CCR Q1 conventions, representations

THE CAIE BLURB:

Make sure the FULL question appears at the top of each Eval post!!! Its not a bad idea to do as I do below + include all 4, to help you remember the range of Qs you'll need to address.

Creative critical reflection
On completion of the product, candidates must creatively reflect upon their work. Candidates may use any digital format, such as director commentaries, a presentation with voiceover, podcasts or screencasts. Candidates may use a different digital format to explore each of the compulsory questions. The creative critical reflection should be produced and presented individually.
Candidates must explore the following compulsory questions:

1. How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?
2. How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?
3. How did your production skills develop throughout this project?
4. How did you integrate technologies – software, hardware and online – in this project?

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DB GUIDE POSTS

I've covered the 2 themes (conventions; representations) in separate posts, but you should answer the Q in this single post.

I've also provided an Eval overview, including an extensive list of creative suggestions. Whatever format/s you use, provide link/embed to whatever source/s inspired your presentation style so examiners can see its not random (assume they won't be familiar with whatever show etc you're reflecting).

CCR Q2 audiences (engagement), distribution

THE CIAE BLURB:

Make sure the FULL question appears at the top of each Eval post!!! Its not a bad idea to do as I do below + include all 4, to help you remember the range of Qs you'll need to address.

Creative critical reflection
On completion of the product, candidates must creatively reflect upon their work. Candidates may use any digital format, such as director commentaries, a presentation with voiceover, podcasts or screencasts. Candidates may use a different digital format to explore each of the compulsory questions. The creative critical reflection should be produced and presented individually.
Candidates must explore the following compulsory questions:

1. How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?
2. How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?
3. How did your production skills develop throughout this project?
4. How did you integrate technologies – software, hardware and online – in this project?

...

DB GUIDE POSTS

I've covered the 2 themes (audiences; distribution) in separate posts, but you should answer the Q in this single post.

I've also provided an Eval overview, including an extensive list of creative suggestions. Whatever format/s you use, provide link/embed to whatever source/s inspired your presentation style so examiners can see its not random (assume they won't be familiar with whatever show etc you're reflecting).

CCR Q3 skills development

THE CIAE BLURB:

Make sure the FULL question appears at the top of each Eval post!!! Its not a bad idea to do as I do below + include all 4, to help you remember the range of Qs you'll need to address.

Creative critical reflection
On completion of the product, candidates must creatively reflect upon their work. Candidates may use any digital format, such as director commentaries, a presentation with voiceover, podcasts or screencasts. Candidates may use a different digital format to explore each of the compulsory questions. The creative critical reflection should be produced and presented individually.
Candidates must explore the following compulsory questions:

1. How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?
2. How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?
3. How did your production skills develop throughout this project?
4. How did you integrate technologies – software, hardware and online – in this project?

...

DB GUIDE POSTS

I've covered this Q in this post.

I've also provided an Eval overview, including an extensive list of creative suggestions. Whatever format/s you use, provide link/embed to whatever source/s inspired your presentation style so examiners can see its not random (assume they won't be familiar with whatever show etc you're reflecting).

JOURNEY: EVOLUTION OF AN IDEA

Every time you have an idea, right from the very start, or tweak and evolve a more detailed idea, record the key details here, using dates within a subheading

When you're finishing up, provide a link to the screenplay but outline (in post or Ppt/Word) your final narrative using the hopefully familiar theories...

An eg of an update:

MY EARLIEST ROUGH IDEAS (Sept 8th)

Nothing specific just yet, but I think I'd like to work within the horror - specifically slasher - (sub-)genre, possibly a chase scene. I really liked Evie's AS production, which features a chase scene, obvious intertextuality with classic horrors, and even a postmodern twist!

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This ties in with the CCR Q3 (and the AO2 assessment criteria). This post will make answering that question much easier...

OUR TARGET AUDIENCE

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To keep the list of posts easily visible I've hidden a detailed response to a query under the read more link
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CONVENTIONS RESEARCH: KEY INFLUENCES

This is one of the most important posts on your blog!!!
Its close to being a draft of Eval Q1!
Its basically your chance to very unsubtly scream at the examiner - oi, mate - look over here at all this APPLYING of research!!!
Overall, its a summary of your key findings - you needn't repeat all the detail (but highlight the specific bits that you might mimic/simulacra/be influenced by with direct/specific illustration). Key word here is MIGHT - you're not stating you WILL be influenced by aspects you include here.
Its definitely helpful to include egs you've seen that you consciously reject/want to avoid - explain why. You could do that as a separate vodcast or section, or just as you go along theme by theme.

Try to be as specific as you can about how you might apply these aspects of media language (included titles, idents etc) BUT remember that this is FUTURE TENSE ... this is how I might/will use this influence. It doesn't need to be a true reflection of what you eventually did.
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1. IDENTS, COMPANIES, PRODUCTION CONTEXT
2. TITLES
3. SOUND; GENRE SIGNIFICATION
4. 1ST SHOT
5. CENTRAL PROTAGONIST + NARRATIVE
6. MISE-EN-SCENE FOR EXPOSITION
7. TRANSITIONING TO MAIN FILM
8. AUDIENCE/REPRESENTATIONS + OTHER POINTS

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CONVENTIONS – media language including genre, narrative, representations

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1. IDENTS, COMPANIES, PRODUCTION CONTEXT
2. TITLES
3. SOUND; GENRE SIGNIFICATION
4. 1ST SHOT
5. CENTRAL PROTAGONIST + NARRATIVE
6. MISE-EN-SCENE FOR EXPOSITION
7. TRANSITIONING TO MAIN FILM
8. AUDIENCE/REPRESENTATIONS + OTHER POINTS

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Your hub for demonstrating how your knowledge + understanding of media language develops, starting with the basic shot type exercises. In most cases you are applying this to analysis of film opening (sometimes past coursework) examples.

Note that this broad field includes material crucial for at least 2 of your Evaluation/CCR Qs (Q1 + Q2). Its important to consistently provide specific illustration (eg screenshot/clip/audio) and clearly identify the film being referenced. We'll frequently use WT/Warp examples to help you with your exam preparation - any and all such textual analysis is also designed to help you with the TV Drama exam Q.

You need to provide analysis of a mix of general (any genre) examples to begin with, but focusing on the genre you've chosen as you get further in.

THE FILM INDUSTRY

You can gather as much material as you like on the film industry; you need to show overall you've learned from the research you've presented that you've understood the fundamentals of how the industry works for Indies and big 5 alike. This is an opportunity to utilise and reinforce exam-centred learning.

You should find yourself using a LOT of terms - update your overall list as you go.

You'll need to reflect on this learning in the evaluation question on distribution - and there's a lot of industry context to the titles as well.

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Use the following themes to help you set out what you've learned about how the film industry operates, using key terms (and updating the theory post as you do!). Once you've summed up the big 5 make particular use within each theme of your Warp v WT (indie v vertically integrated subsidiary) knowledge to boost your exam preparation.

1. THE BIG 5 AND GLOBAL MARKETING/DISTRIBUTION - GANT TEST AND RISE OF CHINA
2. CAST/STARS
3. GENRE, HYBRIDITY
4. FRANCHISE, IP
5. SOUNDTRACKS/OSTs
6. DIGITISATION, DISRUPTION, CONVERGENCE ... HAS THE RELEASE WINDOW BEEN SMASHED? PVOD, NETFLIX et al
7. DIGITISATION, DISRUPTION, CONVERGENCE ... PIRACY, HOME CINEMA + THE END OF THE DVD BOOM
8. DIGITISATION, DISRUPTION, CONVERGENCE ... MICROBUDGET MOVIES, SELF-DISTRIBUTION + MY MEDIA EXPERIENCE!
9. DIGITISATION, DISRUPTION, CONVERGENCE ... VR AND GAMING
10. AGE RATINGS
11. FILM FESTIVALS, CRITICAL ACCLAIM
12. CGI/SFX
13. 3D/IMAX (3D), 4D
14. REPRESENTATION ISSUES: BECHDEL TEST, MALE GAZE, GEENA DAVIS, WHITEWASHING

THE BIG 5 AND GLOBAL MARKETING/DISTRIBUTION - GANT TEST AND RISE OF CHINA

CAST/STARS

GENRE, HYBRIDITY

FRANCHISE, IP

SOUNDTRACKS/OSTs

DIGITISATION, DISRUPTION, CONVERGENCE ... HAS THE RELEASE WINDOW BEEN SMASHED? PVOD, NETFLIX et al

DIGITISATION, DISRUPTION, CONVERGENCE ... PIRACY, HOME CINEMA + THE END OF THE DVD BOOM

DIGITISATION, DISRUPTION, CONVERGENCE ... MICROBUDGET MOVIES, SELF-DISTRIBUTION + MY MEDIA EXPERIENCE!

DIGITISATION, DISRUPTION, CONVERGENCE ... VR AND GAMING

AGE RATINGS

FILM FESTIVALS, CRITICAL ACCLAIM

CGI/SFX

3D/IMAX (3D), 4D

REPRESENTATION ISSUES: BECHDEL TEST, MALE GAZE, GEENA DAVIS, WHITEWASHING

See Dr Strange whitewashing...