Further practical work is carried out in at least two different media which will culminate into evaluating your production work. (50%)

You will also study a contemporary media issue, such as Online Media, the Media and Democracy, Global Media, Media and Identity, or Postmodern Media. (2 hour exam)

 

Advanced GCE Media Studies (H540)
A2 G324: Advanced Portfolio in Media
25% of the total Advanced GCE marks Coursework 100 marks	This is a coursework unit where candidates will produce a media portfolio and a presentation of their research, planning and evaluation.
	Assessment Criteria: Please refer to Appendix B of this specification.
	This unit is synoptic.
A2 G325: Critical Perspectives in Media
25% of the total Advanced GCE marks 2 h written paper 100 marks	This question paper has two sections:
	Section A: Candidates are required to answer onequestion on Theoretical Evaluation of Production.
	Section B: Candidates answer one question from a choice of six from Contemporary Media Issues.
	This unit is synoptic.

 

 

ADVANCED PORTFOLIO

The purpose of this unit is firstly to assess students’ ability to plan and construct media products using appropriate technical and creative skills; secondly to assess students’ application of knowledge and understanding in evaluating their own work, showing how meanings and responses are created; and finally to assess students’ ability to undertake, apply and present appropriate research.

This is a coursework unit and students will produce the following:

5. a media portfolio, comprising a main and ancillary texts;
6. a presentation of their research, planning and evaluation in electronic format(s).

THE BRIEF:

• A promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video, together with two of the following three options: 
• a website homepage for the band; 
• a cover for its release as part of a digipak (CD/DVD package);
• a magazine advertisement for the digipak (CD/DVD package

Students have to answer the following questions in their electronic evaluation which will be in the form of a blog or customised web page such as WIX.com:

EVALUATION QUESTIONS

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? 
2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts? 
3. What have you learned from your audience feedback? 
4. How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

WRITTEN EXAM UNIT: CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES IN MEDIA

Section A: Theoretical Evaluation of Production (50 marks)

Students answer two compulsory questions. The first requires them to describe and evaluate their skills development over the course of their production work, from Foundation Portfolio to Advanced Portfolio. The second asks them to identify one production and evaluate it in relation to one theoretical concept.

Question 1(a) requires students to describe and evaluate their skills development over the course of their production work, from Foundation Portfolio to Advanced Portfolio. The focus of this evaluation must be on skills development, and the question will require them to adapt this to one or two specific production practices. The list of practices to which questions will relate is as follows:

• Digital Technology
• Creativity
• Research and planning
• Post-production
• Using conventions from real media texts

Question 1(b) requires candidates to select one production and evaluate it in relation to a media concept. The list of concepts to which questions will relate is as follows:

• Genre
• Narrative
• Representation
• Audience
• Media language

In the examination, questions will be set using one of these concepts only.

Section B: Contemporary Media Issues

One question to be answered from a choice of six topic areas offered by OCR. There will be two questions from each topic area.

The topic areas require understanding of contemporary media texts, industries, audiences and debates. The topics we cover are

1. Contemporary Media Regulation
2. Media and Collective Identity

Students must choose one of the following topic areas studied, in advance of the examination and, through specific case studies, texts, debates and research of the students’ choice, prepare to demonstrate understanding of the contemporary issue. This understanding must combine knowledge of at least two media and a range of texts, industries, audiences and debates where there would be emphasis on the historical, the contemporary and the future in relation to the chosen topic, with most attention on the present.