Media Mentors

• 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.

Two successful A2 students - to be selected at formal interview - will work in the video editing suite on Mondays to Fridays (one from 8am to 9am, and the other from 3.30pm to 5.30pm) starting on 05-03-07 for a total of 8 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 Mr. Bush, Mr. Munro 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 support to AS students with the use of Adobe Premiere Pro
  

• Offering feedback to students about the quality of their practical work

• Checking and trouble-shooting 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 or Mr Azeem

• 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 VHS and 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 19-02-07.

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 Munro, Mr Babu and a Year 12 student) during the first week back after half term on Wednesday 28-02-07, periods 5 & 6.

Good luck!

Slasher Genre Film Club

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) 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 E01 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!!

• Thur 1-03

Psycho (1960, Alfred Hitchcock, 109 mins.)

• Thur 08-03

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

• Tue 13-03

Halloween (1978, John Carpenter, 91 mins.)

• Thur 16-03

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

• Tue 20-03

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

• Thur 22-03

Scream (Wes Craven, 1996, 111 mins.)

• Tue 27-03

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

• Thur 29-03

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

PS...Sorry it's an ugly picture, Sherish!

Does Blogging Help?

Once you've completed your first drafts, you need to reflect on the whole process before attempting the next one! This will allow us to think about how you (and next year's students) can best be helped in the future. In particular, we need to evaluate the impact of using blogs when preparing for coursework.

Therefore, could you please cut and paste the following questions to your blogs and answer them as fully as possible, providing concrete examples where you can. The deadline for completion is Monday 12th February (13C) or Thursday15th February (13D)...

1. How easy has it been to set up your Independent Study blog and to get used to posting things on it? Were you given enough support in doing it? What other help would have been useful?

2. How did the blog help with your research? Did the blog motivate you to do more and better research? How? Why?

3. Is it useful having all the Independent Study/blog tasks posted on the Macguffin blog? Does it make it more likely that you will get them done?

4. How often (honestly!) do you check the Macguffin blog? (Remember, it should be at least twice/week).

5. Has it been useful being able to see and access everyone else’s research and planning through their blogs?

6. How do you feel about the fact that your teacher can keep a close check on your progress through accessing your blog? Is it too intrusive and controlling or is it encouraging and supportive?

7. How useful have the comments been that you received from…a. Macguffin, b. other students.

8. How has the blog helped with your essay planning? How useful was the blog when it came to writing the essay? Do you think your first draft is better because you have used a blog?

9. How would you evaluate the quality of your blog? What could you have done better?

10. Do you think you will get a better final grade for your independent study through having used a blog?

11. Which are the best three blogs? Why?

12. Do you think next year’s Year 13s would benefit from setting up an Independent Study blog?

13. Are there any negative aspects to preparing for an Independent Study using a blog?

14. What could be done to improve teaching and/or learning in future through blogs?

15. Overall, are you pleased that we used blogs? Has it been interesting and enjoyable? Why? Why not?

Good Luck...You Can Do It!

To all of you Year 13s sweating over your Independent Studies this weekend (because you - unwisely - left everything to the last minute) we want to wish you 'Good Luck!'

No one said Media Studies was easy (except they often did, but they were wrong, weren't they?) and it may well be a tough weekend for you, but once you get started things become a lot easier. And think how good you'll feel when you've done it!

Leave a message here or email Macguffin if you have any problems. But, chances are, you'll be OK...after all, you've been researching this topic for six months and you're experts in your field (believe us).




The crucial thing is to finish it. Don't worry too much that it's not perfect yet - it's only a first draft. Obviously, you will want to do your best and put as much effort into it as you can over the next few days, but there's bound to be room for improvement. Just make sure you meet your deadline!