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Film Studies

Entry Requirements

Minimum Grade 5 GCSE in English or English Literature

Who is it for?

Film studies is ideal for any student who loves film and wants to develop an in-depth understanding of the production techniques and process as well as the history of cinema. The course will allow students to develop critical and analytical skills of how film creates meaning for a viewer. The range of narrative forms used in visual storytelling and the social, and political issues and themes film explores within their historical context.

Course Structure

Paper 1: (35%)

This unit focuses on the comparison and analysis of the film. It explores a range of cinema forms and periods of film history while also considering the production contexts with two key texts selected for each section:

Section A: Hollywood 1930-1990

  • Casablanca
  • Bladerunner

Section B: American film since 2005

  • No Country for Old Men
  • Winter’s Bone

Section C: British film since 1995

  • Under the Skin
  • Moon

Paper 2: (35%)

This unit focuses on World Cinema and exploring a range of more experimental cinema forms and narratives. The key texts for this section are:

Section A: Global Film

  • European film – Pan’s Labyrinth
  • Outside Europe – House of Flying Daggers

Section B: Documentary

  • Amy

Section C: Film Movements (Silent Cinema)

  • Spies / Sunrise

Section D: Experimental Cinema

  • Pulp Fiction

Non-Examined Assessment: Production Brief (30%)

  • An independent project that will either be an original screenplay for a short film between 1600 or 1800 words or alternatively a short film between 4 -5 minutes. An evaluative analysis will also need to be completed with a comparison to selected short films

Assessment

2 units are examined and 1 is coursework.

University Pathways

This course provides excellent preparation for Higher Education study and would develop a range of skills transferable to courses in: English Literature, History, Drama, Law, Media, Communication Studies and Media Production.

Career Opportunities

This course provides students a range of skills such as analysis, critical thinking, research, debate, creative writing and production which could lead to professions in Media and Communication, Journalism, Marketing, Creative Writing, Editing and Media production.