FM3: Aims and Context
You need to provide an aims and context for your 'Creative Project' at A2 (FM3)
which outlines the techniques and approaches that will be employed in your
production. For assessment purposes a series of bullet points on a coversheet
highlighting the following is sufficient:
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genre of film (or equivalent - type/form/movement)
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film/script/step outline
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whether it’s a short film or extract (and if so, whether it’s opening,
climactic sequences etc.)
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target audience - arthouse/film festival/mainstream
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key stylistic elements of sequence (cinematography, editing etc.)
Candidates may refer to film issues raised during their studies at AS.
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if working in a group (moving image only) state role in the production:
Director/Camera Operator/Editor etc.
The example below gives a hypothetical example and includes reference to film
issues raised during AS & A2 studies.
Example:
1. 'Farewell my Maltese Lady from Shanghai' - film/video production
2. Crime/Thriller short.
3. Target audience of 15-year-old, middle-class males, knowledgeable about
film.
4. Suitable for Art House and Film Festival audiences
5. Apply cinematography techniques developed for thrillers.
a. Explore codes and conventions of genre
b. Develop the stylistic features explored in films such as…
6. As director, try out directing techniques (from directors such as …)
Guidance notes from
WJEC: http://www.wjec.co.uk/index.php?subject=54&level=21&list=docs&docCatI
D=24
A2 Notes for guidance from
WJEC: http://www.wjec.co.uk/uploads/publications/8796.pdf
FM3: Reflective Analysis
Reflective analysis - approximately 1000 words or equivalent (15
marks, including aims and context)
The reflective analysis should select key features of the creative product and
reflect critically on both the creative process and the product. Candidates
working in a group should focus on the construction and impact of their role.
Reflective Analysis: Guidance
You will need to prepare a reflective analysis of the complete process (story
idea/cinematic techniques used/film sequence or photo-storyboard) involved in this
Practical Application of Learning
A good reflective analysis is honest, detailed and will cover all aspects of the work you
have produced in a concise manner whilst reflecting upon on how far it has met it’s
aims. It should not be descriptive (“I did this …..then I did that”) but highlight what
was good about it and what parts are weaker,
WJEC: What should be included in the Reflective Analysis?
It is closer to a micro analysis of the kind submitted for FM1 than it is some kind of
broadly based production report.
Students should bring to bear their Film Studies knowledge in order to evaluate
aspects of their own work, for example, in terms of what they were trying to achieve
and whether the creative decisions made proved to be appropriate ones.
Certainly some reflection on creative intention within their chosen role, and an
understanding of potential affect is advisable.
Given the limited length of this analysis, the student is strongly recommended to focus
on precise moments, and particular key decisions made.
You should include:
A critical approach to the micro features you have used: cinematic techniques
Be critical (positive & negative) of the stylistic techniques used (sound, editing,
lighting, camera, mise-en-scene), what aspects do you consider worked well or not so
well and why? Would these provoke an emotional response in the audience?
Assess how well you have applied these. How could you have improved the work?
Would your intended audience be capable of understanding your intended meaning/s
or enjoy your work?
Discussion of the narrative and how well your message/s were received. Could you
have used a more effective structure or varied techniques? Did your audience find it
difficult to follow or understand.
Discussion of the appropriateness of the characters used and whether your choices
could have been better. How would an audience respond to them?
Discussion of the plot and how well your own initial ideas turned out. What
improvements could you have made?
What was your role in the team and what do you consider the strengths and
weaknesses are of the aspect of work you produced.
Remember to consider the target audience for the genre of film you have worked
within. How would they respond to your ideas?
A2: WJEC FAQs
Q. Does this mean that the demonstration of learning, of knowledge and
understanding, is more important than the quality of the artefact produced?
The intrinsic quality of the artefact is important and students should be
encouraged to work to the highest standards they can attain within the
restraints imposed by time and resources. However, students should be
constantly reminded that their work is being assessed primarily in relation to
the ideas contained in the work. So the specification requires not only a clearly
thought through set of aims but also provide clear evidence in the artefact
itself of Film Studies ideas being engaged with. Again, to quote the
specification, "the Creative Project should demonstrate candidates’ active
engagement with issues raised during their studies at AS and A2" (p.18).
The student is given the opportunity to make explicit the ideas informing their
work in the reflective analysis.
Q. What is the breakdown of marks for the Creative Project?
 Creative Work – documentary step outline, screenwriting or video making (45
marks)
 Reflective Analysis – a continuous piece of writing or a blog or other similar
web based format or a dvd commentary (15 marks)
Q. A statement of “Aims and Context” is compulsory but not assessed – can
you explain?
For whichever Creative Project option that is chosen, it is vital that the student
has a clear sense of their aims and the context(s) out of which the work
emerged. Form FM3a (page 51 of the 2009 Specification) has space for the
very brief outline of this information. As the Specification makes clear: “the
aims and context’ must be completed on the appropriate cover sheet, other
wise the Creative project and accompanying Reflective Analysis cannot be
adequately assessed.” (page 19, 2009 Specification). Without knowing what
the work set out to achieve, it is impossible to reach an understanding of
whether it was successful in meeting its aims.
What WJEC says
Q. The writing to be submitted with the creative work is also described as an
‘analysis’. Why is this?
This piece of writing is indeed intended as a second close reading of a piece of
film material – the essential difference is that this material has been produced
by the student. This investigation is from a producer’s perspective (the
student as producer of her own creative work) rather than from a spectator’s
perspective. From a producer’s perspective the focus will be on the intended
response of the audience as a generality
Q. So this is not the standard ‘evaluation’ so often required to accompany
practical work?
Correct. This is a further investigation, one that reflects on the deployment of
formal micro elements and their impact in producing meaning and response.
Students are challenged to think through her/his creative choices in relation to
intention and effect. It is ‘evaluative’ in the same way that the 1500 word
Written Analysis is evaluative: it will lead to some reflective judgements being
made on how effective are certain micro features.
Terminology
Editing Terminology
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Transition (how a shot goes from one-to-another)
Continuity editing (one of the most common forms of editing, continuity devices are
used to make the edit appear smooth so as not to distract the viewer from the
narrative)
Axis match (the angle of the camera remains the same from shot to shot)
Cross cut/Parallel cut (editing that alternates between two or more scenes happening
at the same time)
Direction match (the direction of a person or object is consistent across the cut)
Dissolve (shot A gradually fades and is replaced with shot B with a momentary
superimposition of both shots)
Duration and pacing (the length and rhythm of shots)
Long take (shot that continues for a long time - could be a tracking shot that follows
characters or could just be a shot that doesn't end for over 40 seconds)
Eye-line match (a cut where characters appear to look at each other because of the
direction of their glances).
Fade-in (a gradual lightening of the image from black to light)
Fade-out (gradual darkening of image to black)
Movement match (action begun in one shot is continued/completed in the next)
Wipe (one image replaced with another - usually vertically but can take other shapes)
CGI (computer generated images)
Slow motion/fast motion (images slowed down or speed up)
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Sound Terminology
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DIEGETIC- any sound, voice or piece of music that comes from within the world of
the narrative.
NON DIEGETIC- sounds that are not in the film but are added later e.g. sound
effects
DIALOGUE- the words that are spoken on screen.
SOUND BRIDGES Often the sound from one scene will continue into or over the
next scene
PARALLEL SOUND as, as the name suggests, the music tone and mood matches
(hence ‘parallel’) the action on screen.
CONTRAPUNTAL SOUND- where the music tone and mood do not match the
action seen on screen e.g. Jaws… happy images of children on the beach but a dark,
sinister sound being played dur dur…
A LEITMOTIF is a musical term referring to a 'short, constantly recurring musical
phrase associated with a particular person, place, or idea for example: the recurring
music when Indiana Jones comes to the rescue.
INSTRUMENTAL- the sounds played by an orchestra without lyrics.
SOUNDTRACK- A recording of the musical accompaniment to a movie.
Cinematography (Camera work terminology):
Camera movement
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DOLLY - The camera is mounted on a cart which travels along tracks for a very
smooth movement.
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DOLLY ZOOM - A technique in which the camera moves closer or further from the
subject while simultaneously adjusting the zoom angle to keep the subject the same
size in the frame.
PAN - Horizontal movement, left and right.
TILT - Vertical movement of the camera angle, i.e. pointing the camera up and down.
TRACKING - Roughly synonymous with the dolly shot, but often defined more
specifically as movement which stays a constant distance from the action, especially
side-to-side movement.
ZOOM - Technically this isn't a camera move, but a change in the lens focal length
with gives the illusion of moving the camera closer or further away.
ARC - Camera moves around a 180 or 360 degree point.
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Camera shots
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EWS (Extreme Wide Shot)-The view is so far from the subject that he isn't even
visible. Often used as an establishing shot.
WS (Wide Shot)-The subject takes up the full frame, or at least as much as
comfortably possible.AKA: long shot, full shot.
MS (Mid Shot)-Shows some part of the subject in more detail while still giving an
impression of the whole subject.
MCU (Medium Close Up) -Half way between a MS and a CU
CU (Close Up)-A certain feature or part of the subject takes up the whole frame.
ECU (Extreme Close Up)-The ECU gets right in and shows extreme detail.
Cut-In -Shows some (other) part of the subject in detail
Over-the-Shoulder (OSS) Shot Looking from behind a person at the subject.
Point-of-View Shot (POV)-Shows a view from the subject's perspective
Two-Shot-A shot of two people, framed similarly to a mid shot
Camera Angles
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EYE LEVEL - This is the most common view, being the real-world angle that we are
all used to. It shows subjects as we would expect to see them in real life. It is a fairly
neutral shot.
HIGH ANGLE - A high angle shows the subject from above, i.e. the camera is angled
down towards the subject. This has the effect of diminishing the subject, making
them appear less powerful, less significant or even submissive.
LOW ANGLE - This shows the subject from below, giving them the impression of
being more powerful or dominant.
BIRD’S EYE - The scene is shown from directly above. This is a completely different
and somewhat unnatural point of view which can be used for dramatic effect or for
showing a different spatial perspective.
CANTED ANGLE - Also known as a dutch tilt, this is where the camera is
purposely tilted to one side so the horizon is on an angle. This creates an interesting
and dramatic effect and makes the audience feel disorientated.