Film Studies GCSE

Film is an important part of many people’s lives. GCSE Film Studies is designed to draw on your enthusiasm for film and introduce you to a wide variety of cinematic experiences through films which have been important in the development of film and film technology. On this course, you will experience a powerful medium which inspires a range of responses, from the emotional to the reflective, as you are drawn into characters, their narratives and the issues films raise.

The Film Studies GCSE consists of three components:

Key Developments in US Film: This component assesses knowledge and understanding of three US films chosen from a range of options. You will study one pair of US mainstream films and one US independent film produced between 1930 – 1960 and 1961 – 1990; using these films to explore key developments in film and film technology.

Global Film: Narrative, Representation and Film Style: This component assesses knowledge and understanding of three global films produced outside the US chosen from a range of options including one global English language film, one global non-English language film and one contemporary UK film.

Production: This component assesses the ability to apply knowledge and understanding of film to a production and its accompanying evaluative analysis. You will produce an evaluative analysis of the production in relation to comparable, professionally-produced films or screenplays.

Module Titles

US film comparative study

Key developments in film and film technology

US independent film

Global English language film

Global non-English language film

Contemporary UK film.

Production

70% Exam

30% Coursework

Exam Board: WJEC

At least 3 GCSEs at Grade 4.

Grade 3 in GCSE English and GCSE Maths.

Students who have not achieved a Grade 4 in GCSE English and/or GCSE Maths must retake these as part of their study programme.

An introduction to Film Studies at this level opens up options both academic and vocational. Academically, it is an ideal grounding for both A Level Film Studies and other media-based courses. Vocationally, students will find out about many areas of employment within this nationally important area of the economy. It could be the ‘jumping off point’ for any of the thousands of technical careers in this area or the inspiration to start building a student’s own portfolio and film-making career.