A2 Media Studies 

 

Unit G321: Advanced Portfolio in Media Studies 

  

      

Name…………………………………………..      

The purpose of this unit is firstly to assess candidates’ ability to plan and construct media products using appropriate technical and creative skills (AO3); secondly to assess

candidates application of knowledge and understanding in evaluating their own work, showing how meanings and

responses are created (AO2); and finally to assess candidates ability to undertake, apply and present

appropriate research (AO4). The unit requires candidates to engage with contemporary media technologies.

This is a coursework unit. From the brief candidates will produce:

A media portfolio, comprising main and ancillary texts.

A presentation of their research, planning and evaluation in electronic formats.

The media portfolio will be produced through a combination of two or more of the following media:

Video Print

Web-based

Audio

Each candidate will evaluate and reflect upon the creative process and their experience of it. Candidates will evaluate their work electronically; this evaluation may be done collectively for a group production or individually.

Examples of suitable formats for the evaluation are:

A podcast DVD Extras

A blog

A power point

In all cases candidates should be discouraged from seeing the evaluation as simple a written essay and the potential of the format chosen should be exploited through the use of images, audio, video and links to online resources.

The Choice of Briefs 

Option 1: Music Video

A promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video with two of the following three options:

A website homepage for the band A cover for its release as part of a digipak (CD/DVD

package)

A magazine advert for the digipak (CD/DVD package)

Option 2: Film Trailer

A promotional package for a new film, to include a teaser trailer, together with two of the following three options:

A website homepage for a film A film magazine front cover, featuring the film.

A poster for the film

All work must be the candidates own original images and footage.

Video work must be in DVD format and must be playable on standard DVD players for moderation.

Web pages and blogs must be accessible on line during the moderation period.

Research, planning and evaluation MUST be presented in electronic formats.  

  

What is meant by original images? 

These are defined as: photographs taken by the candidate themselves, with proof in the Production Report appendix, in terms of the original pre-cropped or pre-manipulated photographs.

Original images must be wholly originally produced. Any manipulation of existing images cannot count as an original image. 

Please note that found images (i.e. from existing sources) that have been significantly edited/digitally manipulated, with evidence provided in the production report appendix of the initial ‘found’ image, do not constitute original images. 

You should: Plan and research 

Decide on and research into target audience, with evidence in your blog. You should find and display this evidence in questionnaires and graphs.

Research existing media practice and examples of comparable products (i.e. your competitors) and discuss your findings in the production blog.

Action plan your organisation of time, equipment and people. Draw drafts of your production and include all evidence of

planning and drafting in the appendix of the Production Report.

Design a flat plan or storyboard/script to show you understand the conventions of your chosen medium.

Take photographs to evidence paper planning. For example initial ideas, scripting and storyboarding.

Provide a sample of original images/footage that you took and annotate around the images/footage why you did/did not use them.

Take photographic evidence of locations/ shooting process / castings to upload to the blog.

  

Construct a media product 

Use established forms and conventions to produce a recognisable and meaningful piece of media.

Pay close attention to detail and finish in a way which shows understanding of the type of media product.

Produce a product that is appropriate to the target audience. Show skill and ability in the use of the technology and

equipment needed to produce the product.

Produce a production blog – no more than 2000 words in total, (each section should be a maximum of 500 words) Show evidence in a variety of formats (photographs/ graphs / diagrams / presentations / DVD extras) Do NOT just rely on the written word.

o Part 1:the brief and research into similar media texts/target audience

o Part 2: planning the production o Part 3: constructing the production – technical decisions

and revisions o Part 4: evaluation of the finished product

 

The Deadlines

Part one: the brief and research into similar media texts/target audiences and preliminary tasks:   

To be completed by: 

Part two: planning the production: 

To be completed by:  

Part three: constructing the production   

To be completed by: 

Part four: evaluation of the finished product 

To be completed by:   

The final deadline overall for the project is:       

How is your work assessed? 

Your work in internally marked by your media teacher, a sample is then selected for external moderation.

The foundation Production is assessed in three sections: 

Planning and research:    maximum marks 20/20 Construction:   maximum marks 60/60 Production Report:  maximum marks 20/20

Overall your work is marked out of 100 and is 50% of your overall A2 mark.

  

Part 1-Interpreting the brief and carrying out research     

How do you interpret the brief?

  

What style of practical work have you chosen to produce?

   

Who is the audience you are targeting and why? (You must back up your decisions with evidence from your research).

  

What research have you carried out? For example to explain you have carried out analysis into other products you need to explain why you looked at rival products and  explain how this analysis will help you with the design of your own production.

  

Explain what genre conventions you will apply to your own production?

   

Part 2-Planning the production  

Explain why your action plan and equipment list will be useful?

  

What do you think people look for from your media product? Remember to back up your points by referring to any research you have done.

  

State the title of your band/ song / film and the connotations this has?

  

Refer to the brief and explain you are required to use original images/footage and explain where you are going to take the photographs and offer reasons why?

  

For example how does your location fit in with the style of your production? Will you take the photographs/film at night time or day time? Have you considered continuity and weather conditions?

  Explain that you have designed draft drawings of your product

and comment on how this has helped the creative process.

  

How will your magazine/film be different/appealing/entice your audience?

  

Your last paragraph should discuss your planning process such as flat plan, drawn drafts, photo list, storyboards scripts and action plan.

    

Part 3- Constructing the production – technical decisions and revisions 

Please ensure you keep a log book of your progress. Use it to explain the technical decisions and revisions you made and your reasons for re-drafting/changing schedules/decisions to re-write and so forth. This will be extremely useful in your production in terms of organisation but will not be handed in.

 

o What equipment did you use? How did you use it to achieve your aims? Did you need to re-do anything with different equipment or techniques? Have you got earlier drafts as evidence?

  

o When setting up photographs/filming give yourself a range of options for different types of shot and image so that you can decide which is best. What types of image did you create? How did you achieve which was most appropriate?

  

o How did you manipulate images or text to suit your aims? What did you do and how did you do it? Please be detailed and specific.

  

o When working on sections, did you go back to check characteristics and conventions used in the construction of comparable (and rival) media products? You need to ensure that language is appropriate, the images are comparable and the layout suits the genre.

   

  

o What has been your individual contribution to this stage? What evidence have you got to demonstrate this?

    

Part 4- Evaluation of the finished product prompts 

How well does the finished product match up to the aims you established for it when you interpreted the brief? To answer this you need to consider:  

Response of the target audience. Use focus groups and individual responses from test audiences. ( Do not just ask friends and family, you need a more objective response)

  Evaluate the characteristics and genre conventions used in your

piece and similar (and rival pieces). Are the images and the language appropriate? Is the style comparable? Does the form suit the genre?

  Did you succeed in attracting your target audience and creating a

film which will take its place in the market and yet differ from its competitors? What characteristics give it a unique style?

What aspects of your product do you think could be improved? Be very precise, technical and specific in your answer.

  What aspects of your product are you particularly pleased with?

Be very precise, technical and specific in your answer.

IMPORTANT

In the evaluation the following questions must be answered

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? Who would be the audience for your media product? How did you attract/address your audience? How did you use media technologies in the construction and

research, planning and evaluation stages?

Mark Scheme

Appendix C: Sample Marking Criteria for Unit G324: Advanced Portfolio in Media

Research and Planning must be presented in electronic format. Where candidates have worked as a group, the research may be presented collectively, but teachers are asked to differentiate the contributions of individuals within the group in arriving at a mark and justifying individual marks on the assessment sheet. As part of the moderation sample, the moderator will request some research/planning material. Level 1 0–7 marks

There is minimal research into similar products and a potential target audience.

There is minimal organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props. There is minimal work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or

storyboarding. Time management may be very poor. There is minimal care in the presentation of the research and planning. There is minimal skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the

presentation.

There are minimal communication skills.

Level 2 8–11 marks There is basic research into similar products and a potential target audience. There is basic organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props. There is basic work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding. Time management may not be good. There is a basic level of care in the presentation of the research and planning. There is basic skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the presentation. There are basic communication skills.

Level 3 12–15 marks There is proficient research into similar products and a potential target

audience. There is proficient organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props. There is proficient work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or

storyboarding. Time management is good. There is a good level of care in the presentation of the research and planning. There is proficient skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the

presentation. There are proficient communication skills.

Level 4 16–20 marks There is excellent research into similar products and a potential target

audience. There is excellent organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props. There is excellent work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or

storyboarding. Time management is excellent. There is an excellent level of care in the presentation of the research and

planning. There is excellent skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the

presentation. There are excellent communication skills.

Marking Criteria for Evaluation Each candidate will evaluate and reflect on the creative process and their experience of it. Candidates will evaluate their work electronically. The format of the evaluation has some flexibility and its form can be negotiated between teacher and student: it may take place with individual candidates or with the production group as a whole, or each individual candidate or production group may make a formal or informal presentation to the whole class. The questions that must be addressed in the evaluation are:

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 new media technologies in the construction and research,

planning and evaluation stages?

Ideas for the format for the presentation of the evaluation can be found in the Guidance Notes.

Level 1 0–7 marks There is minimal understanding of the forms and conventions used in the

productions.

      

There is minimal understanding of the role and use of new media in various stages of the production.

There is minimal understanding of the combination of main product and ancillary texts.

There is minimal understanding of the significance of audience feedback.

There is minimal skill in choice of form in which to present the evaluation.

There is minimal ability to communicate.

There is minimal use of digital technology or ICT in the evaluation.

Level 2 8–11 marks

There is basic understanding of the forms and conventions used in the productions.

There is basic understanding of the role and use of new media in various stages of the production.

There is basic understanding of the combination of main product and ancillary texts.

There is basic understanding of the significance of audience feedback. There is basic skill in choice of form in which to present the evaluation. There is basic ability to communicate. There is basic use of digital technology or ICT in the evaluation.

Level 3 12–15 marks

There is proficient understanding of the forms and conventions used in the productions.

There is proficient understanding of the role and use of new media in various stages of the production.

There is proficient understanding of the combination of main product and ancillary texts.

There is proficient understanding of the significance of audience feedback. There is proficient skill in choice of form in which to present the evaluation. There is proficient ability to communicate. There is proficient use of digital technology or ICT in the evaluation.

Level 4 16–20 marks 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.

There is excellent use of digital technology or ICT in the evaluation.

Film/Television/Video Level 1

Work likely to be unfinished. There is evidence of minimal ability in the creative use of any of the following

technical skills: the ability to hold a shot steady; framing a shot appropriately; using a variety of shot distances as appropriate; shooting material appropriate to the task set; selecting mise-en-scène; editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer; using varied shot transitions, captions and other effects selectively and

appropriately; using sound with images and editing appropriately.

Where a candidate has worked in a group, there is only minimal evidence of a contribution to construction.

Level 2 There is evidence of a basic level of ability in the creative use of some of the following technical skills:

holding a shot steady, where appropriate; framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate; 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; editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer; using varied shot transitions, captions and other effects selectively and

appropriately for the task set; using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set.

Where a candidate has worked in a group, a basic contribution to construction is evident.

Level 3 The candidate is expected to demonstrate proficiency in the creative use of

most of the following technical skills: holding a shot steady, where appropriate; framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate; 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; editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer; using varied shot transitions, captions and other effects selectively and

appropriately for the task set; using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set.

Where a candidate has worked in a group, a proficient contribution to construction is evident.

Level 4 The candidate is expected to demonstrate excellence in the creative use of

most of the following technical skills: holding a shot steady, where appropriate; framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate; 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; editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer; using varied shot transitions, captions and other effects selectively and

appropriately; using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task.

Where a candidate has worked in a group, an excellent contribution to construction is evident.