MS1 Exam Revision Sessions

As mentioned during the half term session on MS1 (to those who were there!) I run additional revision sessions  weekly on the lead up to the exam. Although I thought I would run these from next week, I can actually start this week!

So this week, afterschool in T1 until 4pm I will run a revision session. Also reminding Year 13 Resit candidates that we have an additional revision lesson that is compulsory Tuesday's lesson 2- Year 12's are also welcome.

Reminder that you guys should be following our department on Twitter for useful tweets relating to your exams!

@MediaStAlbans

Media Department Twitter Account

Hi all, I have set up a twitter account for the department to keep you guys up to date, let you know about any key information, blog updates etc and hopefully share some interesting media related stuff! 

Please follow us on @MediaStAlbans and feel free to check out some of the people we follow as they are media related too! 

Hoping to use this to help support revision so please get involved! 

Cheers, Mrs McCarthy

RESIT candidates!!!

Wishing you all the very best for your exam tomorrow, praying that the stuff we've focused on comes up and that you all apply the knowledge and don't forget to plan your answers! Also remember to have breakfast, drink water (bring some to your exam!) and get some sleep!

Good news is you've all studied so do your very best!!!

See you in the morning, 

Mrs M

MS1 RESIT- Example Texts

I know that you are finishing off your little revision booklets and I thought I would share some interesting print texts as most people seemed to be lacking print examples. I would like to see the booklets again but fully complete on Monday along with your mock answers (see post on MOCK EXAM).

The texts below have been selected for a variety of reasons from interesting representations, target audiences or audience responses and some for all of the above. 

I would like to highlight a few...

• GQ received HUGE amounts of backlash via Twitter from the 1 Directioners as a fan base regarding their representation of the band on their special editions covers (there was one for each member) particularly Harry's as they felt he was misrepresented- it is worth noting that they (fans) are not actually the target audience for GQ!

• Pain and Gain could be used for  National and Regional Identities (as the DVD cover is very much americanised), Issues for representation of Crime as this was based on true events and gender. Also the victim has written an article explaining his version and complaining about the misrepresentation of the events and his character in the film.

• TIME, The Guardian and Rolling Stone all feature very different representations of the Boston bombing (event). Rolling Stone were heavily criticised for their cover of one of the bombers as it was claimed that they had glamourised and glorified him. 

• I particularly like the representation of Prince Charles on the Daily Mail, a lovely one to use for both events and age!

• The Impossible (2004 Tsunami) and Zero Dark Thirty (Hunt for Osama Bin Laden) are both based on true stories of real life events and could be used in an interesting way to discuss events. Their marketing also uses this to specifically target their audience

I also like the rest but feel they quite self explanatory. Hope this helps! 

EXTRA REVISION SESSIONS MS1

Hey guys,

I am sorting a few things to hopefully provide a few more sessions during the days so we may also have sessions Lesson 2 Monday and Lesson 1 Tuesday when I should have Year 11 who are doing their mocks. Will have to let you know first thing on Monday.

Sessions that WILL be happening:

• Monday lesson 1

• Monday lesson 6 (you could bring your lunch)

• Monday after school (this means no FILMCLUB)

• Tuesday lessons 2 (as normal) & 3

• Wednesday after school 

Also Mrs Davies and I are swapping lessons on Tuesday so you'll be with me lessons 5 & 7 where we will do some revision tasks and the rest of the class will be working on corrections for their Research Investigations

Can I please stress that if you have timetabled lessons when I am running a revision session you must attend your timetabled lesson! As a result the after school revision sessions, Tuesday lesson 2 and Tuesday lessons 5 & 7 are vital that you attend. The other sessions will be for you to all bring your individual concerns questions etc and to have a space to revise and complete mock questions etc. 

Any problems or questions let me know.

Cheers, Mrs M

RESIT: MS1 Audio-Visual Revision Material

So I have put my thinking hat on, trying to get my head around what audio-visual material may come up and so far here are my thoughts...

TV material has been used frequently:

- Great Expectations means that historical drama would probably be ruled out for film too

- Rugby last year means that anything sports related is likely to be ignored

- News has been used a few years ago so may not come up.

Soooo I am hoping that this means either a film trailers, adverts, film or game extracts or music video. I would be surprised if music video comes up as there is not much coverage of the music industry within the course. It's been a big year for both the film and gaming industry so in an ideal world we would see a film trailer or advert for a game, which would play to your strengths having started studying gaming and advertising industry for Year 13 and focusing on the Film industry for coursework for Year 12 and 13.

As we know none of this is set in stone but it helps to be extra prepared in areas that are likely to come up whilst making sure you are prepared for all potential topics. 

I am posting links for some material that I hope is along the lines of potential exam material for you to practice question 1 textual analysis and make notes on the representations within the texts as well as  audiences, targeting and responses for questions 2 and 3. Please remember that extracts or the openings could come up rather than the trailers/adverts. 

• The Great Gatsby Film Trailer

http://youtu.be/TaBVLhcHcc0

• Bioshock Infinite Game Advert 

 http://youtu.be/XP1t9_EJL-Y

• Gravity Trailer

http://youtu.be/bXgOaeDfmRQ

• Tomb Raider Survivor Advert

http://youtu.be/6-1Xn0hZsIw

• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Trailer

http://youtu.be/keT5CRhhy84

• Sims 4 Advert

http://youtu.be/jSV-A6IDKWY

Hope this is helpful! Will post again tomorrow with some more revision tips and support! 

By the way, Happy New Year! 

MS1 Representation

Hi all,

Hope you had a brilliant Christmas! I will be posting quite a few things this week, particularly in preparation for the MS1 Resit next week! I will post a mock on here to be completed FULLY and handed in on the Monday so that I can mark it for you and return it on the Tuesday. 

Anyway... I watched a very challenging, interesting and thought provoking video that summed up the representation of women in the Media in 2013. This was made by an American group called The  Representation  Project, their website is below, have a nose at their posts and resources etc. 

http://therepresentationproject.org/

MS3 Key Ideas in Media Book

Another excellent source here for all of you Year 13's. Click on the link below to view the google book and click on the titles on the contents page to take you to the relevant pages. Reference this source as a book not a webpage please.

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=9g2DzGywU2AC&pg=PA6&lpg=PA6&dq=Key+Ideas+in+Media&source=bl&ots=EaQVGokxf2&sig=HP0ntdp-5ea_rkabe99oiKHCEHA&hl=en&sa=X&ei=yKCpUur9G8XN7AbXxYBA&ved=0CF0Q6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Key%20Ideas%20in%20Media&f=false

MS3 Thriller Group

Michael and Ethan have a look at the link below, its an online prview of an excellent book on Thriller's. You could reference this if you find some useful quotations but it should be referenced as a book.

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=yqRNiYpofMcC&pg=PA273&lpg=PA273&dq=narrative+and+ideology+in+the+british+spy+thriller&source=bl&ots=58vQlsKq9x&sig=xmxVqi8IXuniqEICvDnPecXHjNM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=g4WpUtLRKeTT7AbcxIB4#v=onepage&q=narrative%20and%20ideology%20in%20the%20british%20spy%20thriller&f=false

Resit Candidates- MS1 Media Theory

This link is to another Media teacher's blog and their post on a 'Rough Guide to Media Theory'. Please have nose prior to our lesson next Tuesday. Also have a peek at some of the other posts, they are really good! 

http://brianair.wordpress.com/film-theory/rough-guide-to-media-theory/

MS1 Resit Exam Overview

This document gives a great summary of the exam and some tips on timing and structure- we will discuss this further in the morning. 

A reminder that WJEC have confirmed that your exam will be audio-visual based.

http://www.slideshare.net/ddoggart/ms1-summary-of-exam

IMPORTANT! Year 13 Resit Candidates

Your exam is a month today! You must be at tomorrow's resit lesson, period 2. I will need all tasks set so far to be submitted so that they can be marked and returned to you for next week. I will be handing out essential revision tools tomorrow and setting an important task. 

Tasks set so far- 

- Representation examples (text for each type of representation) 

- GQ and Saga past paper answers in bullet point format

- Sims 2 and Kidulthood past paper answers in bullet point format

Tomorrow we are looking at theories and refreshing on exam technique. Please bring your Media theory booklets (the pretty one's), your pink revision booklet and any outstanding work.

Thanks, Mrs M  

MS3 Graphics for Trailers

The video below contains a range of graphics from real film trailers. Please watch this video and appreciate how the range of style and typography reflects the genre. You should then produce a mood board, blog post or analysis of several examples of graphics for similar trailers to your own production.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IStWfrMagHU

 

Also please look at the next link which shows the end of trailer grahics and film titles. Please repeat the process to compare with your own production.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9VOCiPWj_w

 

Your next task is to check the production company logo's of these similar films- which company would produce your film? Please source excellent quailty images of their logos.

 

You need to also design your own title graphics using Fireworks or Photoshop.

 

 

 

 

Year 13 MS3 Production Support

In your production teams please watch these videos and write notes. On your blogs you are to respond, explaining what information and tips you have gained in preparation for your production. 

CAMERA WORK

http://youtu.be/yCgUhvsHi6g

http://youtu.be/9EatBwU4l3o

http://youtu.be/pX0_ZAxYbVE

http://youtu.be/OmtlrgBgYv4

EDITING

http://youtu.be/Zo9-1sGSKKE

Year 13 RESIT Group

Update for you all guys, is that I will be meeting with MS1 Exam resit candidates every Tuesday until the exam in January. Following the exam I will run the MS2 Coursework resit class from January to the end of April (if needed). This will help support you all fully whilst giving you the attention and time needed to improve your work. However if you are resitting coursework, it would be wise to begin improving your work in your own time, especially if you are applying to studying Media at University as you should include your coursework in your portfolio. If you work on your coursework before January and you want advice or your work remarked please speak to me.

Tomorrow will be for exam candidates so please bring the work set from last week on the blog.

Thanks, Mrs McCarthy

Year 12 Task- Introduction to Scripts

Apologies Year 12 for not being in but my little boy is unwell. Please complete the task below and post the work on your own blogs. You were due to hand in your representation task to me today so either leave it on my desk or hand it in to Miss Davies tomorrow and I will collect it from her, work must be submitted or you will be at risk of recieving a strike.



Tasks:

Please make sure you complete the tasks in the correct order.

1. Click on the link below to view the script for Les Miserables. Read the script until you reach the line 'Javert approaches Jean Valjean.'

http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Les-Miserables.html

 



 

2.  Watch the video below of the opening of Les Miserables.

 



3.  Answer these questions.
- How did the script introduce the narrative (story), setting, time period, the characters and the genre?
- How did it engage you?
- How did the filmclip introduce the narrative (story), setting, time period,  the characters and the genre?
- How did it engage you?



4. Click on the link below and search IMSDB for three scripts within the genre you are choosing for your coursework. Read the opening scenes of the scripts and consider the following questions (respond on your blogs):
- How did each script introduce the narrative (story), setting, time period, the characters and the genre?
- How did each script engage you?
- What did each of the scripts have in common?
- What were the differences between the scripts?

http://www.imsdb.com/

Please note that not all of the scripts listed on the website actually are available to read, click on the title and scroll down to look for the 'Read script' line just before the comments section.

 

Year 13 Resit Task

Apologies all but as my little boy is unwell I am not going to be in today. 

Please can you use your time to ensure the following items are done for tomorrow's lesson with me where I can collect them from you. 

- Last weeks Resit task of bullet pointing your responses to the past paper on GQ and Saga magazines. Respond on your blog but also please print a copy. 

- On the common in the Year 13 2013 folder I have saved a PPT presentation called NEW Introduction to Representation. Either print a copy or save it to your memory stick. Complete the task at the end of the PPT. This task is due in next Tuesday. I am looking at your ability to select appropriate examples and discuss their representations as you would in the exam.

Coursework candidates:

- You should have a mood board of DVD covers and posters from your genre that are inspirational to you. Please post this on your blog by tomorrow.

- Ensure that you have posted and discussed your 2/3 examples to compare your production work to. Make sure that there are obvious elements that you can compare. 

- We will be discussing scripts and storyboards next week. Can you please watch the opening scenes of 3 films within your genre. Write a brief analysis of each and post on your blog by next Tuesday. You should discuss dialogue, setting, introduction to character, music and sound, establishing shots. If you are doing a story board consider shot type, shot duration and transitions. Those doing script please discuss how the narrative has been introduced and how has the audience been hooked. 

Please get these tasks done so we are able to move on next week.

Thanks, Mrs McCarthy

MS1 Resit Task

 

Write bullet points for each of the three questions listing as many ideas as possible.

THIS IS DUE IN NEXT TUESDAY LESSON 2.

Study the front covers for

GQ (December 09) and Saga Magazine (November 09).

1.

Analyse the front covers for both GQ and Saga magazines commenting on:

• visual codes

• layout and design

• language and mode of address. [40]

 

2.

(a) Study the front cover for GQ magazine. Suggest two different audiences for this

magazine. [4]

(b)

Study the front cover for Saga Magazine aimed at people over 50. Explore how this

audience has been targeted. [10]

(c)

With reference to your own detailed examples, explore how media texts target different

audiences. [16]

 
3. Using your own detailed examples, explore representations of age in the media today. [30]

Year 13 MS3 Videos on Research

The following videos have been created by another Media Studies teacher who has kindly shared their resources. They include some excellent tips, advice and support that will be extremely useful for your Research Investigation. Please watch them, listen carefully and make some notes; use all this information as you conduct your research and complete your investigations.

 

 

MS3 RESEARCH METHODS PART 1

 

MS3 RESEARCH METHODS PART 2

 

MS3 RESEARCH METHODS PART 3

 

 

 

Top Tips For Media Students

A brilliant list of tips for Media Students, particularly useful for those intending to study Media at University. Please take the time to have a look at this and consider the points carefully. Click link below

 

Tips for Media Students