1. Critical perspectives in media
Exam section A

2. Question 1a
You will be examined on how you have developed your
skills over the course of 2 years; from your foundation
portfolio to advanced. There are 5 areas that you may
be asked to comment on:
• Digital technology
• Creativity
• Research and planning
• Post-production
• Using conventions from real media texts
There may be an overlap between these areas and you
will be expected to make links between these points.

3. Examples of past questions
• Explain how your research and planning skills
developed over time and contributed to your
media production outcomes. Refer to a range of
examples in your answer
• Describe a range of creative decisions that you
made in post-production and how these
decisions made a difference to the final
outcomes. Refer to a range of examples in your
answer to show how these skills developed over
time

4. • Describe how your analysis of the conventions of
real media texts informed your own creative
practice. Refer to a range of examples in your
answer to show how these skills have developed
over time
• Explain how far your understanding of the
conventions of existing media influenced the way
you created your own media products. Refer to a
range of examples...
• Describe how you have developed your skills in
the use of digital technology for media
production and evaluate how these skills
contributed to your creative decision making.

5. • Describe the ways in which your production
work was influenced by research into real
media texts and how your ability to use such
research for production has developed
• Describe how you developed research and
planning skills for media production and
evaluate how these skills contributed to
creative decision making. Refer to a range of
examples in your answer to show how these
skills have developed over time.

6. Genre questions
Explain how far your understanding of the
conventions of existing media influenced the
ways you created your own media products.
Refer to a range of examples to in your
answer
~
Analyse one of your coursework productions in
relation to genre

7. Conventions of short films
Looking specifically at ‘Black Hole’, analyse how it
includes the conventions of the genre ‘short films’
• Includes a twist
• Small budget
• Shot on location
• Action and images, rather than lengthy dialogue, to
develop characters/narrative
• Social commentary/ emotionally provocative
How do these conventions work to create a successful
short film?
Consider, film type and audience expectations.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5_Msrdg3Hk

8. Conventions of social realist films
• Filmed on location
• Commentary on wider society
• Long shots (emphasising realistic aesthetic)
• Regional identities
• Working class heroes

9. Task
• Find 2 films which use typical conventions of short films.
• Find 2 film clips (from different films) which demonstrate
typical conventions of the social realist genre
• Find 2 examples of film posters which reflect the
conventions of the social realist genre
Annotate the posters and stills from the films so that genre
conventions are clearly highlighted.
(if possible, these should be examples that you have already
looked at in your research)
Think about the following question:
How far, do you think, does your production(s) conform to or
challenge typical conventions of short films/ social realist
genre?
Be prepared to share your films/ clips and posters and
discuss them.

10. Your film
• How did including/ adhering to the conventions of
short films affect the way in which you constructed
your film?
• How did including/ adhering to genre conventions
affect the way in which your film was constructed?
• How did including/ adhering to conventions of short
films/ genre affect the way in which you wanted the
audience to react/ read your film?
• What specific examples from media texts inspired this?
• What specific examples from your own production
reflect this?

11. Conventions of film openings
• What did you learn about the conventions of
film openings in your research?
- How are enigmas created?
- how are characters introduced?
- How did you consider genre conventions?
• How did you include conventions of film
openings in the planning and production
stages of your project?

12. Task
Find 2 examples which illustrate how your film
openings follow conventions of structure and
conventions of genre. Collect screen shots/ still
images to illustrate this too.
If possible, use screen shots/ still images of how
your construction challenges genre or format
conventions.
Annotate your images to show exactly how your
have conformed to or challenged conventions

13. Your film openings
• How did including/ adhering to the conventions
of film openings affect the way in which you
constructed your film?
• How did including/ adhering to conventions of
short films affected the way in which you wanted
the audience to react/ read your film?
• What specific examples from media texts inspired
this?
• What specific examples from your own
production reflect this?

14. Demonstrate your progression as a
media student!!
How has the development of your knowledge
and understanding of conventions enabled
you to produce successful and interesting
products?

15. AO1: analysis, explanation or argument: use examples from your productions and real media conventions to analyse how you have developed over the yea
Consider the necessity of understanding conventions. Also consider how conventions of ancillary tasks influence your research and outcomes. How has the
development of your knowledge and understanding of conventions enabled you to produce successful and interesting products?
AO2: use of examples from your research, planning and outcome(s) to illustrate how you have developed your skills or how key media
concepts have influenced decision making . Use examples of how real media conventions affected decision making
AO1: Use of terminology
Question:
Explain how far your understanding of the
conventions of existing media influenced the ways
you created your own media products. Refer to a
range of examples to in your answer .

16. AO1: analysis, explanation or argument: use examples from your productions and real media conventions to analyse how you have developed over the yea
Consider the necessity of understanding conventions. Also consider how conventions of ancillary tasks influence your research and outcomes. How has the
development of your knowledge and understanding of conventions enabled you to produce successful and interesting products?
AO2: use of examples from your research, planning and outcome(s) to illustrate how you have developed your skills or how key media
concepts have influenced decision making . Use examples of how real media conventions affected decision making
AO1: Use of terminology
Question:
Analyse one of your coursework productions in
relation to genre

17. Digital technology