Nelson College
Level 3 Media Studies
Course Description
If you're a creative student who enjoys watching and analysing films as well as engaging with other media then Media Studies will appeal to you. If you like writing, design, photography, animation or making films and like to debate what you see in the media, you will also enjoy this subject.
Media Studies is a blend of theory and practical production. During this course you will design and create your own media product (a short film). You will also study a feature film from a variety of different perspectives and examine a film genre and its close relationship with society. Scholarship Media Studies is offered to 13MED students through an additional programme of learning.
This course will develop both your critical thinking skills and media production skills.
Course Overview
Term 1
An understanding of how we read texts
AS91491 Demonstrate understanding of the meaning of a media text through different readings
Assessment: 3 credits, internal
This achievement standard requires students to close read a directors’ work and explain the meaning of a film through different readings. Different readings involve interpreting the text from different perspectives or theoretical viewpoints in order to understand a possible meaning. Perspectives or viewpoints may include: genre, technical, cultural, psychological, political, historical, sociological, etc.
Students will choose their director and will be given time in class to write and receive feedback on their reports. The report may also be worked on outside of class time but for authenticity purposes most of this assessment must not be completed unsupervised. To achieve with merit students will show in-depth understanding which involves analysing the effect of different readings of a media text. To achieve with excellence students will show perceptive understanding which involves evaluating the significance of the effect of different readings for the text and/or society. This significance may include aesthetic, social, cultural, political, historical, economic, technological, or ideological considerations.
Term 2
Short film Production: documentary
Assessment: AS91495 Produce a media product to meet the requirements of a brief.
Credits: 6
What is the focus of the standard?
To produce a media product involves using production technology and media conventions with control to meet the requirements of a brief. Students have created the design and plan for this assessment in AS 91494. Both standards are submitted for final grade at the same time as both must show reflection and refinement of ideas.
Students will continue to work in groups that designed the production. It is imperative that the students make good choices with their production team. In the production phase all students will show involvement in the filming, direction and editing of the film. It is important that all aspects of the production are shared evenly and that production roles are accounted for.
Equipment
The Media Studies department has limited equipment for loan on a short (usually overnight) loan system, where possible students will find it easier to use their own cameras.
What can parents do to help?
Obtain a copy of the film’s production schedule and put it somewhere obvious. Allow students to use houses/offices/gardens as locations. Get students to keep you up to date with their progress and make sure they are not falling behind.
It is intended that the films will be shown at the Briefs Film Festival/competition later in the year. This is a wonderful opportunity to see the films on the big screen to an invited audience at the Suter.
Term 3
Genre Study: Social Issue Documentary
Assessment: AS91493 Demonstrate understanding of a relationship between a media genre and society.
Credits: 4 (External Examination)
What is the focus of the standard?
Like previous years the study of a film genre is a very important and interesting part of the course. In this standard students are asked to demonstrate understanding of the relationship between a film genre and society.
To gain this standard, the students need to demonstrate an understanding which involves analysing a relationship between a media genre and society by explaining its impact on the genre and/or society. An impact may be social, cultural, political, historical, economic, technological, or ideological.
What do we need to do in this standard?
• Define the genre and important characteristics.
• Define the society (specific time and place) that film noir sprung from (40s America)
• Explain, analyse and evaluate the impact society had on the film noir genre.
Term 4
Media Writing: Review
91497 Write a media text to meet the requirements of a brief
3 Credit Internal Assessment
Write a media text involves applying media conventions with control to meet the requirements of a brief. With control means conventions are applied consistently.
Write a convincing media text involves the deliberate selection and application of media conventions to engage an audience.
Write a compelling media text involves the effective selection and application of conventions to command and capture audience attention.
A brief is a set of instructions identifying the requirements of the product, including the target audience, format, legal and ethical requirements, and purpose of the text.
Media conventions are the commonly used features specific to the text and must be appropriate to the medium, format, product and audience, eg genre and narrative conventions.
Recommended Prior Learning
Recommended Prior Learning: Level 2 Media Studies, but not compulsory. Level 2 English or Social Sciences.
Contributions and Equipment/Stationery
A clearfile or workbook/scrapbook (required).
A USB thumb drive and/or SD card (suggested).
Credit Information
You will be assessed in this course through all or a selection of the standards listed below.
Course can be endorsed with Merit or Excellence
This course is approved for University Entrance.
Total Credits Available: 20 credits.
Externally Assessed Credits: 4 credits.
Internally Assessed Credits: 16 credits.
External
NZQA Info
NZQA Info
NZQA Info
NZQA Info
NZQA Info
Approved subject for University Entrance
Number of credits that can be used for overall endorsement: 20
* These standards contribute to the 14 credits required for UE approval.
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