Film Studies AS Course Booklet

2013 - 14

This booklet contains important information it describes the course and the assessment procedures, and also contains some general information that will help you as a student. Keep it in your folder.

How is the course organised? Welcome to AS Film Studies. The course consists of two units: FM1 and FM2. Below is a short summary of what you will be doing in each. More details are in the course specification, which is on the student web. FM1 Exploring Film Form (40%) This is a coursework unit, worth 40% of the AS. In this unit we study how to undertake basic film analysis. We teach you how films make meaning through a variety of devices and techniques. We study a range of films, mainly through short extracts. These include mainstream films from popular film genres, as well as more experimental and unusual films. You develop your awareness and understanding of the possibilities of camerawork, editing, sound, performance and mise-en-scene.

You write an essay (1500 words) analysing a film extract of your choice. You write about how one or more of the micro features of film ( miseen-scene, cinematography, editing, performance and sound) create meaning and generate response in a sequence of no more than five minutes. You should support your written work with visuals to illustrate your points.

Creative Work. Here you have a chance to demonstrate your understanding in a creative manner. Working in groups, you complete a short video piece that demonstrates your understanding of how film is constructed. You write: A brief aims and context for the film, carefully explaining your role in the project.

 The filmed extract itself lasting approx 3 minutes. You work as part of a group and take on a specific role such as editor, cinematographer, sound editor, lightinng and set designer. A short reflection/self evaluation of what you have done (500 words). It is essential that you write about the role that you took on, and focus your analysis on this aspect. The evaluation should ideally contain some screen grabs from your film. You submit your FM1 work in a folder with a coversheet. It is marked by your teachers and moderated externally. FM2 British and American Film (60%)

There are three parts to this unit, which is examined by a 2 hour exam. There are three parts to the exam, and you should spend 50 minutes on each of these: Section A Producers and Audience topics. This part of the course increases your knowledge of the film industry, and the way we relate to it as audiences. We look at fandom, the internet and new technology. We study film audiences, marketing, distribution and exhibition, looking at both Britain and the US. We also examine film consumption in the UK as a whole, and particularly in our local area. You can already start to increase your producers and audiences knowledge in the following ways: Read film reviews in newspapers - The Evening Standard, Philip French (Observer), Time Out, Fridays Guardian etc. Read film magazines Empire, Uncut etc. . .

 If you havent already done so join your local library. Local libraries have a huge selection of films, and lots of books about film. We give you a scrapbook in which you collect information about films and the movie industry. This will help you in your spectatorship studies in particular. You should also use a page in your scrapbook to keep a note on the new words you learn. Section B Topics in British Film Here we study the representation of ideas, values, and attitudes in a selection of British films. The theme you study is Thatchers Britain. We will study films under this theme you consider the representations of issues, people, places etc and draw comparisons. You answer one question from a choice of two in the exam.

Section C US Film Comparative study of two films. We study two American films and analyse the development of issues to do with the concepts of genre and narrative. The choice of films will depend on your teacher. They are likely to comprise of two films of the same genre (boxing films) but from different periods. Both films will be popular and entertaining examples of Hollywood filmmaking.

Viewing films: In order to get the most out of the course and for you to achieve your potential, we want you to view at least one film a week in your own time, borrowing DVDs from our excellent Learning Centre. Keep a record of the films you have seen on the sheet at the back of this booklet (including key details of the film). You can tweet the names of any films you enjoy to @CandiFilm. Please try and view films from different eras and countries and stretch your viewing habits! If you are not sure which films to watch, we would encourage you to ask your teachers and the learning centre staff for recommendations. If you have seen a film you really enjoyed then recommend this to your classmates. Other important points Bring your Film Studies folder to every session. Attendance needs to be 100% unless there are unavoidable reasons. If you are away, please phone the centre and tell us why and when you are likely to be back. Punctuality is very important. Please make every effort to be on time. If you are persistently late you will be put on Cause for Concern, and may not be allowed into class. It is very important that you meet coursework deadlines these will be clearly displayed in the classroom. If you do not meet the final deadline for coursework your work may not be entered. You will get homework every week. Make sure you note the task in your diary and complete it on time. If you have access to a computer at home get into the habit of using it for your coursework. It has been shown that students who do this gain on average 7% better marks, not

just because it is more legible but also because you have a chance to edit it as you go along, It is very helpful if you get into the habit of using screen grabs (stills from films) to go with your writing. It is essential that you do this for your coursework essay, and for your evaluation of your own video work. Resources available for Film Studies We have a copy of every film on the course, available for students to borrow. You need to have a media card in order to borrow films. Borrowed films must be returned the next day. The Library has an excellent DVD collection, that is for ever expanding. It also contains a good number of books dedicated to this course and a number of DVDs for reference only. If you do occasionally miss a screening or wish to see something again, use the Learning Centre. Occasionally, we will set you a research task using the reference works. Use of the Internet can be very helpful. Use Writing Workshop for help with any homework or task, in any subject. You will get one-to-one help from English teachers and access to computers. There is a dedicated Film Studies workshop in 327 on Friday at lunchtime for you to get subjectspecific support. Film Studies Blog and Twitter All Film Studies materials will be put on the Film Studies blog. The address is candifilmstudies.blogspot.co.uk. This will be added to as the year progresses. We also have a Twitter feed, @candifilm. You can follow this feed and tweet the names of good films that you have seen to us for classroom discussion. Mobile phones Please make sure that these are switched off at all times. Remember you are not contactable when you are in a teaching situation. Please do not have your phone visible in class. Viewing Films in Class Sometimes we prefer to screen the whole film, through your break time, and then we finish the class a little early.
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Important A note on certification: Occasionally you will be shown extracts from films that were given an 18 certificate by the BBFC. We are allowed to show such films in an educational context. You might however like to re-assure your parents that we would never show 18 certificate films in an irresponsible manner, and do not show gratuitous scenes of sex or violence. What about next year? You will be allowed to continue on to A2 if you pass the AS and your track record has been good. Without going into too much detail, at A2 we study more difficult (but excellent) films. Well tell you more towards the end of this year. Finally Film Studies is a great course students who are prepared to make the effort find it very enjoyable. Past students have gone on to study film at University and some have made a career in the film industry. Even you decide to take it no further than A level, feeling confident when discussing and debating film can be very enriching. We hope you enjoy your studies - if you have problems, please let us know before they become too difficult to resolve. We are here to help and support you and guide you on to other means of support too.

GOOD LUCK The AS Film Studies Team Bernard Bulaitis bbulaitis@candi.ac.uk (room 305 ext 0629) Dan Lowe dlowe@candi.ac.uk (room 315 ext 0681) Donna Travis dtravis@candi.ac.uk (room 315 ext o681)

Louisa Cunningham lcunningham@candi.ac.uk (room 315 ext 0681)