Film StudiesWhy choose this subject?

Fascinated with Hollywood? Interested in film? Wanting to learn about world cinema? Then Film Studies is for you. Film Studies is designed to enrich your existing knowledge about film. You will watch a variety of films, some well known American or British films like Fight Club, Gladiator, LA Confidential and Trainspotting with some you may be less familiar with like Vertigo, The Third Man or Secrets and Lies.

Entry requirements:

C grade in English at GCSE.

Combine this course with:

Art, Photography, Law, Psychology, English Literature, Computing, Maths, Physics, Design and Technology, Drama, Business and Media Studies.

Essential if you go on to:

Advertising, Journalism, Teaching, Marketing, Promotion, Film Studies, Film Editing and Production.

Course Description

AS Level FILM STUDIES

Within AS Film Studies students study two modules: FM1 – Exploring Film Form (40%) and FM2 – British and American Film (60%).

FM1 – In this unit you will be introduced to the key terms that underpin an understanding of Film Studies. You will learn how to read a film and explore different meanings. You will do this through a written analysis and your own creative project, where you can make a short film.

FM2 – In this unit you will examine how the film industry works and the dominance of Hollywood in the industry. Using different case studies including perhaps Adulthood and Gladiator you will compare the British and American film industry. You will also study different genres and stars.

A2 Level FILM STUDIES

The second year of the A Level course aims to consolidate and build upon AS work and involves a personal research project based on the students’ own media interests. By the end of the course students will have completed the following two modules: FM3 – Film Research and Creative Projects (50%) and FM4 – Varieties of Film Experiences: Issues and Debates (50%).

FM3 – This unit is broken down into two parts. Part of this unit is the small scale research project, which is an independent study based on your own research on a specific director or topic. The second part of this unit is the practical application of learning. This is where you demonstrate your understanding of various conventions associated with film. You have the choice to present your own short film, screenplay or film reviews which will arise from the area investigated in the small scale research project.

FM4 – This unit focuses on the variety of film forms and their significance in terms of film history. Topics possibly covered might include World Cinema, Urban Stories,Empowering Women, Early Cinema (before 1917), Documentary, Experimental orPopular Film. This unit also comprises a close study of a contemporary film; options might include Fight Club (Fincher, USA 1999) and The Orphanage (Del Toro, Spain 2008). You must have your own copy of the films we are studying to help you with your work.

The Film Studies course is supported by a variety of educational visits including the Media Studies Conference, educational lectures and workshops as well as films at the London Film Festival.

How will the course be assessed?

Units FM1 & FM3 - by external courseworkUnits FM2 & FM4 - by exam in June (2 ½ hours)