Film Studies

Subject Leader: Dr T Dedman 
 

Film Studies is taught at GCSE and A level. Both courses follow current EDUQAS specifications.
 

The subject explores a range of different films, from silent cinema and documentary, through to contemporary Hollywood blockbusters. Students are encouraged to develop their creative skills as well as their analytical ability, as each course includes a practical film-making element as part of the formal assessment. In order to create film products, students have use of Adobe Premiere Pro as part of the Adobe suite.


The Film Studies programmes of study and schemes of work are designed to enable students to:

 

  • develop their appreciation and critical understanding of film as an aesthetic art form, an entertainment industry, and as a medium for imparting ideological perspectives
  • develop their practical and creative skills through opportunities for film-making and screenplay writing
  • understand how to use theoretical frameworks to analyse films in their various contexts

 

Key Stage 4
 

Students work on a number of tasks, some for examination and some for coursework purposes. The specification is split into sections on American Film and Global Film, encouraging students to engage with texts from around the world in order to explore social, political, and historical contexts. Films such as “Juno” and “Let The Right One In” are currently taught. The GCSE course expects students to develop an understanding of how technological changes have impacted upon the film industry as an entertainment platform and there is the Non Examined Assessment requirement to fulfil, wherein all students individually create a short film extract or a screenplay.
 

Key Stage 5
 

Students look at a range of different film types, ranging from silent cinema, experimental films of the 1990s, to independent films from the early 2000s. Films such as “Vertigo”, “Boyhood” and “Pulp Fiction” are currently studied as part of the course. Students develop their analytical skills, exploring how audiences are positioned, shaped and manipulated through construction devices such as the use of cinematography, editing and mise-en-scene. Students also create their individual Non Examined Assessment pieces as part of their A level studies.
 

Enrichment

 

The department is regularly involved in cross-curricular projects with other subject specialisms such as English, Music and Drama. Students have the opportunity to contribute towards whole school Drama productions, particularly in advertising and marketing, and students are offered the opportunity to create films for entry to film festivals and competitions. In recent years, two pieces of work have won the first prize in different awards. For the past decade, A level students have had the opportunity to visit New York as part of their studies, visiting institutions such as NBC studios, the Museum of Moving Image and Radio City Music Hall.