Scotch College

ENGLISH Year 10 — 2012

Film and Media Studies [Semester Unit]

Rationale 

Students will study aspects of two principle media forms, film and television. The course familiarizes students with theoretical aspects of each of these forms and provides them with the ability to critically analyze film and television texts in a range of ways.  The course also equips students with practical skills through the production of a short film shot on location, and a short television show recorded in a TV studio environment.  Assessment tasks encourage students to reflect critically on issues related to the production, distribution and reception of film through a range of practical and written assignments.

 

Student Outcomes 

• understand the aesthetics, styles and formats of film and television texts
• use and manipulate story and production elements, techniques and conventions to develop film and television texts 
• develop skills in using different types of equipment at different stages of the production process for film and television (scripting, story-boarding, camera, microphones, lights, TV studio equipment, computer editing)
• understand and control how audiences participate in the construction of the meaning of media and explain ways in which media texts reinforce or challenge social, cultural and artistic values
• use appropriate media terminology and personal interpretations to describe the structure, content and aesthetic qualities of film and television texts
• use critical approaches to analyze and interpret media texts and demonstrate an understanding of the histories and traditions of the films and television texts of selected societies and different cultural groups
• understand the social and industrial contexts in which production, circulation and reception of film and television occurs
• understand how media organizations have evolved, and compare production styles and treatment of themes in a variety of film and television texts
• understand and analyze the influence of media in society generally
• understand and analyze the film and television industries, in Australia and globally
• work together co-operatively in group situations
• present work to an audience for feedback and appreciation

Course Content 

• Unit 1:  Introduction to  Media 
• the importance of media in our lives; time, money, attitudes and worldview
• the development of communication media; from hieroglyphics to the world wide web
• the history of film making techniques and processes; from the zoetrope to CGI
• the history of film and television industries; Australia in the global media market

• Unit 2:  Analysis of Film and Television Texts 
• the language of film and television; cinematography, sounds and mise en scene
• the narrative and genre forms of film and television texts; westerns, sci-fi and soaps
• the production processes for film and television; key grips, gaffers and foley artists
• the viewing patterns and effects of film and television texts; ratings and censorship
• the importance of audience in the construction of a text’s meaning
• the way texts embody and/or challenge social values of the societies in which they are produced

• Unit 3:  Production of a Short Film and / or Short TV Show
• film pre-production; scripting and storyboarding a short film or television show
• film production; shooting with digital video cameras, lights and mics
• film post-production; editing using iMovie, adding soundtracks and SFX

Assessment 

Examination Research Assignments

Film Analysis Film Production