Short Stories - Very Useful!

http://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/Short-story

Look at these to structure the opening of your film if you need to. That way it keeps you all professional - nobody's idea is necessarily the dominant one thues saving arguement.

Choose a story then consider how narrative structures such as Todorov's, binary opposites, and enigma codes/ narrative arcs would work in the entire plot. This will help you to decide on where abouts in the story to open your film as well as the prominence (importance) given to various aspects of the opening - ie what you need to establish for the audience.
You as a group just need to decide how.

To Do For 1st Dec

1) A sketch of your Main Task as it would be as a feature (1 1 /2 hour) film. Lokk at notes below to help you...

2) Watch 3 openings to films of your chosen genre, hyperlink to them and answer - i) how they establish setting
ii) how they establish character
iii) how they set up enigma codes

Be as detailed as you need to be and make sure that you use hyperlinks.

Planning your Main Task

1)
In your groups, brainstorm the main narrative for a film:
Who is the protagonist?
What is their aim?
How do they have to achieve their aim?
What’s the antagonistic force? (what’s stopping them getting what they want?)
How do they end up overcoming the antagonistic force?

2)

You can then do the following detailed plan:

Sketch , write or both… (label pictures as you plan)


Break down the narrative into three parts:
i)Establishing character – main Ch’r - where does he /she live? What’s the best way of stereotyping them and their situation? (think of mise en scene etc) What music will we hear over which represents the ch’r or tone or genre of the film?

Do the same for the antagonist.

ii)A turning point – ch’r comes to a point of no return. Where does this take place? … refer to questions in (i)

iii)How does the main ch’r overcome the protagonist? Once again, refer to the questions in (i)


3)
Now, decide which part of the film you will open with.
Remember that you will always need to establish character and setting in an opening but you may begin at any point in the story. You should include visual or sound motifs. You should also set up enigma codes.

By Monday then 12D:

1) Complete both storyboards and upload on to blogs
2) Script the Prelim. task
3) Props and actors organised for Tuesday, Periods 4 & 5


That hyperlink for slide share:

http://www.slideshare.net

Narrative arcs are used by writers to construct texts: See this hypelink for example:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4493584_create-narrative-arc-fictional-character.html

Where you should be up to now

1) the Preliminary Task needs filming and editing this week and next... hot on the heels of this will be the Main Task for which you will be assessed. You need to plan how you will execute these tasks in your group - know the aims fro the Prelim. Task and practice being accurate with your shots and editing.

2) All tasks set on the blog need completing on your blog or else you're compromising your position on the course. Make sure that you're following this blog publically so that your progress can be monitored and supported.

So, Y12, you've got an extra day off... and you know what we're gonna do as super-keen teachers? We're gonna capitalise on your extra time by setting you another homework task - I hope you're grateful!

Now, as well as you essay to reflect on CAGE in representation, you must, by Tuesday 7th October:

Analyse a TV clip on you r blog with a focus on how mise en scene establishes the codes and conventions of a particular genre to anchor the audience's understanding / reception of the text and create meaning for an active and /or passive audience. You should use stills to illustrate your analysis - a minimum of three stills should suffice.

Remember to include: use of use of camera shots and camera movement to establish mise en scene. How the messages are codified (made into codes) by producers and how the audience is encouraged to decode these messages / signs. How these codes / signs are typical of this type / genre of TV drama and how the audience may be aware of this.

In analysis, your writing needn't be more than 300 words. You could use hyperlinks to sites that show further research on your part into active and passive audiences if you wish.

Go for it Y12! Remember the 4 to 6 best blogs from the year group will get a day off school to go to a students' film festival on the 16th October.

Homework by 29th September

Explain, in your own words, at least six differences between TV drama and cinema. You could use a table to illustrate this. You must post this on your blog.

Homework by 6th October

To what extent does the nature of an institution affect the representation of CAGE in a given text? Refer to at least three British TV dramas in your answer.

Use the language of semiotics as much as possible. (500 – 750 words)

Powerpoint work from Mr Wroe

Address these questions in pairs in a powerpoint presentation which you will deliver to the class

Questions on Institutions
1) Name of Institution
2) When was the institution established?
3) Most popular TV programme:
4) Most popular TV drama:
5) What’s their mission statement?
6) How is it funded? (ie is it a commercial channel funded by advertising or is it a PSB)
7) You need to explain what PSB (public service broadcasters) are. Or explain how advertising and sponsoring funds the programmes and channel. You should go into some detail here.
8) What are its complementary channels and what are its partners? (which channels make up the group that is the institution?)
9) What is its presence on the internet? You should make hyperlinks from your blogs to various sites run by the institution
10) By looking at their channels and scrutinising their content, what do you perceive as their values?
11) What audiences do they produce media for? Is it a wide or narrow target audience?

We’ll go back to these institution presentations later when we look at convergence

Homework:

Under the title: Codes and Conventions of Camerawork in TV Drama

Insert a 30 second clip onto your blog by installing the video option on your dashboard and inserting a clip from youtube. Analyse the clip using genre, codes and conventions, explaining, in 100 - 200 precise words how the medium uses shot types and camera movement to signify meanings to its audience.

You could insert a clip from another site as long as it's TV drama and appropriate for us all to view in class on Tuesday 15th September

Welcome to Cherwell Media blogging

This is Ms Bird and Mr Wroe sending a message to our Year 12 media group. You will be following the OCR Media Studies A Level syllabus and we have set up this blog for you to use throughout the course. It will operate as a way for us to share information and ideas with you as well as, importantly, a way for you to be self reflective; a key requirement of the syllabus.

This blog is basic in form. It will model the use of some functions, for example, hyperlinks and video postings. However, you will each be producing your own blog which you will maintain throughout the Media Studies course, the contents of which will form an important part of your final assessment for G321- the Foundation Portfolio Unit. Your blog will be, of course, more detailed, more inventive and will include a range of media through which you will be able to demonstrate to us (and your external examiners) your learning and understanding.

Enjoy Tuesday's lesson, where Mr Wroe will be setting up your blogs with you. Please feel free to comment appropriately on this blog.