20 billion (2019)
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http://www.ecanuksentrepreneurs.com/
What does Cambridge mean by 'media'?
AS Level Media: Cambridge Assessment 2020
Year 1 will focus on two key components.
Component 1: Foundation Portfolio
Component 2: Media Texts and Contexts

 Section A: Candidates must answer one question based


Candidates must produce either an opening Film
Sequence OR a feature article for a Magazine.
Candidates must provide evidence of their
creative process and instances of critical
reflection.
50 marks (50% of AS Level)
44
on a previously unseen moving image extract.
 25 marks (25% of AS Level)
 Section B: Candidates must answer one question from
a choice of two that concerns media industry.
 25 marks (25% of AS Level)
Component 1 and 2 combined = 50% of A Level
18/03/2022
ADD A FOOTER
AS Level Media: Cambridge Assessment 2020
Year 1 will focus on two key components:
Component 1: Foundation Portfolio
Component 2: Media Texts and Contexts

 Section A: Candidates must answer one question based


Candidates must produce either an opening Film
Sequence OR a feature article for a Magazine.
Candidates must provide evidence of their
creative process and instances of critical
reflection.
50 marks (50% of AS Level)
45
on a previously unseen moving image extract.
 25 marks (25% of AS Level)
 Section B: Candidates must answer one question from
a choice of two that concerns media industry.
 25 marks (25% of AS Level)
Component 1 and 2 combined = 50% of A Level
18/03/2022
ADD A FOOTER
AS Level Media: Cambridge Assessment 2020
Year 1 will focus on two key components:
Component 1: Foundation Portfolio
Component 2: Media Texts and Contexts

 Section A: Candidates must answer one question based


Candidates must produce either an opening Film
Sequence OR a feature article for a Magazine.
Candidates must provide evidence of their
creative process and instances of critical
reflection.
50 marks (50% of AS Level)
46
on a previously unseen moving image extract.
 25 marks (25% of AS Level)
 Section B: Candidates must answer one question from
a choice of two that concerns media industry.
 25 marks (25% of AS Level)
Component 1 and 2 combined = 50% of A Level
18/03/2022
ADD A FOOTER
AS Level Media: Cambridge Assessment 2020
Year 1 will focus on two key components:
Component 1: Foundation Portfolio
Component 2: Media Texts and Contexts

 Section A: Candidates must answer one question based


Candidates must produce either an opening Film
Sequence OR a feature article for a Magazine.
Candidates must provide evidence of their
creative process and instances of critical
reflection.
50 marks (50% of AS Level)
47
on a previously unseen moving image extract.
 25 marks (25% of AS Level)
 Section B: Candidates must answer one question from
a choice of two that concerns media industry.
 25 marks (25% of AS Level)
Component 1 and 2 combined = 50% of A Level
18/03/2022
ADD A FOOTER
AS Level Media: Cambridge Assessment 2020
Year 1 will focus on two key components:
Component 1: Foundation Portfolio
Component 2: Media Texts and Contexts

 Section A: Candidates must answer one question based


Candidates must produce either an opening Film
Sequence OR a feature article for a Magazine.
Candidates must provide evidence of their
creative process and instances of critical
reflection.
50 marks (50% of AS Level)
48
on a previously unseen moving image extract.
 25 marks (25% of AS Level)
 Section B: Candidates must answer one question from
a choice of two that concerns media industry.
 25 marks (25% of AS Level)
Component 1 and 2 combined = 50% of A Level
18/03/2022
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Foundation Portfolio: Option 1
Film opening task (video)
Candidates must create the titles and opening shots for
a new fiction film of exactly two minutes in length.
The imagery and titles should follow the conventions of
commercial cinema – with emphasis on a particular
genre.
All images and text must be original and produced by
the candidate.
•
•
•
•
The task may be undertaken individually or as
part of a group.
There can be a maximum of four members
per group.
Each candidate must produce an individual
blog.
This blog must record the process of research,
49
planning
and production.
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Sci-Fi Imagery
Westworld (2016-2020)
50
Altered Carbon (2018-2020)
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Foundation Portfolio: Option 2
Magazine task (print)
Candidates must create the front page, contents and
feature article of a new magazine.
This magazine should have a distinct style (a 'house
style') in line with other commercial and editorial
magazines that follow the same theme.
All images and text must be original and produced by
the candidate.
•
•
•
•
The task may be undertaken individually or as
part of a group.
There can be a maximum of four members
per group.
Each candidate must produce a unique
edition of the magazine.
Each candidate must also create a blog
and record their individual research,
51
planning
and production.
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It is strongly recommended you work within a
clearly defined genre – such as:
Horror
Romance
Comedy
Sci-Fi
Thriller
Action
It is strongly recommended you work within a
clearly defined genre – such as:
Fashion
Culture
History
Gaming
Travel
Sport
Foundation Portfolio
1. https://anh053782.wixsite.com/mysite
2. https://ngophuonghong0509.wixsite.com/media
3. https://quang047597.wixsite.com/mysite
4. https://nam064170.wixsite.com/myblogz
Question:
What grade (A,B,C,D or E) would you award the Foundation
Portfolios posted on each of the websites linked above?
AS Level Media Grades: 2021
2A
2B
4C
8D
2E
4U
Camera : shot types, angles, lenses, camera
movement, depth of field, focus.
Lighting : lighting set ups, colour, use of hard or soft
light, natural or artifical, the golden hour.
CLASS
Acting : character representations and stereotypes,
character archetypes, directing performance.
Sound : diegetic sound, non-diegetic sounds, layers
of sound design, musical scores.
Scene : 'mise-en-scene', set design, props, staging,
scenery, costumes, colour schemes, makeup.
Genre: Audience expectations,
codes/iconography, story conventions,
technical conventions,
target audience.
GEM
Editing: Continuity editing,
discontinuity editing, jump cuts,
crosscutting, montage, shot-reverseshot, and previsualization.
Meaning: What does the sequence
says about culture and society? What
issues are commented upon?
Camera : shot types, angles, lenses, camera
movement, depth of field, focus.
Lighting : lighting set ups, colour, use of hard or soft
light, natural or artifical, the golden hour.
CLASS
Acting : character representations and stereotypes,
character archetypes, directing performance.
Sound : diegetic sound, non-diegetic sounds, layers
of sound design, musical scores.
Video Task
Scene : 'mise-en-scene', set design, props, staging,
scenery, costumes, colour schemes, makeup.
Camera : shot types, angles, lenses, camera
movement, depth of field, focus.
Lighting : lighting set ups, colour, use of hard or soft
light, natural or artifical, the golden hour.
CLASS
Acting : character representations and stereotypes,
character archetypes, directing performance.
Style : house style, buzzwords, font, masthead,
coverline, barcode, unique selling point (USP).
Magazine Task
Scene : 'mise-en-scene', set design, props, staging,
scenery, costumes, colour schemes, makeup.
Vocabulary
• Each week I will introduce a single word, phrase, or media terminology
that media students have successfully used to score high marks in
previous years.
• If you can practice implementing these words in your analysis – both in
your portfolio project and your exams – then you significantly increase
your chances of higher grades.
• Cambridge examiners are told to give students the benefit of the doubt
when marking written exam papers. However, this did not happen in
June 2021, and a lack of analytic vocabulary may have cost several
students to drop an entire grade.
AS Level Media: Cambridge Assessment 2020
Semester 1 will focus on two key components:
Component 1: Foundation Portfolio
Component 2: Media Texts and Contexts

 Section A: Candidates must answer one question based


Candidates must produce either an opening Film
Sequence OR a feature article for a Magazine.
Candidates must provide evidence of their
creative process and instances of critical
reflection.
50 marks (50% of AS Level)
62
on a previously unseen moving image extract.
 25 marks (25% of AS Level)
 Section B: Candidates must answer one question from
a choice of two that concerns media industry.
 25 marks (25% of AS Level)
Component 1 and 2 combined = 50% of A Level
18/03/2022
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A Quiet Place (2018)
Directed by: John Krasinski
Production Company: Platinum Dunes
Production Budget: $20 million
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Publicity Budget: $20 million (approximate)
Worldwide Box Office: $340 million
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A Quiet Place (2018)
How does the film create suspense?
Consider:
Camera, Lighting, Sound, Set Design.
250 words.
You must use the word "emphasise" at least once.
First 9 minutes only: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6MwssY8_oE
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Submission
• Watch the first 9 minutes of A Quiet Place.
• You will write a 250 word review of the clip.
• You can choose any moment or element (camera, lighting, sound,
acting, set design) to discuss.
• Does not matter whether you liked or disliked any part of the clip. Just
try to say why you liked or disliked it.
• The only thing you must include is the word "emphasise" (yes you can
spell the American way - "emphasize")
• I will post a submission link via LMS with a deadline of Monday 30th
August.
https://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=M6IpDVWOCyE
Task: Create a Blog
You can use any website for creating your blog. Cambridge recommends Wix simply because of the creative freedom
it provides. But the choice is yours.
You must create a blog as part of your work.
This blog will act as your Foundation Portfolio and will be submitted to your examiner at
the end of the year.
You can use multiple platforms to display your work – Instagram, YouTube, Facebook.
However, links to those platforms must be submitted via your blog.
It is your job to ensure that all links work correctly. No excuses!
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Task: Create a Blog
You can use any website for creating your blog. Cambridge recommends Wix simply because of the creative freedom
it provides. But the choice is yours.
Your first task will be to create a homepage for your blog. This homepage should
contain:
 your full name.
 the name of your course ('AS Level Media 9607: Cambridge International').
 several images you believe represent you as a media practitioner.
 50-100 word description of what it is that interests you in the media.
18/03/2022
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Task: Create a Blog
You can use any website for creating your blog. Cambridge recommends Wix simply because of the creative freedom
it provides. But the choice is yours.
Eventually your blog should have 3 pages:
1. A Homepage: describing yourself and the course.
2. A Homework page: where you will upload any classroom activities, homework
or experiments.
3. A Foundation Portfolio page: where all of your research, planning, and
eventual final product will be uploaded.
We will have dedicated class time to work on the creation of these pages together
throughout the year, so do not worry about how your blog looks at this stage. 18/03/2022
Resources
'Media Theory for A Level: The Essential Revision Guide' by Mark Dixon (2019)
https://www.wix.com/blog
Studio Binder:
https://www.studiobinder.com/blog
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUFoQUaVRt3MVFxqwPUMLCQ
The Take:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVjsbqKtxkLt7bal4NWRjJQ
This Guy Edits:
https://www.youtube.com/c/ThisGuyEdits/videos
18/03/2022
https://www.smartinsights.com/social-media-marketing/social-media-strategy/new-global-social-mediaresearch/
Thank you!
Alex Anderson
Email address:
v.alexandera@vinschool.edu.vn