Core Study Areas

In Film Studies there are THREE key areas of study that must be explored in relation to each film studied on the course, as questions on any element of these CORE STUDY AREAS could be asked in the exams at the end of Year 13.

The core study areas are as follows:

• THE KEY ELEMENTS OF FILM FORM (Cinematography, Mise-en-scene, Sound, Editing and Performance)

• MEANING AND RESPONSE (Aesthetics and Representation)

• CONTEXTS (Social, Cultural, Political and Institutional)

The questions in the exam could focus on ANY of the above for EACH film - it is therefore essential that you keep a folder for each film which includes notes on each of the key areas. This should include:

• an overview of the key areas of film form and their use within the film
• more detailed scene analysis from each of the films, discussing the ways that all the aspects of film form have been used in the scene to construct/create meaning for the audience - you must have analyses of the opening scene, the closing scene and at least two other key scenes for each film
• analysis of the aesthetics of each film - discussing the style and the look of the film, linking it to either the style adopted by the filmmaker across his or her work AND/OR the style of a genre or film movement
• discussion of the ways that film form is used to present certain social groups and cultures - with particular emphasis on the ways that ethnicity, gender and age is represented in each film
• notes on how the film reflects the dominant attitudes, beliefs and values of the society in which they were produced
• discussion of the ways the film reflects or challenges the culture in which it was produced, particularly the broader artistic styles prevalent at the time the film was made
• analysis of the ways the film presents political issues or events, either explicitly or more subtly within the sub-text
• notes on institutional contexts, principally in terms of finance and technology

This may seem quite daunting BUT there is a degree of crossover - film form, for example, is key to any discussion of aesthetics and representation OR the aesthetics of a film may be linked to elements of context such as where the films was made, the political point a filmmaker may be attempting to make or even the film's budget.

What is crucial is that you are prepared for the different types of questions that could be asked in relation to each film - frequently the questions will be related to one of these core areas of study.

It is worth noting, however, that for certain films on the course there will be additional SPECIALIST STUDY AREAS that you may be asked to discuss in the exams. General information on both the core study areas and the specialist study areas can be found elsewhere on this blog and on the individual blogs for each film - the links for which are at the bottom of the previous post which can be accessed by clicking on the link below.

A Bigger Boat...