Film Studies - Key Stage 5
Film Studies develops critical thinkers; those who can explore and evaluate different film movements, technological advancements and institutional restrictions and use them to critique changes in our social history, changing representations of gender and race and consider their place in the film industry of the future.
Our students will hone their analytical skills in this essay subject, but also balance in with the creative and technical coursework elements through producing their own short film. This curriculum is designed as a foundation year to undergraduate study, with many of our alumni students pursuing and working in Film and Television.
Exam board/Qualification: Eduqas - A Level Film Studies
- Final examination taken at the end of the two year course (Year 13)
- Paper 1: Varieties of filmmaking (35%)
- Paper 2: Global filmmaking perspectives (35%)
- Coursework unit: 5 minute short film and evaluation (30%)
Topics Covered
- Introduction to film form and narrative theory
- Hollywood: Casablanca and Bonnie & Clyde
- British Film: This is England and Trainspotting
- American film: La La Land and Beasts of the Southern Wild
- Coursework – research and planning
- Coursework – filming, editing and evaluation
- Global Film: Pan’s Labyrinth and City of God
- Silent Film: Sunrise
- Documentary Film: Amy
- Experimental Film: Pulp Fiction
Timetable
Over a fortnightly timetable students receive:
- 10 hours of guided classroom learning
- 1 hour of guided independent learning per day
Enrichment and Extra Curricular
To Read
- The Guardian – criticism of La La Land over their representation of race, gender and jazz
- New Republic’s massive criticism of Beasts – embedding racism and sentimentalising poverty
To Watch
- Do the Right Thing (Lee, 1989)
- I, Daniel Blake (Loach, 2016)
- Victoria (Schipper, Germany, 2015)
- Stacey Dooley on the frontline: Girls, guns and ISIS (Dooley, UK, 2016)
- The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (Wiene, 1920)
- The Favourite (Lanthimos, 2018)
To Listen
- Bullets and Blood (Amazon Audible free audiobook about the Hollywood era, gangsters and technological advancements)
- The Adventures of Alfred Hitchcock (Amazon Audible free audiobook all about Hitchock’s career, role of women in cinema and WW2)
- BAFTA Masterclass: Asif Kapadia
- Quentin Tarantino’s Feature Presentation
- The Rewatchables
- Inglorious Basterds
- Reservoir Dogs
To Research
- Future Learn online courses:
- Explore Filmmaking: from script to screen
- Film Distribution: connecting films with audiences
- An introduction to screenwriting
- Gender representation in the media
To Visit
- BFI and Maidstone Studios Film Academy
- Speciality course: Craft skills
- Speciality course: Screenwriting
- Speciality course: Film programming and audience development
- Speciality course: Documentary
- Speciality course: Stop-motion production
- Speciality course: Animation and VFX
Careers
We have a wealth of information on our Careers page - Please click here to visit.
