What is the Film Studies Course at A level about?

 

The year 12 pages are currently being updated for the new A Level Specification

The full exam board A-Level Specification for 2017 onwards can be found here

 

Basically, the A level is designed to enable you to deepen your understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of film. By the end of the AS year, you should be able to understand how we as an audience ‘read’ a film, often without realising that we are doing so.

The course will also look at film as a medium, an art form and as a social and ideological construct. You will be engaging with a variety of different kinds of film and, with the intention of developing your skills of critical analysis.

 

A Level Film Studies will cover the following areas

 

Component 1 – Varieties of film and filmmaking

Exam assessment

Section A: Hollywood 1930 – 1990 (comparative study)

40 marks

 

Section B: American film since 2005 (two film study)

 

40 marks

 

 

Component 2 – Global filmmaking perspectives

Exam assessment

Section A: Global Film (two film study)

40 marks

Section B: Documentary Film

20 marks

 

Component 3 – Production

Coursework assessment

 

Option 1: Short Film OR Option 2: Screenplay (& 20 frame digital storyboard)

40 marks

Evaluative Analysis (1600-1800 words)

20 marks

 

Introduction: Film Aesthetics

 

Click on the head-spinning wood spirits to go to the Film Aesthetics page

 

Component 1 – Varieties of film and filmmaking

Section A: Hollywood 1930 – 1990

         

Click on the right eye to go to the Vertigo page                Click on the left eye to go to the Blade Runner page

 

Section B: American film since 2005

       

   Click on the woman for the La La Land page                  Click on the girl for the Beasts of the Southern Wild page

 

Component 2 – Global filmmaking perspectives

 

Section A: Global Film

       

Click on the fantasy god for the Pan's Labyrinth page       Click on the murderous child for the City of God page

 

Section B: Documentary Film

Click on the driving pop stars for the 20,000 Days on Earth page 

 

Component 3 – Production

 

Click on the doorkey dinnertime for the short film page

Click on the biplane attack to go to the Creative Project page

 

Please be aware that the information below is archive resources for the old specification ending June 2017

 

Exam: British and American Film

 

Three questions, one from each section:

 

Section A: Response to stimulus material set by the exam

             board on the topic of producers and audiences of film

 

Click on the Lego Avengers to go to the Producers and Audiences page

 

Section B: Topics in British Film

 

Click on the snoozing general to go to the British Cultural Studies page

 

Section C: US Film - Comparative study of two films

 

Click on the shadowy femme fatale to go to the US Film - Comparative study page