This document summarizes the two units for an A2 Media Studies course: Advanced Portfolio in Media coursework and Critical Perspectives exam. The coursework consists of a promotion package with three products - a music promo video, digipak, and magazine ad. Research, planning and evaluation are also required. The exam has two sections - theoretical evaluation of a student production and discussion of contemporary media issues and regulation. Both units are equally weighted at 50% of the final grade.

1. A2 MEDIA STUDIES EXPLAINED

2. THERE WILL BE TWO UNITS
 Advanced portfolio in media (Coursework)
 Critical perspectives (exam)
 Each being work 50% of the final grade

3. COURSEWORK
• 1.G324: Advanced Portfolio in Media
1) Promotion Package (60 marks)
2) Evidence of planning & research (20 marks)
3) Evaluation (20 marks)
Level 4 16–20 marks
 Planning and research evidence will be complete and detailed.
 There is excellent research into similar products and a potential target
audience.
 There is excellent work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or
storyboarding.
 There is excellent organisation of actors, locations, costumes or
props.
 Time management is excellent.
 There is excellent skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the
presentation.
 There are excellent communication skills.
 There is an excellent level of care in the presentation of the research
and planning.

4. THE PROMOTION PACK CONSISTS OF THREE
PRODUCTS
 Ancillery task – worth 20 marks
 A promotion package for the release of an album, to
include a music promo video, together :
• a digipak for the album’s release;
• a magazine advertisement for the digipak.
 You will use Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator and
In-Design to make the ancillary texts
 A planning and research blog and evaluation are
required

5. EVALUATION QUESTIONS
• Only 4
• In what ways does your media product use, develop or
challenge forms and conventions of real media
products?
• How effective is the combination of your main product
and ancillary texts?
• What have you learnt from your audience feedback?
• How did you use new media technologies in the
construction and research, planning and evaluation
stages?

6. EXAM
 Critical Perspectives
 EXAM 2 Hours
 There are two sections to this paper:
 Section A: Theoretical Evaluation of Production (50 marks)
 Question 1b asks you to select one production (i.e. either
AS or A2 work) and evaluate it in relation to one of the
following media concepts:
• Genre
• Narrative
• Representation
• Audience
• Media language

7. EXAM
 Section B: Contemporary Media Issues (50 marks)
 • What is the nature of contemporary media
regulation compared with previous practices?
 • What are the arguments for and against specific
forms of contemporary media regulation?
 • How effective are regulatory practices?
 • What are the wider social issues relating to media
regulation?

8. EXAM
 Section A has two compulsory questions:
 Question 1a asks you to describe and evaluate your
skills development over the course of all your production
work, from AS to A2.
 In the examination, questions will be posed using one or
two of the following categories:
• Digital Technology
• Creativity
• Research and planning
• Post-production
• Using conventions from real media texts