Why Choose Media Studies?
Welcome to the Media Studies Department. As
the recipient of a Good Schools Guide Award for
our 2005 A Level results we are successfully
teaching an increasingly popular subject which will
provide you with an opportunity to study different
aspects of contemporary media as well as produce
your own work for a variety of purposes and
audiences.
At both AS and A2 students study two modules: one
exam based and one coursework module which is a
practical production, using DV video cameras and
Pinnacle Studio 10+ non-linear digital editing
software, which involves students working in groups
where they plan, produce and evaluate work to a
given brief.
This course enables candidates to develop a critical
awareness and understanding of the media, its role
in society and its attitudes through the exploration
of the products the media produce (media texts),
the institutions that produce them and the
audiences (us) who respond to them.
It is obvious that the media has a massive influence on our lives as we increasingly rely on
it for information, entertainment, communication and even our education (which do you
use more for research, library books or the
internet?).
In recent years we have witnessed a ‘digital
revolution’ including the exponential growth
of the internet as well as the spread of multifunctional mobile phones, video messaging,
the mp3 format and a proliferation of
television channels.
Media Studies attempts to give students a
perspective on the, often bewildering, array
of information which we are bombarded with
on a daily basis. Through academic research
and hands-on media production students will
gain better understanding and insights into
the impact of the media in the modern world
and increase their appreciation of forms they
already enjoy, including film, television and
music.
Lessons will involve a variety of teaching methods and learning activities, including pair
and group work, discussion and individual research. Teaching of the theoretical topics will
be followed by opportunities to put such theory into practice. You will develop your skills in
media production with the focus on camera work and editing.
The course provides a sound basis for further work in a media related area, whether
academic or vocational. At the same time it will give you access to a wide range of careers
and other higher education opportunities, whatever the field. Knowledge of the media is
increasingly valued and is becoming an important aspect of work in most institutions in an
information society.
Advanced/Advanced Subsidiary OCR GCE Media Studies
Assessment is by means of two units of assessment for AS and a further two units of
assessment for Advanced GCE.
AS G331 – Foundation Production
This unit requires candidates to demonstrate a range of technical skills and understanding of
media texts trough the construction of a media text of their own production. Candidates also
record and monitor the production process and demonstrate evaluation, from planning to
outcome.
Preliminary exercise: Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door,
crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he
then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action,
shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule.
Main task: the titles and opening of a new fiction film, to last a maximum of two minutes. Your
AS Production Brief is to produce the opening two minutes of a thriller including titles.
AS G332 - Textual Analysis
The purpose of these units is first to assess candidates’ media textual analysis skills and their
understanding of the concept of representation using a short unseen moving image extract
from television drama. Second to assess candidates’ knowledge and understanding of media
institutions and their production processes, distribution strategies, use of technologies and
related issues concerning audience reception and consumption of media texts.
The examination is two hours (including 30 minutes for viewing and making notes on the
moving image extract) and candidates are required to answer two compulsory questions. The
unit is marked out of a total of 100, with each question marked out of 50.
There are two sections to this paper:
Section A: Textual Analysis and Representation (50 marks)
Section B: Institutions and Audiences (50 marks)
At Advanced GCE, candidates have the opportunity to extend their knowledge within the
conceptual framework through engagement with a range of contemporary media issues and debates
and and through completion of an advanced coursework production.
A2 G323: Advanced Portfolio
This is a coursework unit where candidates will produce a media portfolio and a presentation of their
research, planning and evaluation.
A2 G324: Critical Perspectives
This is a synoptic question paper which has two sections:
Section A: Candidates are required to answer one question on Theoretical Evaluation of Production.
Section B: Candidates answer one question from a choice of six from Contemporary Media Issues.
To find out more about the course visit the school’s website at http://www.brgs.org.uk
curriculum area or the find information from the exam board at http://www.ocr.org.uk