AQA GCSE Media Studies Y10 Revision Guide

Transcription

1 AQA GCSE Media Studies Y10 Revision Guide Science Fiction Films Name: 1

2 Contents of Revision Guide Exam Information - reminders about the date and structure of the exam. How to Revise guidance on how to get the most benefit out of your revision time. Essentials for Sci-Fi reminder about generic conventions / rules of Sci-Fi. The Brief what are the key points? What do we know from the Brief? What can I research/prepare? - breaking down the brief and suggested tasks Pro-Forma for Independent Study Films x3 how well do you know your chosen films? Potential Questions questions likely to come up. Theory Recaps what are the key theories and when / how to apply them. MIGRAINE what the key concepts are/ how to show your knowledge of them. Sci-Fi Glossary / Media Terminology to help you sound confident in your answers. Resources for Further Research a list of online resources to help strengthen your knowledge of the Sci-Fi genre. 2

3 Exam Information What is the topic for the media exam? What date does the exam take place? What time does the exam start? What time does the pre-exam warm up session start? How long does the exam last? How many questions are on the exam paper? Which questions do I complete? In what order do I complete the questions? How long do I spend on each question? Use this space to make notes on any further questions you have about the exam: 3

4 How to Prepare for Exams Everyone needs to revise, whether you re striving to secure that C grade, or the person everyone thinks is a natural A* student. But how do you actually do it? And more importantly, how do you do it effectively? Sitting down with your Revision Guide / exercise book sounds like the way forward but what do you actually do with them? These are my top tips for being well prepared for the exam: 4 Know how you work best: if you have a good working relationship with a classmate, then working together might be really useful. Be honest though if you re just going to get distracted and gossip then time revising alone will be better for you. Schedule time for revision: When are you free to revise? How much time can you devote to each subject? Are your teachers available for revision sessions? If so, when? You can create a basic revision timetable quite easily (speak to me if unsure about how to do this) or you might like to use an app like GoConqr or My Study Life, which allow you to create a timetable and record revision tasks you ve completed. Know your weaknesses: Which concepts do you struggle with most? Do you know the topic, the terminology, the theories, the structures to answer all questions? There s no point spending time going over content you know really well just to make yourself feel better. Ask your teacher or a trusted classmate to help you make flashcards or mind-maps to help you revise essential content that you struggle with. Create a stress-free environment: No one achieves their potential if they re too stressed to focus. Making sure you re revising in a relaxing environment maximises you productivity. For some, music helps keep you working at a steady pace; for others it is a distraction. Some people revise well by discussing topics with a classmate whereas others need complete silence and time alone to be at their best. Work out what suits you your teachers will be able to advise you (maybe you re a chatterbox but you don t realise it!) on how they think you work best. Finding your own space is essential: at home this isn t always possible chores and siblings can easily get in your way. M223a will be available every evening after school until the building closes (5pm Monday and Friday, 7pm Tuesday Thursday). At the weekends, you might like to investigate whether a local library or youth club has space dedicated for quiet revision. Relax and sleep well: Your body is a machine that needs to be looked after, especially when it s facing (probably) the biggest challenges of your life so far. While your teachers do want you working hard at home as well as in school, we recognise that students perform best when they have had the right amount of sleep and rest. This doesn t mean lounging on the sofa watching TV from 4-11pm every day, but having a cut-off point, e.g. no revision after 9pm, or de-stressing with an episode of your favourite TV show. All-nighters are a definite no-no: you may get a lot of work done throughout the night but you will pay for it the next day, possibly even crashing in the exam. Don t be a hermit: Communication is important while preparing for exams: talk to your tutor/teachers if you feel overwhelmed or need help. It s what we re here for.

5 Don t be a sheep: We all have people in our lives that take up a lot of our time, or stress us out. If you re Year 11, that person might even be your best friend or your bae. While other people are important, no one matters as much as you do right now. Take a break from anything that causes you to lose focus. Not with Romeo & Juliet style finality of course just be firm in your resolve that the next few weeks are all about you and your future. Visualise: What will that results letter say? What do you want it to say? How will you get there? Who can help you get there? What s stopping you? Eat and drink: Staying hydrated and eating healthy food throughout the exam season is another crucial factor: are you getting 2 litres of water a day? You risk headaches, blurred vision and poor concentration if not. Eating proper meals at regular times will help you stay focussed (and can improve your sleep quality too). Fruit can be a great mood booster if you re feeling sluggish having said that, there s nothing wrong with a tasty treat to reward yourself for a great revision session. It s not just me: the whole internet is awash with great advice on revising, see: What is Sci-Fi? 5

6 Sci-Fi is a term used in the film industry. It is an abbreviation of the words Science and Fiction and it is these words that we can find the definitive explanation of what a sci-fi film actually is. Whatever the narrative is, and wherever it is set, it must involve science that is fictional. It is for this reason that a comparatively normal film such as The Hunger Games or Children of Men is sci-fi, whereas a film which feels more sciency such as Gravity or Apollo 13 is not. This can be confusing, especially as sci-fi films are often hybrids (a media term which describes a film which has elements of more than one genre). The golden rule for determining whether a film is sci-fi or not is to check: is the science fictional? The films in the table below are on your recommended viewing list. Any others will need to be checked myself before forming part of your preparations. Film Title Is It Sci-Fi? Why? Conventions? Independence Day The Hunger Games (series) Planet of the Apes (series) Star Wars (series) Jurassic Park (series) Attack The Block Star Trek (series) Children of Men Alien (series) The Abyss The Matrix (series) Minority Report Blade Runner The Thing The Terminator (series) Enders Game ET 6

7 Use this space to draw a mind-map showing the conventions of Sci-Fi (after viewing recommended films): Typical Settings & Locations Typical Themes & Messages SCI-FI GENERIC CONVENTIONS Typical Sounds & Colours Typical Narratives & Events Typical Characters 7

8 The Brief: Part 1 Tuesday 27 th June 8

9 9 The Brief: Part 2

10 What do we know from this brief? Our exam is Tuesday 27 th June It will be 1 hour 30. There will be 4 questions Q3 will be creative. Our topic is science fiction Our film will be for an independent film company They want a film suitable for the whole family They want believable characters and a strong narrative (plot) We will need to have some examples of successful science fiction films that already exist. We need to choose one of the outlines for our pitch We need to consider marketing and promotion What can I research/prepare? I need to research 2-3 successful science fiction films (suggested sheets are in this guide) I should research my given target audience and independent film companies. I need to plan the plot and characters for my chosen outline (there is a Todorov/ Propp sheet at the back to help) I need to consider how I would promote my film using online and other traditional forms what should be included? (posters/ billboards, DVD covers, websites, social media, trailers) 10

11 Independent Study Film 1: Film Title Why is it Scifi? Sci-Fi Conventions Release Date Target Audience Director Production Company Production Budget Box Office Gross Awards / Nominations Summary of Narrative (using Todorov s structure). Equilibrium Disruption Recognition Repair Restoration / New Equilibrium Setting / Key Locations Main Actors (aim for 4 lead actors) Characters played by these actors Propp s Stock Characters: how do these characters fulfil their role in the film? Binary Oppositions What are the key oppositions in the film? How do these oppositions create conflict and make the narrative move forward? Neale s Genre Theory What similarities does this have with other Si-Fi films? What sets it apart or makes it different from other Sci-fi films? Does it have a USP? Why was this a successful 11

12 Sci-Fi film? Use this space to make further notes / record questions you would like to discuss with your teacher. 12

13 Independent Study Film 2: Film Title Why is it Scifi? Sci-Fi Conventions Release Date Target Audience Director Production Company Production Budget Box Office Gross Awards / Nominations Summary of Narrative (using Todorov s structure). Equilibrium Disruption Recognition Repair Restoration / New Equilibrium Setting / Key Locations Main Actors (aim for 4 lead actors) Characters played by these actors Propp s Stock Characters: how do these characters fulfil their role in the film? Binary Oppositions Neale s Genre Theory What are the key oppositions in the film? How do these oppositions create conflict and make the narrative move forward? What similarities does this have with other Si-Fi films? What sets it apart or makes it different from other Sci-fi films? Does it have a USP? Why was this a successful Sci-Fi film? 13

14 Use this space to make further notes / record questions you would like to discuss with your teacher. 14

15 Independent Study Film 3: Film Title Why is it Scifi? Sci-Fi Conventions Release Date Target Audience Director Production Company Production Budget Box Office Gross Awards / Nominations Summary of Narrative (using Todorov s structure). Equilibrium Disruption Recognition Repair Restoration / New Equilibrium Setting / Key Locations Main Actors (aim for 4 lead actors) Characters played by these actors Propp s Stock Characters: how do these characters fulfil their role in the film? Binary Oppositions What are the key oppositions in the film? How do these oppositions create conflict and make the narrative move forward? Neale s Genre Theory What similarities does this have with other Si-Fi films? What sets it apart or makes it different from other Sci-fi films? Does it have a USP? Why was this a successful 15

16 Sci-Fi film? Use this space to make further notes / record questions you would like to discuss with your teacher. 16

17 17 Potential Questions As you know, you will have 4 questions to complete in the exam*. The order of the question is not set, but you can expect the knowledge question earlier in the paper and the creative questions towards the end. Green = more expected questions. Prioritise these (but practise all questions listed below). Q1 PQ: Why has the genre of Sci-Fi films been so successful for so long? PQ: We believe there are three reasons why Sci-Fi films are popular with family audiences: - the characters are believable (whether hero or villain, human or alien) - they have strong narratives - the settings and locations are inventive Explain whether you agree with this belief. Give examples from Sci-Fi films you have studied. Q2 PQ: Pitch your idea for a new Sci-Fi film, using one of our outlines. (There will be bullet points to accompany this question, likely to be similar to the ones listed here. Make sure you include all the requested information). - Narrative / storyline - Main characters / character profiles - Description of setting - Casting choices for main characters PQ: Pitch an idea for a new Sci-Fi film, using one of our outlines, and explain why this will appeal to a family audience. PQ: Explain why your idea will appeal to our target audience and meet the demands of our brief. Q3 PQ: Design the home-page of a website designed to promote your film. PQ: Storyboard a key scene / the opening scene from your film, to feature online as a viral video. PQ: Storyboard the trailer for your film, to feature online as a viral video. Q4 PQ: We need ideas for how to market our film. Giving examples from marketing campaigns you have seen, explain three methods of advertising you would use to promote the film. At least one of these should be online, and you should explain the advantages of each type. PQ: Explain why we, as an independent film production company, should embrace online marketing rather than more traditional methods.

18 Theory Recap Theory What Is It? Where / How Can I Apply It? Todorov s Narrative Theory Briefly allude to this in Q1, if your films have a strong narrative, they are likely to be following the 5-part structure. See A* example for how to apply this theory successfully. Propp s Character Theory Strauss Narrative Theory Neale s Genre Theory Uses & Gratifications Theory Possibly in your pitch (if asked to give character details very likely) as well as in Q1. As above, see A* example answers for ideas on how to apply this theory successfully. When discussing narrative, so in either Q1 or in your pitch (if asked to give narrative details very likely). In Q1 and if asked to justify your ideas for the film, e.g. Explain why your ideas meet the needs of our brief / will appeal to our target audience. In Q1, when explaining why audiences respond well to Sci- Fi films. Escapism, socialisation, identification and belonging are all gratification offered by Sci-Fi films. 18

19 19 MIGRAINE Recap The MIGRAINE acronym incorporates the key LIAR (Media Language, Audience, Institutions & Representation) concepts and provides information about other aspects of Media Studies. I use this with A Level students and also with ambitious GCSE students. A really successful (A*) Media Studies student could analyse a media text by considering all of these concepts. M = Media Language*. In Media Studies, language refers to anything in a media product which communicates meaning. Images, written text, sounds, special effects, etc. are all types of Media Language. Students should note that media products from the same genre will often feature similar language which makes it easy to identify: we refer to this as generic conventions. Popular types of media products, e.g. film posters, magazine covers, etc. can look similar even when they belong to different genres. This is to do with the content and layout: we refer to this as codes and conventions. I = Institutions. Students sometimes struggle to grasp this concept because the word is often unfamiliar to them. Institutions are simply companies or organisations involved in the production, regulation and rewarding of the media industry. Some examples are included below: - Production Companies / Developers: Miramax, Activision, Sony, Warner Bros, BBC, ITV. - Regulatory Bodies: BBFC, Press Complaints Commission, PEGI. - Awarding Bodies: the Oscars, BAFTA, Grammys. G = Genre. A simple concept that refers to the category the media product belongs to. Examples of genre include: Fashion (magazines), Horror (films), Fantasy (TV series), Hip Hop (music), Open World (gaming), Tabloid (press) etc. R = Representation. Many things can be represented in the media: ethnicities, places, genders, age groups, etc. The audience s opinion of these groups often depends on how they are presented (shown in the product). This is representation. Representations can be positive, negative, neutral or unbiased. Negative representations often rely on stereotypes. Representations are easily achieved through the use of media language. To test this, ask your students to tell you what media language they would use to portray a male teenage character as dangerous/violent. A = Audience. These are the people who use or consume media products. There are several types of audience: - Primary/Target Audience: literally, the people the product was made for. The product will have been designed to appeal to the specific needs and expectations of this group. Quite often, the institution behind the product will have used an audience profile to help them understand what the audience really wants. - Secondary Audience: harder to define, this group still uses or experiences the product but isn t a part of the primary audience. Examples of a secondary audience include: F1 drivers who play racing-based videogames to improve their reaction times. Parents who purchase comics to encourage their child to read or for nostalgia. A critic who watches a film to review it rather than for entertainment. Students who examine and analyse media products in a classroom. - Niche Audience: the audience for a very specific / specialist media product, e.g. someone who buys Classic Car magazine probably has a great interest in classic cars, owning one,

20 perhaps restoring it, communicating with other classic car enthusiasts and visiting classic car festivals. To be successful, Classic Car magazine has to facilitate these needs. I = Ideologies, Values and Theories. Quite a sophisticated concept, ideologies are best described as being similar to belief systems/schools of thought. Values are the ideals that underpin an ideology. We can see that many media products support and promote particular ideologies, e.g. it could be argued that the Call of Duty game franchise promotes an imperial American ideology to its players. It does this by encouraging (and rewarding) players to demonstrate typically American values such as patriotism, dominance over other groups, mistrust of outsiders, accumulation of wealth, physical dominance, etc. N = Narrative. The narrative of a media product is simply the story is tells. Narration refers to how the product tells the story, e.g. the structure and techniques employed. E = Evaluation. This is not strictly a media concept, more of a reflective skill you want students to develop. Encourage them to be evaluative when examining new media products and especially when constructing their own. Lesson plenaries provide a good opportunity to develop evaluation skills. Provide students with questions such as: - What is the purpose of the product? - How successful is the product in fulfilling its purpose? How does it do this? - What are its strengths? - What are its weaknesses / areas for improvement? - How would you go about making these improvements? - What further information / skills do you need before you can proceed? *Media Language is not to be confused with Media Terminology. Media terminology is simply the subject-specific words used by media students. This can be tricky to follow because most media language can be described using media terminology, and has a subject specific name. For instance, costume is an example of both media terminology and media language. Confusing? It doesn t have to be: - If you were directing a scene from a film, costume is a type of media language you would use because it tells the audience about the character s occupation or status. It is communicating a meaning. - If you were analysing a scene from a film, you would use accurate media terminology to identify the fact that a costume has been used because it is the correct way of describing what the character is wearing. It makes you sound like a student of the subject. A layperson might say clothing rather than costume and would therefore not sound like a media student. Terminology = words = subject specific vocabulary. Language = anything in a media product that communicates a meaning/message = camera SAMs, sounds, text, mise-en-scene, colours etc. 20

21 21 Sci-Fi Glossary While the following words are not worth as many marks as media terminology, it is still worth using a few of them in your pitch and creative response. Using some of this language will help you sound like a true Sci-Fi fan and show your understanding of the genre. Word Definition Alien A hypothetical or fictional being from another world. Android A robot with a human appearance. Artificial Intelligence (AI) A computer system (sometimes installed into an android/robot) which is able to perform tasks usually requiring human intelligence such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision making. A thinking computer. Avatar From the Hindu tradition: when a soul enters another body. Highlights the fact that many Sci-Fi films are underpinned by religious ideologies (whether reinforcing or challenging them). Dystopia A fictional place or state where everything is unpleasant. Common in Sci-Fi narratives, usually feature dilapidated environments and totalitarian governments. Symbolic of oppression and loss of autonomy. First Contact Describes the first meeting between two cultures previously unaware of one another. In Sci-Fi this usually refers to the point when humans realise the existence of aliens. Force Field An inviable barrier or force. Not achievable with current technology, a Sci-Fi trope (recurring theme / object). Used in both Independence Day and The Hunger Games. Homeworld From where a character originates; their home planet. Light-second The distance that light travels in a second (just under 200,000 miles). Useful in Sci-Fi because it links to advanced technology / time travel. Megastructure A humungous building, or a linked complex of buildings. Used in Sci-Fi films to show secrecy, e.g. underground bunkers / mother-ship in Independence Day, the Capitol, District 13 and the arenas in The Hunger Games franchise. Multiverse A hypothetical idea of space as being composed of many universes, of which ours is but one. Nanotech Short for nanotechnology: weapons/machinery of such a small and advanced scale it can barely be seen. Parallel Universe A hypothetical self-contained reality that exists alongside our own, e.g. in The Matrix the characters travel between the real world and the Matrix (a fake world). Precog From the Latin terms for before and cognition (knowing). In Sci-Fi a precog is someone who has knowledge of an event before it occurs. A psychic ability, sometimes called future sight. Precogs feature in Minority Report. Post-human This refers to an entity or being that exists beyond being

22 Replicant Robot Spaceship Superhero Telepathy Teleportation Time-travel human, e.g. John Connor in Terminator Genysis has become a computer program. A genetically engineered artificial being, created as an exact copy of a human being. Sometimes also referred to as a clone. A machine that can be programmed to carry out a series of actions. A craft capable of achieving pace flight. Usually large and controlled by a crew. A fictional character with special powers (superhuman) which they use for good ends. While these feature in Sci-Fi films to some extent, many would argue they are their own genre now. Avoid for the exam please. The communication of thoughts by means other than the known senses, hearing someone speak inside your head. To be instantly transported from one time/place to another. Not currently achievable. To travel to another time period, past or future. Not currently achievable. Online Resources - an encyclopaedia of the Sci-Fi genre. a good starting point for researching your chosen Sci-Fi films. - A page which has links to study guides on a few different sci-fi films A well respected opinion site offers a list of the top 25 Sci-Fi films of this century. Useful springboard for further research and wider reading. - Speak to me to get the password for this site. Not to be shared beyond our class please! Use the space below to list any other resources which you have found to be useful: 22

23 Hints & Tips from the Examiners Report Do - Answer the question fully if there are bullet points provided, then make sure you discuss each of them equally in your answer. - Focus only on Sci-Fi films. - Give examples from a range of different films: I would aim to give examples from 4-5 different films in my response to the knowledge question. - Write clearly in sentences which are easy to follow: your examiner will not work as hard as you think to decipher your answer. - Use the language from the question / bullet points in your response, e.g. Another Sci-Fi film which has a strong narrative is or One way Sci-Fi films engage the family audience is by featuring believable characters, such as - Use media terminology in your answer: audience, not people, narrative, not story, etc. - Respond in role. Speak directly to the organisation that has written to you: Reel Film Productions. This is especially important when you are pitching your idea. - Use one of the outlines provided in the brief for your pitch but expand upon it. - Only use sketches / diagrams in the creative response. - Use annotations in your creative response but keep them brief and focussed on audience appeal. - Make sure you design what has been requested. In the past, people have dropped marks for designing posters when DVD covers were requested, trailers when opening sequences were required, etc. Don t - Give examples from films that are not Sci-Fi. Period. The exam board will not reward nice answers that do not focus on the set topic. - Describe entire narratives from your chosen films. Telling the examiner everything I know about this film is a classic mistake students make. It marks you out as an E/D grade student: you have a bit of knowledge but cannot apply it to answer the question. - Mention films without referring to specific events and explaining how they link back to the question. - Waste time on comparing, concluding, reviewing films, etc. Just answer the question in front of you. - Change the non-negotiable aspects from the film outlines: you can add more details about the specific characters and narratives you will include but you can t change the titles or anything else that has been included in the outline. - Miss any questions out! - Spend an unequal amount of time on the questions. Each is worth 15 marks and so you should spend 20 minutes on each (with 10 minutes to check/fix errors). - Waste time on colouring designs in. a hint of colour is all that is needed. See A* examples for an idea of what this is. - Describe / define theories. Applying theory means stating how/why the film or director has used them. See the A* Q1 and Q4 examples for an idea of how to apply theory successfully. 23