The Media Production and Analysis General is a highly practical course that aim to prepare students for a future in a digital and interconnected world by providing the skills, knowledge and understandings to tell their own stories and interpret others’ stories.

Through the process of investigation, students engage with topics, issues and themes in the Media, building key media literacy skills. The production of media work enables students to demonstrate their understanding of the key concepts of media languages, representation, audience, production, skills and processes as well as express their creativity and originality.

When producing media work, students learn to make decisions about all aspects of production, including creative choices across pre‐production, production and post‐production phases. This provides an opportunity for students to reflect on and discuss their own creative work, intentions, and outcomes. Within this process, skills are developed enabling students to manipulate technologies which simulate industry experiences.

Year 11 General Course

Unit 1 - Mass Media

The focus for this unit is on the mass media. Within this broad focus, students reflect on their own use of the media, common representations, including the examination of characters, stars and stereotypes, and the way media is constructed and produced.

Students are introduced to the languages of the media, learning how codes and conventions are used to construct representations within narratives. They examine the media that surrounds them and consider how audiences interpret media representations of people and their associated values. Students analyse, view, listen to and interact with common media work from their everyday use. Students in this unit will study stars, heroes and ‘blockbuster’ films. They also generate ideas and, with the assistance of their teachers, learn the basic production skills and processes as they apply their knowledge and creativity in their productions.

Unit 2 - Point of View

The focus for this unit is on point of view, a concept that underpins the construction of all media work. In this unit, students will be introduced to the concept and learn how a point of view can be constructed. They will analyse media work and construct a point of view in their own productions. In contexts related to point of view, students analyse, view, listen to and interact with media work in commercial and non‐commercial media. Students in this unit will study a range of media forms including current news stories, photographic sequences and wiki sites such as blogs. They learn about production processes and some of the controls that influence decision-making in media production. Students develop strategies and production skills when creating their own media work.

Assessments

Production
70%
Students have a school-based assessment requirement through Production.
Response
30%
Students have a school-based assessment requirement through Response.

Year 12 General Course

Unit 3 - Entertainment

Students expand their understanding of media languages, learning how codes and conventions are used to construct entertainment media. They examine the process of representation and the way values are constructed in media work. Students consider how the experiences of audiences influence their responses to media and how media work is shaped by the production context and through the production process. Students in this unit will study promotional and marketing strategies, animated sitcoms, local and international film. Students analyse, view, listen to and interact with interesting and relevant media work. They also generate ideas and learn production skills and processes as they apply their knowledge and creativity in their productions.

Unit 4 - Representation and Reality

The focus for this unit is on representation and reality. Representation is the act of representing or constructing identities, places or ideas based on shared values and understandings. Students will consider different types of representations and how they relate to the construction of reality within media work. Students have the opportunity to choose from a range of media genres and styles and examine ways in which codes, conventions and techniques are used to dramatise and represent reality while at the same time engaging and informing audiences. In contexts related to representation and reality, students analyse, view, listen and interact with a variety of media work. They learn about production controls, constraints and responsibilities. Students continue to develop strategies and production skills when creating their own media work.

Assessments

Production
60%
Students have a school-based assessment requirement through Production.
Response
25%
Students have a school-based assessment requirement through Response.
External Assessment
15%
Students will be required to complete an externally set task developed by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority.

Courses