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