AS/A2 Media

AS / A2 MEDIA STUDIES

Exam Board: OCR
Whether youre watching the latest blockbuster film, downloading a favourite track from i-tunes, or talking to friends via the internet you are engaged in the world of Media. Media Studies is about how those who make, advertise and sell products interact with those who buy and consume them. You will look at the moving image and how it is created technically. We study how meaning is communicated and how digital technology is changing the world around us and the choices we have to make. You will become skilled using video editing packages such as Adobe Premiere Pro and independent in your ability to research a topic and draw conclusions from your findings. Media Studies is taught by doing and we hold an annual Media Festival in June where student video work is celebrated on the big screen.

Media Studies is taught in the high performing Expressive Arts Department which Ofsted graded as nationally outstanding in 2008.

Students take AS Media Studies alongside Science, Humanities and Art subjects. Many Media students go on to university to study Media or Film Production, Broadcast Journalism or Advertising, Marketing or Journalism and later go on to work in the Media. Past Media students are now working for LBC, Norwich and North Norfolk Radio, Radio Broadland, Anglia TV, Island Records and Tiger Aspect.

It is a skills building course and great support is offered when filming and editing footage. Sophie Overall

I enjoyed this course because it allowed me to be creative but at the same time learn interesting and important facts. Ellie Woodward

AS Media Studies

In AS Media you will develop your knowledge of Media and your practical skills. You will study:

TV Drama: analysing extracts from programmes such as Skins, Hollyoaks, Dr Who, The Street looking at both the technical codes and representations of gender, age, class, sexuality, disability and regional identity
Institutions and Audiences: researching and discussing the processes of production, distribution, marketing and consumption of a specific production company such as Eastern Counties Newspapers. People from the industry will come and speak to you about the changing Media world. The Head of Digital and Editorial Services at Archant (EDP) came and spoke about the online newspaper revolution.

You will also:

Learn technical and creative skills.

Your research, planning and evaluation will be presented in electronic form such as a blog, website or podcast

Make two Media products such as the opening to a new fiction film including the titles

Assessment

Coursework and Exam.

Entry requirements

At least a C in GCSE English Language in addition to the Colleges entry requirement for AS study. No prior knowledge of the subject is required.

A2 Media Studies

You will continue to develop practical and theoretical skills. You will:-

Make a Media product such as a music promo or an extract from a new documentary TV programme, a website for a new TV channel, a film trailer or a promotion package for a new film or computer game.

In your practical work in the Media Suite you will have support in using the technologies from your teacher and technical staff. Your research, planning and evaluation must be presented in electronic form such as a blog, podcast or web pages .

Study Critical Perspectives in Media. You will evaluate your own skills development over the production work on the course and analyse and evaluate one production you have made in relation to ideas such as genre, narrative, representation, audience and Media language.
Study the debates involved in Contemporary Media Regulation. This involves issues of censorship, film classification and the control of computer games, the press and advertising. You will also consider to what extent the Media influences our behaviour and the wider social issues surrounding the regulation and control of the Media.

Assessment

Coursework and Exam.