Guidance on the OCR A2 Media exam Q1a

1. Post Production
What skills did
you develop at
the stage of post
production?
LO: To analyse and reflect on our methods in a particular
skill area.

2. What do we mean by “post
production skills”
It can include the development of:
•Your ability to use editing software
•Your eye for ‘montage’ – how shots cut together to
create a narrative
•Your organisation of clips after digitising
•Your use of special effects, grading and colour
adjustments
•Your use of image manipulation in the print products.
LO: To analyse and reflect on our methods in a particular
skill area.

3. • Production at AS consisted of filming the
prelims and title sequence / taking photos for
the school and music mag and writing an
article.
• Post Production at AS consisted of editing
the timelines and putting all the text and
graphics and sound together in iMovie.
LO: To analyse and reflect on our methods in a particular
skill area.
What are the differences between
production and post-production (AS)?

4. First task
• You have 5 minutes to note down
everything you did for your main product
at AS at the stage of post-production.
• This must be detailed in terms of tools
used, the software pros /cons, your
strengths /weaknesses.
LO: To analyse and reflect on our methods in a particular
skill area.

5. • Production at A2 consisted of filming the
music video. It also consisted of things like
taking photos, designing your posters and the
digi-pak.
• Post Production at A2 consisted of editing the
footage and audio in iMovie/Sony Vegas/Final
Cut. It also included manipulating the
photographs and putting all the text and
graphics together on Photoshop.
LO: To analyse and reflect on our methods in a particular
skill area.
What are the differences between
production and post-production (A2)?

6. Second task
• You have 5 minutes to note down
everything you did for your main product
at A2 at the stage of post-production.
• This must be detailed in terms of tools
used, the software pros /cons, your
strengths /weaknesses.
LO: To analyse and reflect on our methods in a particular
skill area.

7. • You also have to remember that you produced and post
produced work for your both your evaluations.
• The main difference between AS and A2 for some isn’t
obvious – video to video.
• But you must be able to evaluate these skills and think
about everything that you have learned for your entire
four pieces of coursework.
• ”A process needed for problem solving…not just a
special gift enjoyed by a few but a common ability
enjoyed by most people.” (Jones 1993)
Evaluations??
LO: To analyse and reflect on our methods in a particular
skill area.

8. • Editing software in general.
• Use of Photoshop at A2.
• Further advanced use of software at A2 to
construct your evaluation.
• Try to evaluate how you have become more
technically competent in terms of your use of
digital technology to present work creatively at
the stage of post-production.
LO: To analyse and reflect on our methods in a particular
skill area.
You have 5 minutes to detail the progression
specifically from:

9. • MEDIA LANGUAGE
• REPRESENTATION
• AUDIENCES
• INSTITUTIONS
So if you were to state that you used an iMovie
clean transition you need to explain why you did
this in terms of communication/meaning/mode of
address for the audience.
LO: To analyse and reflect on our methods in a particular
skill area.
All of your work should make reference to your
knowledge of the KEY MEDIA CONCEPTS.

10. E.g. “At the stage of post-production, despite there
being more advanced transitions effects available in the
video effects bin on iMovie, we used simple clean
transitions where no effects were used. I used simple
transitions when matching the beat to the action on
screen, that would amplify a lyric in the narrative for
the audience. I found the most effective amplification
was when a close up was used of X singing a specific
lyric, e.g. ? The close up connotes that X is important,
giving more information about X, enhancing the
representation of X. It is also convention of the music
video to highlight the lead singer, (Sven E Carlson) .”
LO: To analyse and reflect on our methods in a particular
skill area.

11. Group task
• Get in your original AS working groups;
rewatch the AS production and then one
students’ A2 work.
• You then have 10 minutes to link 6 post
production choices in either production to
one or more of the key media concepts.
• Discuss how this demonstrates progress in
this area.
LO: To analyse and reflect on our methods in a particular
skill area.

12. “A media product is primarily created a the stage of
editing”. In your own experience detail how far the
meaning of your product was constructed at the
stage of post production.
“Creativity is something that is inherent and cannot be
learned”. In your experience detail how the post
production of your media products developed your
creative skills.
“Consumers are now media producers”. In your
experience detail how far the post production of
your work was enabled by the digital technology
available to you.
Choice of 3 questions...notice they start with a
statement as below for you to ultimately answer
as part of your response.