The document provides an overview of the course objectives and assessments for an A Level Film Studies course. Students will study textual analysis, genre, narrative, and representation. They will be assessed through two 2-hour examinations on film history and critical perspectives, worth 35% each. Students will also complete a non-examined assessment involving producing a short film or screenplay and analyzing it in relation to professional examples. The document outlines micro and macro elements that students will analyze in films, including technical codes like shots, editing, and lighting, as well as narrative structure and themes. It provides definitions and examples of different shot types and camera angles and movements.

1. LEARNING
OBJECTIVES
To understand the outline of the course
To begin to understand key concept and
terminology

2. A Level Film Studies
What will I study this term?
■ Textual Analysis
■ Genre
■ Narrative
■ Representation

3. How will I be
assessed?
■ 2 Examinations:
– Film History – 2 hours (35%)
– Critical perspectives – 2 hours (35%)
■ Non-examined assessment (NEA):
– the production of a 5 minute short film or a 10
minute screenplay for a short film
(incorporating a digitally photographed
storyboard)
– an evaluative analysis of the production in
relation to professionally produced set short films.

4. Examinationtopics

5. Macro and Micro elements
■ All media texts are constructed and
made up of elements
■ It is your job as media students to
recognise, analyse and then discuss the
range of elements used in a text
■ Use the following as a guide and you
cant go wrong!

6. FilmText
Micro Elements Macro elements
Camerawork Narrative Structure
Mise-en-scene Narrative themes
Sound Character alignment
Editing Perceived realism
(verisimilitude)
Performance

7. Micro Elements:The 3 Codes
1.Technical Codes
– Camera shots, movement and angles
– Editing – pace and type
– Use of lighting
2. Audio Codes
– Diegetic and non diegetic sound
– Dialogue
– Sound effects
– Music
– Voice over

8. 3.Visual Codes
– Mise en scene e.g:
■ Clothing
■ Props/Setting
■ Expression/Gesture
– Use of colour
– Iconography – objects, setting and backgrounds
which have become symbolic of a genre
– Graphics

9. 1.Technical Codes
■ Camera shots, angles and movement
■ We are going to make brief notes on the different camera
shots, angles and movements and then discuss these in relation
to an opening sequence.

10. Establishing Shot (EST)
■ This ESTABLISHES where
the action takes place -
sets the scene
■ Often an exterior shot

11. Wide Shot (WS) or Extreme Long
shot
■ Often (but not always) used as an establishing
shot
■ The point of this shot is to show the subject's
surroundings

12. Long Shot (LS)
■ A shot which shows all or most of a fairly large subject (for example,
a person) and usually much of the surroundings

13. Medium Long Shot (MLS)
■ Knees to head with some background

14. Medium Shot (MS)
■ Waist to
head

15. MediumTwo Shot (M2S)
■ Similar to a MS, but with two people

16. Medium Close Up (MCU)
■ Head and shoulders

17. Close Up (CU)
■ Shows a character's face
■ Used to show emotion

18. Big Close Up (BCU)
■ Forehead to chin
■ Used to show extreme emotion

19. Extreme Close Up (ECU)
■ A very tight shot, for example someone’s eye or a door handle

20. OverThe Shoulder (OTS)
■ Used during a conversation
■ MCU + the other person’s shoulder/head/back etc

21. Deep Shot (DS)
■ When something is in the foreground and something else is in the
background

22. Camera Angles
■ CameraAngle: position of the camera
■ High Angle: looking down
■ Low Angle: looking up
■ Canted Framing: frame is not levelled, appearing tipped

23. Overhead Shot (OH) or Bird’s eye
View
■ Camera will be directly over the objects/actors

24. High Angle (H/A)
■ Could be used to make the object/person look powerless

25. Low Angle (L/A)
■ Could be used to make the object/person powerful

26. Canted angle
• Used for dramatic effect and helps portray unease,
disorientation, frantic or desperate action, intoxication,
madness, etc.

27. Camera Movement
■ Pan: movement of the camera
from left to right vice versa on a
tripod, produces space horizontally
■ Track: camera follows the object
■ Crane Shot: moving through the air
in any direction on a crane
■ Steadicam: smooth shot, when
camera is moved very fast
■ Tilt: camera movement by
swivelling upward or downward,
Producing space vertically
■ Zoom lens: lens that change during
a shot

28. Camera movement
■ Tracking – the camera follows the action by moving along with the
characters along a small track

29. Hand held/ steadicam
■ Steadicam - a camera is fixed to cameraman so that
it can move around and mimic the actors movement

30. Point of view shot
High angle shot
Low angle shot
Over the shoulder shot
Big close up shot
Low angle shot/wide
shot
Medium close up
Bird’s eye view
Establishing shot
POV shot/close up

31. Point of view shot
POV shot/
close up
Over the shoulder
shot
Bird’s eye view
Big close up
Low angle shot
High-angle shot
Medium close up
Establishing shot
Low angle/ wide
shot

32. Opening Sequence