Pre-release briefing material issued 3-4 weeks before the exam.
Exam will involve responding to this brief on series of creative tasks.
Notes cannot be taken into exam.
Time: 90mins
Four Tasks: Equally weighted – 15 marks each (maximum mark /60)
Spend equal amount of time on each – 20 mins
Task 1: Case study task This task will test your knowledge of TV Drama and involve writing in detail about at least TWO TV dramas that you have researched in class and at home. Task 2: Pitch task This will involve pitching your new idea for a TV drama in response to the preliminary brief. Task 3: Creative task This will involve designing some kind of media product for your new TV drama - for example a website homepage or the storyboard of the opening scene of your drama / trailer for your TV Drama. Task 4: Audience or Marketing task This could test any aspect of the brief but usually involves audience pleasures (why the target audience would enjoy your new TV drama) or how you would use new technology to promote your TV drama to the audience. Please note that question 1 will always be about conventions of TV Drama and our case studies but Task 2-4 are all about your OWN TV Drama that you are pitching and these questions can be in any order on the exam paper. Important note: you CANNOT just turn up to the GCSE Media exam and hope to wing it on the day - the students you are up against will have done up to a MONTH of preparation in response to the preliminary brief. The positive side is that if you complete all the preparation tasks you already know you will have a brilliant exam!
People have been asking me for an example of how to use the C.E.E.A structure to answer Question 1 so here is an example of a question 1 and how you would use the structure to address EACH of the bullet points:
(Please note that this is AN EXAMPLE. You will not know the real three bullet points until you encounter the questions in the actual exam)
Please also note how I am writing IN ROLE which the exam requires you to do at all times, even for question 1.
1) We believe that Serial Television Dramas are successful because they:
Offer a number of audience
pleasures
Have interesting characters
Have either narrative arcs
or episodic narratives to keep the audience interested in the whole series
Remember C.E.E.A as your structure:
C-
Convention
E- Example
E- Explanation
A-Audience pleasure / effect on audience / how it targets them
Let's take bullet point 1 and answer in a paragraph about Stranger
Things: (I have colour co-ordinated for you to see where the big marks are)
Dear AtoZ Productions,
In
the hope of achieving a potential apprenticeship with your company to make my
own serial television drama, I have been studying existing products in the
genre. I completely agree that they offer a number of different audience
pleasures to keep people watching.An example would be the Netflix
Original series, Stranger Things, where the horror and science fiction
sub-genre will appeal to an audience looking for ‘Diversion’ so they can find
escapism in the fictional town of Hawkins and the world of scientific
experiment and parallel universes offered by the show’s narrative.The show also
focuses on the adventures of a group of teenagers who are friends and one of
them goes missing. This disruption to the equilibrium means thata young audience
may be able to relate to the idea of losing a friend or bonding together to try
and sort out a problem. There are other narrative strands, such as a love triangle with Mike’s
sister and two potential boyfriends – this might be appealing for young
girls or boys in similar situations. Much of the drama is set in a small
town, in domestic homes or in a high school which is familiar to
audiences who have similar lives. Over the whole series, it is possible for the
audience to form relationships with the charactersby learning their
back stories and we care about whether or not Will can be reunited with his
mother after his kidnap by the monster in the first episode.
Let's take bullet point 2 and answer in a paragraph about Stranger
Things: (I have colour co-ordinated for you to see where the big marks are)
I
also agree that TV Dramas have to have interesting characters to attract and
keep their audience. Normally, it is conventional for a TV Drama to have an ‘ensemble
cast’ where there is not one main protagonist (hero) but instead many
characters so that we can learn about their own narratives.In Stranger Things,
the narrative focuses on a group of friends of ‘stock characters’ that fit
stereotypes the audience can recognise: the funny one (Dustin), the cynical one
(Lucas), the leader who makes the decisions (Mike) and the sensitive ‘innocent’
Will who is kidnapped. Audiences will also enjoy watching the anti-hero Hopper who is a town Sheriff
with a sad past as his daughter has died and he is a subversive
policeman as he drinks, swears, smokes and punches people rather than following
the law and arresting them. Will’s mother Joyce and his brother Jonathan are
also key characters in the ensemble cast because we see how their lives have
been torn apart by the loss of Will and how they deal with getting him back by
taking on the monsters and the evil villain scientist. Stock characters
and more subversive characters mean the audience can relate to the characters
and identify them as ‘types’. Eleven is an interesting character as she is
subversive for a female hero – she is a young girl who wears a dress but has a
shaved head because she was experimented on in a laboratory. She also has super
powers and can manipulate things with her mindwhich is exciting for the viewers as
they do not know if she will be captured or use her powers for good or evil.
Let's take bullet point 3 and answer in a paragraph about Stranger
Things: (I have colour co-ordinated for you to see where the big marks are)
Most
Serial TV Dramas have episodic narratives, where stories are resolved in one
episode, so that the ‘casual viewer’ can be rewarded. They also feature ‘story
arcs’ where a narrative is on-going throughout all the episodes so that loyal
viewers who always tune in can be rewarded for their loyalty.In Stranger Things,
the on-going narrative arc is the kidnap of Will and the enigma codes that are
posed to the audience: Will he survive or die? Will he be rescued from the
Upside Down? Will his mum or his friends be the ones to save him? This on-going
tension causes viewers to want to watch the next episode after the opening
where they are ‘hooked’ in by the disappearance of Will within the first 8
minutes. This dramatic disruption to the equilibrium is not resolved until the
last episode so the tension builds and there are lots of cliff-hangers at the
end of each episode so that audiences are encouraged to ‘binge watch’ the whole
series, which was released all at once. There are also episodic storylines
focusing on individual characters, such as flashbacks to Eleven’s sad
childhood; the back story where Hopper’s daughter dies of cancer, and the ‘happier
times’ memories that Will’s mother has of their time together. Also, Nancy and
Steve’s relationship and the death of Barb (Nancy’s friend) are dramatic
narratives that develop within an episode and keep the audience watching as
they are given some resolution as the story progresses.
Try answering some of your own C.E.E.A paragraphs using examples from our other case studies: Waterloo Road and Doctor Who.
Last tip - remember that you MUST talk about at least 2 TV Dramas from our case studies so if you wrote the above answers JUST using Stranger Things, you would limit your marks. Make sure that you are able to say detailed examples from more than one television drama across the three bullet points.
E
– Explain how the example fits the convention or is subversive
A – How this targets the
audience and what pleasures it offers them
A
protagonist or ‘hero’ figure is one of the stock characters you would normally
find in some Television dramas.An
example would be the Doctor character from Dr Who who fits the conventions of a hero because the narrative usually sees him
saving individuals or races such as humans, from potential threat and
destruction. He is an unconventional hero because his power is his intelligence
and scientific knowledge.He
is an alien from another planet which offers the audience escapism through the
science fiction sub-genre. He has also been regenerated through several series’
which rewards audience loyalty.
As you can tell, the EXPLANATION and the AUDIENCE pleasures part is the bit that will get you the marks.
Please note that question 1 has 3 bullet points and you must address all 3 bullet points and mention at least 2 TV Dramas with specific examples.
If you write the narrative of the Drama without linking your answer to the bullet points, you will receive no marks!!!!
You have started working your way through the revision blog task that will help you to make sure that you are in charge of your own preparation for the upcoming PPE exam.
Please take this seriously - we can use your mark and grade from this exam with your coursework grade (marked by January) and give you a really clear picture of where you are likely to end up in terms of GCSE Media final grades.
Storyboards are available to practise your TV Drama openings and trailers. Remember that the exam will use one of these and you will not know until the day. You must revise the conventions of storyboards (see Assignment 2 if you have forgotten) and conventions for both openings of TV Dramas and trailers.
Finally, here is a really comprehensive revision guide for you to use:
Your PPE Media Studies exam is on Tuesday 12th December at 1.20pm in the Hall. You will have received a copy of the preliminary brief in class. You MUST complete the following research and planning tasks before the exam on Tuesday 12th December. Research Waterloo Road 1) Watch the whole of Waterloo Road - Season 1, Episode 1:
2) Re-read this Waterloo Road Wikipedia entry and write down the number of seasons and episodes broadcast and the channels they have appeared on. 3) How does Waterloo Road meet the key conventions of TV Drama: ensemble cast? Stock characters? Story arcs? Episodic narratives? Enigma and tension? Realism? 4) Write down three storylines (or narratives) from Waterloo Road - note which season the storyline appeared in. They can be from the first episode above or from the clips below:
There are clips from all series' of Waterloo Road also available here: Waterloo Road all clips
5) Why might audiences have enjoyed Waterloo Road? Doctor Who 1) Re-watch these extracts from the classic Doctor Who episode 'Blink' when the Doctor was played by David Tennant during series' 2-4:
2) Read the opening of this Wikipedia entry for Doctor Who and make notes on why the show is so popular. 3) Now read this Wikipedia entry for the episode above - 'Blink'. Why is 'Blink' considered to be one of the best Doctor Who episodes ever? 3) List the key conventions of TV Drama that you can find in Doctor Who. 4) Write down three storylines (or narratives) that have moments of Enigma or tension - note which season the storyline appeared in. They can be from the earlier episodes (such as 'Blink' above) or from the Matt Smith series 6 that we have watched this week. The following clips are from Doctor Who - The Impossible Astronaut:
5) What audience pleasures are provided by Doctor Who?
Planning 1) Brainstorm ideas for a new TV Drama for a 15-24 audience demographic using one of the three titles provided on the brief. Plan out the following:
Title- which one of the three titles are you choosing?
Tagline - how will you sell the drama to an audience?
Setting(s)
Main characters and why audiences will like/dislike them
At least three of the narratives or storylines - at least one should cover the series arc (a narrative that continues across the whole series).
Potential TV channels and timings to broadcast your new TV drama
Your TV drama's USP - unique selling point
Your show's detailed target audience (demographics and similar shows they might watch). Remember: the age group specified by the preliminary brief is 15-24.
Three reasons your TV drama will appeal to that target audience
2) Storyboard the opening (length: 30 seconds) of your new TV Drama. Use this AQA storyboard sheet if you don't pick up a paper copy in class. 3) Storyboard a 30 second advert or trailer for your chosen TV drama idea. Use the storyboard link above. 4) Come up with a variety of ways to promote your new TV Drama to your target audience. Plan out the following:
Official website for the TV drama that allows audiences to meet the characters and find out more about the storylines.
Ideas to feature your drama on social media e.g. hashtag, video content, Instagram filters, Twitter feeds etc.
Any other creative or unusual ways to promote your new TV drama to the audience.
5) Write a three-paragraph answer for why your new TV drama will be successful in the incredibly competitive marketplace of modern television. Revision pack Use this revision pack at home or in Study Club to help prepare for the upcoming PPE. It has brilliant tips on how to approach each question and what you need to create and revise before the exam.
All tasks MUST be completed before Tuesday 12th December. Complete them on your GCSE Media blog and publish them to be checked in your lessons next week.
The next stage of our music video project is filming the video. This is where all of our planning has been leading and it is absolutely crucial that you film lots of high-quality shots that give you plenty of options when it comes to editing. Music video filming: top tips 1) Listen: you need to know the song inside out so listen to it again and again while planning and shooting. 2) Lighting: the right setting is important but lighting can make or break a music video. Plan it carefully. 3) Performance: you don’t need brilliant actors but the performance style has to match the song. 4) Shoot to edit: you need to shoot enough video so you have options when editing. Capture everything on your shot list and don’t delete anything.
Raising the level of your camerawork and editing
If you want to reach A* in your music video then you'll need to show creativity and flair in your camerawork and editing. Indeed, it's important that you're already thinking about the editing while you film your video. This video is a great introduction to different types of editing - and there are plenty of other tutorials available from the same YouTube channel - RocketJump Film School.
Use tutorials, examples and your very detailed shot list to make sure you film everything you need. Equipment If you have your own camera or a high-quality phone with plenty of storage, you should use your own equipment. This will give you maximum flexibility.
We will only sign out a camera to students who have completed ALL research and planning tasks.
Please note school cameras are signed out to be returned next working day:
Tuesday > Wednesday
Friday > Monday
Friday end of half-term > first day back at school
Filming deadline: week commencing Monday 6 November
The final aspect of your Assignment 3 Research and Planning is pre-production. This is the planning, sketching and drafting that you must complete before picking up a camera and filming your music video. In your group OR individually, you need to complete the following planning: 1) Lyric annotations 2) Storyboard 3) Shotlist 4) Mise-en-scene planning You need a minimum of 3 pages EACH. You CANNOT put any work in your folder that has been created by someone else in your group.
1) Lyric annotation
This is brilliant way of developing the ideas from your treatment. You can pick out certain words or sections of the song and plan the shots and editing that would fit best.
Make sure you use a clean or radio edit version of the lyrics - you won't be able to submit non-clean versions to the exam board AQA.
Simply find the clean version lyrics on Google, copy and paste them into Word and then plan the shots, action and locations line-by-line.
2) Storyboard
Use the skills you have already developed in Assignment 2.
Create a visual ‘feel’ for what you want your music video to look like – you won’t be able to storyboard every shot.
Use a wide variety of creative shots and draw them accurately.
Aim for somewhere between 5-15 frames (depending on whether you are working individually or in a group).
Make sure you write text in the right-hand boxes explaining the type of shot (must be accurate), camera movement and sound (which line of the song the shot goes with).
3) Shot list
The shot list is the single most important pre-production document – you will tick off each shot while shooting.
Remember, you will shoot far more than you actually use - which means a variety of shots for each event or location in the music video.
Due to this, there will be far more shots on the shot list than in the storyboard.
You will need at least one shot for every second of the track you have chosen - so the shot list will contain 180+ shots.
The most important shot type to plan is close-ups. Ideally, you should have one close up every three shots. That means 60+ close-ups planned in your shot list!
4) Mise-en-scene planning
This document involves all the planning for anything appearing in front of the camera. Remember CLAMPS: Costume, Lighting, Actors (cast), Make-up, Props, Setting.
Use images to show you have planned each aspect of mise-en-scene (phone pictures/ Google images/ Google maps are all acceptable here).
The deadline for all your research and planning will be set by your teacher - it depends on your year group and timetable. IMPORTANT: you cannot sign out a camera for filming unless everyone in your group has completed ALL research and planning documents.
The nominations are in for the Media Awards 2017! With the ceremony just two weeks' away, these are the films and music videos that will be battling it out for a prestigious Greenford High School Media Award. The quality level at both GCSE and A Level was exceptionally high and it has been an extremely difficult process narrowing down the nominations for our Oscars-style event. Tickets will go on sale on Monday 9 October priced £4 for early bird tickets and £5 in the week of the Awards. Be quick - the event sold out in just three days last year! A Level nominations Best Year 12 Original Screenplay Out of Mind Hiraeth Nowy Poczatek Best Year 12 Production Design Voice of the Void Euphoria Nowy Pockzatek Best Year 12 Dialogue/Voiceover Click Approval Euphoria Best Year 12 Cinematography Unstable Voice of the Void Click Best Year 12 Sound Design Voice of the Void Approval Out of Mind Best Year 12 Film Editing Unstable Click Hiraeth
GCSE nominations
Best GCSE Cinematography Take a Bow – Shanella Dammanpilage Done Earthquake – Ahmed Hassan Unfaithful – Blaise Marden Best GCSE Music Video Concept Radioactive – Tyler-Jade Kelly Don’t – Shabd Magon Mrs Potato Head – Areej Mehdi Best GCSE Production Design Unfaithful – Blaise Marden Mrs Potato Head – Areej Mehdi Wolves – Annya Ranshi Best GCSE Editing Symbolism – Mariam Ahmadyar Untitled – Kacper Ikwanty Party – Shahir Joian
Best Actress/Actor
Gifty Kumi – Unstable
Sophie Robertson – Out of Mind
Nasteha Mohamed – Approval
Abdullah Al-Fadhli – Click
Mr Mather – Training
Hussein Hamume – Click
Congratulations to all our nominees and we look forward to seeing you at the Media Awards on Tuesday 17 October!
Sunlight
comes creeping in
Illuminates our skin
We watch the day go by
Stories of all we did
It made me think of you
It made me think of you
Under a
trillion stars
We danced on top of cars
Took pictures of the stage
So far from where we are
They made me think of you
They made me think of you
Oh lights
go down
In the moment we're lost and found
I just wanna be by your side
If these wings could fly
For the rest of our lives
I'm in a
foreign state
My thoughts they slip away
My words are leaving me
They caught an aeroplane
Because I thought of you
Just from the thought of you
Oh lights go down
In the moment we're lost and found
I just wanna be by your side
If these wings could fly
Oh damn these walls
In the moment we're ten feet tall
And how…
Birdy is 21 years old. She is English and comes
from a wealthy family. She won a singing
competition, open mic, at 12 years old and started off releasing cover songs. Birdy is the music industry’s antidote to the commercial,
superhuman likes of Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and Rihanna. She travels unnoticed on the Tube,
is thinking of signing up for sketching classes in London, regularly queues up
at McDonald’s (she has a weakness for McChicken sandwiches) and roots
through vintage stores unaided by any celebrity stylist. Her stage name
is a nick name from her parents.
Example:
Target audience
demographics for Birdy:
·Alternative music/rock/indie/folk
fans.
·Age range 15-30 but largely 16-25.
·More females than males (70/30).
·Largely white British race/ethnicity.
·Largely middle class ABC1
demographic.
·Likely to be educated at least to A
Level with 60% at university or degree educated.
·Earnings above average and likely to
do or have ambitions to do a degree-level job.
·Likely to live in towns and cities
but not exclusively.
·Happy adopting new technology and
regularly uses social networking sites and the internet.
Brands/lifestyle for Birdy fans:
·Very likely to own an Apple
product/mp3 player and take their music seriously. Almost certainly owns a
smart phone but could be Samsung or Apple.
·Enjoys a drink – likely to be beer or
wine.
·Self expressive- likes to dress
individually and visit vintage stores
·Sony audio/visual products.
·Red Bull.
·Jack Daniels.
·Levis.
·NME or Q magazine. Niche magazines.
·Probably be in a romantic
relationship.
·Sky Atlantic, Netflix and Amazon
Prime subscribers.
·Interested in singer/songwriters and
emerging new talent.
·May also be fans of Mumford and Sons,
Bon Iver, The Lumineers, Laura Marling.
Watch the original Birdy Video and
note how the props / visuals link to the lyrics:
When the lyrics read ‘sunlight
illuminates our skin’, there is a close up shot of the singer with sunlight
reflected on her face. The video is a concept video, with the performance element
introduced through fancy dress costumes and dream-like figures dancing and
performing in a forest environment. This setting complements the ethereal,
dream-like sound of the music. The artist appears in the narrative but she does
not involve herself with the other people, therefore making her stand out
amongst them. There is juxtaposition between close ups of her lying on the bed looking
sad, and dramatic scenes such as people riding horses which matches the more
dramatic beats. The smoke and colours are edited to the beat.
Now watch the A Level student version of
the Birdy video and note how the props / visuals link to the lyrics:
The video
opens with a shot of a little girl staring at a grave in a graveyard. This
suggests that the song is going to be slow and emotional. The song lyrics are
about losing and finding someone and this person has interpreted that into a
narrative about a little girl whose father has passed away and she is
remembering the good times they shared together. A buried pot signifies the
memories they shared. The use of the narrative is juxtaposed with the artist
(singer) in the field lip-synching and this implies that she is the grown up
girl represented by the younger actress in the memory scenes. Numerous close
ups of the objects that mean something to the girl show the link between the
little girl and her father and this is also reinforced by the close up of them
holding hands. The emphasis is on ‘the rest of our lives’ as the girl will have
the memory of her father with her forever. The location is mostly outside in a
field and in the wood as this represents where she walked with her father and
felt closest to him.
