Issues and debates quiz wk 3

Well done to those who've participated so far - Zainab is media quiz queen so far with 10/10. Can anyone match her knowledge of the world of media? Email your answers to Ms Jones (and feel free to include answers to the first two quizzes if you haven't already participated).

1. Channel 4 have just made a new appointment. Who have they appointed and why is that appointment controversial?
2. Which popular website has been banned in Pakistan, and why?
3. What aspect of the internet is culture secretary, Andy Burnham, determined to crack down on?
4. Didn't he do well to reach 80? (Question: who on earth am I talking about?)
5. ITV's programming has recently undergone a revamp. Which audience were they attempting to reach out to?

Self-Evaluations

To be completed by Monday 25-02.

Your responses will be used to help us write your next Interim Reports which you'll be receiving in a few weeks time.

SELF EVALUATION
Write an evaluation of your progress on the Media course since the last report.
Post the work up on your Module 5 blogs (and don't forget to post the first draft of your independent study on there if you haven't already done so).

a. Comment on each of the following, giving yourself a grade with an explanation outlining why:

(Grading should be1-5: 1 = excellent, 2 = v. good, 3 = good/average, 4 = poor, 5 = v. poor)

• Attainment
• Effort
• Punctuality
• Submission and quality of homework
• Ability to work independently
• Quality of writing
• Organisation of Media folder
• Oral contributions in class
• Contribution to the debate team
• Extra-curricular work (film projects etc.)
  
• Standard of Module 5 blog
  
• Standard of Module 6 blog
  

b. Make a list of three achievements (www) and three targets/areas for improvement (ebi) over the next half-term.

Media Debate '08

Don't forget that you should all be working on preparing for the Media Debate...it's happening next week on Thursday 28-02-08 in the Lecture Theatre from 3.30pm.

The teams are outlined below...overall team captains (Kabir and Naziya) have a special (c) next to them and it's their job to ensure that everyone is ready - in particular, they need to contact the individual debate captains (in red) to check they have fully researched their topics and rehearsed their performances with their groups.

Could captains please let me know this week (in the comments below) who the speakers are in each team and alert me to any mistakes made here so far. And where's the team spirit? Last year we had loads of comments 'bigging up' each side...let's start hearing you!

Med 6 Exemplar Paragraph

Md13C2 need to hand in their Med 6 comparisons for assessment on Wednesday 27-02-08. Make sure you find out what to do if you weren't in the lesson! To help, here's an exemplar paragraph...

Both ‘The Guardian’ – a broadsheet – and ‘The Daily Express’ – a tabloid – focus on stories centring on Muslim people but they do so in very different ways. Whereas Benazir Bhutto is represented as a tragic victim, reinforcing the shock the liberal middle-class audience is likely to feel at this attack on democracy; the ‘fanatical Islamic terrorist’ in Richard Desmond’s paper represents the Muslim as the Other – an old colonialist stereotype whereby those from the non-West were seen as uncivilized and barbaric. This reflects the right-wing conservative values of the paper and its readership (currently 1.7 million but steadily declining) whereas ‘The Guardian’ takes a much more inclusive, internationalist perspective.

Issues and Debates quiz wk 2

Email your answers to Ms Jones.

1. Which 3-month strike looks set to be resolved just in time for the Oscars?
2. Which film surprised the bookies by winning the most Baftas?
3. Which recent media scandal appears to have hit BT's share price?
4. Which black comedian has recently criticised the media for being 'too white and too middle
   class'?
5. Who has attacked the BBC, complaining that its programming decisions are based on 'its own survivalist needs rather than the licence-payer's desires'?

Prize for most correct quiz answers to be awarded in the summer (and I promise it'll be more substantial than a commendation).

Issues and Debates quiz wk1

Read the Media Guardian regularly? Think you know a fair bit about issues and debates in the media? Then email the answers to the following quiz to Ms Jones. Expect to see a new quiz every week. There will be a prize at the end of the year for the best-informed year 13 student. Good luck!

1. Which company is Microsoft in merger talks with, and why?
2. Which Broadband provider narrowly avoided sanctions from the ASA this week?
3. Who featured on YouTube, describing scientology as 'a blast'?
4. What, according to Screen Digest's latest report, is behind a 38% increase in online TV viewing?
5. Which controversial E4 drama is set to return for a second series?

Media Mentor Vacancies

• Do you want valuable and rewarding paid work?

• Are you responsible, mature and capable of being a positive role model?

• Have you got excellent video editing skills?

We invite Year 13 students to apply for the post(s) of Media Studies Student Mentors. The appointment(s) are intended to improve the provision of video editing support for Year 12s undertaking their production coursework.

The successful A2 students - to be selected at formal interview - will work different shifts in the video editing suite on Mondays to Fridays (exact times to be negotiated; a combination of 8am to 9am, and 3.30pm to 5.30pm) starting on 03-03-08 for a total of 9 weeks at a rate of £7.50/hour for each student.

The students will only work (and be paid) when necessary as there are likely to be some occasions when they are not needed. They will report directly to Ms. Jones, Ms Stevens, Ms Sivanesan or Mr. Babu, one of whom will be on call every day to direct them, help out with any problems and lock up at the end of the sessions.

Tasks will include...

• Providing induction and ongoing support to AS students with the use of Adobe Premiere Pro
  

• Offering feedback to students about the quality of their practical work (both verbally and in daily blog postings)

• Giving support and advice on the use of camera equipment

• Starting up and shutting down PCs

• Maintaining order in the edit suites & limiting access to Media students

• Troubleshooting minor software issues

• Reporting larger problems to Mr Babu
  

• Keeping the edit suites tidy & the equipment in good working order

• Helping students to source archived music & video clips

• Producing tip sheets and displays to help students use the equipment

• Running off DV copies of finalized productions

• Making DVD copies of productions for the exam board

If you wish to apply for these posts you must write a 300-500 word statement outlining your reasons for wanting to take up the position and the qualities and experience that you think make you suitable for the role. You may also wish to comment on how this will help you in your future studies/career. This must be emailed to Macguffin before Monday 25-02-08.

You will be informed by email if you have been shortlisted and those selected will be called for interview (before a panel to include Mr Bush, Mr Babu and a Year 12 student) during the first week back after half term on Wednesday 27-02-08, period 4 & lunch.

Good luck!

Genre Film Club...Scary!

As you all should know by now, we will be running a compulsory Genre Film Club (for your Module 4 exam) over the next half term. It is vital that you attend the once (or twice) weekly film showings (on either a Tuesday or Thursday or both!) as without doing this you will not be able to follow what happens in the lessons each week or contribute to the discussions. Also, it's far less scary watching with friends!

Please don't say: "I've seen it already" because we've heard it already. Each performance will be in DF07 and will start at 3.30pm promptly. Registers will be taken and you will be expected to take notes so bring pen and paper.

Make sure you put all the following dates in your diaries and seek to cancel and re-arrange any prior appointments you may already have…your A Levels must be your priority!!

• Tue 04-03

Psycho (1960, Alfred Hitchcock, 109 mins.)

• Thur 06-03

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974, Tobe Hooper, 83mins.)

• Tue 11-03

Halloween (1978, John Carpenter, 91 mins.)

• Thur 13-03

Friday the 13^th (Sean S. Cunningham, 1980, 95 mins.)

• Tue 18-03

A Nightmare on Elm Street (Wes Craven, 1984, 91 mins.)

• Tue 25-03

Scream (Wes Craven, 1996, 111 mins.)

• Thur 27-03

Scary Movie (Keenen Ivory Wayans, 2000, 88 mins.)

• Tue 22-04

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003, Marcus Nispel, 98 mins.)

• Thur 24-04

Halloween (2007, Rob Zombie, 109 mins.)