A Level Film Studies

Do you love film? Are you interested in how films are created? Have you ever wanted to produce your own piece of film?

If you have a keen interest in cinema: its history, its relationship with an audience and its cultural diversity, then this is the course for you!

What will I study?

he subject content for Film Studies is divided into three components:

1. Varieties of film and filmmaking
2. Global filmmaking perspectives
3. Production

Component 1 WJEC Varieties of film and filmmaking – 35% (2.5 hour exam)

Section A: Hollywood 1930-1990 – a comparative study of films from two of the key decades in American film history.

Section B: American film since 2005 – a two-film study. One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to two American films: one mainstream and one contemporary independent film.

Section C: British film - one question from a choice of two, requiring an exploration of two British films, produced since 1995.

These will include Casablanca or Vertigo, Bonnie & Clyde, Inception, Frances Ha!, Secrets & Lies, and Shaun of the Dead however, we have yet to finalise our choices for teaching from September 2018.

Component 2 WJEC Global filmmaking perspectives – 35% (2.5 hour exam)

Section A: Global film (two-film study). One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to two global films: one European and one produced outside Europe.

Section B: Documentary film. One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to one documentary film.
Section C: Film movements – Silent cinema. One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to one silent film or group of films.

Section D: Film movements – Experimental film (1960-2000). One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to one film option.

During the two year course you will study five feature length films for this component. These may include Pan’s Labyrinth, Victoria, Taxi Tehran, Amy, Vertov’s Man With a Movie Camera/A Propos de Nice (Vigo) and Timecode, however, please note we have yet to finalise our text choices for teaching from September 2018.

Component 3 WJEC Non-Exam Assessment: Production – 30%

This component assesses one production and its evaluative analysis.

Learners produce:

• either a screenplay for a short film (1600-1800 words) plus a digitally photographed storyboard of a key section from the screenplay or a short film (4-5 minutes).

• an evaluative analysis (1600 - 1800 words).

Film Studies Extras

• First-hand experience of film being created, at a film studio
• Excursions to film/TV production facilities for a taste of 21st century editing and production techniques
• Access to World Cinema new releases
• Experiencing film in its intended location: Classic Cinema trips

Minimum Entry Requirements:

5 x 5s

4 in English and Maths

Subject Specific Entry Requirements:

6 in a humanities subject or English GCSE

* Please note that Level 2 vocational courses are the equivalent of 1 GCSE and only 1 will be counted towards the A-Level pathway entry requirements

What can I do with Film Studies after sixth form?

Having studied a rich variety of film texts, you will have gained analytical insights into how films are created and marketed, how they reflect the concerns of the societies that produce them and how consumers engage with the world of film in the twenty-first century. This will complement other areas of study and prove a cultural touchstone for a variety of occupations including Politics, Journalism and Media/Digital Communications or for working in TV, Radio and Film industries.