Coursework Deadline Dates!!

All dates are set for the academic year 2009-2010. Dates refer to week commencing – your actual deadline is during your timetabled practical session in that week.

AS Media – Foundation Portfolio

Preliminary Task

28th September – Presentation of Final Creative Ideas
12th October – Deadline for Planning & Research
30th November – Deadline for Production
7th December – Deadline for Evaluation & Submission of Preliminary Task

Main Task

4th January – Presentation of Final Creative Ideas
18th January – Deadline for Planning & Research
15th March – Deadline for Production
29th March – Deadline for Evaluation & Submission of Main Task

A2 Media – Advanced Portfolio

12th October – Presentation of Final Creative Ideas
9th November – Deadline for Pre-Production
8th March – Deadline for Production
22nd March – Deadline for Post-Production & Evaluation
29th March – Final Deadline for submission of Advaced Portfolio

AS Film – Creative Project

19th October – Deadline for submission of Aims & Contexts
7th December – Deadline for Pre-Production
15th February – Deadline for Production
8th March – Deadline for Post-Production
15th March – Deadline Reflective Analysis Draft One
29th March – Deadline Reflective Analysis Draft Two & Final Submission of Creative Project
* In addition, you will be advised on a one-to-one basis as to deadlines for submission of drafts for Micro Analysis Essay

Convergence – Audience & Institution

The Audience

People may complain about New Media Technology, in that it is too complicated and quickly goes out-of-date, but convergence generally means that the audience has more choice, or an enhanced experience, or both! Games consoles illustrate this point. You can have a machine that plays games… or you can have a machine that plays games, CD’s, DVD’s, allows you to edit your home video footage and put it on the internet for others to see, record your favourite television programme, connect you with others so you can play against them, and use the internet. Or at least, in theory you can have a machine that does all this and more. Why? Lagely because computer technology has seeped into almost every aspect of our lives. And the future? It won’t be too long before your home is a wireless network with a high-speed internet connection (many homes are already like this!).Through this system, you will be able to download and access music, films, and information from any room in your home. If you think this sounds fanciful, look up ‘freestyle’ or ‘Mira’ on Microsoft’s website. These technologies will make this sort of integration possible, at the same time as significantly altering media consumption habits. Microsoft views the PC as the centre of this technology, whereas others, such as Moxi Digital, see the set top box as the answer. Whichever system becomes the accepted standard, the principle behind it is perhaps the ultimate example of cenvergence, with computer technology at the heart of the delivery and distribution of all your media consumption.
The Institutions

Media institutions have grasped new technologies and the concept of convergence for the benefit of audiences, right? Wrong! One thing drives these institutions – Money!

Sony is a good example. In offering Playstation 3, it is doing more than selling a games console. It is selling a Sony BluRay Player, a Sony stereo system and a Sony system capable of connecting with other Sony products such as a digital camera or camcorder. If you have a Playstation 3, you can play music by artists belonging to the Sony record label, possibly bought over the internet using the Playstation 3 itself! Sony is seeking a market dominanceand brand loyalty, made easier through convergence. Convergence also allows a widening of the range of products a company can sell. Who makes a television that works well with a Sony Playstation 3?

Convergence also allows media companies to enter new areas in which they may not have had a strong position. The internet concerns media institutions for a number of reasons. It isn’t regulated, other people are making lots of money using it, and it provides entertainment in a way they don’t usually operate. This list could be longer. Some companies have attempted to solve this problem through convergence. Sky, for example. In some ways, the internet takes custom from Sky in that people can be entertained in other ways. But what if you are using the internet through your Sky Digital connection? Sky not only enters the internet arena, it also finds out where you go, what you like to see and presumably then uses this information to modify its existing output. You pay Sky and it gets free market research. And not only that. Sky has ‘SkyActive’, a ‘safe’ connection to the internet and e-commerce. Companies have to pay Sky money to be part of this, but the rewards aren’t just for Sky. People trust televisions a lot more than computers. They understand them; televisions are familiar. This means they are more likely to buy from them. In this example, the convergence of television and internet technologies has clearly benefited Sky.

Identifying the Question in you NMT Exam

When the time comes to open up the examination paper for your Audiences & Institutions exam, you must remember a few things that will make it easier to identify what you have to do in order to do well…There are never any surprises in this exam!

First of all, you must make sure that you answer the questions in the correct section – there are two sections in this paper (Section A: New Media Technologies; and Section B: Media Ownership). You have been studying to answer the questions for Section A: New Media Technologies, so it is suggested that you only attempt to answer the questions from this section!

When answering one of the two essay questions, you should bear in mind that essentially – despite the way the question is worded – you will be presented with fundamentally the same question that is asked every year.

These questions are:

1. How does the audience use the technology?
2. How does the media industry use the technology?

The first thing you should do when reading the questions for the first time, is to figure out which question on the examination paper is referring to which of the two questions above.

New Media Technologies are the key ways in which the industry and audience communicate.
Media Industry
Industries produce NMT’s and the services that NMT’s provide for the audience.

NMT
NMT’s allow audiences to access services provided by the media industry.

Audience
Use NMT’s made by the industry to access media texts created by media industries.
Remember to plan your time!!
When completing your comprehension answer in bullet points for the first section (low marks questions) and then expand to a paragraph or so for the higher marked comprehension questions, drawing on your own knowledge of New Media Technologies. You must spend at least 30 minutes answering the essay question in section 2. Remember, you should only answer one of the two questions…do not answer both!

Good luck, ladies & gents! 😀

Writing Your Evaluation

We are now approaching the submission date of the AS Media Foundation Portfolio Preliminary Task, and your attention should be turning towards writing your evaluation of your experience since you began this assignment. What follows is a rough guide on how to write you Foundation Portfolio Evaluation… remember to refer back to your Production Logs while you do this!

As always, an evaluation should have a beginning, a middle, and an end – so three sections. These would be:-

• Introduction – Here you will introduce your brief, planning & research carried out, construction of product
• Evaluation of Finished Product
• Evaluation of Product with regards to Audiences & Institutions

Below is a further breakdown of what you need to include in each section – which should be written as thoroughly as possible.

Section 1 – Introduction
Here, you will need to state which assignment brief pathway you chose (Print or Video). You will need to make it clear to the reader exactly what you are being asked to do for the completion of your chosen brief. You also need to include information on how you carried out your research and planning in response to the brief, and how that has influenced the construction of your media product.
You also need to discuss the construction stage, and decisions made on creating your magazine or video.

Section 2 – Evaluation of finished Product
Here, you discussed your completed product. Again, you must explain  the decisions you have made, and how the finished product may differ from previous drafts. You also need to discuss how these changes impact on your audience. How does your product create meaning to the audience?
Here, you should refer back to critical theories, as covered during your studies on the Key Media Concepts Unit – things like genre, narrative, audience effects, media language/technical vocabulary.

Section 3 – Evaluation of Product with regards to Audiences & Institutions
Here, you are to compare your media product with real existing media products, which are similar to your own. You have to discuss how your media product fits in with the wider context of media institutions and audiences. Discuss how you believe the audience will ‘receive’ your product (a fair idea of this would be feedback you received during your Focus Group sessions you held with your peers).

You must answer the following questions in your evaluation

• In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
• How does your media product represent particular social groups?
• What kind of media institution might distribute your media product, and why?
• Who would be the audience for your media product?
• How did you attract/address your audience?
• What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Other things you must consider….

• Remember to reflect on your experiences/decision-making. If you decided to do something in a particular way, you have to discuss why you did this. It is not good enough to simply describe… you need to analyse and evaluate!

Foundation Portfolio Mark Scheme

foundation-portfolio-planning-mark-scheme5

foundation-portfolio-construction-mark-scheme3

foundation-portfolio-evaluation-mark-scheme2

 

Here you will find the mark scheme that will be used to to mark your coursework.
There are three key areas here; the planning stage, the construction stage and the evlauation stage.

Each stage is broken down into more specific things which will enable the moderator to give you extra marks – obviously, the more attention to detail you show, the higher the marks gained.

Take a look at the different aresa that are being assessed.

Foundation Portfolio – Assessment Criteria

Planning

Level 1 0–7 marks

• There is minimal research into similar products and a potential target audience.

• There is minimal organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.

• There is minimal work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.

• Time management may be very poor.

• There is minimal use of appropriate digital technology or ICT in the presentation.

 

Level 2 8–11 marks

• There is basic research into similar products and a potential target audience.

• There is basic organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.

• There is basic work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.

• Time management may not be good.

• There is basic use of digital technology or ICT in the presentation.

 

Level 3 12–15 marks

• There is proficient research into similar products and a potential target audience.

• There is proficient organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.

• There is proficient work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.

• Time management is good.

• There is proficient use of digital technology or ICT in the presentation.

 

Level 4 16–20 marks

• There is excellent research into similar products and a potential target audience.

• There is excellent organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.

• There is excellent work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.

• Time management is excellent.

• There is excellent use of digital technology or ICT in the presentation.

 

 

Evaluation

Level 1 0–7 marks

• There is minimal understanding of the forms and conventions used in the productions.

• There is minimal understanding of the role and use of new media in various stages of the

production.

• There is minimal understanding of the combination of main product and ancillary texts.

• There is minimal understanding of the significance of audience feedback.

• There is minimal skill in choice of form in which to present the evaluation.

• There is minimal ability to communicate.

• There is minimal use of digital technology or ICT in the presentation.

 

Level 2 8–11 marks

• There is basic understanding of the forms and conventions used in the productions.

• There is basic understanding of the role and use of new media in various stages of the

production.

• There is basic understanding of the combination of main product and ancillary texts.

• There is basic understanding of the significance of audience feedback.

• There is basic skill in choice of form in which to present the evaluation.

• There is basic ability to communicate.

• There is basic use of digital technology or ICT in the presentation.

 

Level 3 12–15 marks

• There is proficient understanding of the forms and conventions used in the productions.

• There is proficient understanding of the role and use of new media in various stages of the

production.

• There is proficient understanding of the combination of main product and ancillary texts.

• There is proficient understanding of the significance of audience feedback.

• There is proficient skill in choice of form in which to present the evaluation.

• There is proficient ability to communicate.

• There is proficient use of digital technology or ICT in the presentation.

 

Level 4 16–20 marks

• There is excellent understanding of the forms and conventions used in the productions.

• There is excellent understanding of the role and use of new media in various stages of the

production.

• There is excellent understanding of the combination of main product and ancillary texts.

• There is excellent understanding of the significance of audience feedback.

• There is excellent skill in choice of form in which to present the evaluation.

• There is excellent ability to communicate.

• There is excellent use of digital technology or ICT in the presentation.

 

 

Construction – Print

Print

Level 1 0–23 marks

The work for the main task is possibly incomplete. There is minimal evidence in the work of the

creative use of any relevant technical skills such as:

• framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate;

• using a variety of shot distances as appropriate;

• shooting material appropriate to the task set;

• selecting mise-en-scène including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting;

• manipulating photographs as appropriate to the context for presentation, including cropping

and resizing;

• accurately using language and register;

• appropriately integrating illustration and text;

• showing understanding of conventions of layout and page design;

• showing awareness of the need for variety in fonts and text size;

• using ICT appropriately for the task set.

 

 

Level 2 24–35 marks

There is evidence of a basic level of ability in the creative use of some of the following technical

skills:

• framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate;

• using a variety of shot distances as appropriate;

• shooting material appropriate to the task set;

• selecting mise-en-scène including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting;

• manipulating photographs as appropriate to the context for presentation, including cropping

and resizing;

• accurately using language and register;

• appropriately integrating illustration and text;

• showing understanding of conventions of layout and page design;

• showing awareness of the need for variety in fonts and text size;

• using ICT appropriately for the task set.

 

Level 3 36–47 marks

There is evidence of proficiency in the creative use of many of the following technical skills:

• framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate;

• using a variety of shot distances as appropriate;

• shooting material appropriate to the task set;

• selecting mise-en-scène including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting;

• manipulating photographs as appropriate to the context for presentation, including cropping

and resizing;

• accurately using language and register;

• appropriately integrating illustration and text;

• showing understanding of conventions of layout and page design;

• showing awareness of the need for variety in fonts and text size;

• using ICT appropriately for the task set.

 

Level 4 48–60 marks

There is evidence of excellence in the creative use of most of the following technical skills:

• framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate;

• using a variety of shot distances as appropriate;

• shooting material appropriate to the task set;

• selecting mise-en-scène including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting;

• manipulating photographs as appropriate to the context for presentation, including cropping

and resizing;

• accurately using language and register;

• appropriately integrating illustration and text;

• showing understanding of conventions of layout and page design;

• showing awareness of the need for variety in fonts and text size;

• using ICT appropriately for the task set.

 

Construction – Video

 

Level 1 0–23 marks

The work for the main task is possibly incomplete. There is minimal evidence in the work of the

creative use of any relevant technical skills such as:

• holding a shot steady, where appropriate;

• framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate;

• using a variety of shot distances as appropriate;

• shooting material appropriate to the task set;

• selecting mise-en-scène including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting;

• editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer;

• using varied shot transitions and other effects selectively and appropriately for the task set;

• using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set;

• using titles appropriately.

 

Level 2 24–35 marks

There is evidence of a basic level of ability in the creative use of some of the following technical

skills:

• holding a shot steady, where appropriate;

• framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate;

• using a variety of shot distances as appropriate;

• shooting material appropriate to the task set;

• selecting mise-en-scène including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting;

• editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer;

• using varied shot transitions and other effects selectively and appropriately for the task set;

• using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set;

• using titles appropriately.

 

Level 3 36–47 marks

There is evidence of proficiency in the creative use of many of the following technical skills:

• holding a shot steady, where appropriate;

• framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate;

• using a variety of shot distances as appropriate;

• shooting material appropriate to the task set;

• selecting mise-en-scène including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting;

• editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer;

• using varied shot transitions and other effects selectively and appropriately for the task set;

• using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set;

• using titles appropriately.

 

Level 4 48–60 marks

There is evidence of excellence in the creative use of most of the following technical skills:

• holding a shot steady, where appropriate;

• framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate;

• using a variety of shot distances as appropriate;

• shooting material appropriate to the task set;

• selecting mise-en-scène including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting;

• editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer;

• using varied shot transitions and other effects selectively and appropriately for the task set;

• using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set;

• using titles appropriately.

Beginning Your Foundation Portfolio Production Log

It’s now been a few weeks since you were first introduced to the Foundation Portfolio assignment briefs.

Now is the time to begin your Production Logs. As you may remember, these are like ‘diaries’ to help you keep track of your progress, and also to evidence this to the examiner. You will also be required to reflect on your experiences during the process, as you will use this as the basis of your written evaluation which is to be submitted with your completed coursework.

 

This is what you should include in your Production Log so far:-

      * Introduction to chosen brief.
      * Initial response to brief.
      * Description of creative ideas.
      * Presentation of Ideas & Focus Group Feedback.
      * SMART Targets.
      * Photoshop training.
      * Any other relevant information

Remember, that it is your responsibility to update your Production Logs on a regular basis, and in as much detail as possible.

Working to SMART Goals

Once you have planned your project, turn your attention to developing several goals that will enable you to be successful. Goals should be SMART – specific, measurable, agreed upon, realistic and time-based.

A goal might be to hold a weekly project meeting with the key members of your team throughout the project. Those of you working individually, can have regular meetings with your tutor.

The acronym SMART has a number of slightly different variations, which can be used to provide a more comprehensive definition for goal setting:

S – specific, significant, stretching

M – measurable, meaningful, motivational

A – agreed upon, attainable, achievable, acceptable, action-oriented

R – realistic, relevant, reasonable, rewarding, results-oriented

T – time-based, timely, tangible, trackable

This provides a broader definition that will help you to be successful in both your business and personal life.

When you next plan a project take a moment to consider whether your goals are SMART goals.

SMART Goals

Specific

• Well defined
• Clear to anyone that has a basic knowledge of the project

Measurable

• Know if the goal is obtainable and how far away completion is
• Know when it has been achieved

Agreed Upon

• Agreement with all the parties what the goals should be

Realistic

• Within the availability of resources, knowledge and time

Time Based

• Enough time to achieve the goal
• Not too much time, which can affect project performance

Preparing your Presentation of Creative Ideas & Production Progress

Once you have had a chance to decide which assignment brief you want to work to, you are to begin developing your creative ideas – you will need to deliver a presentation of your final ideas to class and gather focus group feedback to further develop your idea before you begin construction. Below is some information on how you should log your ideas and progress during this unit.

*  Your creative ideas Presentation should be in the form of a PowerPoint Presentation. In preparation for this, you should give careful consideration to your product ideas (making sure you clearly explain everything), produce a well-presented PowerPoint slideshow to run during your presentation, and a list of key questions to ask your peers during focus group feedback. Remember, the focus group is your opportunity to find out what others think of your ideas and how they would make your product stronger!

Once you have begun working on the construction of your product, you are expected to setup a blog and begin regularly blogging your progress on this. Think of it as an online diary where I could go onto and read about how your work is progressing.

It is VERY important that you setup a blog (I recommend WordPress, just like this blog!) as you will need to regularly post entries on there for the entire duration of your time studying A’level Media Studies.

Once you have setup your blog, please pass the details of your blog on to myself and Renier, as we will need to access these regularly.

For further help on setting up a blog, please let either of us know, but it is really easy to do! 🙂

G321: Foundation Portfolio Assignment Brief

Welcome to the Foundation Portfolio of the new spec AS Media Studies course.

Here, you will find the assignent brief that you will base your practical coursework on for the coming year.

You have the choice of either creating a media product in Print or Video form. You will complete TWO pieces of practical coursework during the AS year (Preliminary task & Main task), both of which will have individual deadlines.

Once you have completed your Preliminary task, you will begin working on your Main task – but you MUST produce a product of the same format. For example, if you decide that you want to work to the Print brief for your Preliminary task, then you must work to the Print brief again for your Main task.

Below are the assignment briefs as listed on the examination board OCR’s website.

Print

 

Preliminary exercise: using DTP and an image manipulation program, produce the front page of a new school/college magazine, featuring a photograph of a student in medium close-up plus some appropriately laid-out text and a masthead. Additionally candidates must produce a mock-up of the layout of the contents page to demonstrate their grasp of DTP.

Main task: the front page, contents and double page spread of a new music magazine (if done as a group task, each member of the group to produce an individual edition of the magazine, following the same house style).

All images and text used must be original, produced by the candidate(s), minimum of four images per candidate.

Video

Preliminary exercise: Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule.

Main task: the titles and opening of a new fiction film, to last a maximum of two minutes.

 

All video and audio material must be original, produced by the candidate(s), with the exception of music or audio effects from a copyright-free source. 

Coursework Deadlines

Preliminary Task Deadline – Week of the 15th December 2008

Main Task Deadline – To Be Confirmed