Media Department

Aims of the Media Studies Department

• To foster a love for cinema and television as modern art forms whilst understanding the commercial nature of their production.
• To foster the creativity of students by developing expertise and self-confidence in the use of media equipment.
• To understand how media representations of people and events are constructed and presented.
• To explore media from the perspective of their historical, social and cultural context.

Staffing

Mr D Fairhurst
Ms R Kaur-Grewal

Facilities

The Media Department has a fully equipped media room with multiple facilities.
The department is well resourced in terms of its well-qualified staff and specialist equipment, including video editing facilities and a wide range of media equipment.

KS 3 Introduction

The Media Department, as a part of the English Faculty, supports the development of media schemes of work and the use of practical equipment for Years 7, 8 and 9.

KS4 Introduction

The Media Department uses the AQA GCSE syllabus. Students complete investigations into different types of media chosen from film, television, newspaper and magazines or advertising. This understanding is then applied in practical work and requires the students to develop expertise in the use of media equipment.

KS5 Introduction

At A Level, students build on their GCSE work using case studies and original research to develop their knowledge and analytical ability. Practical work is more demanding in the necessity to emulate professional production techniques and the look of the final product.

A recent feature of the course has been a popular trip to the film studios of Los Angeles which takes in tours of the city and educational workshops. An inspirational experience for all concerned.

Special Features

Media Studies – Student Films

The Media Department has built up considerable expertise in film making and this year Media Studies students worked with Artist in Residence, Marcus Hibbert to further improve the quality and standard of their films. Marcus specialises in editing and has helped GCSE students with their editing using iMovie as the entry – level standard. Sixth Form students develop their skills through the use of Final Cut Pro, an industry standard editing software. Students gain valuable expertise in producing a variety of films ranging from pop videos to movie trailers. The sophistication and high standards apparent in the AS and A2 films are a result of the hard work the students have applied to their Media Coursework.  Marcus is also working with Mulberry Films.

GCSE Movies

These films are undertaken with great enthusiasm and enjoyment. The students make a short film from a variety of themes and its always interesting to see how the more accomplished they become, the higher the standards become which they set for themselves.

AS Movies

The brief for AS Level students is to create a title sequence for a thriller movie. This requires research into the thriller genre, looking at different styles of filming and identifying and targeting an audience. Students work in groups of 4 and have responsibility for all aspects of the production. They all did a fantastic job!

A2 Movies

A Level students are asked to create a pop video to a song of their choice. The students use Final Cut for editing and learn valuable techniques that raise the standard of their coursework. Music videos tend to be far more intensive in their use of props and costume, different shots and camera movements, editing skills, and dramatic settings. This demands really careful planning and organisation as well as a lot of imagination, producing excellent results.

Specialist School Subject - English Department