Year 12 Media Studies Blog

50% of your final AS grade will come from a single examination in summer 2012. 

There are two sections to this paper: 

Section A: Textual Analysis and Representation (50 marks)

Section B: Institutions and Audiences (50 marks) 

The purpose of this exam is two-fold:

first to assess your media textual analysis skills and your understanding of the concept of representation using a short unseen moving image extract (AO1, AO2); 

second to assess your knowledge and understanding of media institutions and their production processes, distribution strategies, use of technologies and related issues concerning audience reception and consumption of media texts (AO1, AO2):

The examination is two hours long(including 30 minutes for viewing and making notes on the moving image extract) and you will have to answer two compulsory questions. 

The unit is marked out of a total of 100, with each question marked out of 50

Section A: Textual Analysis and Representation 

You will be shown an ‘unseen’ moving image extract with one compulsory question dealing with textual analysis of various technical aspects of the languages and conventions of moving image media. You will be asked to link this analysis with a discussion of some aspect of representation within the sequence.

We will start preparing for this part of the examination in January using a range of examples from British television drama. We will learn how to undertake a textual analysis of the following technical areas of moving image language and conventions in relation to the unseen extract you will get in the exam: 

1. Camera Angle, Shot, Movement and Composition

Mise-en-Scène 

Editing 

Sound

 Section B: Institutions and Audiences

One compulsory question to be answered by candidates based upon a case study of the film industry.

The exam board explanation of what should be covered are in italics below:

Through specific case studies of the centre’s choice, candidates should be prepared to demonstrate understanding of contemporary institutional processes of production, distribution, marketing and exchange/exhibition at a local, national or international level as well as British audiences’ reception and consumption. There should also be some emphasis on the students’ own experiences of being audiences of a particular medium. 

Some of you seemed a little unclear about what you have to learn in preparation for this part of the exam. Here is a breakdown:

In the exam, you need to understand and be able to discuss the processes of production, distribution, marketing and exchange as they relate to contemporary media institutions in the film industry. 

You also need to understand and be able to discuss the nature of audience consumption and the relationship between audiences and institutions in the film industry. 

You have to show knowledge of:

• the issues raised by media ownership the importance of cross media convergence and synergy, in production, distribution and marketing of films
• the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, marketing and exchange in the film industry
• the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences
• the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences
• the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international and global institutions
• the ways in which your own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour.