Monday, May 28, 2007

Independent Studies...Final Drafts!

Well done to everyone in Year 13 for completing their independent studies and making such a good job of it...the standard, overall, was better than ever!

What you see below are links to most of the 'A' grade essays submitted by 13C. It is strongly recommended that you read through these as part of your revision programme. Not only will they provide you with plenty of synoptic material for Med 6 but they all make crucial links to Med 4 which will help refresh your memories about what you need to know here and, most probably, provide you with new case studies and examples to present in your essays. In particular, make sure you read those by Alliaya and Heena (representation of women), Pip (representation of Asians), and Jaskeerat (genre).

And for those of you in 13D...if you post up your final drafts on your blogs I'll put links to the best ones here so that, again, the rest of the year can take a look and, hopefully, learn something.






“Reggay Boyz.” To what extent and why is contemporary reggae music being used to promote homophobic attitudes?

Intelligent and thoughtful approach from Ashley that provides an informative overview.







“I'd recognise that arse anywhere, you piece of s**t.” Are women in Hollywood films represented purely as sex objects to entertain and pleasure men, with particular reference to ‘Charlie’s Angels-Full Throttle’?

Well researched effort from Heena that summarises many of the key arguments you need to know for Med 4: representation of women.





“I want what any princess wants – to live happily ever after… with the ogre I married.” How are heroes/heroines and villains typically represented in contemporary animation films, paying close attention to “Shrek 2”?

A comprehensive and detailed essay from Kalpan.









“Finally a programme that represents Asians properly.” How accurately are Asians represented in ‘Life isn’t all ha ha hee hee?’

Really useful (and superbly written) treatment of some of the key relevant issues for Med 4: representation of Asians, by Pip.



“…he creates his own world; he creates his own style." Is the auteur theory any longer significant in contemporary Hollywood, with a focus on Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Kill Bill’ and his oeuvre?

Jatinder's sophisticated approach to this topic links with a lot of the stuff we've been covering for Med 4: genre.











"Who died and made you f***ing king of the zombies?" How does British zombie film ‘Shaun of the Dead’ follow the codes and conventions of the zombie genre?

A knowledgeable study from Jaskeerat that is good background material for Med 4: genre.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Representation Essay Plans

For 13C & 13D...

Please get the following essay plans posted up on your Med 5 blogs before the end of the week...
  • What is there to be said for or against stereotyping in the media? Answer with reference to specific examples. (Specimen Question, ’00 a)
  • Compare the media portrayal of two social groups. (June ’02 b)

  • It is argued that dominant media representations serve the interests of the powerful. Discuss with reference to one or more social group or place. . (June ’04 b)

Additionally, you should make sure that you've read all the new handouts we've given you on genre and representation, and that you've completed your summary/revision packs for both of these Med 4 topics.

Monday, May 14, 2007

Slasher Texts Online

To save you the trouble, Macguffin has trawled YouTube to track down key clips from the slasher films you studied as your case study for the Med 4 Genre module.

By clicking on this link (or on Eminem, alongside, sporting his Jason mask and carrying his chainsaw...thus appropriating slasher iconography in a different medium) you will come to a menu that includes most of the films' openings, key murder scenes (or 'narrative moments') and trailers.

These will help refresh your memories and, used in conjunction with your 'repertoire of elements' sheets and slasher pack, will help you illustrate your essays with detailed examples from the texts.




But don't forget...this is to be done in conjunction with learning about genre as a concept: genre theory, key quotes, etc., and planning and writing timed essays. You won't do well simply by watching the films again and again!

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Module 4 Revision/Preparation

Your revision/preparation for Module 4 should be...
  • Read through all notes, handouts and past essays on the key topics...
Representation...Representation packs (with cartoons), Gauntlett handouts, Guardian articles, Independent Studies on this topic, your own self-produced revision guides, teacher's summary notes, the mock exam, essay plans, etc.

Genre...
Genre pack, Slasher pack, repertoire of elements worksheets (on each slasher film), watch key clips from the texts again, genre theory quotes, your own self-produced revision guides, the mock exam, teacher's summary notes,essay plans, etc.
  • Read through all 'Representation' and 'Genre' past questions - identify keywords etc.
  • Complete as many timed essays as possible (45 minutes/question).
Don't forget - you can email Macguffin with queries and you can bring any timed essays in over the next month to show to your teachers before the exam on Monday June 18th at 1.30pm in the Hall (after the Module 6 exam). ARRIVE at least 15 MINUTES EARLY!!

Module 6 Revision/Preparation

Your revision/preparation for Module 6 should be...
  • Read through all Module 6 notes, handouts and past essays/practices.
  • Read and revise all the Issues & Debates/Media Theory revision sheets...
  1. Effects Theory (hypodermic needle model...passive audience, cultivation theory + desensitisation, two-step flow),
  2. Reception Theory (context of consumption + David Morley...dominant/negotiated/oppositional readings)
  3. Uses & Gratifications Theory (Blumer & Katz, Denis McQuail...active audience)
  4. Narrative Theory (Propp, Levi-Strauss, Barthes, Todorov)
  5. News Values (Galtung & Ruge)
  6. Audience Profiling (demographics, psychographics, the four Cs)
  7. Advertising (covert advertising, product placement, sponsorship, plugs, viral advertising)
  8. Postmodernism (pastiche, parody, irony, playfulness, reflexivity, ambiguity, intertextuality, bricolage, hybridity, Baudrillard...hyperreality, simulacra)
  9. Marxism (Althusser...ISAs, interpellation, Gramsci...hegemony)
  10. Pluralism (media literacy, audience choice, media as fourth estate)
  11. Ownership (vertical/horizontal integration, synergy)
  12. Globalisation (digital revolution, new technology/new media, cultural imperialism, the 'global village')
  • Revise everything you've ever covered in Media Studies this year and last year as this is the synoptic unit...
  1. Genre, especially genre theory (Altman, Neale, Maltby etc.)
  2. Representation, especially feminist theory (Mulvey, Clover, Gauntlett etc.) & post-colonialism (Hall, Bhahba etc.)
  3. Documentary (mediation, construction, Direct Cinema, Cinema Verite, reality TV)
  4. Film & Broadcast Fiction, especially film language (cinematography, editing, mise-en-scene, sound)
  5. Module 1 MIGRAIN keywords/glossary
  • Keep reading the 'Media Keywords A-Z' handout (the big one) and test yourself on media terminology.
  • Read through the 13D Issues & Debates blogs (see links on the sidebar) as they are full of information about everything already mentioned above and more besides. In particular, make sure you check out those by Bushara, Dinveer, Kavita, Rajan and Sherish because they have links to lots of the key media stories over the past year which you may well need to know about in the exam. Also, they have some very good exemplar Module 6 essays (comparing 'Fawlty Towers/'The Beano' and 'The revolution will not be televised'/'Your Revolution'). Read these to give you ideas about how to incorporate Issues & Debates and Theory into your comparisons.
  • Keep up-to-date with media developments right up to the exam. Log on to Media Guardian every day and keep posting summaries and links to them on your blogs!
  • Do timed practice - carry out comparisons of a range of two-minute (or less) moving image sequences...
So analyse and compare...
  1. extracts, title sequences and opening sequences from any genre of TV programme or film (soap, sitcom, documentary, news, gangster, thriller, etc.).
  2. TV adverts and film trailers.
Remember, the question is always..."Using the comparison of these two texts as your starting point, explore the media issues and debates which they raise."

It is vital that you practice under exam conditions - spend 30 minutes note-taking/planning (and watch the extract three times during this period) and then one hour writing your answer.

If you are short for time then you can always just do the 30-minute note-taking exercise on some days but try to do this as often as possible (every day?). Remember to use two sides of A4 paper (one for Text 1, one for Text 2) and include the following sections going down the page...
  1. form & function
  2. similarities & differences
  3. key concepts (MIGRAIN)
  4. theory
  5. issues & debates
  6. wider contexts (SHEP)
  7. other texts
Please record the practice you have done as a comment after this posting - it will be useful for people to share ideas about what texts are good to try and an opportunity to ask Macguffin any questions about any of the theories, issues & debates and wider contexts.

Also, please post comparison notes and finished essays on your blogs for others to see and learn from. The best ones will be highlighted on this page as links.


And don't forget - you can bring any timed essays in over the next month to show to your teachers before the exam on Monday June 18th at 1.30pm in the Hall. ARRIVE at least 15 MINUTES EARLY!!

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Online Revision Guide

Thanks to Sherish who has tracked down a sample chapter online from an A Level Media revision guide (which, by the way, is well worth buying). It has an excellent section on Wider Contexts, which is especially important, but it's the homework for both classes next week to read through the whole chapter (as the first part is all about Key Concepts and textual analysis - really useful revision). This needs to be done by the time you return after the bank holiday for discussion in lessons.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Mocks

For all Year 13s...

Don't forget...mock exams are fast approaching and you should all be revising hard for them NOW. This is your only chance to practise these questions and develop these skills under full test conditions so make the most of the opportunity - if you haven't prepared you'll be wasting both your own and your teacher's time as the only feedback you'll get is 'do some work' - not very helpful when the purpose is to help you improve for the real thing in June.

The dates/times are (in case you've forgotten)...

  • MODULE 4 Mock for 13D - Tuesday 17-04, periods 1 & 2 (in P06)
  • MODULE 6 Mock for 13D - Thursday 29-03, periods 7 & 8 (in E01)
  • MODULE 4 Mock for 13C - Monday 16-04, periods 1 & 2 (in E01)
  • MODULE 6 Mock for 13C - Tuesday 27-03, periods 3 & 4 (in P06)

Your revision/preparation should be...

MODULE 6
  • Read through the 13D 'Issues and Debates' blogs.
  • Read through the handouts on 'Issues & Debates' (Marxism, Uses & Gratifications, etc.).
  • Read the Media Keywords A-Z handout (the big one).
  • Practise note-taking/comparing two different texts (MIGRAIN, WC: SHEP, Issues & Debates/Theory) for half hour stints.

MODULE 4

  • Read through all notes and handouts on the two key topics...
  • Representation - Representation pack (cartoons), Gauntlett, Mulvey, etc.
  • Genre - Genre pack, Slasher pack, repertoire of elements worksheets, etc.
  • Read through all 'Representation' & 'Genre' past questions.
  • Write essay plans for as many different questions as possible.
  • Complete at least one timed essay for each topic (Rep, Genre - 45 minutes/question).

Friday, February 09, 2007

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!

Thursday, February 08, 2007

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 13th (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!