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Film Studies

GCSE Results 2022 

  Film Studies
9 - 7 12.5%
9 - 5 37.5%
9 - 4 43.8%
9 - 1 93.8%

2023/2024 teaching staff: Mr I MacDonald and Mrs C Sullivan.

Oakwood School – Curriculum Overview

Faculty English
 Head of Faculty

Mrs S Henden

Head of Media / Film Studies Mr I MacDonald
Contact for more details of Film Studies curriculum

 

 

 

Autumn 1

Autumn 2

Spring 1

Spring 2

Summer 1

Summer 2

Rationale

Year 10

Topic Area/Key Question

 

Introduction to Film Form (Micro elements) AND Key Developments in Film

 

Specialist Writing: The Hurt Locker AND Macro elements of Film Form

 

Introduction to Component 3 (Non-Exam Assessment) AND Key Developments in Film

Film Study: Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Film Study: E.T. The Extra Terrestrial

Comparison study: Invasion of the Body Snatchers and E.T. The Extra Terrestrial

In Year 10 our students will begin their journey towards their Film Studies GCSEs by exploring the building blocks of Film Form (both micro and macro elements), studying examples of these in action along the way. We begin our first Film Study with The Hurt Locker and the accompanying item of Specialist Writing. This allows students to begin to identify examples of film form in action whilst also being exposed to how films are written about as well as their impact on the audience – both the intended impact and the actual one. We also study key developments in film – this teaches students the progression of film and film technology from the 19th century to the present day, reinforcing the importance of story-telling and film in particular. We then begin the planning of the Non-Exam Assessment (Component 3 of the GCSE) by exploring narrative theories and structures and gaining an understanding of how most stories share some fundamental elements. This will also build student confidence in using subject-specific terminology correctly. Just before Easter, we begin to study (separately) two Science-Fiction films (Invasion of the Body Snatchers and E.T. The Extra Terrestrial), considering the importance of context (social, historical, political and technological) in our analysis of these films and how these factors would have affected the use of the different elements of film form, as well as audience response. Students will be assessed on both of these films using a GCSE exam style question. Lastly, we undertake a comparison study of these two films, exploring how contexts have changed and how this would affect the use of the elements of film form and also the portrayal of politics, gender roles and authority. Students write a mock GCSE exam on Component ONE in July – this covers everything they have learned in Year 10.

Students are regularly exposed to GCSE level questions as well as recall exercises to ensure that knowledge and skills are successfully embedded.

Content covered

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Micro elements of Film Form, including:

Cinematography (Camera work)

Editing

Sound

Mise-en-scène.

 

AND

 

The beginnings of film in the 19th Century and the development and growth of the industry through the mid-1950s. Explore relationship between society and Hollywood.

Specialist Writing on The Hurt Locker film – studying the film; interpreting the text and using such to form opinions. Ability to argue for or against a viewpoint. Writing about a film using subject-specific terminology. Budget and shooting location(s).

Themes of war, fear, death, PTSD and violence.

 

AND

 

Macro elements of Film Form, including:

Narrative

Representation

Aesthetics

 

Reading a production brief.

Planning a project.

Narrative structures and character development.

Genre conventions and mise-en-scène.

 

AND

 

Key events and factors in the development of the Film Industry between the mid-1950s and the 1990s.

Genre codes and conventions.

Context of post WWII America and world.

Threat of communism.

Elements of Film Form as seen in this film.

Technology available in 1950s.

Science-Fiction as a genre. Gender roles in 1950s America.

Audience response.

Budget and shooting location(s).

Themes of allegory, paranoia, politics, conformity.

Genre codes and conventions.

Context of post-Vietnam war America and world.

Perestroika. Consumerism

Elements of Film Form as seen in this film.

Technology available in 1980s.

Science-Fiction as a genre. Gender roles in 1980s America.

Audience response. Budget and shooting location(s).

Themes of authority, friendship, loyalty, trust and caring

Comparison of the following factors in each film:

Context

Film Form

Film-making technology used

Budget

Gender roles

Communism vs Consumerism

Genre conventions

Audience response.

Consider how the films are in the same genre but have completely different effects on their audiences.

Assessment

 

 

Baseline Test (Film review)

Recall quiz AND comprehension on specialist writing example

Recall quiz AND submission of mood boards

Exam style question

Exam style question

Exam style question AND GCSE mock exam – component ONE

Literacy focus

 

 

 

Engaging with Film Reviews and using these to guide our own writing.

Engaging with Specialist Writing and reading for comprehension.

Creating a strong narrative using dialogue in particular

Writing about films using correct subject-specific terminology

Writing about films using correct subject-specific terminology

Comparative writing; reading and understanding exam questions

Opportunities (links to careers/EDI/PSHCE)

 

 

Career path: film-and-photography (unifrog.org)

Career path: media-and-communications (unifrog.org)

Author: careers library (unifrog.org)

Actor : careers library (unifrog.org)

Career path: film-director (prospects.ac.uk)

Career path: media-researcher (prospects.ac.uk)

Links to GCSE syllabus /AO

GCSE AO1; AO2; AO3.

Components 1-3.

GCSE AO1; AO2: AO3.

Components 1-3.

GCSE AO1; AO2; AO3.

Components 1-3.

GCSE AO1; AO2. Component 1.

GCSE AO1; AO2.

Component 1.

GCSE AO1; AO2.

Component 1.

 

 

Autumn 1

Autumn 2

Spring 1

Spring 2

Summer 1

Summer 2

Rationale

Year 11

Topic Area/Key Question

 

Component 3 continued AND Film Study: Submarine

Component 3 continued AND Film Study: Slumdog Millionaire

Component 3 concluded AND Film Study: The Wave

GCSE Revision

GCSE Revision

N/A

In Year 11 our students will build on their GCSE knowledge through the continued exploration of film form, films of different genres and aesthetics, narrative and representation. Students will continue to develop skills based on the assessment objectives for their GCSE exams and will learn how to apply these to writing effective essays at GCSE level.

Students will study Aesthetics in the film Submarine, Narrative in Slumdog Millionaire and Representation in The Wave.

Students will complete Component 3 of their GCSE – a short production of their own. They will be supported to complete the technical aspects at school but the actual filming will need to take place outside of school hours. Students will also be required to evaluate their own production in comparison to other, professionally produced, work Once Component 3 is assessed and the grades submitted to EDUQAS we will ensure that all our key content, knowledge and skills have been studied. We will then focus on GCSE revision in class. Class revision will be teacher led and individual class focused – allowing the class teacher to support their students in the specific areas where they, as a class, feel they need the most focus.

 

Students will write a GCSE mock exam on Components ONE and TWO in the Summer term, prior to their GCSEs. It is these results that will guide the GCSE revision done in class.

 

*Regarding Component 3:

Please be assured that these short films are kept stored in a safe location and are not viewed by anyone but the class teacher and the exam board.

Content covered

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scriptwriting conventions, formats and strategies. Students will produce a script for their own short production.

 

AND

 

Aesthetics – intertextuality and post-modernism and aesthetics in music and poetry. How do these elements affect the look of a film?

Genre conventions and elements of film form.

Audience response to the above. The use of colour washes to convey emotion.

Budget and shooting location(s).

Themes of love and loss, mental health, illness, mortality, coming-of-age, emotional vulnerability.

Examples of evaluative analysis (written analysis of own short production in relation to other, professionally produced films). Use of editing software.

Using existing knowledge of editing and the production process, students review the first drafts of their own productions.

Students will continue to edit and fine-tune their productions – the teacher can make suggestions but cannot tell students how to achieve a desired outcome.

 

AND

 

Narrative theory and structure and viewpoints.

Context.

Genre conventions and film form as well as audience response.

Budget and shooting location(s).

Themes of redemption, fate vs. free will, upward mobility, escape, love and loyalty.

Editing and post-production of own short production.

Choosing a soundtrack.

Correctly acknowledging other people’s work if used.

Drafting, editing and completing the evaluative analysis of their work.

Accurately completing declarations and ensuring that student work is securely stored.

Submission of final version of Component 3: Non-Exam Assessment.

 

AND

 

Representation of age/gender/ethnicity/culture in film.

Context – Germany in WWII and Germany now.

Film form and audience response to content matter. Genre conventions. Themes of authoritarianism, fascism, age, patriotism, identity and generational guilt.

Budget and shooting location(s).

 

Class teachers will undertake in-class revision in areas of the GCSE curriculum where they feel their students need support.

Class teachers will continue to undertake in class revision in areas of the GCSE curriculum where they feel their students need support.

N/A

Assessment

 

 

Scriptwriting conventions AND submission of scripts for Component 3

Exam style questions on Submarine and Slumdog Millionaire

Submission of Component 3 – short production – this is part of the GCSE grade and an exam style question on The Wave

GCSE Mock exam – Components ONE and TWO.

N/A

N/A

Literacy focus

 

 

 

Strong storylines and characters; telling a story through the visual media of film.

Engaging with examples of evaluative analysis to guide later independent analysis

Engaging with propaganda and verifying news sources.

Revision on how to write about film – persuasive writing.

N/A

N/A

Opportunities (links to careers/EDI/PSHCE)

 

 

Career path: vfx-artist (prospects.ac.uk)

Career path: sound-technician-broadcasting-film-video (prospects.ac.uk)

Career path: animator (prospects.ac.uk)

Career path: location-manager (prospects.ac.uk)

N/A

N/A

Links to GCSE syllabus /AO

GCSE AO1, AO2, AO3. Component 2 and 3.

GCSE AO1, AO2, AO3. Component 2 and 3.

GCSE AO1, AO2, AO3. Component 2 and 3.

GCSE AO1, AO2. Component 1 and 2.

N/A

N/A

 

 KS4 Specification

Year 10 & 11 MediaFinal ProjectQuiz Shows - History & Development

 Exam Board AQA

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