Film Studies

Film Studies

Qualification

AS & A2

Results

A* - C grade: 83%

Awarding body

WJEC

The WJEC Eduqas A level in Film Studies course offers an excellent introduction to the film industry in both the U.S. and the U.K., with work covering the Classical Hollywood period, New Hollywood, contemporary American independent film and British film.  The course covers work on film movements, documentary film, global film and the short film. There is also the opportunity to produce a short film (4-5 minutes) or a screenplay for a short film (1600-1800 words) and a digitally photographed storyboard of a key section from the screenplay.

This is a linear qualification and therefore all examinations take place at the end of the second year.

American and British Film (2 ½ hours): This component assesses knowledge and understanding of six feature-length films.

  • Section A: Hollywood 1930-1990 (comparative study) Students will focus on two films, one from the Classical Hollywood period (1930-1960) and the other from the New Hollywood period (1961-1990).
  • Section B: American film since 2005 (two-film study) Two American films are studied, one mainstream film and one contemporary independent film.
  • Section C: British film since 1995 (two film study)

Global Filmmaking (2 ½ hours): This component assesses knowledge and understanding of five feature-length films (or their equivalent).

  • Section A: Global film (two-film study) Two global films are studied, one European and one produced outside Europe.
  • Section B: Documentary film Students analyse one documentary film.
  • Section C: Film movements-Silent Cinema Students will focus on one silent film or a group of short silent films.
  • Section D: Film movements-Experimental Film (1960-2000) One Experimental film is studied.

Coursework: Production (non-exam assessment)

This component assesses one production and its evaluative analysis. Learners produce: either a short film (4-5 minutes) or a screenplay for a short film (1600-1800 words) and a digitally photographed storyboard of a key section from the screenplay.

Film Studies stands well as an academic subject on its own, and is being increasingly recognised as such particularly with the growth in the film industry in the UK. It combines well with other subjects such as English, Media or Modern Languages.

Film graduates have made careers in areas such as communications, advertising, publishing, the cinema industry, journalism, broadcasting and education. Postgraduate courses have included Linguistics, Multimedia, Communication and Culture and of course, Film-making.

6 grade C’s at GCSE, including a grade C in GCSE English.