Full Time AS/ A2 Film Studies

Film Studies AS/A2

Entry Requirements
At least five A to C grades including English.

Course content
AS: Year 1
Film Studies covers three main areas. The first analyses film form by studying narrative, genre, editing, sound and cinematography. We will study mainstream films and independent alternatives to Hollywood to compare the different areas of cinema. The second area considers the institutions that produce films, particularly Hollywood and British cinema. The third area looks in detail at British and Irish film.
A2: Year 2
The second year, we develop the study of film form through research into film auteurs and practical work such as film journalism or screen writing, or short film/video productions. The second area of study concentrates on world cinema (e.g. New Waves) and individual films such as A Bout de Souffle. The final area consolidates critical and theoretical analysis of film.

How Will I Be Assessed?
AS: Year 1
Assessed through coursework and external exams as follows:
Film Form: Making Meaning.
Internal assessment is through written coursework based on specific films and students own ideas for films in storyboards or screenplays.
Film Institutions: Producers and Audiences. This externally assessed exam is based on stimulus material concerned with producers of film and cinema audiences.
British and Irish Cinema: Messages and Values. This externally assessed exam is based on the study of a group of films and the close study of a single film.
A2: Year 2
Assessed via the following:
Film Form: Making Meaning 2.
This will be assessed through two pieces of coursework: one research based and one practical production.
Studies in World Cinema: This will be externally assessed via exam questions on an area of world cinema and the close study of a specific film.
Critical Studies. This is the final synoptic exam and includes all the areas that have been studied over the 2 year course.

What Could I Do Next?
Film Studies, because of its academic nature, leads to a wide range of humanities courses at university and might prove a useful stepping stone to a media/film career.

Are There Any Special Expenses?
Trips are an integral part of the course for which you will be asked to pay. You may also wish to buy videotapes for completed work and exam revision.