Year 12 Media Coursework Tips & Evaluation

1. On the opening slide you should put down the following: Unit G321 – Foundation Production and brief title, in this case: “The titles and opening sequence of a new fictional film.” Full name and candidate number Attach any images of the film to use in the background if you like, make it stand out and look nice. Year 12 Media CourseworkTips & Evaluation www.oakspark.webs.com

2. Use no more text than this for each slide • Throughout the presentation, try to keep the style and theme of the slides interesting but not too busy. • Don’t cram too much into one slide, just use an extra slide. • You should really use a PowerPoint as an aide memoir, which means you have a series of points or statements that you can talk about or link to in more detail.

3. Presentation methods • The following is related to using powerpoint, but you can also embed responses to some of the seven questions using this method on slideshare or authorstream.

4. Word Documents • Unless asked specifically, avoid large pieces of text. • Embed documents on your blog or link from PowerPoint to sites like scribd.

5. Video • Please attempt video blogs (vlogging) where you see most fit. • Upload your work onto a YouYube account or Vimeo. • Create a director’s commentary using VoiceThread

6. Avatars • Don’t like to be on camera? Use an avatar • Narrate or use text to speech conversion tools at either Voki or readthewords.com • A fun way to liven up your presentation or blog – use animation scenes.

7. Blogs and websites • If you’re presenting on a blog, read the presentation and then see • You could host your presentation on a website that’s easy to create and looks professional. Great for maintaining a theme

8. Introduce yourself to the class and teachers/examiner • The whole presentation should be filmed for the purpose of moderation and allow Q & A from peers and teachers – allowing you to pick up marks if you’ve omitted certain details • Show your completed 2 minute film sequence by introducing the title and genre of your film. • You can insert a link to play the movie directly if you like or have it embedded on your blog.

9. Putting your production on the web is the first step towards global distribution

10. The evaluationhas seven questions. • Each one should be addressed using a different presentation method or technique to demonstrate creativity and skill through implementing use of ICT. • For other specifications, use screenshots and web links to support your written evaluation.

11. 1 - In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventionsof real media products? • Devote at least 1-3 detailed slides to this. • This is your chance to summarise your genre research, including: what you found out; what types of codes and conventions were common in your chosen genre. • Make sure you cover the key concepts and use media terminology accurately at all times. • What opening sequences did you look at to help you – why were they useful? You can insert links to YouTube or other websites for specific references. • Reference all sources, and don’t plagiarise!

12. Question 1 continued… • Explain how you developed your sequence to match that of real movies of the same genre (techniques, camera shots, editing, sound, mise en scene). • Have you tried anything different that challenges the genre or gives it new life? • Break your opening down into 9 key moments, like they do at www.artofthetitle.com

13. 2 - How does your media product representparticular social groups to your audience? • 2 – 3 slides • How have you represented the characters in your films? • Is it positive or negative representation? • Did you use stereotypes? • How did you position the audience?

14. What were you trying to create, i.e., a new Bruce Willis or Halle Berry? • What technical skills helped you construct representation of your character? • Attach a screen grab or digital picture of your main character and talk about your choice of costume/make up/persona.

15. 3 - What kind of institutionmight distributeyour media product & why? • 2 – 3 slides. • What research did you do into Institutions (the companies that make the films)? • Why did you chose a particular company, what’s their ideology?

16. Mention and list the type of research sources you used, i.e., www.imdb.com • Did you use the institution logo at the start of the film or create your own? • You should talk about production, distribution and exhibition if you can.

17. 4 – Who would be the audiencefor your media product? • 2-3 Slides • This is an opportunity for you to detail any audience research you have conducted. • Think about age rating and the BBFC, use their criteria to help you.

18. Give a profile of the type of person who would enjoy your film; similar films they like and would pay to see. • Did you conduct any questionnaires about type of films your audience like? • This is a chance to discuss any uses and gratifications and psychographic profile of your target audience.

19. 5 – How did you attract/address your audience? • What was within your media product that appealed to them? • Relate this back to genre and conventions, will the audience be satisfied? • What other techniques made your film appealing?

20. Did you show your film to an audience for feedback? Put a link to YouTube here that attaches directly to a focus group or series of vox pops about your film and evaluate the type of feedback you have received. • What could be improved?

21. 6 – What have you learnt about technologiesfrom the process of constructing the product? • 2-4 slides detailing everything you have learnt from using technology. • List any technical difficulties you encountered. • What software and hardware did you use? • Did you realise so much work went into creating similar media products?

22. Assess your technical skills: are there any shots or edits you are really proud of? • What would you do differently to improve or alter your product? • Were there any limitations to your creativity?

23. 7 – Looking back at your prelim task, what have you learnt in the progression from that to the final product? • 1-3 Slides • Insert a link to your original preliminary exercise, perhaps use voicethread or show screenshots. • Comment on how you found the preliminary exercise and describe what the hardest thing was to overcome? • Were you happy with it? Be totally honest and pick apart the good and bad elements of it. This is an evaluation.

24. How does your final 2 minute film opening demonstrate a progression in the standards of filming compared to your preliminary. • Again, you can use screen grabs to illustrate specific points or make a comparable. • Lastly, what do you think you have learnt from completing the coursework overall?

25. Include all references • Comprising websites you used to help with research and planning • Voicethread, YouTube, Scribd, Wix, Slideshare links must be checked. • Include any other information or media that you feel is relevant to your project at the end, including acknowledgements and thanks linked to the project.

26. If you’re blogging • Make sure you embed each question as a separate post • Use a different presentation method for each question (looks better). • Be creative, include images, hyperlinks and accurate references.