h

STUDENT WORKBOOK

NAME

AQA GCSE Media Studies (4812) Single Award

EXAM (40%)

Unit 1: Investigating the MediaWritten Paper – 1 hour 30 mins – 60 marks – 40% of total GCSE mark;Unit 1 is a written exam; based on pre-release material and topic;

The topic for 2011 exam is ‘Action Adventure Films’.

The provisional exam date for Unit 1 is Monday 13th June 2011 (PM)

PLUS

COURSEWORK (60%)

Unit 2: Understanding the MediaControlled Assessment – Practical Production Tasks – 90 marks – 60% of total GCSE mark;

The Production Tasks for 2010/2011 are:

Project One: Magazine Analysis and Design

Project Two: Cross-Media Study: Advertising & Marketing

Project Three: Music Video

EXAM UNIT

Unit 1: Investigating the Media (40% of total GCSE)

The provisional exam date for this unit is Monday 13th June 2011 (PM).

The topic for Unit 1 is Action Adventure Films. You will receive a pre-release pack and production brief four weeks before the exam, which gives you time to research and plan for the exam. In preparation for the exam you will have studied a wide range of Action Adventure Films.

You will need to consider aspects of: Style Presentation, Values Audience and Representation Codes and conventions Impact of new technology

Production skills will be expected in the exam; you may be asked to produce storyboards, scripts, print-based design sketches and drawings.

COURSEWORK UNIT

Unit 2: Understanding the Media (60% of total GCSE)

Three Practical Production Projects:

1. Magazine Analysis & Design

2. Cross-Media Study: Advertising & Marketing

3. Music Video

Project 1 Magazine Analysis & Design

Research

Analyse the front cover of a music or lifestyle magazine of your choice; key question: how does the cover appeal to the target audience? (500 words).

Production & Evaluation

Design the front cover for a new music or lifestyle magazine aimed at a specific audience; evaluate your magazine using technical media language.

Research activities: Apply media terminology; considering the effect of media language; Apply analytical techniques such as denotation and connotation; Identify how genre is established; Discuss how narrative is suggested; Make judgements about who the target audience might be.

Project 2 Cross-Media Study: Advertising & Marketing

Research

Compare two advertisements for the same product or service across two media platforms.

Research areas: Make-up/Beauty;Fashion;Perfume/After Shave;Media Technology – phones, Wii, PS3 etc;Sports; Cars;Alcohol.

Production & Evaluation

For this project you complete two tasks:

Task One: PrintDesign a mock-up for an advertisement for a magazine, newspaper or billboard

Task Two: TVDevise a storyboard for a TV advertisement for the same product

Both tasks require photography and/or drawing skills

PTO

Research questions for existing ad campaign: What is the aim of your chosen campaign? What common codes and conventions appear in your print and TV

advert? How has the advertising been produced to appeal to a particular

target audience? What is the target audience for the product? What evidence is there

within the campaign to prove this? What images of people, groups or places are represented? Is this

fair and accurate? In your opinion how and why do the adverts appeal to the Values,

Aspirations and Lifestyles of the target audience? How has the campaign been scheduled and distributed?

Assignment 3 Music Video

Research and Planning

Analysis of existing music videos using media terminology; audience research; sketches, storyboards, filming test footage, practise edit tasks

Production & Evaluation

A three minute music video to accompany all or part of a particular track; group project – maximum group size is 4.

700- 800 word evaluation

For music video, confidence in handling technology can be demonstrated by: Careful framing of shots; Editing appropriate to the nature of the production and audience; Evidence of consideration being given to lighting, mise-en-scene

and sound.

Music video conventions could include: Performance; Narrative; Interpretation; Lip-synch; Animation; Symmetrical framing; Shot-composition; Cross-cutting.

PTO

EvaluationYou must produce a 700-800 word evaluation which should reflect upon:

How the aims of the production have been met; How the music video applies appropriate codes and conventions

and uses appropriate media language; How the music video represents people, places or events; Where and when the music video would be viewed; What regulations and controls might be applied to your music

video and how these have been taken into consideration (copyright, You Tube Terms of Service);

The strengths and weaknesses of your music video in terms of meeting the needs of the target audience.