This document outlines the A-Level Media Studies course at Chew Valley School. [1] It discusses the skills students will learn, including analyzing how media products are constructed, producing their own media, and conducting research. [2] It describes the units that will be studied each year, including coursework portfolios and exams on key concepts and critical perspectives. [3] Students will use blogging platforms like Tumblr to complete and evaluate their coursework.

1. MEDIA STUDIES A-LEVEL Chew Valley
School

2. WHAT SKILLS WILL I LEARN?
 An ability to analyse how media products are constructed
 How to produce media products across dif ferent platforms -
either on your own or as part of a team
 This includes skills in using digital still and video cameras, sound
recording equipment, and industry -standard software for desktop
publishing and video editing
 How to do individual research
 How to evaluate your own media products and those of others

3. WHAT WILL WE STUDY?
Year 12 – AS Level Year 13 – A Level
 G321 Coursework:  G324 Coursework:
Foundation Portfolio in Advanced Portfolio in
Media Media
 Creating a range of media
texts and analysing and  Creating a range of media
evaluating them via a blog texts and analysing and
evaluating them via a blog
 G322 Exam: Key Media
Concepts (TV Drama)  G325 Exam: Critical
 A case study of Perspectives in Media
representation and  Exploring key critical
construction of TV Drama theories in the media
 A case study of a key media
industry such as film, music  Evaluation of production
or magazines skills from across the
course
All units are equally weighted

4. BLOGGING
 All your coursework is assessed via your blog
 We will be using the Tumblr blogging platform
 See your booklet for guidance
 All blogs are organised around a central hub
 The “central” blog will be administered by me and can be
found at chewvalleymedia.tumblr.com
 This blog will be updated with lesson content, links, additional
guidance and material

5. OVER THE SUMMER…
 Customise the theme of your blog.
 Try to customise it so that it represents your interests and
personality.
 Remember, media is a creative subject with an eye on design
and originality! Make your blog stand out.
 Post an introductory text post that explains:
 who you are
 why you have chosen to study the media
 how you’d like to use the subject in the future

6. OVER THE SUMMER…
 Post:
 A music video you like, embedded from YouTube or
similar, with a brief analysis of why you like it
 A film trailer you like, embedded from YouTube or
similar, with a brief analysis of why you like it
 An advert (still or moving image) that you like, posted as an
image or video clip, with a brief analysis of why you like it
 A link to a media website (see overleaf for some options – but
don’t be limited to this list!) that you like with a brief analysis
of why you like it.
 See chewvalleymedia.tumblr.com for some examples

7. INTRODUCTORY TASK
 Objectives
 We will learn:
 How a trailer is constructed
 The difference between a teaser and a full trailer
 How trailers are used in film marketing

8. INTRODUCTORY TASK
 In pairs, analyse this teaser trailer
 Try to answer the question:
How does the trailer build up suspense?
 First viewing – watch the trailer to get the sense of it.
 Second viewing – divide the trailer up:
 Person A: note the use of the camera (framing, distance, movement)
and editing (how the sequence is put together and how one shot links
to the next)
 Person B: listen to the soundtrack (music, dialogue, sound effects)
and note what you see in the frame (mis-en-scene – includes
setting, costume, props, lighting)
 Link to trailer

9. HOW DOES THE TRAILER BUILD UP
SUSPENSE?
Discuss together: how does the trailer build up
suspense using:
 Camera
 Editing
 Sound
 Mis-en-scene

10. HOW EFFECTIVE IS THE TRAILER?
 What genre is the film?
 Who is in it?
 What is the story about?
 What would you expect if you went to see the film in the
cinema?
 Who do you think the target audience is?
 How ef fective do you think the trailer is overall?
 For each question, be prepared to answer “how do you know?”
or “why?” questions!
 Five minutes in pairs before feedback

11. TEASER VS TRAILER
 That was a “teaser” trailer for The Woman in Black (2012)
 Here is the full trailer.
 What are the dif ferences?
 Why?
 How would a film production company use a teaser and a full
trailer to market a film?
 Which trailer did you prefer, and why?

12. SUMMER WORK
 Customise your blog
 Post an introduction and then:
 A trailer
 A music video
 An advertisement
 A link to a website
 Briefly explain what you like about each one
 See you on results day…and then in September!