Name:_________________________

Coursework Deadlines

21st of October – Research into similar products to be completed.

16th of December – Deadline for Research and Planning.

10th of February – Initial versions of coursework products to be completed.

30th of March – Final deadline for the Advanced Portfolio.

You will need to set up an individual blog for your coursework. The recommended site is blogger. Don’t forget your log in details.

Blog address:

All resources for the Advanced Production will be placed on the Media Department A Level blog.

Mediastudiesnwcc.blogspot.com

Links to exemplar student blogs are also available through the blog.

Coursework drop-in sessions are available every lunchtime, and after school Tuesday-Thursday in the new Media room.

The Advanced Portfolio is worth 50% of your marks for A2 Media Studies, and 25% of your final A Level grade. You have the choice from the following coursework briefs:

Brief 1A promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video, together with:

a cover for its release as part of a digipak (CD/DVD package); a magazine advertisement for the digipak (CD/DVD package).

Brief 2A promotion package for a new film, to include a teaser trailer, together with:

a film magazine front cover, featuring the film; a poster for the film.

Brief 4A promotion package for a new computer/video game, to include two TV advertisements, together with:

the cover of the game’s package; a magazine advertisement for the game.

Brief 5A promotion package for a new soap opera, to include a TV trailer, together with:

a listings magazine front cover featuring the new soap; a poster for the soap.

Brief 6A selection of materials related to an original children’s TV drama, to include the title sequence to the TV programme, together with:

the front cover to a magazine for the series; a DVD cover for the series;

Brief 10A short film in its entirety, lasting approximately five minutes, which may be live action or animated or a combination of both, together with two of the following three options:

a poster for the film; a film magazine review page featuring the film.

All material for all tasks to be produced by the candidates with the exception of acknowledged non-original sound or image material used in a limited way in video/radio work. For music video, permission should be sought from the artist for use of the audio track.

You may complete the main task as a group, however you will need to complete the two ancillary tasks individually.

Research and PlanningThe Research and Planning is worth 20% of your total marks for the Advanced Portfolio. To achieve a Level 4 (A) you will need to:

Conduct excellent research into similar products and the target audience Show excellent organisation of actors, props, locations, costumes, etc. Produce excellent planning (shotlists, storyboards, scripts, drafts, layouts) Demonstrate excellent time management Make excellent use of ICT and digital technology

Have excellent presentation of research and planning Show excellent communication skills

You will need to set up a blog for your coursework. If you are working in a group you will need to set up individual blogs to present your work. It is expected that you produce your research individually.

Your mark for the Research and Planning is partly based on your use of the blog format. Try to include videos, images, links, surveys, etc. to show you have made creative use of the blog.

Tips on how to do well:

Use a broad range of research methods Identify your target audience clearly at the start of your project Use audience research throughout your project (i.e. get feedback from your target

audience during planning stages) Demonstrate a range of planning activities Produce detailed textual analysis of similar products (don’t just describe the

products, analyse the effects, discuss connotations, appeal to audience, link to institutions where relevant)

Update your blog regularly Make creative use of your blog – you are assessed on your use of ICT and digital

technology (embed videos, documents, include links to relevant webpages, images, etc.)

Audience ResearchProduce a questionnaire to find out who your target audience is (the demographic), what their interests are (the psychographic), and how to make your product appealing to them.

Internet research – some information about the audience for certain media products is available on the internet.

Focus group – interview a group (or individuals) who are the target audience for your product. Show them extracts from similar products and ask them to explain what they like about them. You could also discuss your ideas for your product and get some feedback. Filming the focus group and embedding the video on the blog will help you achieve higher marks. It is a good idea to complete the focus group when you have begun to plan your own products so you can get feedback on your ideas from your target audience.

Summarise the findings of each piece of audience research you do and explain how it will help you to produce a successful product.

Research into similar productsResearch into similar products – you will need to analyse at least 3 examples each of similar products for your main task, and ancillary tasks.

Print Based Media Audiovisual Media Layout Font Colours Image (shot type, mise-en-scene) Language Representation Conventions

Camerawork Editing Sound Mise-en-scene Narrative Representation Conventions

In your research into similar products remember to use specific examples from the text you are analysing, and explain the effect of the example. You need to ensure your work is analytical rather than descriptive in order to achieve a Level 4. Try to use images from the texts you analyse, and link to or embed the videos/print products you are discussing.

Your research into similar products for your main and ancillary tasks should be completed and uploaded to your blog by Friday, 21st of October.

Planning You need to produce planning for both your main and ancillary tasks.

Print Based Media Audiovisual Media Draft of layout Sample fonts and colour schemes Drafts of text Planning for photography Draftwork showing progress of

use of images

Outline (plot, characters) Script Storyboard Shotlists

You should also produce a Production Plan. This should include:

Production activities and dates Locations Costume and props Equipment Personnel

You will also need to complete a risk assessment for your production work where relevant.

The PitchCreate a pitch for your products. The pitch should contain the following information:

A summary of what you found out about the conventions of the type of products you are producing

A summary of what you found out about your target audience A description of your ideas for your product

An explanation of why your products will be successful Draft/sample material

You should use your pitch as a way of obtaining further audience feedback on your ideas for your product.

The deadline for your Research and Planning is Friday, 16th of December. This work will be assessed and a mark placed on GO.

ConstructionYour coursework products are worth 60% of your marks for the Advanced Portfolio. You receive 40 marks for your main task, and 10 marks each for the two ancillary tasks. The criteria to achieve a Level 4 are:

Film/Television/Video

The candidate is expected to demonstrate excellence in the creative use of most of the following technical skills:

shooting material appropriate to the task set; including controlled use of the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot sizes and close attention to mise en scene

editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of shot transitions, captions and other effects

recording and editing sound with images appropriately. Where a candidate has worked in a group, an excellent contribution to construction

is evident.

Print

The candidate is expected to demonstrate excellence in the creative use of most of the following technical skills:

awareness of conventions of layout and page design awareness of the need for variety in fonts and text size accurate use of language and register the appropriate use of ICT for the task set appropriate integration of illustration and text framing a shot, using a variety of shot distances as appropriate shooting material appropriate to the task set; selecting mise-en-scène including

colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting manipulating photographs as appropriate, including cropping and resizing. Where a candidate has worked in a group, an excellent contribution to construction

is evident.

Remember you are producing a package of products so try to create links across all three, through the use of similar colours, fonts, images, etc. With film work think carefully about

your use of mise-en-scene – location, costumes, props, lighting. Remember to use a tripod. Frame your shots thoughtfully to ensure they are effective. Make sure the sound quality of your recording is of a good standard.

With print work make sure you plan your photographs carefully. Think about how your use of layout, fonts, colours, and images relates to the genre and target audience.

The deadline for the first completed drafts/cuts of your products is Friday the 10th of February. You will receive feedback and targets to improve. You will then have until the 30th of March to complete final improvements.

EvaluationThe Evaluation is worth 20% of your final mark for the Advanced Portfolio. The criteria to achieve a Level 4 are:

There is excellent skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the evaluation. There is excellent understanding of the forms and conventions used in the

productions. There is excellent understanding of the role and use of new media in various stages

of the production. There is excellent understanding of the combination of main product and ancillary

texts. There is excellent understanding of the significance of audience feedback. There is excellent skill in choice of form in which to present the evaluation. There is excellent ability to communicate.

You should present your evaluation as a blog entry. You are marked on how you use the blog format. Try to use the format in a creative way, e.g. through combining text, images, videos, links, audio, etc.

Audience FeedbackBefore you begin your evaluation you will need to get feedback from your target audience on what they think about your products. You could use a questionnaire and/or a focus group to do this.

The QuestionsYou will need to address the following four questions in your evaluation:

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts? What have you learned from your audience feedback? How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and

evaluation stages?

Conventions In this section you need to identify the conventions of the media forms you have produced. Include links to videos, and images to support the points you make.

You will need to explain whether you followed conventions or broke them. You may want to think about conventions in relation to elements such as camerawork, editing, and mise-en-scene (particularly choice of settings, costume, and props). In your discussion explain why you followed or broke conventions, and what your intended effect on the audience was. Stills or video clips from your own production should be used to support the points you make.

You may also want to discuss your use of conventions in relation to the ancillary products.

Combination of Main and Ancillary Tasks Consider how the three products are integrated – is there continuity in use of images, colours, fonts, etc.? What effect does this have? Have you created a brand identity for your product?

Your package of products is intended to market a specific product (e.g. an album, film, etc.). How effectively does the package market the products?

Consider the use of different media and how this may help you appeal to your target audience. Discuss where your print adverts would be placed and why, and consider where your video product would be seen. Links to relevant websites or scanned images could be used to support the points you make. A comparison of your package to a similar promotional package may be useful.

Audience Feedback Discuss the findings of your audience feedback. Try to be creative in how you present this. Consider filming a focus group, scanning in completed questionnaires, and producing graphs.

You should discuss how effectively you have appealed to your target audience based on the feedback you have received. Consider the strengths and weaknesses of your product identified by audience feedback.

Technologies You will need to evaluate your use of media technologies throughout your coursework. How useful was the blog format? What were the strengths and weaknesses? Did using the blog allow you to conduct your research and planning more effectively? How important was the internet to your research?

Discuss your use of video equipment and editing software – evaluate the process of using these technologies. You may want to include screen grabs to show how you used programmes to produce your work, and what the technology allowed you to do.

The final deadline for your coursework is Friday, the 30th of March. All work must be completed and uploaded to the blog by that date. Your work will be assessed, your mark will be recorded on GO and sent to the exam board.