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Film Studies

A Level Film Studies (Eduqas)

Aims and Objectives:

Film is the most important cultural innovation of the 20th century and a most influential major art form of the last hundred years.

Film students characteristically bring with them a high degree of enthusiasm and excitement for what is a powerful and culturally significant medium, inspiring a range of responses from the emotional to the reflective. Film Studies offers the opportunity to investigate how film works both as a medium of representation and as an aesthetic medium.

The A level aims to introduce learners to a wide variety of films in order to broaden their knowledge and understanding of film and the range of responses films can generate. The Eduqas A Level specification therefore offers opportunities to study mainstream American films from the past and the present as well as a range of recent and contemporary British films, American independent films and global films, both non-English language and English language. The historical range of film represented in those films is extended by the study of silent film and significant film movements so that learners can gain a sense of the development of film from its early years to its still emerging digital future. Studies in documentary, experimental and short films aim to add to the breadth of the rich experience.

Production work is a crucial part of this specification and is integral to the aims of A level Film Studies. Studying a diverse range of films from several different contexts aims to give students the opportunity to apply their knowledge and understanding of how films are constructed to their own filmmaking and screenwriting. This is intended to enable students to create high quality film and screenplay work as well as provide an informed filmmaker's perspective on their own study of film.

A Level Film Studies aims to reflect the diversity of film culture through both filmmakers and the films they make. The wide choice of films offered includes films by women and people of the global majority, and films which represent particular ethnic and cultural experiences. Over sixty films are offered from which eleven feature-length films are carefully chosen. In addition, a compilation of short films will be studied.

In summary A Level Film Studies aims to enable learners to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• a diverse range of film, including documentary, film from the silent era, experimental film and short film
• the significance of film and film practice in national, global and historical contexts
• film and its key contexts (including social, cultural, political, historical and technological contexts)
• how films generate meanings and responses
• film as an aesthetic medium
• the different ways in which spectators respond to film

Content and Assessment

Component 1: Varieties of Film and Filmmaking
Externally assessed written examination: 2 hours and 30 minutes	35% of the total qualification
Overview of content and assessment This component assesses knowledge and understanding of six feature-length films Section A: Hollywood 1930-1990 (comparative study) One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to two Hollywood films, one from the Classical Hollywood period (1930-1960) and the other from the New Hollywood period (1961-1990). Section B: American film since 2005 (two-film study) One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to two American films, one mainstream film and one contemporary independent film. Section C: British film since 1995 (two-film study) One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to two British films.

Component 2: Global Filmmaking Perspectives
Externally assessed written examination: 2 hours and 30 minutes	35% of the total qualification
Overview of content and assessment This component assesses knowledge and understanding of five feature-length films (or their equivalent). Section A: Global film (two-film study) One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to two global films: one European and one produced outside Europe. Section B: Documentary film One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to one documentary film. Section C: Film movements – Silent cinema One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to one silent film or group of films. Section D: Film movements – Experimental film (1960-2001) One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to one film option.

Component 3: Production (NEA)
Internally assessed, externally moderated	30% of the total qualification
Overview of content Students are required to create an individual production consisting of either a short film of between 4 and 5 minutes or a screenplay for a short film of between 1600 and 1800 words. Both options must include one of the following: • a narrative which has a distinct genre • a narrative which has parallel stories • a non-linear narrative • a narrator The screenplay must be accompanied by a digitally photographed storyboard of a key section from the screenplay (approximately 2 minutes' screen time, corresponding to approximately two pages of screenplay and to approximately 20 storyboard shots). Evaluative analysis: Students must complete an evaluative analysis of their production of between 1600 and 1800 words and make reference to all short films selected for study from the compilation set by Eduqas (at least three short films totalling a minimum of 80 minutes). The evaluative analysis will include: • narrative structure of the short film – an analysis of how the narrative features and dramatic qualities of all short films studied are constructed, including through dialogue, highlighting key ideas which informed learners' own production • cinematic influences – an analysis of how visual/audio elements of other professionally produced films or screenplays, including short films, influenced their short film or screenplay. • creating meaning and effect – an evaluative analysis of how their production creates meanings and generates responses for the spectator in relation to other professionally produced films or screenplays, including at least one of the short films studied.
Assessment Objectives

Students Must:

AO1:
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of elements of film

AO2:
Apply knowledge and understanding of elements of film to:
• analyse and compare films, including through the use of critical approaches
• evaluate the significance of critical approaches
• analyse and evaluate own work in relation to other professionally produced work

AO3:
Apply knowledge and understanding of elements of film to the production of a film or screenplay.

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Film Studies

Film Studies

A Level Film Studies (Eduqas)

Aims and Objectives:

Content and Assessment

Component 1: Varieties of Film and Filmmaking

Overview of content and assessment

Component 2: Global Filmmaking Perspectives

Overview of content and assessment

Component 3: Production (NEA)

Assessment Objectives

Students Must:

Curriculum

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