AS/A Level Film Studies

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What is A level Film Studies About?
A level Film Studies is really about studying and understanding that ideas and processes that are involved in communicating through film and in the making of films. It works at all levels: in a scene, the director's choice of lighting and camera angles, for example, determines our perception of characters. In the film as a whole, we make guesses about characters' motivations and actions based on our knowledge of other films in the same genre. At the level of the film industry as a whole, we have different expectations about a mainstream Hollywood film or an independent British production.

What will I learn on A level Film Studies?
This impressive course will help you understand more about films not only Hollywood films but also aspects of British Cinema. On this course you will investigate film making from the Hollywood studio system through to contemporary Bollywood. At AS Level you will examine contemporary American and British Cinema. You will get a chance to consider a wide range of films from the silent classics through to the contemporary era of CGI. You will also explore how the industry has survived the growth of TV and the Internet.

At A2 Level you will study world cinema and critical studies (debates and issues within the film world), while examining your own responses to film. Through a combination of screenings, practical sessions, lectures, group work, presentations and individual research you will explore aspects such as narrative, genre, representation, cinematography, editing and sound. You will then be able to analyse or ‘read’ a film. You will also have the opportunity to write a creative piece of scriptwriting or film journalism.

Sample Exam Question
In a typical question for the 'industry' paper, students would be asked to read two film projects (one very similar to Notting Hill, the other to The Full Monty) and decide which one should be subsidized if the British film industry is to survive competition from Hollywood.

Will A level Film Studies be suitable for me?
Obviously, Film Studies suits students who enjoy watching films. However, it should be stressed at this point that Film Studies is not a film club but an academic approach to film-making. Students should therefore be interested in finding out what goes on behind the scenes. Moreover, a large part of the assessment consists of essay-writing, so to do well in Film Studies you should have proved yourself in GCSE subjects such as English Literature.

Film Studies develops academic critical thinking, visual and critical awareness and important research skills. It complements other A Level subjects such as English Literature, History, Politics, Business, Sociology and Psychology, Photography, Art & Design, Media or Communication Studies.