GCSE Film Studies
Course Overview
Exploring Film
Exam: 1 Hour 30 mins
30%
Exploring &
Creating
Film Outside
Hollywood
Exam: 1 Hour
20%
Coursework
50%
Exploring Film – Paper 1
The exam aims to develop:
• Skills in film analysis
• Knowledge of genre
conventions
• Awareness of how audiences
are targeted
Assessment – Paper 1
4 Compulsory Questions:
Respond to an unseen moving image stimulus.
One Question on Film Language
One Question on Genre
 Respond to a still image stimulus.
One question on marketing/promotion
 Creative Task
Series of small tasks assessing films in
relation to audience and industry

Set genre for first examination in Summer 2009
and last examination in 2012 will be Disaster
The unseen extract film language
This question will expect students to
discuss aspects of film language such as:
 The use of camera shots and movement
 The mise-en-scène
 The pace and type of editing used
 The significance of sound

Exploring Genre
 Exploration of the ‘typical ingredients’ of specific
genres – what we have come to like and expect.
 Focus upon: setting, themes, characters, props,
narrative and plot, style.
 Students should look for patterns of variation as
well as repetition.
 Begin to build to a more complex definition of
genre as something that is dynamic and open to
change.
 Focus on the ways in which films mix genres.
Independence Day

What typical aspects of the disaster genre
are evident in this sequence?
EXAM QUESTIONS –
a. Identify one camera shot.
b. Say why it is used.
c. How are camera shots and editing used to
emphasise the dramatic events in this
sequence?
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Deep Impact – question 2

What typical aspects of the disaster genre
are evident in this sequence?

What typical disaster movie themes can
you identify?

What relationships and characters are
important? Why? How is the film narrative
‘resolved’?
Disaster conventions
Most Disaster Movies have a linear narrative that
leads up to and away from the central disaster.
 When the disaster is towards the end of the film
the narrative is even simpler, a ‘will they won’t
they’ countdown to doom or escape provides the
narrative.
 ‘High concept’, little need for plot details as
disaster bound to happen
 Characters and their relationships run alongside
the disaster and maintain ‘human interest’.

Themes & Issues
Relationships
 Self-sacrifice/redemption
 Working together
 Nature & people’s arrogance
 Greed/cutting corners
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Characters & Stars
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The hero.
The reluctant hero.
The bad guy.
The bad guy turned good.
The self doubter.
The kid(s).
The strong woman.
The damsel in distress.
The bureaucrat.
The voice in the wilderness.
The support.
The victims
These characters more often than not are thrown together and
forced to work out their differences in order to survive. Many of
these characters are simple, what is called ‘one dimensional’.
Industry response
The third question will expect students to
respond to a stimulus and show knowledge of
the industry in their response.
 The focus will be on industry issues raised by a
print-based stimulus (production, marketing,
exhibition issues?)
 Again students should show awareness of genre
conventions but also industry conventions

Teaser
posters

What genre
conventions
are being used
to draw
audiences to
this teaser
poster?
What typical
industry
conventions are
being used to sell
this DVD of
TITANIC?
WAR OF THE WORLDS

How are images used to promote ‘War of
the Worlds’ in this homepage?

What other information is given that helps
to sell the film to audiences?
Creative question
The final question on the exam paper
gives students an opportunity to be
creative WHILST proving their knowledge
of industry and genre conventions.
 Reassure them artistic skills are not as
important as imagination and knowledge.
 Students must keep an eye on timing, and
mark allocations (spend more time on
questions with higher marks!)

Possible tasks
Design a film poster
 Design a homepage
 Opening of a film magazine article
 Come up with a new disaster film
 Storyboard a sequence
 A section of a script
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CONCLUSION
This paper brings together students’
knowledge of:
film language
film industry
film genre
 The best grades will be achieved by the
students who see the connections
between all three.
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