A Level Film Studies
Film studies is an exciting and broad course in which students will study the key elements of film from silent cinema, through the golden days of Hollywood and into global contemporary cinema. It is a creative and analytical subject that allows students to develop critical analysis skills, cultural and socio-political understanding as well as communication and presentation skills.
The course is an academic study of film designed to develop an understanding of a diverse range of cinema. It will explore film practice within a social, political and cultural context, applying critical approaches to a range of cinema. Films will also be studied as an aesthetic art form via a series of key analytical techniques.
Syllabus (EDUQAS) and Examinations
Component 1: Varieties of Film and Filmmaking.
- Section A: Hollywood 1930-1990 (comparative study). 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).
- 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.
- Section C: British Film since 1995 (two-film study). One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to two British films
- Written examination (2 hours 30 minutes - 35%)
Component 2: Global Filmmaking Perspectives.
- Section A: Global Film (two-film study). One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to two global films: one European and one produced outside Europe.
- Section B: Doumentary Film. One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to one doumentary film.
- Section C: Film Movements - Silent Cinema. One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to one silent film or group of films. Section D: Film Movements - Experimental Film (1960-2000). One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to one film option
- Written examination (2 hours 30 minutes - 35%)
Component 3: Production.
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) plus a digitally photographed storyboard of a key section from the screenplay; the evaluative analysis is 1600-1800 words in length.
- Non-exam assessment (30%)