This document provides essay plans and outlines for different topics that could be used to structure an essay about a student's media coursework produced in AS and A2 levels. It includes potential topics like digital technology, creativity, use of conventions from real media texts, and research and planning. For each topic, it offers introduction templates, possible essay structures comparing the student's work in AS and A2, examples that could be discussed, and planning templates to fill out. The document aims to help the student choose an essay topic and structure their writing in a clear, organized way comparing their skills and work across both years of study.

1. A2
QUESTION
1A
ESSAY PLANS

2. TOPICS
•Digital Technology
•Creativity
•Use of Real Media Texts
•Research and Planning
•Post Production

3. POSSIBLE TOPICS
•Digital Technology
•Creativity
•Use of Real Media Texts (slightly diff)
•Research and Planning
•Post Production
•Blue represents same essay structure plan for
1. Pre-production
2. Production
3. Post-production

4. YOU CAN GET 1 OR MORE
Example 1 only: research & planning (jan 13)
Explain how your research and planning skills developed
over time and contributed to your media production
outcomes. Refer to a range of examples in your answer.
Example 2: Creativity + digital technology (june 13)
Describe a range of creative decisions that you made in a
post-production and how these decisions made a difference
to the final outcomes. Refer to a range of examples in your
answer to show how these skills developed over time.

5. INTRODUCTION
TEMPLATE
1. Answer or give point of view to question.
2. Outline briefly what they made across both years.
3. Explain to the examiner how they are going to structure their essay.
This stays the same in every draft!

6. DIGITAL
TECHNOLOGY

7. DIGITAL
TECHNOLOGIES
INTERNET DIGITAL SOFTWARE DIGITAL HARDWARE
Youtube (research and
uploading)
imovie TRIPOD IS NOT DIGITAL
Blogger garageband Sony HD digital
camcorders & USB
uploading
Copyright free music
(MP3/MP4 etc)
iphoto Digital voice recorder -
Streaming sites: BBC
iplayer/40D/youtube
channel…..netflix/lovefilm!
iSight Digital still cameras
(camera or camera on
phones)
3G Programs to watch = WMP,
quicktime, VLC
Ipad – all the apps you
used.
Social networking:
facebook/twitter
Ipad apps PC/MAC
Slideshare, Flickr, Scribd,
prezi, artofthetitle,
DVD’s to watch (actual
DVD, DVD player vs
streaming)

8. DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY ESSAY
PLAN
INTRODUCTION
1. Answer or give point of view to question.
2. Outline briefly what they made across both years.
3. Explain to the examiner how they are going to structure their essay.
Part 1: PRE-PRODUCTION 1-2 examples
Compare AS & A2
Part 2: PRODUCTION 1-2 examples
Compare AS & A2
Part 3: POST-PRODUCTION 1-2 examples
Compare AS & A2
CONCLUSION Write a brief conclusion of how digital technologies were used to aid make your
AS/A2 media coursework and summarize what technologies you used

9. DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY ESSAY
PLANNING
Part 1: PRE-PRODUCTION
Compare AS & A2
Example 1
Ex. Youtube
Example 2
Ex. Researching real
products
(DVD/streaming)
Example 3
Ex. Blogger
AS
Pro/con’s in colour
A2

10. DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY ESSAY
PLANNING
Part 1: PRODUCTION
Compare AS & A2
Example 1
Ex. Still cameras
Example 2
Ex. camcorders
Example 3
Ex. Uploading
footage or other
technologies?
AS
A2

11. DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY ESSAY
PLANNING
Part 1: POST-PRODUCTION
Compare AS & A2
Example 1
Ex. Adding
sounds/music
Example 2
Ex. Editing tool 1
Example 3
Ex. Editing tool 2
AS
A2

12. CREATIVITY

13. WHAT IS CREATIVITY?
Some basic definitions:
‘making of the old, re-arranging of the new’,
‘something new that communicates something to someone’,
‘something original’.
Thinking or behaving imaginatively. It could involve
extending/developing or going against/challenging conventions. What
did you do in your c/w? Why?
What were the restrictions given to you? (You were given specific tasks in
AS/A2). After this, what creative processes began? (You choose a genre
and had to create an original story)

14. CREATIVE POINTS TO
CONSIDER
1. How creative were you in decisions made when creating your c/w?
1. How were you creative in the pre-production stages of research and planning?
2. How was your product influenced by your lifestyle/relationships/interests? (is anything 100% creative?)
2. “Creativity is always constrained by generic conventions”. To what extent did you adhere to or subvert
(challenge or omit) conventions in the creation of your media products?
3. How were you creative as an individual and in a group? (sharing and developing ideas, the evolution of
ideas)
4. You must appreciate the balance and importance of using individual/group creativity against using
existing filming conventions and techniques.
5. Did the technologies enhance your creativity? Why or why not?
1. How did using digital technologies aid you in your ability to construct a desired product?
6. What limited your creativity? (group work/ideas, technology problems, time/deadlines,
genre/conventions, other obstacles)
7. What are the overall pro’s and con’s of creativity?

15. CREATIVITY ESSAY PLAN
INTRODUCTION
1. Answer or give point of view to question.
2. Outline briefly what they made across both years.
3. Explain to the examiner how they are going to structure their essay.
Part 1: PRE-PRODUCTION 1-2 examples
Compare AS & A2
Part 2: PRODUCTION 1-2 examples
Compare AS & A2
Part 3: POST-PRODUCTION 1-2 examples
Compare AS & A2
CONCLUSION Write a brief conclusion of how your creativity made your AS/A2 media coursework
come to life

16. CREATIVITY ESSAY PLANNING
Part 1: PRE-PRODUCTION
Compare AS & A2
Example 1
Ex. coming up with
idea (individual
and/or group setting)
Example 2
Ex. Using/developing/
challenging
conventions
Example 3
Ex. How were your
creative in your
planning such as:
blogs, storyboards,
scripts,
*Ex. How were you creative in
the drafting process?
AS
A2

17. CREATIVITY ESSAY PLANNING
Part 1: PRODUCTION
Compare AS & A2
Example 1
Ex. Using cameras to
film your creative
ideas
Example 2
Ex. Ability to create
mise-en-scene,
actors,
costume/props
Example 3
Ex. Uploading
footage or other
technologies?
AS
A2

18. CREATIVITY ESSAY PLANNING
Part 1: POST-PRODUCTION 3 examples
Compare AS & A2
Example 1
Ex. How were you
creative in Adding
sounds/music
Example 2
Ex. How were you
creative in your
editing?
Example 3
Ex. How were you
creative in the
drafting process?
(combining old/new
footage to desired
result)
AS
A2

19. USING
CONVENTIONS
OF REAL
MEDIA TEXTS

20. MEANING
Conventions:
Real media texts:
Reword ‘conventions of real media texts’

21. WHAT ARE
CONVENTIONS
Recognisable features or elements in a particular genre/subgenre
Can be a range of things:
-camera work
-editing techniques
-types of music
-character types
-settings
-lighting techniques
-costume/props/make up
-narrative structure
-plot

22. TIPS
1. Know your inspirational real media products
2. Know the genre and conventions you
used/developed/challenged
3. Explain WHY your used/developed/challenged
4. Explain HOW they are similar and different to real media
products

23. WHAT ARE REAL
MEDIA TEXTS
AS A2 main A2 ancillary
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Real media texts are the real life texts of your task.
AS = real film (various genre) opening sequences
A2 = real TV
Below list 3 examples of real texts you were inspired by for your tasks.
Write a few bullet points explaining WHAT/HOW it was inspiring for your
idea.

24. GENRE &
CONVENTIONS IN AS
Genre and real inspirational films Conventions of this genre
(consider how it has changed over time,
therefore how it’s conventions have
changed over time)
USE
DEVELOP
CHALLENGE
Come up with at least 5-10
examples….don’t just say
‘horror’…be more specific, we live
in a day and age of subgenres!

25. GENRE &
CONVENTIONS IN A2
Genre and real inspirational
products
MAIN & ANCILLARY
Conventions of this genre
(consider how it has changed over time,
therefore how it’s conventions have
changed over time)
USE
DEVELOP
CHALLENGE
Come up with at least 5-10
examples….don’t just say
‘documentary’…be more specific,
we live in a day and age of
subgenres!

26. YOUR GENRE &
CONVENTIONS IN AS
Conventions
USED
Conventions
DEVELOPED
Conventions
CHALLENGED
Similarities to
inspirational
films
Differences
to
inspirational
films
GENRE : _________________________

27. YOUR GENRE &
CONVENTIONS IN A2
MAIN
Conventions
USED
Conventions
DEVELOPED
Conventions
CHALLENGED
Similarities to
inspirational
documentaries
Differences
to
documentaries
GENRE : _________________________

28. YOUR GENRE &
CONVENTIONS IN A2
ANCILLARIES
Conventions
USED
Conventions
DEVELOPED
Conventions
CHALLENGED
Similarities to
inspirational
ancillaries
Differences
to ancillaries
GENRE : _______________ GENRE : _______________

29. LIST YOUR
CONVENTIONS IN AS
Fill in the chart to know your conventions
Real
Inspirational
Films
And their
Conventions
Your
Conventions
USED
Your
Conventions
DEVELOPED
Your
Conventions
CHALLENGED
Similarities
to real
inspirational
film
Similarities
to real
inspirational
film
1.
2.
3.

30. LIST YOUR
CONVENTIONS IN A2
Fill in the chart to know your conventions
Real
Inspirational
MV or SF
And their
Conventions
Your
Conventions
USED
Your
Conventions
DEVELOPED
Your
Conventions
CHALLENGED
Similarities
to real
inspirational
documentaries
Similarities
to real
inspirational
documentaries
1.
2.
3.

31. LIST YOUR
CONVENTIONS IN A2
Fill in the chart to know your conventions for ancillaries
MV = digipak+poster SF = poster+double page spread
Real
Inspirational
Ancillaries
And their
Conventions
Your
Conventions
USED
Your
Conventions
DEVELOPED
Your
Conventions
CHALLENGED
Similarities
to real
inspirational
ancillaries
Similarities
to real
inspirational
ancillaries
1.
2.
3.

32. CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA
TEXTS ESSAY PLAN
INTRODUCTION
1. Answer or give point of view to question.
2. Outline briefly what they made across both years.
3. Explain to the examiner how they are going to structure their essay.
Part 1: INSPIRATIONAL MEDIA PRODUCTS & THEIR CONVENTIONS 1-2 examples
Compare AS & A2
Part 2: CONVENTIONS USED/DEVELOPED/CHALLENGED 1-2 examples
Compare AS & A2
Part 3: HOW YOUR CONVENTIONS ARE
SIMILAR/DIFFERENT TO REAL MEDIA PRODUCTS 1-2 examples
Compare AS & A2
CONCLUSION Write a brief conclusion of how conventions of real media texts were used in aid to create your
AS/A2 media coursework and summarize how they were similar and different to inspirational real
media products

33. R&P & POST-PRODUCTION
These next topics can’t follow that structure so they……
An ‘affect on/effects of’ structure can be applied that takes into
account the stages of production to more difficult options:

34. RESEARCH
&
PLANNING

35. ESSAY STRUCTURE
INTRODUCTION
1. Answer or give point of view to question.
2. Outline briefly what they made across both years.
3. Explain to the examiner how they are going to structure their essay.
Part 1: HOW DID YOU COMPLETE EFFECTIVE RESEARCH 1 examples
Compare AS & A2
Part 2: HOW DID YOU COMPLETE EFFECTIVE PLANNING 1 examples
Compare AS & A2
Part 3: WHAT WAS THE EFFECT OF YOUR RESEARCH & PLANNING 2-3 examples
ON PRODUCTION (can discuss the effect of good/bad research and planning had on production)
AND can discuss how you had to update your research & planning in drafts)
Compare AS & A2
Part 4: WHAT WAS THE EFFECT OF YOUR RESEARCH & PLANNING 2-3 examples
ON POST PRODUCTION (can discuss the effect of good/bad research and planning had on post-production)
Compare AS & A2
CONCLUSION Write a brief conclusion of how you completed research and planning and how it was used in aid to
create your AS/A2 media coursework and summarize how they were similar and different to
inspirational real media products

36. RESEARCH & PLANNING
Example 1
Ex. ___________
Example 2
Ex. __________
Example 3
Ex. __________
AS
A2
Example 1
Ex. ___________
Example 2
Ex. __________
Example 3
Ex. __________
AS
A2

37. PLANNING
Example 1
Ex. ___________
Example 2
Ex. __________
Example 3
Ex. __________
AS
A2

38. EFFECT OF R&P ON
PRODUCTION
Example 1
Ex. ___________
Example 2
Ex. __________
Example 3
Ex. __________
AS
A2

39. EFFECT OF R&P ON
POST-PRODUCTION
Example 1
Ex. ___________
Example 2
Ex. __________
Example 3
Ex. __________
AS
A2

40. POST
PRODUCTION

41. WHAT IS POST
PRODUCTION?
?

42. WHAT IS POST
PRODUCTION?
POST PRODUCTION
Editing (manipulating the raw footage)
PRODUCTION
Filming (raw footage) sound
PRE-PRODUCTION
research planning

43. COMPARING AIMS IN
AS & A2
AS AIM (in post-production) A2 AIM (in post-production)
How did you edit/what technologies
were involved in editing process?
What tools did you apply to edit?
Why?
What editing techniques did you
apply? Why?
What was your aim in your editing
(think of purpose of task)?
How did the editing make meaning on
an your audience?

44. ESSAY STRUCTURE
INTRODUCTION
1. Answer or give point of view to question.
2. Outline briefly what they made across both years.
3. Explain to the examiner how they are going to structure their essay.
Part 1: WHAT WAS THE EFFECT OF YOUR RESEARCH & PLANNING 1-2 examples
ON POST-PRODUCTION (can discuss the effect of good/bad research and planning had on post-production)
Compare AS & A2
Part 2: WHAT WAS THE EFFECT OF YOUR PRODUCTION 1-2 examples
ON POST-PRODUCTION (can discuss the effect of good/bad production had on post-production)
Compare AS & A2
Part 4: WHAT TOOLS/TECHNIQUES/TECHNOLOGIES DID YOU 1-2 examples
APPLY IN POST-PRODUCTION
Compare AS & A2
Part 3: EXTENSION (only if you can) WHAT WAS THE AIM IN YOUR 1-2 examples
POST PRODUCTION
Compare AS & A2
CONCLUSION Write a brief conclusion of how you completed post-production and how it was used in aid to
create your AS/A2 media coursework and summarize how they were similar and different to
inspirational real media products

45. EFFECT OF PRE-
PRODUCTION ON POST-
PRODUCTION
Example 1
Ex. ___________
Example 2
Ex. __________
Example 3
Ex. __________
AS
A2

46. EFFECT OF PRE-
PRODUCTION ON POST-
PRODUCTION
Example 1
Ex. ___________
Example 2
Ex. __________
Example 3
Ex. __________
AS
A2

47. TOOLS/TECHNIQUES/
TECHNOLOGIES
Example 1
Ex. ___________
Example 2
Ex. __________
Example 3
Ex. __________
AS
A2

48. ESSAY
STUFF

49. PAST PAPER QUESTIONS
Jan 10
R&P
Creativity
Describe how you developed research and planning skills for media production
and evaluate how these skills contributed to creative decision making. Refer to a
range of examples in your answer to show how these skills developed over time.
Jun 10
Research
Real media texts
Describe the ways in which your production work was informed by research into
real media texts and how your ability to use such research for production
developed over time.
Jan 11
Digital
technology
Creativity
Describe how you developed your skills in the use of digital technology for media
production and evaluate how these skills contributed to your creative decision
making. Refer to a range of examples in your answer to show how these skills
developed over time.
Jun 11
Conventions
Creativity
Explain how far your understanding of conventions of existing media influenced the
way you created your own media products. Refer to a range of examples in your
answer to show how these skills developed over time.
Jan 12
Conventions
Creativity
Describe how analysis of the conventions of real media texts informed your own
creative media practice. Refer to a range of examples in your answer to show how
these skills developed over time.
Jun 12
Creativity
Post-production
Describe a range of creative skills that you made in post-production and how these
decisions made a difference to the final outcomes. Refer to a range of examples in
your answer to show how these skills developed over time.
Jan 13
R&P
Explain how your research and planning skills developed over time and contributed
to your media production outcomes. Refer to a range of examples in your answer.
Jun 13
Creativity
Digital
Technology
Explain how your skills in the creative use of digital technology developed over
time. Refer to a range of examples from your media productions in your answer.
Jun 14
Post-
production