FM3: Aims and Context

You need to provide an aims and context for your 'Creative Project' at A2 (FM3) which outlines the techniques and approaches that will be employed in your production. For assessment purposes a series of bullet points on a coversheet highlighting the following is sufficient:

genre of film (or equivalent - type/form/movement) film/script/step outline whether it’s a short film or extract (and if so, whether it’s opening,

climactic sequences etc.) target audience - arthouse/film festival/mainstream key stylistic elements of sequence (cinematography, editing etc.)

Candidates may refer to film issues raised during their studies at AS.

if working in a group (moving image only) state role in the production: Director/Camera Operator/Editor etc.

The example below gives a hypothetical example and includes reference to film issues raised during AS & A2 studies.

Example:1. 'Farewell my Maltese Lady from Shanghai' - film/video production2. Crime/Thriller short.3. Target audience of 15-year-old, middle-class males, knowledgeable

about film.4. Suitable for Art House and Film Festival audiences5. Apply cinematography techniques developed for thrillers.

a. Explore codes and conventions of genre b. Develop the stylistic features explored in films such as…

6. As director, try out directing techniques (from directors such as …)

Guidance notes from WJEC: http://www.wjec.co.uk/index.php?subject=54&level=21&list=docs&docCatID=24 

A2 Notes for guidance from WJEC: http://www.wjec.co.uk/uploads/publications/8796.pdf

FM3: Reflective AnalysisReflective analysis - approximately 1000 words or equivalent (15 marks, including aims and context) 

The reflective analysis should select key features of the creative product and reflect critically on both the creative process and the product. Candidates working in a group should focus on the construction and impact of their role. 

Reflective Analysis: Guidance

You will need to prepare a reflective analysis of the complete process (story idea/cinematic techniques used/film sequence or photo-storyboard) involved in this Practical Application of Learning

A good reflective analysis is honest, detailed and will cover all aspects of the work you have produced in a concise manner whilst reflecting upon on how far it has met it’s aims. It should not be descriptive (“I did this …..then I did that”) but highlight what was good about it and what parts are weaker,

WJEC: What should be included in the Reflective Analysis? 

It is closer to a micro analysis of the kind submitted for FM1 than it is some kind of broadly based production report.

Students should bring to bear their Film Studies knowledge in order to evaluate aspects of their own work, for example, in terms of what they were trying to achieve and whether the creative decisions made proved to be appropriate ones. Certainly some reflection on creative intention within their chosen role, and an understanding of potential affect is advisable. Given the limited length of this analysis, the student is strongly recommended to focus on precise moments, and particular key decisions made.

You should include:

A critical approach to the micro features you have used: cinematic techniques

Be critical (positive & negative) of the stylistic techniques used (sound, editing, lighting, camera, mise-en-scene), what aspects do you consider worked well or not so well and why? Would these provoke an emotional response in the audience?

Assess how well you have applied these. How could you have improved the work? Would your intended audience be capable of understanding your intended meaning/s or enjoy your work?

Discussion of the narrative and how well your message/s were received. Could you have used a more effective structure or varied techniques? Did your audience find it difficult to follow or understand.

Discussion of the appropriateness of the characters used and whether your choices could have been better. How would an audience respond to them?

Discussion of the plot and how well your own initial ideas turned out. What improvements could you have made?

What was your role in the team and what do you consider the strengths and weaknesses are of the aspect of work you produced.

Remember to consider the target audience for the genre of film you have worked within. How would they respond to your ideas?

A2: WJEC FAQs

Q. Does this mean that the demonstration of learning, of knowledge and understanding, is more important than the quality of the artefact produced? The intrinsic quality of the artefact is important and students should be encouraged to work to the highest standards they can attain within the restraints imposed by time and resources. However, students should be constantly reminded that their work is being assessed primarily in relation to the ideas contained in the work. So the specification requires not only a clearly thought through set of aims but also provide clear evidence in the artefact itself of Film Studies ideas being engaged with. Again, to quote the specification, "the Creative Project should demonstrate candidates’ active engagement with issues raised during their studies at AS and A2" (p.18). 

The student is given the opportunity to make explicit the ideas informing their work in the reflective analysis.

Q. What is the breakdown of marks for the Creative Project? Creative Work – documentary step outline, screenwriting or video

making (45 marks) Reflective Analysis – a continuous piece of writing or a blog or other

similar web based format or a dvd commentary (15 marks)

Q. A statement of “Aims and Context” is compulsory but not assessed – can you explain? For whichever Creative Project option that is chosen, it is vital that the student has a clear sense of their aims and the context(s) out of which the work emerged. Form FM3a (page 51 of the 2009 Specification) has space for the very brief outline of this information. As the Specification makes clear: “the aims and context’ must be completed on the appropriate cover sheet, other wise the Creative project and accompanying Reflective Analysis cannot be adequately assessed.” (page 19, 2009 Specification). Without knowing what the work set out to achieve, it is impossible to reach an understanding of whether it was successful in meeting its aims. 

What WJEC says

Q. The writing to be submitted with the creative work is also

described as an ‘analysis’. Why is this? This piece of writing is indeed intended as a second close reading of a piece of film material – the essential difference is that this material has been produced by the student. This investigation is from a producer’s perspective (the student as producer of her own creative work) rather than from a spectator’s perspective.  From a producer’s perspective the focus will be on the intended response of the audience as a generality

Q. So this is not the standard ‘evaluation’ so often required to accompany practical work? Correct. This is a further investigation, one that reflects on the deployment of formal micro elements and their impact in producing meaning and response. Students are challenged to think through her/his creative choices in relation to intention and effect. It is ‘evaluative’ in the same way that the 1500 word Written Analysis is evaluative: it will lead to some reflective judgements being made on how effective are certain micro features. 

TerminologyEditing Terminology

Transition (how a shot goes from one-to-another) Continuity editing (one of the most common forms of editing,

continuity devices are used to make the edit appear smooth so as not to distract the viewer from the narrative)

Axis match (the angle of the camera remains the same from shot to shot)

Cross cut/Parallel cut (editing that alternates between two or more scenes happening at the same time)

Direction match (the direction of a person or object is consistent across the cut) 

Dissolve (shot A gradually fades and is replaced with shot B with a momentary superimposition of both shots)

Duration and pacing (the length and rhythm of shots) Long take (shot that continues for a long time - could be a tracking

shot that follows characters or could just be a shot that doesn't end for over 40 seconds)

Eye-line match (a cut where characters appear to look at each other because of the direction of their glances).

Fade-in (a gradual lightening of the image from black to light) Fade-out (gradual darkening of image to black) Movement match (action begun in one shot is continued/completed

in the next) Wipe (one image replaced with another - usually vertically but can

take other shapes) CGI (computer generated images) Slow motion/fast motion (images slowed down or speed up)

Sound Terminology

DIEGETIC- any sound, voice or piece of music that comes from within the world of the narrative. 

NON DIEGETIC- sounds that are not in the film but are added later e.g. sound effects

DIALOGUE- the words that are spoken on screen. SOUND BRIDGES Often the sound from one scene will continue into

or over the next scene  PARALLEL SOUND as, as the name suggests, the music tone and

mood matches (hence ‘parallel’) the action on screen. CONTRAPUNTAL SOUND- where the music tone and mood do not

match the action seen on screen e.g. Jaws… happy images of children on the beach but a dark, sinister sound being played dur dur…

A LEITMOTIF is a musical term referring to a 'short, constantly recurring musical phrase associated with a particular person, place, or idea for example: the recurring music when Indiana Jones comes to the rescue. 

INSTRUMENTAL- the sounds played by an orchestra without lyrics. SOUNDTRACK- A recording of the musical accompaniment to a

movie.

Cinematography  ( Camera work terminology):

Camera movement

DOLLY - The camera is mounted on a cart which travels along tracks for a very smooth movement. 

DOLLY ZOOM - A technique in which the camera moves closer or further from the subject while simultaneously adjusting the zoom angle to keep the subject the same size in the frame. 

PAN - Horizontal movement, left and right.  TILT - Vertical movement of the camera angle, i.e. pointing the

camera up and down. TRACKING - Roughly synonymous with the dolly shot, but often

defined more specifically as movement which stays a constant distance from the action, especially side-to-side movement.

ZOOM - Technically this isn't a camera move, but a change in the lens focal length with gives the illusion of moving the camera closer or further away. 

ARC - Camera moves around a 180 or 360 degree point.

Camera shots

EWS (Extreme Wide Shot)-The view is so far from the subject that he isn't even visible. Often used as an establishing shot. 

WS (Wide Shot)-The subject takes up the full frame, or at least as much as comfortably possible.AKA: long shot, full shot.

MS (Mid Shot)-Shows some part of the subject in more detail while still giving an impression of the whole subject. 

MCU (Medium Close Up) -Half way between a MS and a CU  CU (Close Up)-A certain feature or part of the subject takes up the

whole frame.  ECU (Extreme Close Up)-The ECU gets right in and shows extreme

detail.  Cut-In -Shows some (other) part of the subject in detail Over-the-Shoulder (OSS) Shot Looking from behind a person at the

subject. Point-of-View Shot (POV)-Shows a view from the subject's

perspective Two-Shot-A shot of two people, framed similarly to a mid shot

Camera Angles

EYE LEVEL - This is the most common view, being the real-world angle that we are all used to. It shows subjects as we would expect to see them in real life. It is a fairly neutral shot.

HIGH ANGLE - A high angle shows the subject from above, i.e. the camera is angled down towards the subject. This has the effect of diminishing the subject, making them appear less powerful, less significant or even submissive.

LOW ANGLE - This shows the subject from below, giving them the impression of being more powerful or dominant.

BIRD’S EYE - The scene is shown from directly above. This is a completely different and somewhat unnatural point of view which can be used for dramatic effect or for showing a different spatial perspective.

CANTED ANGLE - Also known as a dutch tilt, this is where the camera is purposely tilted to one side so the horizon is on an angle. This creates an interesting and dramatic effect and makes the

audience feel disorientated.