This document provides information for students taking the A2 G324 Advanced Portfolio in Media course. It outlines the course content, which involves students producing a media portfolio including a music video, website, and digital packaging. Students will be assessed on their technical skills, knowledge, research, and evaluation. The document provides guidance on choosing a brief, developing a blog to document the process, conducting audience research, and various planning and production tasks to complete the portfolio. Students must work in a group to produce a music video and complete individual ancillary projects of a website and digital packaging.

1. Welcome back to A2
A2 G324: Advanced Portfolio in Media

2. Course content
From OCR…WARNING SLIGHTLY BORING.

3. From OCR…
The purpose of this unit is firstly to assess candidates’ ability to plan and construct
media products using appropriate technical and creative skills (AO3)
Secondly to assess candidates’ application of knowledge and understanding in
evaluating their own work, showing how meanings and responses are created (AO2)
Finally to assess candidates’ ability to undertake, apply and present appropriate
research (AO4).
The unit requires candidates to engage with contemporary media technologies, giving
them the opportunity to develop their own skills in these technologies.
It also enables them to develop the skills of presentation that are required for further
study at higher levels and in the workplace.

4. From OCR…
The media portfolio will be produced through a
combination of two media:
 Video (music)
 Print (digital)

5. G324
Built up out of a media portfolio containing:
 a main and ancillary texts
 a presentation of their research, planning and
evaluation in digital format(s).

6. From OCR…
Each candidate will evaluate and reflect upon the creative process and
their experience of it.
Candidates will evaluate their work digitally, this evaluation being
guided by the set of key questions below.
This evaluation may be done collectively for a group production or
individually. Each candidate will evaluate and reflect upon the creative
process and their experience of it.
Examples of suitable formats for the evaluation are:
• A blog • DVD extras • A podcast • A PowerPoint • A Website
• Or a combination of two or more of the above

7. From OCR…
Though there is no formal individual essay
component for this unit, in the G325
examination, candidates will be asked to
write about the work undertaken from this
unit and from the AS coursework unit.

8. The brief chosen…
A promotion package for the release of an
album, to include a music promo video,
together with two of the following three
options:
• a website homepage for the band;
• a digipak for the album’s release;
• a magazine advertisement for the
digipak.

9. COPYRIGHT
All material for all tasks to be produced by
the candidates with the exception of
acknowledged non original sound or image
material used in a limited way in video/radio
work. Further guidance will be available in
the support materials. For music video,
permission should be sought from the artist
for use of the audio track

10. Grades 100 marks
Research and Planning 20 marks
Construction 60 marks
Evaluation 20 marks

11. Setting up/personalising our blogs
We recommend
 Blogger.com
 Wordpress.com
Your name + Candidate No + G324 Advanced Portfolio in Media
Add the following sub headings:
 Research and Planning Main Task, Research
and Planning Ancillary Tasks, Main Task,
Ancillary Task 1, Ancillary Task 2 and
Evaluation.
 Ensure that you add everything you do in your
coursework to your blog as evidence of a
timeline and progression of events in your
creative journey.
 This will also aid you when you revise for
Section A of the summer exam – Theoretical
Evaluation of Coursework

12. Research Portfolio
All work must be submitted via your
own blog…

13. Individual Presentations – Preparation for
Advanced Portfolio G324
5 music videos… 350 words each!
 Codes and conventions of the Music Video
 Narrative
 Mise-en-Scene
 Representation and gender identity including voyeurism
 Performance – the role of the camera and editing
 Intertextuality including parody and pastiche
 The role of institution and audience
 Applied media theory (Goodwin, Mulvey, Barthes and Richard Dyer in particular).
Add screenshots, URL links and images of your music videos to include in your
analysis.
Remember you are also looking to evidence your understanding of the codes and
conventions of the music video as a media product. Upload all to your blog!
Task 1

14. Your music video analyses
Add screenshots, URL links and images of your music videos to include in your
analysis.
Remember you are also looking to evidence your understanding of the codes and
conventions of the music video as a media product. Upload all to your blog!

15. ANDREW GOODWIN
“Dancing in the Distraction Factory”
https://youtu.be/rAawpmQtbxs
This slide will you with your video analysis

16. How to analyse a music video... Using
GOODWIN’s THEORY
1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (e.g. stage performance in metal video,
dance routine for boy/girl band)
2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying,
contradicting)
3. There is a relationship between music and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying,
contradicting).
4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist
and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style).
5. There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes,
etc.) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.
6. There is often intertextual reference (to films, TV programmes, other music videos etc.)
This slide will you with your video analysis

17. 1 Music videos demonstrate genre
characteristics
For example there might be a stage performance in metal video or a dance routine
for boy/girl band
In your analysis discuss and show several screen shots from your chosen video and
explain how they demonstrates genre characteristics
This slide will you with your video analysis

18. 2+3) There is a relationship between lyrics and
visuals AND music and visuals (either
illustrative, amplifying, contradicting)
There are three ways visuals are used to promote a song:
 Illustrate
Music videos use certain images & shots to illustrate/explain the meaning of lyrics to their
song and the genre.
 Disjuncture
Is this situation, the meaning of the song is completely ignored in the music video.
 Amplify
This is done repeatability- This is when the images and camera shots are manipulated and
shown repeatedly through out the music video and is drummed into our vision.
In your analysis show and explain how your chosen music video does
one, two or all of the above.
This slide will you with your video analysis

19. 4) The demands of the record label will
include the need for lots of close ups of the
artist and the artist may develop motifs
which recur across their work (a visual style).
In your analysis show screen shots from your chosen video to discuss in
what context these close ups are used.
This slide will you with your video analysis

20. 5) There is frequently reference to notion of looking
(screens within screens, telescopes, etc.) and particularly
voyeuristic treatment of the female body.
This slide will you with your video analysis

21. 6) There is often intertextual reference (to films,
TV programmes, other music videos etc)
This slide will you with your video analysis

22. Twinkle, twinkle…
Richard Dyer – Star Theory
Research R Dyer’s theory and write a post about it, focus on the three
different sections:
1. Audiences and Institutions
2. Constitutions
3. Hegemony
Star Image (in a separate post)
Choose an artist “Star” you are familiar with and put Dyer’s theory to
the test!
 Dress sense/ star’s style
 Product image / appearance
 Props
 How do they connect with/present themselves to their audience?
This slide will you with your video analysis

23. Laura Mulvey The male gaze
Research Laura Mulvey’s theory on the male gaze including her thoughts on
Scopophlia and write a post about it.
In the same or a separate post try to find a music video that clearly shows evidence
of Mulvey’s theory and analyse it. Include plenty if screen shots to support analysis.
This slide will you with your video analysis

24. Music Video Director
Find a music video director, who’s work you enjoy and give us an outline of their
achievements, including any early work and if they tend to use a particular visual
style. Include plenty if screen shots to show examples.
Some examples can be found here…
http://www.highsnobiety.com/2015/05/12/best-music-video-directors/
http://greenlabel.com/10-best-music-video-directors-time/
Task 2

25. Research the Target Audience
Research the target audience of your chosen genre and find out what audience
demographic the most successful music videos were aimed at.
Primary Research – draft a questionnaire in order to determine who your target
audience are and how to target them and present to a sample at least 10.
Remember to ask qualitative and quantitative questions e.g..
 How old are you?
 What gender?
 What typical features do you expect to see in an indie music video?
 What appeals to you mostly in a music video?
 How often do you watch music videos and on what platform?
 Do you prefer a music video to have a narrative?
 Would you prefer to see more than one location?
 Do you prefer a) Stadium videos b) Studio videos c) Location videos d) A
combination of two/three of them?
Once you have collated your data, summarise the results
into Excel and produce pie charts and graphs to support
your results and findings and produce an audience profile.
Task 3

26. Institutional Research
 Create a brief timeline of the Music Video.
 Identify and discuss the difference between independent and larger record
labels. What has the impact of technology had? Downloads? Spotify? You Tube?
 How is the music industry regulated? Copyright? Censorship?
 What relevance has synergy and convergence on the music video industry –
how has the market changed in terms of production, distribution and
consumption in the last 5 years?
Task 4

27. Genre Case-Study
 Define your chosen genre – what does it sound like? What do the videos look
like? (i.e. what are the codes and conventions of this genre?)
 Provide a brief history of your genre.
 What kind of audience is the genre aimed at and how do they access it?
 Provide examples of influential music artists and videos within this genre.
Task 5

28. Record Label Research
 Who are the dominant record labels within your genre?
Choose three to analyse:
 What kinds of artists do they sign?
 What’s their ethos?
 What is their brand image? Name/logo/colour scheme etc. How does this
reflect their ethos?
 How do they operate? How successful are they within the industry?
Task 6

29. Website Research
 Choose three artists within your genre and look at their website.
 Provide screenshots of their website and analyse the following:
 Layout
 Usability
 Grid System
 Buttons
 Background and Font colour
 Information
 Images
 Content
 Legal information
 How does the website represent the artist? How is the brand image
communicated? What is the target audience and how do you know?
Task 7

30. Digipak Research Task 8
 Using the same three artists from your website research, choose an album and look at the digipak.
 Provide images of the digipak and analyse the following:
 Layout
 Legal Information
 Track Listings
 Band Name
 Album Name
 Images/visuals
 Colour Scheme
 CD Design
 Inserts
 Artist information
 How does the digipak represent the artist and album content? How is the brand image
communicated? What is the target audience and how do you know?

31. Planning Portfolio

32. Lipsink/Green Screen Task Task 1
 Write up a diary entry to explain the lighting/green screen
workshop – what you learnt and how you could
incorporate this into your final piece.
 Include photos of lesson and samples of anything you
made.

33. Treatment Task 2
See the separate help sheet for
support on how to do this.

34. Location Research
Task 3
 Do recce’s to your chosen locations and take photographs.
 Evaluate whether there are any safety or access issues in
these places? Do you need permission (I.e. shooting
Trafalgar Square requires you to write to the council
first!).
This is group work and should be posted on the group blog – you do not
need to do one each.

35. Task 4
Costume & Prop Research
Produce a post that shows the planning of your costumes
and props (Glogster would be good for this).
It would be good practise to include a moodboard to
show your of inspiration.
Take pictures of your photographs and props, then
explain your choices.
This is group work and should be posted on the group blog – you do not
need to do one each.

36. Storyboard
Task 5
Copies can be found
outside the media office
or posted on the blog.
Higher Thinking: After
sketching a rough
storyboard, produce a
second one but this time
with photos to your
storyboard
This is group work and should be posted on the group blog – you do not
need to do one each.

37. Task 6
Production Schedule
All templates
can be found
on the Year 13
blog.
This is group work and should be posted on the group blog – you do not
need to do one each.

38. Task 7
Risk Assessments & Contingency
plans
All templates can be found
on the Year 13 blog.
Higher Thinking: What are your
contingency plans? What could go
wrong? What will you do if
something does go wrong? What is
your back up plan?
This is group work and should be posted on the group blog – you do not
need to do one each.

39. Production Portfolio

40. Checklist
 Explain the job roles for each person in your group and outline their key
responsibilities.
 Document the production process on your blog in a diary-format – talk about
what's working well, what problems you had, changes you need to make etc.
 Action shots/photographs from shooting
 Screenshots of editing
 Record and explain the development of your record label.
 Record and explain the development of your Website.
 Record and explain the development of your Digipak.
 Include audience feedback regularly and record the adjustments you are
making as a result.
You must produce a music video as a group.
You must produce a website and a Digipak independently.

41. Logo/Record Label Development
You must produce a logo for your
artist. Show the development of
these ideas, from rough sketches to
digital developments using
photoshop/illustrator.

42. Visualisation Diagrams
You must include visualisation
diagrams for the digipak and website.
A separate lesson will show you how
to do this.