NCEA Level 2 Media Studies (90279) 2011 — page 1 of 3
Assessment Schedule – 2011
Media Studies: Demonstrate understanding of a media genre (90279)
Evidence Statement
Achievement
Achievement
with Merit
Achievement
with Excellence
The candidate:
The candidate:
The candidate:
 defines the appropriate media
genre
 demonstrates an in-depth
understanding of a media genre,
which means:
 demonstrates critical
understanding of a media genre,
which means:
 responds to ONE of the four
aspects
 demonstrates an understanding
of a of media genre, which means:
- describing a significant aspect
of a media genre
- describing how the aspect is
significant to the chosen media
genre
- using supporting evidence
from at least TWO media texts
and / or other sources
- a discussion in terms of how the
aspect is significant to the genre
rather than specific text(s).
- providing a detailed
description of a significant
aspect of a media genre
- giving detailed reasons to
explain how and / or why the
aspect is significant to the
chosen media genre
- using supporting evidence
from at least TWO media texts
and / or other sources
- a discussion in terms of how
and / or why the aspect is
significant to the genre rather
than specific text(s).
- providing a detailed
examination or discussion of
a significant aspect of a media
genre, including:
 implication and / or effect
 valid evidence that is specific
to the aspect and how it is
significant to the genre
 using supporting evidence
from at least TWO media texts
and / or other sources
 a discussion in terms of how
and / or why the aspect is
significant to the genre rather
than specific text(s).
Oversimplification or irrelevance, or
generalisation with evidence may
occur.
The discussion will include a
description of at least ONE of the
following:
The discussion will include an
explanation of at least ONE of the
following:
The discussion will include a
detailed examination of at least
ONE of the following:
 ONE commonly shared feature
significant to the genre
 how and / or why ONE commonly
shared feature is significant to the
genre
 the implication / effect of the use
of a commonly shared feature
 a significant change in the genre
 audience expectation and / or
response significant to the genre
 commercial considerations
significant for the genre
 how and / or why a change is
significant for the genre
 how and / or why audience
expectation and / or response is
significant to the genre
 how / and or why commercial
considerations are significant for
the genre
 the implication / effect of a
significant change in the genre
 the implication / effect of
audience expectation and / or
response to the genre
 the implication / effect of
commercial considerations for
the genre.
Partial answers
Eg: Audience expectation /
response
Eg: Change
Eg: Commercial considerations
Since Nicholas Ray’s benchmark
Rebel Without a Cause in 1955,
through to Will Gluck’s Easy A of
2010, the idea of a teen asserting
their identity and finding acceptance
In teen films, the role of music has
gone from that of a mere soundtrack
that underscores the drama of a
film, to a vital commercial tool to
lever maximum financial success
(ONE example only)
The audience of a Hollywood teen
film expects the use of a montage.
The convention of a montage is a
sequence of separate, often short
shots that is used to quickly show
NCEA Level 2 Media Studies (90279) 2011 — page 2 of 3
you what has happened over time.
This is often used in teen films to
allow for a large, and possibly boring
part of the storyline to be told in an
entertaining way. It uses little or no
dialogue and is backed by a
soundtrack – usually a song that is
popular to the teen target audience.
The montage is important for the
genre as it is used to entertain, as
well as help the audience
understand the developing storyline,
or set the audience up to feel a
particular way about a character
In John Avildsen’s 1984 teen film,
The Karate Kid, the montage is used
near the end of the film, and shows
edited sequences of Daniel’s rise
through the “All Valley Karate
Tournament”, and the growing
competition between him and the
head Cobra Kai karate student,
Johnny. The sequence is set to the
soundtrack of “You’re the Best”,
sung by Joe Esposito. The Karate
Kid montage allows the audience to
watch Daniel’s progress to the semifinals, but not have to see every
fight. It is just like an inspirational
music video to prepare the audience
for the ultimate face-off between
Daniel and Johnny at the end of the
film.
has been central to the plot of the
Hollywood teen film genre.
While this focus has not changed,
who the teen needs to be accepted
by and why they need to assert their
identity, has definitely changed.
In Rebel Without a Cause, the main
teen, Jim, rebels because his
mother and father fail to understand
his experiences as he comes of age.
The famous scene where he
confronts his parents because his
mother and father are always in
disagreement about how he should
be raised sees him cry, “You’re
tearing me apart!” He confronts his
mother saying, “You, you say one
thing, he says another and
everybody changes back again!”
When Jim’s mother exclaims, “That
is a fine way to behave”, he barges
out of the house, kicking a hole in a
family portrait. Jim’s outburst is
towards the adults who fail to
understand him. This lack of
parental understanding of their
experience and consequent conflict
is typical of the traditional Hollywood
teen film narrative, of the 1950s and
60s, and reflects the social change
of the time. American teenage
culture, as a separate experience
between childhood and adulthood,
was a new thing. Parents, raised in
an earlier time, where children were
expected to behave as children until
they became adults, found it difficult
to understand the problems and
difficulties of 50s and 60s teens. The
conflict that results from this
difference in attitudes is absolutely
central to the narrative of teen films.
Modern teens, however, are no
longer fighting against adults who do
not understand them; rather the
struggle in teen movies is now
amongst teens themselves. The
hierarchy of high school cliques
sees the teen struggle with asserting
their identity and along with Bring It
On and Mean Girls, Will Gluck’s
Easy A is a text that shows this
change.
from any project.
There has been an enormous
change from the use of soundtracks
that merely heighten and
underscore teen drama and angst,
like the traditional score Leonard
Rosenman used in Rebel Without A
Cause. Warner Bros’ marketing
strategy was obviously to appeal to
adults, not teens, as this film has no
hint of the popular rock and roll
music that became so important in
later teen movies.
By the 1980s, the teen movie
became totally targeted at teens,
and the production companies did
more than just add in a soundtrack
that appealed to teen audiences.
The soundtracks themselves
became an integral part of ensuring
financial success for these films,
and were marketed alongside films.
Kenny Loggin’s hit “Footloose” from
Footloose, and Simple Minds “Don’t
You forget About Me” from The
Breakfast Club, were all substantial
hits of the 1980s, due to the
marketing and association with the
films. The commercial consideration
of music targeted directly at teens of
the teen film was set.
This link between popular music and
the Hollywood teen film, would grow
to be further marketed and defined
in the 90s and beyond. Soundtracks
are a huge part of the selling point of
the modern Hollywood teen film. A
vast range of popular songs are now
used versus the three or so key
tracks of the 1980s teen film. Teen
films from the 2000s and beyond,
such as High School Musical, Mean
Girls and Easy A, are full of a range
of songs to suit scenes or action
within the film. This easy blend of
the music with the teen world
onscreen, such as the Natasha
Bedingfield’s track “Pocket full of
Sunshine” used in Easy A as part of
a prop, then as the track to a
montage, and later as the main
character’s ringtone, talks to how
music has blended with an everyday
sense of teen life.
And just when you thought that it
was not possible to make any more
money out of the songs from teen
movies, the media conglomerates
have now wrung many millions out
of the Glee television show, reusing
NCEA Level 2 Media Studies (90279) 2011 — page 3 of 3
and remarketing those same teen
anthems from the genre – including
“Don’t You Forget About Me” from
The Breakfast Club. Today, teen
genre films are the ultimate
commercial tool for many
companies – there is the chance to
make money across many different
platforms, using many different
forms – the film, music videos,
albums, downloads, ringtones, etc.
Judgement Statement
Achievement
Achievement with Merit
Achievement with Excellence
A
M
E
Codes
C
=
Understanding of a media genre
T
=
Textual evidence
D
=
In-depth understanding of a media genre
Y
=
Critical understanding of a media genre