Film Studies A Level

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A Level Film is a great option if you are wanting to progress onto prestigious universities and opens up excellent job prospects in the creative film industries. Film Studies focuses on the aesthetic qualities of film: the narrative structure and the use of cinematography, editing, light and sound, and how all these different elements combine to create meaning and generate a strong emotional response. You will study mainstream, Hollywood films, as well as a broad range of British, foreign and experimental film. Our approach is similar to English Literature – we focus on developing a critical understanding of film from a number of different perspectives; genre, narrative, film language, representation and social, cultural and historical contexts.

If the analysis of films and the development of critical thinking, research skills and creative skills sounds like an exciting prospect then Film Studies at Wyke Sixth Form College is very much for you.

The Film department offers you a unique experience due to the extensive facilities and resources we have available. The department has two rooms of edit suites offering Premiere Pro & Photoshop for working on coursework projects. These are used in industry and allows you to prepare your skills for future study or work placements. The department offers bookable kit to loan including a vast range of DSLR cameras, a drone, dollies, tripods, sliders, a bookable photography studio and much more to make a technical production. The department does not expect you to purchase your own kit to be fully immersed in the film production.

The course is made up of 3 components.

COMPONENT 1: VARIETIES OF FILM AND FLIMMAKING

Written examination: 2 ½ hours, 120 marks (35% of qualification)

This component assesses knowledge and understanding of 6 feature-length films.

Section A: Hollywood 1930-1990 (comparative study)

You will answer ONE question from a choice of two, requiring reference to TWO Hollywood films, one from the Classical Hollywood period (1930-1960) and the other from the New Hollywood period (1961-1990).

Focus films:

Classical Hollywood – Vertigo (Hitchcock, 1958), PG

New Hollywood – Blade Runner (Scott, 1982), 15

Section B: American Film since 2005 (two-film study)

ONE question from a choice of two, requiring reference to TWO American films, one mainstream film and one contemporary independent film.

Focus films:

Mainstream film – LA LA Land (Chazelle, 2016), 12A

Contemporary Independent film – Captain Fantastic (Ross, 2015), 15

Section C: British Film since 1995 (two-film study)

ONE question from a choice of two, requiring reference to TWO British films.

Focus films:

This is England (Meadows, 2006), 18

Fish Tank (Arnold, 2009), 15

COMPONENT 2: GLOBAL FILMMAKING PERSPECTIVES

Section A: Global Film (two-film study)

You will answer ONE question from a choice of two, requiring reference to TWO global films: one European and one produced outside of Europe.

Focus films:

European Film – Pan’s Labyrinth (Del Toro, Spain, 2006), 15

Outside of Europe – City of God (Mereilles, Brazil, 2002), 18

Section B: Documentary Film

You will answer ONE question from a choice of two, requiring reference to ONE documentary film.

Focus film: Amy (Kapadia, UK, 2015), 15

Section C: Film Movements – Silent Cinema

You will answer ONE question from a choice of two, requiring reference to ONE silent film.

Focus film: Sunrise (Murnau, US, 1927), U

Section D: Film Movements – Experimental Film

ONE question from a choice of two, requiring reference to ONE film option.

Focus Film: Pulp Fiction (Tarantino, US, 1994)

COMPONENT 3: PRODUCTION

Non-exam assessment, worth 60 marks (30% of qualification)

ONE production and its evaluative analysis. You will produce a screenplay for a short film (1600-1800 words) plus a digitally photographed storyboard of a key section from the screenplay [40 marks].

The A Level course is delivered over 2 academic years. You will receive 4 hours 40 minutes of lessons per week, although you are also expected to complete work independently outside of lessons. Each group is taught by one teacher and the focus within lessons will be very much upon applying the concepts taught within the classroom to accounting based problems. This will be backed up by thorough and regular classroom-based assessment.

70% Exams, 30% Coursework

Information on course specific and pathway specific entry criteria can be found on our website.

A Level Film Studies a great choice if you are wanting to progress on to prestigious universities and open yourself up to excellent job prospects in the creative film industries or media sector.