Overview
A-Level Film Studies
Film is one of the main cultural innovations of the 20th century and a major art form of the last hundred years. Those who study it 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 consequently makes an important contribution to the curriculum, offering the opportunity to investigate how film works both as a medium of representation and as an aesthetic medium.
A-Level in 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.
It also aims to enable learners to:
- apply critical approaches to film and apply knowledge and understanding of film through either filmmaking or screenwriting.
Course Content
Component 1
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
Written examination: 2½ hours
Component 2
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 (1960-2000)
One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to one film option.
Component 3
This component assesses one production and its evaluative analysis. Learners produce:
· either a short film (4-5 minutes) or a screenplay for a short film (1600-1800 words) plus a digitally photographed storyboard of a key section from the screenplay
· an evaluative analysis (1600 - 1800 words).
Requirements
Requirements
5 GCSEs Grade 9-5, including maths and English Language at Grade 6 and English Language at Grade 6.
Careers
Career Pathways:-
- Broadcast presenter
- Film director
- Location manager
- Programme researcher, broadcasting/film/video
- Television camera operator
- Television/film/video producer
- Television production coordinator
- Advertising art director
- Archivist
- Community arts worker
- Event manager
- Marketing executive
- Public relations officer
- Runner, broadcasting/film/video