Goodbye and good luck

Hi all,

I'm really sorry that I won't be able to take you through to the end of the course. I have really enjoyed teaching you and I'm sure you will all do very well...so long as you put in the work that is required!

Make sure you get your filming complete as soon as possible so that you leave yourself time to work on the editing process: this is the most time-consuming part of the coursework.

I wish you all the very best of luck and I look forward to hearing about how you all get on.

Mr Kirkaldy

Work for Miss Matthey

Expectations for Gender Representation Essay due on Tuesday:

·         The essay must be 2 pages, typed. Size 12 font, 1.5 line spacing.

·         Look through your essay-structure notes to make sure that you are covering all the areas.

·         This is an analytical essay- not descriptive! You must analyse the technical production of the clip and discuss how this has shaped specific representations. You need to discuss whether or not this adheres to positive or negative stereotypes, or challenges them.

·         Use relevant media terminology. I have uploaded a glossary onto the shared area under ‘Media Studies’, along with a powerpoint summarising theorists we have covered.

·         Remember that this is an exemplar essay that will be graded and that you can use as a revision resource, so I want to see maximum effort.

·         THE DEADLINE IS TUESDAY!!!!! Have it printed and in on time as I want to mark it and return it to you before we break for Christmas. NO EXCUSES!!!!!!

Using the Mac Suite outside of lesson time

We are having problems with students using the Mac Suite as a common room rather than a place to work on Media and/or Art projects.

Students who don't study Media or Art have no reason to be in the Mac Suite. If they want to socialise, they can do that in the Sixth Form area; if they want to work, there are other computers available to them around school.

Likewise, students who ARE studying Media or Art are only allowed in there to work specifically on these subjects. It is not a place to eat, socialise, watch films/videos, listen to music or work on other subjects. 

If the Mac Suite continues to be abused in this manner, your access privileges will be removed from your ID cards and you won't be able to use the Mac Suite without teacher supervision. This would be a great shame and a huge inconvenience to you as you work on your coursework productions.

Please heed this warning and be self-policing in regard to this issue. That includes using your card to allow non-Media/Art students into the Mac Suite.

Filming

Right...the time has come...you need to start turning your ideas into film reality. Use the Shooting Schedule template to plan out when you are going to film each scene: make sure it is a time that you, your crew and your cast are available and stick to that schedule.

Make sure you film each scene in one go, otherwise you are likely to run into continuity problems: change in weather, light, costume, etc.

You have THREE weeks to complete all filming. If you want to use time when we have lessons, that's fine, but please email me in advance (jky@cheney.oxon.sch.uk) so that I can mark you as present in the register.

I want to have all filming complete before Christmas so that you can work on the editing process with Miss Matthey in January. This will leave you enough time to put your film together, re-shoot any scenes that haven't worked for any reason and complete all necessary editing. Remember: you will still have an Evaluation section to complete (worth 20 marks on its own) and that this will all need to be done before the Easter holidays. That gives you 13 weeks from when you get back after Christmas to do EVERYTHING.

Copyright

If you are planning using music for your credits/opening scene, be aware that you aren't allowed to use any copyright materials. The coursework brief says:

All material for both tasks to be produced by the candidate(s), with the exception of musical audio effects from a copyright-free source.

The legal time limit on music copyright is:

70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the last remaining author of the work dies. If the author is unknown, copyright will last for 70 years from end of the calendar year in which the work was created, although if it is made available to the public during that time, (by publication, authorised performance, broadcast, exhibition, etc.), then the duration will be 70 years from the end of the year that the work was first made available.

So...you can either use music from before this time (eg classical music) or copyright-free music. You can Google 'copyright free music' as there are lots of sites that have copyright-free music available for download. Alternatively, there are sample soundtracks on Final Cut Pro which you can use.

Shooting plan

WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED YOUR PLANNING (and not before)...

...you can move on to planning your film shoot.

Work out how many different scenes you need to shoot, what cast and props you're going to need, whether it's a day or a night scene and in what order you're going to shoot them. You can use the form below or come up with your own form/system if you prefer.

TOP TIP: It's best to film each scene in one go as things like weather, light, etc can change and would ruin the continuity of your film (remember the student video that where the snow kept disappearing and reappearing?)

Miss Matthey unwell

Miss Matthey is still unwell. Please use the lesson you would have had with her P5 today to work on your coursework.

Miss Matthey hopes to be back in school by the end of this week.

Homework for Thursday 24th Nov

Now that you've finished your storyboards (if you haven't, do so asap) you need to move on to the next steps in your planning. By our lesson on Thursday you need to have completed the following tasks from the planning checklist (see previous blogpost):

• BBFC rating
• Costume design
• Props
• Location shots

You either need to arrange a time that your group can all meet to complete these tasks or divide the tasks between the people in your group. Either way, all tasks need to be complete (and on your blogs) by our lesson on Thursday.

Miss Matthey absent: work for P5

Miss Matthey isn't in school today due to illness. Here is the work she has asked you to complete in time for her next lesson:

Open the following link and complete Section A of the paper:

http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/subjects/AQA-MEST3-QP-JUN13.PDF

Homework for Mon 21st Nov - complete storyboard

By our next lesson on Monday 21st November, you need to have completed your storyboard for your opening scene. Look at the examples in the blogpost below and think about the information that you need to include. Make sure you have a picture and description for EVERY shot in your opening scene.

Storyboard exemplars

Homework: for Thursday 24th Nov

By Thursday, you need to have completed the following planning tasks from the planning checklist (see previous blogpost):

• BBFC rating
• Costume design
• Props
• Location shots

Either work out times when your group can meet to complete these tasks or divide the tasks between the people in your group. Either way, this all needs to be done (and on your blogs) by Thursday.

Planning

Now that you have decided on your genre of film and know what your COMPLETE narrative is going to be like, you can start to plan your film opening.

REMEMBER: EVERYTHING YOU DO MUST GO ON YOUR BLOG. IF YOU HAVE A CONVERSATION AS A GROUP AND DISCUSS SOME IDEAS, MAKE A RECORD OF WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT AND ADD IT AS A BLOG ENTRY.

Things you need to do before you can start filming:

• Analysis of BBFC rating: What rating is your film going to have? What kind of content is it going to involve?
• Storyboard(s): Don't just draw what is going to HAPPEN in your opening scene, decide on the camera angles, cuts and movement you are going to use, and WHY
• Costume design: How are your characters going to dress? How will this affect their representation and the way the audience engages with them?
• Props: Are you going to need any props? What will you need? Where are you going to get them? How will they help confirm your genre or show the representation of your characters
• Audition videos: Who is going to act in your piece? Film some auditions so that you can discuss who would best play the different characters.
• Location shots: Where might you shoot your film opening. Take some photos, put them on your blog and explain why they would/wouldn't work
• Non-diegetic sound: What are you going to use as your soundtrack? Are you going to include and sound effects?

Own film Todorovian narrative

For Fri 11th Nov:
Make sure you have on your blog a DETAILED breakdown of your film plot in terms of a Todorovian narrative.

Todorov's Narrative Theory

Todorov’s theory of narrative states that all narrative plots follow the same basic pattern:

1. State of equilibrium
2. Disruption to that equilibrium
3. Recognition that disorder has occurred
4. Attempt (or attempts) to resolve the situation
5. Return to equilibrium or establishment of a NEW equilibrium

This pattern can then be re-started in subsequent narratives (eg sequels).

For example, the film Die Hard:

1. Equilibrium: John McClane (Bruce Willis) is meeting his wife for Christmas at her office Christmas party at the Nakatomi Building.
2. Disruption: Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) and his team of terrorists take over the Nakatomi building in order to break into the vault.
3. Recognition: McClane isn't in the room when the terrorists storm in so is aware of the situation AND outside of their control.
4. Attempted resolution: The police try sending in a SWAT team (failed resolution).
5. Equilibrium/New equilibrium: McClane kills Gruber and saves the hostages. He and his wife leave happily together.

This week’s work:

1. Come up with a film in your chosen genre and analyse how it does/doesn’t fit into Todorov’s Theory of Narrative (like above)
2. Decide if your film is going to follow Todorov’s narrative theory
3. Devise the plot for your film
4. Decide at what point in your narrative your film is going to start and how much your opening scene is going to show
5. Develop a script for this opening scene

A-level Media Studies student's fake John Lewis advert

Just look where your Media coursework could get you...

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/nov/06/festive-fake-viewers-fooled-by-students-john-lewis-christmas-ad?CMP=fb_gu

Trip to Wheatley Park Film Festival - CANCELLED

I'm really sorry but the trip to the Wheatley Park Film Festival on Friday has been CANCELLED as there are a number of other events happening on that day and there are too many staff already involved. Apologies.

REMINDER: Wheatley Park Film Festival: FRIDAY 4th NOVEMBER

DON'T FORGET: I will meet you at Wheatley Park School at 9:00am on Friday. You will have to make your own way there and back and I will meet you at Main Reception.

If you encounter any problems, I will have the school mobile: 07593 723554

See you there.

Research checklist

Here is a list of the MINIMUM that you need for an effective research section:

• Deconstruction of camera angles in film scene (The Good, The Bad and The Ugly)
• Preliminary task
• Deconstruction/Analysis of preliminary task
• Evaluation of previous student work (x3)
• Deconstruction of the codes and conventions of film credits (what information, in what order)
• Analysis of how different film genres use/present film credits
• Make a decision on the film genre you are going to work in
• Each person in your group do an analysis of the opening scene of a different film within that genre:
• camera angles - which ones are used and to what effect?
• camera movement - is the filming handheld or static? does the camera move? if so how and why?
• sound (diegetic and non-diegetic) - is there a soundtrack? if so, what mood does it create? are there any diegetic/non-diegetic sound effects?
• characterisation - how do we feel about the different characters? what do we find out about them in the opening schene? how is this achieved?
• plot conventions - at what point do we join the story? is it at the start or is there a non-linear narrative?
• mood/atmosphere - what emotional reaction is the film trying to create? how does it do this?
• Audience analysis. What kind of people watch your film genre? Who is your target audience?

Work for Monday 3rd October

I'm at a Heads of English meeting today so can't be in our lesson - my apologies.

In today's lesson, please make sure you have completed the homework and that it is uploaded onto your blog (see previous blog post).

THEN...I want you to look at these (genuine) videos from previous AS Media students (some from this school, some not) and decide on a level for each video. Write a blog post in which you put the videos in order (lowest to highest) and explain your rationale.

Video 1:

Video 2:

http://chrisadamschrisadams.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/final-film.html

Video 3:
http://yaleblock1mediaproject.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/finished-movie.html

Foundation Portfolio mark scheme

Here is the mark scheme for the video that you're going to make for your coursework. You will notice that the five bullet points are EXACTLY the same for each level. It is therefore not WHAT you do but HOW WELL you do it that will gain you the marks.

Level 1: 0–23 marks
The work for the main task is possibly incomplete. There is minimal evidence in the work of the creative use of any relevant technical skills such as:

• producing material appropriate for the target audience and task;
• using titles appropriately according to institutional conventions;
• using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set;
• shooting material appropriate to the task set; including controlled use of the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot distance and close attention to mise-en-scene;
• using editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of shot transitions and other effects.

Level 2: 24–35 marks
There is evidence of a basic level of ability in the creative use of some of the following technical skills:

• producing material appropriate for the target audience and task;
• using titles appropriately according to institutional conventions;
• using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set;
• shooting material appropriate to the task set;, including controlled use of the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot distance and close attention to mise-en-scene;
• using editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of shot transitions and other effects. 

Level 3: 36–47 marks
There is evidence of proficiency in the creative use of many of the following technical skills:

• producing material appropriate for the target audience and task;
• using titles appropriately according to institutional conventions;
• using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set;
• shooting material appropriate to the task set;, including controlled use of the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot distance and close attention to mise-en-scene;
• using editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of shot transitions and other effects.

Level 4: 48–60 marks
There is evidence of excellence in the creative use of most of the following technical skills:

• producing material appropriate for the target audience and task;
• using titles appropriately according to institutional conventions;
• using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set;
• shooting material appropriate to the task set;, including controlled use of the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot distance and close attention to mise-en-scene;
• using editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of shot transitions and other effects. 

Film credits analysis

We are now looking at how film credits operate and how they serve to create the right mood for the opening of a film.

Watch the opening credits to FIVE films across five different film genres and answer the following two questions:

• What order do credits come in? Is it always the same? What does the order tell us about the relative importance of different people connected to the film?
• How many people/institutions are listed? Is it always the same? Do some have more than others?

This will tell you what is consistent about film credits across different genres, now you need to look at what makes them different. For the FIVE film openings you've watched, complete the following table, looking at how the credits help to establish genre and create a particular mood.

Mr Kirkaldy's email address

If you need to contact me for any reason, please email me: jky@cheney.oxon.sch.uk

If you are going to miss a lesson and have a legitimate reason, please let me know in advance and I will make sure you are listed as truanting.

Pass cards

In order to make your pass cards work on the Mac Suite door, you need to see Joy or Lulu in the Finance Team. Go to Main Reception and ask to be let through the door into the admin area. They will make the necessary updates to your cards.

Homework for Thursday 22nd Sept

Fantastic atmosphere in our first 'big group' lesson and glad to see everyone so enthusiastic about using the equipment and starting the practical work.

To confirm what we discussed in class, the following things need to be done in time for our next lesson (Thursday):

• Everyone needs to have set up their own blog. Go to Blogger and set up a blog with the URL: cheneyASmedia2017-yourname.blogspot.com
• Write a blog post outlining what your group is going to do for your preliminary task
• Film your preliminary task - DO NOT UPLOAD THIS FOOTAGE ONTO THE COMPUTER, JUST BRING IT ALONG WITH YOU ON THURSDAY SO I CAN SEE IT. You will also need to bring it with you to the Final Cut training session on Friday

Also, for Monday:

• Everyone needs to have completed their analysis of the final scene of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (see previous blog post for more information)

Well done on such a good start. Remember: you are now responsible in your groups for your equipment. Any losses or damages will be paid for by your group.

Preliminary Task

You can work in groups of up to FOUR people.

The preliminary task precedes your main task and is a chance for you to practise your skills without the pressure of it counting towards your final grade.

The brief:

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 needs to demonstrate:

• match on action
• shot/reverse shot
• the 180-degree rule

You will find information on these three skills on this presentation: http://www.slideshare.net/mrhoward12/prelim-task-continuity-editing?next_slideshow=1 

You can also see some videos that show these skills in action:

• match on action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv93covb53w
• short/reverse shot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLkUHZ1qips
• 180-degree rule: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTNUq-stj6M

Final Cut training: Fri 23rd Sept (INSET day)

I have confirmed with our external trainer that she is going to come in on Friday 23rd Sept (the forthcoming INSET day) and teach you everything you need to know about Final Cut Pro.

The session will run 9:30 - 2:30 and it is VITAL that you attend and are on time. This is your only opportunity to learn how to use the video editing package that you will use to construct your coursework entry.

I will even supply tea, biscuits and lunch for you!

You will need to bring:

• a pen and your Media Studies folder
• the camera and memory card with which you filmed your coursework preliminary task
• enthusiasm

Any questions, email me: jky@cheney.oxon.sch.uk

Homework for Mon 19th Sept

Well done in today's lessons - you've all made a fantastically positive start to A-level Media.

I don't see you again until Monday, so your homework for then is:

1. Finish uploading and captioning your Jelly Babies film opening. You will need to be ready to present these to the new, expanded Year 12 class on Monday.
2. Watch the final scene from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R2Atsh6hHA). Embed the YouTube clip into a blog post and then do a detailed analysis of how it creates mood, develops characterisation, builds tension, etc. Think about Sergio Leone (the director) uses camera angles and cuts to achieve this. Use screen grabs to illustrate your analysis.

Opportunity with the British Film Institute

There is an amazing opportunity to work with the British Film Institute (BFI) on the BFI Film Academy here in Oxford. If you are interested in film as a potential career path, this is definitely something you need to have a look at: https://www.filmoxford.org/youth-training/bfi-academy/

Jelly Babies film opening

You should all have the photos from your Jelly Babies film opening scene on your blog. You have the first half of this lesson to put your shots into the order you would have them in your film and to give each shot a caption explaining:

• what is happening in the shot
• the camera angle you've used (you can use the displays around the room to help you)
• what effect you were hoping to have on the audience

You will then present your film opening to the rest of the class.

Welcome to AS Media Studies

Hi everyone...and welcome to AS Media Studies,

This course is 50% theoretical (Miss Mathey) and 50% practical (Mr Kirkaldy). The theory side will be tested in the exam you'll take at the end of the year. The practical side will be tested in a Media portfolio which will need to be finished by Easter and will be marked by Cheney staff.

YOUR FIRST TASK:
Your practical work will be stored online as a blog, so you need to create your blog address.

1. Go to blogger.com
2. Sign up if you aren't already
3. Create a blog with the following address: cheneyASmedia2017-yourname.blogspot.com

ALL your practical work needs to be stored on this blog - if it isn't on the blog it doesn't exist.

Let's get to work...

Mr Kirkaldy