An overview of the year, course requirements and teacher expectations.

1. NeneParkAcademy
AS MEDIA STUDIES
COURSE HANDBOOK
15-16

2. Welcome to Media Studies.
This handbook is intended as a reference for you to keep and use. It contains important information,
setting out each of the two units you will study this year and explaining the ways in which you will learn
and be assessed. Some sections of this guide are relatively complicated but it is useful to have a
comprehensive, detailed reminder to refer to later in the course. If there is anything you don’t
understand then don’t worry as your teachers will explain each of the units and subsections to you as
we reach them. However, if you do have any specific concerns or questions, then please talk to us.
NeneParkAcademy
AS MEDIA STUDIES
COURSE HANDBOOK
14-15

3. Detailed information the two units follows, but here is a simplified summary of the AS modules:
G321
Foundation Portfolio in
Media
Produce a media artefact from a series of
briefs
Produce a blog to present your work.
Choice of music magazine or thriller
opening for production
Coursework
25% of A Level
50% of As Level
G322
Key Media Concepts in
TV Drama
Section A TV Drama
Section B Music Industry
Answer questions on an unseen moving
image extract
Case Study of the music industry and
certain artists
Exam in May
25% of A Level
50% of As Level
What do we expect of you?
 We expect you to be fascinated by Film and to reflect that fascination in a drive to watch and read beyond
the subject. You need to realise that the material covered in lessons is a starting point; homework and
coursework will extend your understanding and must be completed with care and attention to detail. Part of
that care involves respecting homework deadlines and ensuring that you meet them.
 We expect you to demonstrate your commitment to increasing your knowledge of film and developing your
visual literacy. Part of that commitment involves ensuring maximum attendance and preparedness for
lessons.
 Punctuality for lessons is vital and any lateness will be challenged.
 Furthermore, you need to understand that we do not simply watch films; you will enhance your ability to
analyse film texts and apply your knowledge in a wide range of written, practical and discussion-based
activities.
 Meeting these expectations will help you enjoy the subject and get the most from it.

4. UNIT G321 Foundation Portfolio in Media
Introduction
The unit gives you the opportunity to develop
skills with contemporary media technologies. It is
worth 50% of your AS level or 25% of the full A
level.
You will produce a pair of media artefacts in
response to a brief set by OCR, together with
appropriate evidence of research and planning,
and an evaluation.
Set briefs are paired in the same medium in order to enable you to progress from a preliminary exercise to
a more fully realised piece. This allows your skills development to be assessed, as well as a final finished
piece.
The purposes of this unit are
1.to assess your ability to plan and construct media products using appropriate technical and creative
skills (AO3);
2.to assess your application of knowledge and understanding in evaluating your own work, showing
how meanings and responses are created (AO2);
3.to assess your ability to undertake, apply and present appropriate research (AO4).
AS MEDIA
STUDIES
FOUNDATION PORTFOLIO
G321 COURSEWORK INTERNALLY
ASSESSED
 ACCOUNTS FOR 50%
OF AS MARK
prelim task
research for main task
planning for main task
construction of main task
evaluation of main task
submission of blog, prelim & main tasks, &
evaluation

5. Section A: TV Drama
An ‘unseen’ moving image extract with one compulsory question dealing with textual analysis of various technical
aspects of the languages and conventions of moving image media. Candidates will be asked to link this analysis with
a discussion of some aspect of representation within the sequence. You will have to analyse the xtract based on the
following;
 Camera Angle, Shot, Movement and Composition
 Mise-en-Scène
 Editing
 Sound
Section B: Institutions and Audiences
A study of a particular record label within the contemporary music industry that targets a British audience,
including its patterns of production, distribution, marketing and consumption by audiences. This should be
accompanied by study of the strategies used by record labels to counter the practice of file sharing and
their impact on music production, marketing and consumption.
AS MEDIA
STUDIES
KEY CONCEPTS IN TV
DRAMA
G322 EXAM UNIT
 TWO SECTIONS
 ACCOUNTS FOR 50%
OF AS MARK
SECTION A: TV Drama. Analysis of an
unseen extract looking at representation
as a construct.
SECTION B: The Music Industry. A case
study on the current state of the music
industry from the producers and audience
perspectives

6. Some issues and debates that Section B will cover;
 the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice;
 the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing;
 the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution,
marketing and exchange;
 the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences;
 the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences;
 the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by
international or global institutions;
 the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns
and trends of audience behaviour.
How will I be assessed?
The examination is two hours (including 30 minutes for viewing and making notes on the moving image extract) and
candidates are required to answer two compulsory questions. The unit is marked out of a total of 100, with each
question marked out of 50.

7. THE AS MEDIA YEAR IN OVERVIEW
 Induction to AS Media Studies
 Swede a music video
 Begin blog and coursework
 Skills development for Creative coursework
 Research and Planning
Half term
 Construct your media product
 Skills development for Creative
 Submit final draft creative product
 Begin planning evaluation
Christmas
 Evaluation of Creative work
 Begin TV Drama
Half term
 Practice TV drama mock
 Start Music Industry Case study
Easter
 Revision and exam practice
Your examination board is OCR and a full course specification can be found at
http://ocr.org.uk/ should you wish to refer to it. We will, however, ensure that all necessary
information is clearly conveyed to you and explained in detail as we begin each component
of the course.