Why Choose A-Level Film Studies?

This course is ideal for students with a love of both film and literature. Study across Years 12 and 13 will give students the tools to read film, focusing on the choices made by directors across a range of both historical and contemporary cinema.

This course is also for those with an active interest in film production, as the non-exam assessment offers the opportunity to create a short film or screenplay of their own design.

What Will I Study and Learn?

Students will follow the WJEC/Eduqas GCE A Level specification.

The WJEC Eduqas specification is designed to introduce A level learners to a wide variety of films in order to broaden their knowledge and understanding of film and the range of responses films can generate. This specification therefore offers opportunities to study:

• Hollywood 1930-1990
• American Independent Film
• British film
• European Film
• Film Production
• Global Film Documentary
• Silent Film
• Experimental Film
• Short Film

Production work is a crucial part of this specification and is integral to learners' study of film. Studying a diverse range of films from several different contexts is designed to give learners the opportunity to apply their knowledge and understanding of how films are constructed to their own filmmaking and screenwriting. This is intended to enable learners to create high quality film and screenplay work as well as provide an informed filmmaker's perspective on their own study of film.

Course Content

At A Level there are 2 exams, each worth 35%, and a 30% assessment of production work. The exams at A Level are 150 minutes long and consist of answering 3 extended response questions on Component 1 as well as extended response questions on Component 2.

Creative Production: The creative production element allows you to showcase the film-making or screenwriting skills developed during the course:

AS: Film Extract (video) or Film Extract Screenplay (with storyboard) Evaluative Analysis.

A Level: Short Film (video) Short Film Screenplay (with storyboard) Evaluative Analysis.

Student Comment:

“I have really enjoyed the Film Studies course so far. The work is challenging, and the teachers have high expectations in relation to work standards. I have enjoyed learning about the Classical Hollywood era so far, especially vertical integration and the famous director Alfred Hitchcock. This will also help me in my future career as a director; Film studies has put me on that path.”

 

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