KLS AS Media Studies: 2012

Monday 16 July 2012

Congratulations!

YOU'VE FINISHED YOUR COURSEWORK.......

NOW! EXAM PREPARATION.

Click on this to go to G322 Resources

Friday 13 July 2012

2013 MAIN Post 12.7: Question 7

Post Title - Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Tasks

Select three elements from your preliminary task that you developed/improved upon.
Describe these elements using screen grabs / images to support your discussion.

ULTIMATE DEADLINE FOR ALL WORK

End of DAY*******2013

2013 MAIN Post 12.6: Question 6

Post Title - What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Tasks

Create a moodboard illustrating all of the technologies you have used in your production and blog.
Annotte the illustration to highlight specific skills that you have learnt.

2013 MAIN Post 12.5: Question 5

Post title - How did you attract/address your audience?
Tasks

Using screen grabs from your film describe how you attracted your audience through unique selling points.
Describe what you did to get an audience for feedback on your film?
Comment upon what BBFC rting your film would get and why? How does this attract/address your target audience. Link to BBFC Website

2013 MAIN Post 12.4: Question 4

Post title - Who would be the audience for your media product?

Tasks

Using research that you've done in recent films (box office statistics) and the responses to your questionnares (pre-production research) write a brief description of your target audience.
Describe one member of your target audience in detailed thinking about all aspects of their lifes and include a picture.

2013 MAIN Post 12.3: Question 3

Post Title - What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Task:

Using your knowledge from Ms Rolfe's lessons and information previously discussed; discuss the post title and support with visuals. Think about the following;

Role of the produciton company - How far they normally take the film.
Where might a production company get the funding for making of the film - especially a British Film.
Distribution Company. Who they are and why you would want them to distribute your film?

NOTE: Link your thinking back to the films that have influenced you.

2013 MAIN Post 12.2: Question 2

Post Title - How does your media product represent particular social groups?
Tasks

Select a photograph or screen grab of two of your characters in costume.
Select a photograph or screen grab of two comparable characters from your genre.
Briefly discuss how you media product represents your characters' particular social group/s.

2013 MAIN Post 12.1: Question 1

Post Title - In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Tasks
1.1 Write a director's commentary to highlight how your opening sequence uses or breaks away from conventions. Comment on the following as a minimum, not necessarily in this order.

Structure of sequence
Style of presentation
Style/colour of font
Genre
Narrative enigma
Introduction of characters
Camera
Sound
Editing & Special Effects
Mise-en-scene

1.2 Record script - you'll need to do this while watching your title sequence to get the right timings. (Last year students said too much and had to pause their films, providing what you are saying is important then you can still do this.)

1.3 Layer the audio over your film saving in your own area so that you don't affect your groups work.
1.4 Export & put on YouTube.
1.5 Insert into blog.

2013 MAIN Post 12a: Evaluation - Audience Feedback

There are 2 parts to this blog post so read the instructions carefully.

Part 1 - Audience feedback on rough cut.

Screen your film to your target audience.
Where possible film/record audio of feedback given.

Then......
Option A

Blog recording and produce a written summary of comments.

OR

Option B

Edit the recording of feedback and insert your own thoughts to create a DVD commentary. THIS will take much time but will ensure that you are working towards a level 4 grade.

Part 2

Screen your finished film to an audience and colelct feedback (perhaps through a questionnaire).Note: This is not just your fellow class-mates you need to get it out on YouTube etc and get feedback.
Summarise feedback on your blog.

2013 MAIN Post 12: Evaluation Introduction

There are seven sections to the evaluation and I have detailed tasks over the next seven post of what is expected from you. The tasks are designed to enable you to achieve a level 4 in ICT without which you can't achieve above a C. If you have additional suggestions on how you would like to present the information required then please run them by Mrs Shipp to ensure that they meet marking criteria first.

YOU MUST ANSWER ALL 7 SECTIONS INDIVIDUALLY.

Level 4 - Marking Criteria for the Evaluation

Excellent understanding of issues around audience, institution, technology, representation, forms and conventions in relation to production.

Excellent understanding of issues around audience, institution, technology, representation, forms and conventions in relation to production.
Excellent ability to refer to the choices made and outcomes.
Excellent understanding of their development from preliminary to full task.
Excellent ability to communicate.
Excellent skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the evaluation

2013 MAIN Post 11: Final Opening Sequence

Insert your video from Youtube here.

2013 MAIN Post 10: Post-production

Although some of you struggled with time and equipment avaliability during your preliminary task you do now need to do all of the following steps as the edit suites wont be able to manage with you capturing all of your footage so, please follow the steps below:

Set up a new folder in my documents, title 2011 AS OS ******** (replace the **'s with the title of your film.)
Proceed to set up a new Adobe Premiere Pro Project ensuring that you use PAL (widescreen 48hz)
Log your footage - highlighting your decisions of which takes you will use.
Batch capture ONLY the "yes" footage.
Create a rough cut remembering to take screen grabs of the process and recording decisions and revisions made in your post-production report.
Show to your colleagues, gain feedback and record their thought READ MAIN Post 12.1 Part 1 for details of what exactly to do and put evidence under Post 12.1.
Continue edit adding, titles, transitions, music etc.
When you think you are complete - SHOW MRS SHIPP!
Export your project.

DEADLINE FOR POST-PRODUCTION and complete report ON BLOGS.

***** April 2013.latest.

2013 MAIN Post 9: Production

Again you need to produce a production report recording decisions and revisions made. I strongly recommend that you take a digital stills camera out filming with you and tke some photographs of you setting up equipment and filming (although remember to stop the flash so that it doesn't ruin your video).

DEADLINE FOR PRODUCTION complete and report ON BLOGS.

***** March 2012.......latest.

2013 MAIN Post 8: Pre-production documentation

In this post you have to create all of the same pre-production documentation that you did for your preliminary task but obviously on a grander scale plus a bit more. Here is a list although not definative and some will be more relivant to one group than another. You will also notice at least two pre-production meetings with Mrs Mellish, this is so that we have a clear idea of what you are trying to do and can support you in succeeding, checking that you will are on the right track to quality production and provide any additional technical suggestions where necessary. Reducing the need to re-film!

DEADLINE FOR PRE-PRODUCTION complete and ON BLOGS.

*******February 2013.......latest.

Synopsis of whole film.
Synopsis of opening sequence.
Treatment (complete with detail of titles and their timings)
Location Recce
Shot list

YOU WILL NEED A PRE-PRODUCTION MEETING WITH Mrs Mellish

Script (may not be necessary - Ms Wells / Mrs Shipp will decide.
Storyboard & technical detail
Technical recce (this will be explained at the above meeting with Ms Wells and Mrs Shipp
Risk Assessment
Crew list
Mise-en-scene plans (details of all elements presented however you decide)
Shooting schedule

YOU WILL NEED A 2nd PRE_PRODUCTION MEETING WITH Mrs Mellish

Finally a pre-production individual report detailing decisions and revisions made throughout the pre-production process.

2013 MAIN Post 7 - Focus Group

Even though you've decided on your genre you still need confirmation that there is going to be a market for your film and that it will meet with audience expectations.

Task/s

Discuss your film's plot and opening sequence with a focus group of your target audience.
Record their feedback (flip video).
Blog results.
Amend plot and/or description of opening sequence accordingly.
Blog a record of decisions and revisions made.

2013 MAIN Post 6: History of your chosen genre.

Grease

If you are to get your audience's attention then you need to understand the genre you have chosen. Where has it come from? How has it developed? What are its conventions? How have they been manipulated over time? Is it a currently popular genre, if so why? If it is an older genre that you have decided to revive, why did it die out? How will you avoid your film being a flop?

Moulin Rouge

The Princess and the Frog

TASK; Research the history of your chosen genre and imminent plans for its future.

TIP: Don't just wikipedia your genre, take a deeper look and consider additional opinions and then draw your own conclusions with the facts presented.

High School Musical

2013 MAIN Post 5a: Macro/Micro analysis of an opening sequence from your genre.

Task:

View two films from your chosen genre and construct a macro/micro analysis of the opening sequence. This is more than simply identifying the conventions it is breaking the sequence down into its different elements. You will not truely beable to isolate the macro from the micro, rather the micro constructs the macro so make sure you talk about the links in your analysis.

Macro

Narrative
Representation
Genre

Micro

Camera
Sound
Mise-en-scene
Editing
Special Effects

ONCE AGAIN STAY VISUAL IN YOUR WRITE UP.

2013 MAIN Post 5 - Title Timeline

Tasks

Individually watch an opening sequence from a film of your groups chosen genre and make a note of the exact timings that the titles appear.
Individually draw a timeline of the information.
Compare your timeline with those produced by the other members of your team.
Summarise your findings and comment on how this has influenced your opening sequence design.

2013 MAIN Post 4b - Narrative / Character Research

Write about the research you've undertaken to develop your narrative or character, what you found and detail how this effects your film.

For example 2012 opening sequences:
Behind Blue Eyes you could do / talk about your research into sexual grooming, abuse etc and how this has influenced your work. Ensure you include links and visuals in your blog post.

Dispatch you need to research do research into what its like to be an MI6 agent etc.

2013 MAIN Post 4a - Plot Development

For this lesson we used information gathered from http://www.lightsfilmschool.com/.

Introduce the examiner to the task and why we were doing it (need to depict your plots/narrative in more detail).
Insert the timeline of the film you considered and describe the different stages of the timeline and scenes you've sighted.
Insert your timeline for your film and talk the examiner through your thought process in deciding what went where.
Insert the following with the subtitle "Synopsis"

Title of film
Genre
Target Audience
Logline - Summarize the premise of your film in one sentence that contains 25 words or fewer; this is known as a "logline." It can be something as simple as "An extraterrestrial gets left behind by his peers and must fend for himself in suburbia".

Full Synopsis
Opening Sequence Outline - Identify what will be in the opening sequence in more detail.

2013 MAIN Post 4 - Group Meeting

Tasks

Hold a group meeting and discuss the following:

Genre of your opening sequence
Plot of whole film.
Description of opening sequence.

Minute everyones comments (everyone in the group needs to be recorded as having said something).
Write up these comments on your blog clearly highlighting who said what and what was agreed.

2013 MAIN Post 3a: Further look at opening sequences

Do you want above a C grade? The have a look at this link for easy access to viewing more opening sequences.

Task/s

Make your own personal notes on the opening sequences and how they work / don't work. This is personal perference and i'd like to see your opinion coming out in the work you provide. You will gain more credit if you link your work to conventions, genre, style and techniques used to target the audience.
Following in the footsteps of the Chief examiner on this unit here is another link worth considering individual personal work.
Finally, look at old student work. A search for 'G321' on youtube or vimeo or 'Year 12 film openings' will yield lots of results. Your task is to identify the strengths which you could learn from and the weaknesses which you will attempt to avoid!

How you present your findings is up to you but I must re-emphasise that you need to show a high level of ICT so links, video clips, recordings of pair/group discussions on the information are just a few suggestions.

YOU NEED TO PULL OUT ALL OF THE STOPS.... GO FOR IT!!!

2013 MAIN Post 3: Research into Opening Sequence Designs

Watch the following 2 interviews and make notes on how what you've learnt from the clips will influence your opening sequence design.

Kyle Cooper Interview (Part 1)
Kyle Cooper Interview (Part 2)

Task

Produce blog post 3 by writing up your notes of the interview and how it might influence your designs.

2013 MAIN Post 2: Choosing your genre

There a many genres and sub-genres of fiction film that you can pick for your opening sequence but please think logistically about how you might actually make the film. I also strongly advise you not to do thriller as students that have attempted this genre in the past have not truelly understood how to create suspense and have achieved low marks because of it.

You might already have an idea about the genre that you would like to do but you need to make sure that there is a market for your film.

Tasks

Individually undertake secondary research into the most popular genre/s of fiction film. Remember to reference your source of information.
Summaries and evaluate your findings complete with how the information will influence your choice of genre for your opening sequence.
As a group produce a short questionnaire designed to investigate:

Current popular film genres.
Favourite film genre and why?
What does the audience expect to see / want from an opening sequence?
Viewing habits: When do they go to the cinema and who with?
What genre would they like to see more of?

Individually take resonsibility for asking at least 10 people the questionnaire. To make your research better make sure you ask a range of different ages. Do not ask your class mates.
As a group compare your findings.
Individually summaries and evaluate your findings complete with how the information will influence your groups choice of genre and opening sequence design.

Blog all of the evidence from the above tasks ensuring that you lead the examiner through the tasks and why you have done them.

2013 MAIN Post 1 - Conventions of an Opening Sequence

Your coursework main task is to produce the titles and opening of a new fiction film, to last a maximum of two minutes. All video and audio material must be original, produced by you, with the exception of music and audio effects from a copyright-free source.

You will be working in groups of no more than four. You do not have to work with the same people as in the preliminary task.

So to start with it is important that you understand the conventions of an opening seqeunce as even across the different genres they all have elements in common.

An excellent website for this project is http://www.artofthetitle.com/

Fight Club

Casino Royale

As a class you will analyse a number of opening sequences and discuss the conventions. Individually you need to complete the following tasks.

Task

Watch the opening sequence of 2 films from different genres and write a summary of the conventions they use.
Take screengrabs from one of the films to illustrate your understanding of conventions. You may like to use the format above of 9 frames.
Put your screengrabs on to individual PowerPoint slides and save a JPEG interchange file; apply to all slides.
Blog your findings, complete with introduction explaining to the examiner why you are carrying out this research. Inserting your images as appropriate.

2013 Post 12: Independent Work Towards Targets

Insert evidence of your independent work towards your targets here.

2013 Post 11: Targets

Following your detailed evaluation of skills learnt set yourself at least 5 SMART targets by following the guidance below. They are to be largely achieved through independent study so the responsibility is yours.

Previous students have included the following areas:

Lighting
Script writing
Framing
Improving level of ICT in blog
Team communication.................. but you are free to choose.

TASK: Write up your targets on post 11 and illustrate visually where possible.Then in post 12 record your independent work towards meeting your targets.

2013 Post 10: Evaluation of skills developed

Tasks.

Insert your video here.
Produce a short evaluative piece of work - it can take whatever form you like, written, audio commentrary, video, recorded group discussion, mind map.
Assess the skills that you have developed in producing the preliminary task. Consider the following:

Technical Skills
Creative Skills
Personal Skills

....across all elements of production:

Pre-production
Production
Post-Production
Assessing the quality of own work.

2013 Post 9: Post-Production

As with the production stage it is important that you keep either an individual written record (with screen grabs) or an individual video diary of your understanding and contributions to the post-production stage.

Every member of the group needs to contribute to the post-production stage but it is best to work in pairs to minimise crowding around the edit suite. When your are not editing use your time wisely by making sure your blog is up to date including production report.

Task 1: Book the edit suite - just because you have a lesson doesn't mean that there will be access to room 16.

Task 2: Logging Rushes

Connect the camera to the edit suite making sure that you use the correct hole on the camera.

Set up a "folder" in "My Documents" which can clearly be identified as yours, for example "AS 2011 Lucy".
Set up a word document with a table to log your rushes. Columns are titled:

In code
Out code
Scene
Shot
Take
Description
Yes/No

Log your "rushes" following instructions from your teacher.
Construct a "rough cut" of the visuals alternating between video track 1 & 2.
Mix your sound track

Lock your video tracks by clicking on the little padlock.
Create an overlap between the two audio tracks you are mixing. Make sure you don't add an "action" or "cut" by accident.
Using the dots create the fade up and down on the relevant tracks

Add transitions at the start and end of your preliminary sequence.
Insert a title at the beginning.
Insert credits at the end.
Optional music..... but definitely not all of the way through the piece unless the mise-en-scene dictates it.

Show your video to Mrs Shipp

Export your video as a media player video file, saving in your document folder.
Tell Mrs Shipp that it has been finished and where it is stored and she will up load it to YouTube.

2013 Post 8: Production Report

So you're now ready for production. All of your work has been checked by your teacher and the cast and equipment are booked.

It's time to go filming, but make sure you make all of your planning count, take it with you, when filming. When students rely on their memories they end up re-shooting. Take the storyboard and shot list each time you shoot.

To record the process you need to individually do either Section A or B.

Section A

Keep a written record of the production process to include:

How did the shoot go?
What problems do you encountered?
How did you overcome the problems?
How well did you work as a team?

Watch the "rushes" and add:

What do you think of the footage you shot?
Are there any areas for improvement in the technical execution?
Is there anything you will need to do now as a consequence of the footage you shot?
Have you abided by the rules of continuity?

Section B

Keep a video diary covering the same content as in Section A.

2013 Post 7: Additional Pre-production Documentation

In addition to the pre-production documentation you've already completed you will also need to do the following:

Location Recce
Technical Recce
Risk Assessments
Shooting Schedule
Mise-en-scene description
Cast, Crew, Equipment and Props lists.

When you do the main task there will be a few more to add but by doing the above you will be more efficient at it when it comes to your final assessment.

Examples of mixed ability can be found through the following links:
Examples of Carolyn Thornton's group work Class of 2010
Examples of Kelly Bluff's group work Class of 2010

Section A

Below are explanations, descriptions and examples of each of the documents. Work as a team to produce the documents between you, it often helps to work in pairs so that you can support each other. However don't loose sight of what the rest of your team are doing because it all have to be interlinked, or it will fall apart in production.
Blog all documents via PowerPoint, not forgetting an introduction to each explaining the document and how it has helped you.

Location Recce

In the film industry there will be a number of crew members working for "locations". A starting point for someone in this department is a Location Scout. Their job is to travel around the required area searching for appropriate locations. they take photographs of each possible place, arrange them on boards and then present them to the Director for consultation. This also includes some technical detail on lighting, power and where permission needs to be gained from.

You need to perform a scaled down version of this. You probably already have a location in mind and there wont be many other options due to logistics; so although as a team you wont need to decide between one location and another the photographs will help you decide if your shots will work, equipment you will need and your technical recce in which you double check your camera positions.

Technical Recce

Once the location has been agreed the department heads will go on a technical recce to decide how they might create the look the Director is after, and if shots that have been storyboarded are possible given the restrictions of the location. Although in the industry this is a physical activity you will need to do a diagram to demonstrate that you have thought through any difficulties.

This is also a good opportunity to check for unwanted Jump Cuts and for you to plan the order in which you are going to shoot your shots.

Risk Assessments

The world is health and safety mad these days and the film industry with all its technical equipment is no exception. You will find that if you actually manage to get work experience in the industry that they often require you to be 18 years old, so that you are classed as a adult and therefore a huge amount of the responsibility falls to you as an individual. However, there will be a Risk Assessment for every location and additional documents should there be stunts or physical effects (explosions etc).

To show that you can show that you have taken the time to consider risks to you, the equipment, the location, and members of the public, I have simplified this documentation to a table highlighting "Location", "Risks" and "Action to be Taken". See the example below for guidance, however everything needs to be thought through even the smallest item can have consequences.

Shooting Schedule

Films run like a military operation and so every last element is planned out. The shooting schedule becomes the bible and in essence lists the filming order of your shots. So you will need to have amazing patients as you re-arrange your shot list and add columns and rows to plan out your shooting time.

It is important that you work out when the whole group can be present to shoot, which free's evenings and weekends you and your location are available. There is no point organising it and then nobody being able to make it, or only some of your group. There are only 4 of you which is nowhere near the number that would be on a normal crew so everyone have to play their part. If you are using people outside your group or class as actors don't forget to consider their availability as well.

An example is below. Once you have got your shooting schedule you will need to book the equipment. There are now a large number of students all using the media department resources so if you don't book what you need, at least 1 period in advance you will not be allowed to take the camera. It's time you got organised!

Mise-en-scene description

This is a written description of the following production elements that help to set the scene:

Set Design/Location
Props
Lighting
Character Movement
Props
Costume
Hair / Make-up

******

Cast, Crew, Equipment and Props lists

The format of this information varies from group to group. I would suggest a table that describes the above per scene. I'll leave you to decide how to present it but try not to create yourself too much work by repeating information. It is also important to highlight who is responsible for collecting, bring what especially when it comes to costumes and props.

Note: I would also consider keeping costumes and vital props at school after you've started shooting, especially if you are shooting over a couple of days. This is to stop continuity errors between scenes/shots. I will make you re-shoot if there are big errors like this and I've lost count of the number of times that students' shooting schedules have been recked by people forgetting costumes and vital props.

2013 Post 6: Shot List & Storyboard

Note: In this video they use American shot size names which differ slightly from ours, so please make sure you stick with those given to you by your teacher.

We do use over-the-shoulder, and point-of-view. However please use the POV with caution. Consider the affect you are having on the audience and where you are positioning them in relation the the characters and interpreting the narrative.

The narrator also comments that stick men are adequate. They are NOT, especially at A'Level.

Over my many years of teaching I have concluded that when working in a group it is best to produce a list of the agreed shots before commiting them to storyboards that way everyone is clear what they should be drawing so this is where i'd like you to start.

A Shot List is a table that details all of the shots that need to be storyboarded. It will also help you later in scheduling your production and also when out on shoot as a quick reference guide.

Section A

As a group you need to produce one shot list table, so work together around one computer. Remember that everyone must contribute so no sitting back and letting someone else get on with it. Your teacher is watching you! You will need the following columns: Location; Scene No; Shot No; Description (including camera shot size and movement).

Copy and paste your table onto a PowerPoint slide that you have already turned around via page set up to "Portrait". You may have to do this a bit at a time as it might not fit on the page. Be patient, demonstrate your computer manipulation skills until it fits and is readable.
Save the PowerPoint but change the file type to JPEG Interchange. If there is only one slide select "This slide only" if there is more than one select "all slides". The computer will then save your work as jpeg files, wherever you have told it to do so.
Upload these files onto your blog. Remembering to introduce the post.

Remember the continuity techniques you have been taught, shot-reverse-shot, over-the-shoulder, shot sizes (and why they are used), etc. It's all about making sure you have good "coverage" of the dialogue.

Section B

Write or record (video/audio) a brief explanation of the thought process behind your shot list decisions.

Storyboards are a representation of what is going to happen in your film. It will help you as a group to visualise how the finished product will look. It is used in industry by the Director to communicate with the other departments, especially camera and visual effects, the aesthetic (feel) and mise-en-scene of the sequence.

Section A

As a group divide up the shot list so that everyone has the same number of shots to draw. You have to participate even if you feel that you can't draw. Practice makes perfect!
Individually draw the frames you are responsible for. I highly suggest you do this onto plain paper so that you can cut it out once your happy with the drawing. Note: Cut around the frame so that you don't have to re-draw that on later.
On the computer produce the technical details described by your teacher. Once your teacher has checked that you have included as much detail as possible, print it out.
Stick the pictures next to the relevant detail. Remember to add any additional camera movement arrows.
Scan the storyboard and post on your blog.

Examples

Useful websites:

Josh Sheppard - Storyboard Artist

2013 Post 5: Jump Cuts, Over-the-Shoulder Shots, Cutaways and Point of View Shots

These are terms you will hear a lot in the film industry and are inportant to your understanding of production and analysis.

Section A

Research the definitions of each term: Jump Cut, Over-the-Shoulder-Shot, Cutaway and Point of View Shot.
Write up your own brief definitions on your blog.
Insert any useful links to appropriate websites.

Section B

Use images gain from the internet to illustrate your understanding of the terms.

Section C

Take still photographs or video footage to illustrate your understanding and insert this into your blog, instead of Section B.

2013 Post 4: Script Writing

For this task you need to keep the brief in mind. It is a pass or fail situation so the key to the video is to have a simple script to allow you to get the technical side right. The temptation is to demonstrate extreme creative flare and while I don't want to put a dampener on your ideas be logistical.

So,....a character opens a door, crosses a room and sits down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue, and then one character leaves.

NOTE: Scripts have to be printed and then scanned, creating a JPEG file to be blogged. If you just cut and paste from Word the format will change and you will be marked down for incorrect layout.

Section A

In your groups and following the guidance given by your teacher on script layout compose your script.
Annotate using the comments box each group members' contributions.
Once the script has been read and passed by your teacher, print out a copy for each group member.

If you intend to do Section B skip task 4 and go straight to Section B.

4. Scan the script and insert on your blog accompanied with a brief

description of how you chose your script topic.

Section B

Add additional annotate (either via comments boxes or by hand) to your script to illustrate your personal thinking on how you will use the technical skills already covered including, shot sizes, camera movement, shot-reverse-shot, match-on-action, 180 degree rule. Support this with additional aerial diagrams of camera positions where necessary.
Blog all of your work for this remembering to scan and insert the script with a brief description of how you chose your script topic.

Section C

In addition to all of the above; add a brief explanation of potential continuity issues with your script, for example if a character is to bang their hands down in frustration your actor will need to do this action at the same time in the script and in the same way for each camera set up so that when edited together it matchs. Even subtle character movement, i.e. someone leaning back in a chair can cause problems!

2013 Post 3: Continuity

As you might have already picked up from the preliminary task description you need to have and demonstrate an understanding of the key concepts of continuity. This includes; 180-Degree Rule/ Crossing the line; Shot-Reverse-Shot; Match-on-Action.

Section A:

Research a definition of "continuity" in a media context and insert the Internet link into this post.
Synthesis the information you find and devise your own written definition.
Repeat tasks 1 and 2 for "180 degree rule/crossing the line"; "Shot-Reverse-Shot" and "Match-on-Action".
Following teacher illustrations, scan and insert your own drawings to support your definitions.

Sections B:

Take your own photographs to illustrate your understanding of the each continuity concepts and insert them into your blog.

2013 Post 2: Storyboard Drawing, Shot Sizes and Framing

Always introduce each post: What is the examiner looking at? How will it help you in your own production?

Section A

Your teacher is going to give you information of basic storyboarding techniques. Follow the instructions and draw everything they do carefully and accurately. Remember this is part of your coursework and presentation is important.
Scan you notes (at home if easier), save as a jpeg and insert on your blog under the title: Storyboard Drawing, Shot Sizes and Framing. Make sure you introduce the examiner briefly to what they are looking at.

Section B

Using a digital stills camera take photographs to represent the shot sizes your teacher has illustrated, making sure you pay attention to headroom and walking space.
Insert these onto the blog along side your own drawn images.
Research the "Rule of Thirds" on the internet and create a link from your blog post to the useful Internet pages that you find. (You should be able to see the "link" button on the tool bar when writing your post. If not then you will need to go into your "settings" to get the most up-to-date blog set up. Note: It's near the bottom of the settings page.)

Section C

In addition to Section B take photographs of your own, or use some you already have to illustrate your understanding of the "Rule of Thirds", some following the rule others breaking it.
Briefly explain each picture (you could do this as a quick sound/video clip), paying particular attention to those pictures that break the rule and if you still like the photograph and why? Can you crop any of the pictures to make them look better? If so show a before and after picture.

Useful Internet Links when drawing people.

Maciek Gliwa - Drawing People Around

How to draw Lessons

2013 Post 1: Your first blog post

On this blog you will find details of each post you need to create on your own blog. It is important that you follow the instructions carefully to ensure you meet the marking criteria.

You will need to complete Section A of each task to achieve the basic 'E' grade criteria.
If you complete Section A and the tasks under Section B you will be aiming for a 'C' grade (providing you fulfil the tasks in detail).
If you complete Sections A, B and C, demonstrating independence and application of understanding to a high level you will be aiming for an 'A' grade in your coursework.

Note: There will not always be all three sections.

Each post has been designed to get you the highest grade so it's up to you!

So lets get started.....
Post 1
Section A

Give your first post the following title: Preliminary Task Introduction
Write a brief description of the task that you have been set for the preliminary task. (You can use the one in the handbook if you're struggling to put it into your own words.)

2013 Following the KLS AS Media Department Blog

Tasks, lesson detail and additional information is avaliable on the KLS AS Media Department Blog. So to make sure you stay informed and have a direct link to any new information, you can "follow" the school blog through your own.

Go to your "dashboard" and scroll down until you see the "add" button. Click and follow the instructions. You will need to put in the blog address: klsasmediadepartment.blogspot

If you are unable to attend a lesson make sure you log on and follow the tasks that you have missed. It is your responsibilty in sixth form to catch up, so don't let yourself down.

Warning: This is a fast paced course, you have to learn a lot in a short time to make your videos of a good enough quality so stay up to date, if you fall behind you will feel that you have a mountain to climb

Wednesday 4 July 2012

2013 6th Form Induction Day 2nd July (2012)

If you missed the session you'll need to set up your blog over the summer using http://www.blogger.com/. There are instructions of the previous blog post on what you should call it, please follow these closely so then your teacher and examiner will be able to find your work easily.

During the session we had a quick look at Coming Down the Mountain (TV Drama) opening sequence and looked at camera, sound, editing and mise-en-scene. Terminology that was introduced includes:

Camera: Shot sizes: Long Shot (LS) / Medium Long Shot (MLS)/ Medium Shot (MS) / 3/4 Shot / Medium Close Up (MCU) / Close-Up (CU) / Extreme Close-Up (ECU).

Movement: Tracking / Panning / Tilting / Jibing.

Sound: Diegetic & Non-diegetic

Mise-en-scene includes - lighting, character movement, props, set design/location, hair & make-up, costume.

Editing: Transitions - hard-cuts & cross-dissolves.

IF YOU DO NOT KNOW what these terms are then you'll need to look them up as you'll be expected to know them in September.

Good Luck

Monday 2 July 2012

2013 Setting Up Your Own Blog

All of your coursework will be published on you blog. This is how the examiner will view your work so if it is not on it, they will not be able to mark it.

Before you click on the link below write down the following information. It is important that you do so accurately because your teacher will make a link from their blog to yours so that they can "follow" your progress, mark your work and give feedback.

The title of your blog must be: firstname's AS Media Coursework 2013

For example: liz's AS Media Coursework 2013

The blog address must be: http://firstnamesecondname-AS-MS.blogspot.com

For example: http://lizshipp-AS-MS.blogspot.com

So click on the link below and the "create a blog" and get started.

https://www.blogger.com/start

P.S. Don't spent too long choosing design and template, you can do this in your independent study time.

2013 AS Media Studies Introduction

G321: Foundation Portfolio in Media This is a coursework unit where you produce two paired media artefacts from a series of briefs. This process involves progression from a pre-production, preliminary exercise to a more fully realised piece. This unit is internally assessed and externally moderated.

DEPENDING ON NEW TEACHERS CHOICE - this will depend on who they appoint and there specialisms.

OPTION A

Preliminary Exercise 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 should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule.

Main Task Brief: The titles and opening of a new fiction film, to last a maximum of two minutes. All video and audio material must be original, produced by the candidate(s), with the exception of music or audio effects from a copyright-free source.

Bond

OPTION B

Preliminary Exercise Brief: Using DTP and an image manipulation program, produce the front page of a new school/college magazine, featuring a photograph of a student in medium close-up plus some appropriately laid-out text and a masthead. Additionally candidates must produce a DTP mock-up of the layout of the contents page to demonstrate their grasp of the program.

Main task: the front page, contents and double page spread of a new music magazine Although you can do this as a group I would actually suggest that you do it individually so that you can be responsible for your own success and its easier to identify whose done what. (If done as a group task, each member of the group to produce an individual edition of the magazine, following the same house style). Maximum four members to a group.

All images and text used must be original, produced by the candidate(s), minimum of FOUR images per candidate.

G322:Key Media Concepts The purpose of these units is first to assess your media textual analysis skills and understanding of the concept of representation using a short unseen moving image extract; second to assess your 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.

Sherlock Holmes

The examination is two hours (including 30 minutes for viewing and making notes on the moving image extract) and you are required to answer two compulsory questions. The unit is marked out of a total of 100, with each question marked out of 50.

Section A's current topic is BRITISH TV Drama - The sequence will be taken from a contemporary British one-off or series or serial drama programme.

Looking at one of the following:

Gender
Age
Ethnicity
Sexuality
Class & Status
Physical Ability / disability
Regional Identity

Previous Extracts include:

June 2012 - Coming Down the Mountian
Merlin
Primevil
Doctor Who
Hotel Babylon

Section B Ms Rolfe currently teaches Film - A study of a specific studio or production company within a contemporary film industry that targets a British audience (eg Hollywood, Bollywood, UK film), including its patterns of production, distribution, exhibition and consumption by audiences. This should be accompanied by study of contemporary film distribution practices (digital cinemas, DVD, HD-DVD, downloads, etc) and their impact upon production, marketing and consumption.