Just managed to steal this AMAZING revision guide for Section A of the exam. Please make sure you print off a copy and work through it, this should constitute a good majority of your revision for this section. Ignore the references to Thrillers, and note that not all of the theorists I’ve covered with you are included, and at the same time, they throw in some theorists of their own.
Download it here: Revision Guide to Question 1a and 1b
In order to answer the following question from Section A, you must prepare to answer a question based on just one of the following five areas: genre, narrative, audience, media language and representation.
You will need to apply many of the key concepts discussed throughout A2. Andy Sones has kindly put together some packs for you to assist with your revision:
To aid you with your revision, please look at the below questions and responses. You will need to be very specific when discussing your coursework. In addition, you can apply any of the stuff that David Gauntlett was talking about in my post two below this one.
How do you give creativity direction?
Is creativity better if it is controlled in some way?
Can you follow conventions and still be creative?
Can creativity be taught?
Here’s the video I played you in this weeks lesson, the content of which should help you to respond to the Section A question on Creativity should it come up:
In order to tackle Section A of the exam, please take a look over the following images which the Option E group over at Booth Lane have put together. Have a look at the question in the centre of the page and think about how you would answer it. Don’t forget that you can make stuff up if you’ve forgotten things from your AS year. The examiner is not going to know what you did, so please look over what other students have done and be “inspired”.
How much was your own production influenced by existing texts?
How did you identify the conventions? How did you research into existing texts?
Why follow conventions?
Which conventions did you follow?
How easy was it to follow conventions in your own work? Were there any obstacles?
To what extent did adherence to conventions limit your own creativity?
In order to be able to answer the following question in the exam:
“Describe how you developed research and planning skills for media production and evaluate how these skills contributed to creative decision making. Refer to a range of examples in your answer to show how these skills developed over time.”
You were required to put some PowerPoints together about four different areas and how research and planning has influenced your production across each of these areas.
Please use the following presentations as revision for this section of the exam:
On-line research
Booth Lane Opt A – On-line research
Booth Lane – Opt E – on-line research
Characters and Location
Booth Lane Opt A – Characters and Location
Daventry – Characters & Location
Booth Lane – Opt E Characters and Location
Target audience
Booth Lane Opt A – Target Audience
Booth Lane – Opt E Target Audience
Production and Layout
Booth Lane Opt A – Production and Layout
As your coursework was based on video production, I have collated together a number of resources which will help you to tackle section A of the exam, where you’re required to discuss the production of both your AS and A2 coursework.
This one will help you to discuss the conventions of opening title sequences: Opening Sequences – Conventions
This should also help, it talks about the seven main areas (representation, media language, genre, narrative, udience, vaulues and ideology and finally, institutions). Try and apply the questions to your AS coursework from last year: Film Opening – Children Of Men
Some great notes about different camera shots direct from the BFI: Shot types
And finally, a glossary of terms for video production – familiarise yourselves with these terms: Video Production Glossary
Here’s the notes you were working on today which will help you with revision for Section A of the exam if a question comes up on Technology.
Daventry:
Booth Lane – Option A (these are all on one pdf)
Soundtrack Pro, InDesign, Photoshop and Blogs
And here’s Option C:
NCALMedia 2010-11 