This document provides guidance on answering Question 1a for the G235 Critical Perspectives in Media exam. It recommends structuring the response around the three stages of media production: pre-production, production, and post-production. Students should evaluate their skills development across five areas, using examples from their work over two years to earn high marks. An effective introduction would state their view, outline what was produced, and explain the essay's structure. Practice answering short questions on each area to prepare for the timed exam.

1. G235: Critical Perspectives in
Media
Theoretical Evaluation of
Production: Q 1a

2. Rubric for 1a)
Evaluate skills development across media
production work over two years of ‘A’ Level or
any other media production within the areas of:
• Digital Technology
• Creativity
• Research and Planning
• Post Production
• Use of Real Media Texts
Question can be based on one or two of the areas.

3. Q1a) Structure...
It is possible to apply a structure/plan for this
question by using the three elements of the
production process (which is what the whole
question is essentially asking the students to
evaluate).
- Pre-Production
- Production
- Post-Production

4. The three options that can be taught to
this easy structure are:
- Digital Technology
- Creativity
- Use of Real Media Texts
An ‘affect on/effects of’ structure can be applied
that takes into account the stages of production
to more difficult options:
- Research and Planning
- Post Production

5. Marks and Timing
•All that does seem a lot to write in 30
minutes.
•But to get the marks you need examples
from your work.
•So – could limit the examples to 3 per
section (e.g. 3 digital technologies at AS at
pre-production stage and at A2 3
development examples)

6. Introduction:
•In terms of essay introductions for 1a), use a
three part structure
1. Answer or give point of view to question.
2. Outline briefly what you made across both
years.
3. Explain to the examiner how you are going
to structure their essay.

7. Q1a) Theory and Terminology...
It isn’t vital that there is theory but if it helps support
your answer then the application of it can be applied.
i.e. genre iconography in reference to the use of
conventions from real texts.

8. Q1a) Previous Questions
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.
Describe the ways in which your production work was
informed by research into real media texts and how
your ability to use such research for production
developed over time.

9. Q1a) Previous Questions
Describe how you developed your skills in the use of
digital technology for media production and
evaluate how these skills contributed to your
creative decision making. Refer to a range of
examples in your answer to show how these skills
developed over time.
ENSURE you move quickly from description (so the
reader knows what you did) to
analysis/evaluation/reflection, so the examiner
starts to understand what you learnt from it.

10. Q1a) Revision Tasks
On cards or post-its, ensure you have a list of answers to
these questions:
3. What production activities have you done?
4. What digital technology have you used?
5. In what ways can the work you have done be
described as creative?
6. What different forms of research did you do?
7. What conventions of real media did you need to
know about?
8. What do you understand by ‘post-production’ in
your work?

11. Q1a) Revision Tasks
For each of these lists, your next stage is to produce a
set of examples- so that when you make the point in
the exam, you can then back it up with a concrete
example.
You need to be able to talk about specific things you did
in post-production and why they were significant,
just as you need to do more than just say ‘I looked
on youtube’ for conventions of real media, but
actually name specific videos you looked at, what
you gained from them and how they influenced your
work.

12. Q1a) Tasks for now
You need practise at writing about these areas in a short
space of time.
Using your grids, and your films, have a go at writing
about how you have developed in each of the five
areas.
Research & Planning
Creativity
Using conventions from real texts
Digital Technology
Post-Production