Media/Film/Tv Studies

Course summary

The course aims to develop a deep understanding of how the media industry works and to put this into practice with practical work. A wide range of media texts will be studied, using a comprehensive theoretical framework and a variety of advanced theoretical approaches will be used to support critical exploration and analysis. You will work from the product outward to debate key questions about the contextual makeup of the media. Although many of the texts studied will be contemporary, there will also be an emphasis on older media forms as well. Added to this there will be a sense of the modern media as a global product and you will be engaging with the complex relationship between media products, audiences, and media industries. Case Studies: ● Video Games Industry (Minecraft) ● Film Industry (Disney) ● Radio Industry (BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show) ● Advertising (Lucozade) ● Music videos (David Guetta) ● News (The Guardian and The Daily Mail) ● Long Form Television (Stranger Things) ● Magazine Industry (Big Issue) The majority of the work on the A Level Media Studies course involves you being an active learner. Essentially you will learn through close analysis of media texts and by the application of a number of recognised theoretical approaches. You will be expected to go beyond being just a mere consumer of media texts and be able to deconstruct and assess these texts in an academic way. There will be a number of set texts chosen by the examining body. You will also learn technical skills, which will have their starting point in this initial analysis. These may involve photography and writing websites. We have a designated photographic studio and you will also have access to cameras. We also have a designated computer room which can be utilized for website design. The emphasis will be on developing a high degree of technical ability and showing creativity in your finished product.