This video assumes that you will be taking a theoretical approach to the question. You can, of course, analyse scenes closely and bring some theory into your essay. Either approach is acceptable.
Wednesday, 20 June 2012
FM4 - Important exam info
Don't forget to state what films you have studied for each question with the year:
World Cinema - City of God (2002), La Haine (1995), Tsotsi (2005)
Popular Film and Emotional Response - Psycho (1960), Jaws (1975)
Single Film Critical Study - Fight Club (1999)
You can answer the questions in any order you wish. Answer three questions in total. You have about 55 minutes for each question, so spend 10 minutes planning and then 45 minutes writing. The Fight Club question is worth five marks less so definitely spend no more than 45 minutes on this question.
World Cinema - City of God (2002), La Haine (1995), Tsotsi (2005)
Popular Film and Emotional Response - Psycho (1960), Jaws (1975)
Single Film Critical Study - Fight Club (1999)
You can answer the questions in any order you wish. Answer three questions in total. You have about 55 minutes for each question, so spend 10 minutes planning and then 45 minutes writing. The Fight Club question is worth five marks less so definitely spend no more than 45 minutes on this question.
Monday, 18 June 2012
FM4 - Popular Film and Emotional Response (Empire 'Jaws' interview)
This interview has some interesting opinions on spectatorship at the end. http://www.empireonline.com/interviews/interview.asp?IID=1516
A2 Film Studies - Extra Lessons
I will be running extra lessons on:
- Periods 5 & 6 on 18th June
- Periods 1 & 2 on 20th June
Also on the 21st June (the day of the exam), I will be running a final lesson before the exam where we can look over some key scenes again to refresh your memory. If you would prefer to revise on your own that's fine.
FM4 - World Cinema (power, poverty and conflict): past questions
For this answer, you have the option of two questions. One question will be about the messages and values (themes, ideas, political stance, ideology, etc.) in the film and the other will be about technical features (camerawork, editing, sound, mise-en-scene).
The 'messages and values' question requires more of a macro approach, where you consider the film as a whole. The 'technical' question requires more of a micro approach, where you refer in detail to scenes from each film. If you choose the micro approach, you will still need to write about how technical features create messages and values but you can confine yourself to the messages and values in your chosen scene(s). If you choose the technical approach, you need to decide how many scenes you are going to use. You could analyse one scene from each film or you could use the best examples drawn from several scenes in each film. You do not have time to analyse several scenes in detail from each film.
If the technical question is about style you still write about micro features but you will need to compare the styles of your three films and perhaps make references to other films that your focus films have been compared to. You might also write about the genres that they fit into and their generic conventions.
Remember to compare and contrast the three films in terms of messages or values or micro features.
Obviously you need to choose the question that you are best prepared to answer.
1. Explore how the representation of urban environments contributes to the key themes of your chosen films.
2. ‘The stylistic choices made by filmmakers define not just the look but also the meaning of a film.’ How far is this true of the films you have studied for this topic? (June 2012)
1. Compare the different ways in which conflict between the poor and the powerful are represented in the films you have studied for this topic.
2. How significant is editing and/or sound in contributing to the power of the narrative in the films you have studied for this topic? (Jan 2012)
1. What is the importance of cinematography and/or editing in communicating issues of power, poverty and conflict in the films you have studied for this topic?
2. Compare the different ways in which conflict between the poor and the powerful are represented in the films you have studied for this topic. (June 2011)
1. Compare the attitudes to poverty conveyed in the films you have studied for this topic.
2. Explore how stylistic choices contribute to the representation of the urban experience in the films you have studied for this topic. (Jan 2011)
1. How far does the impact of the films you have studied for this topic depend on distinctive uses of film techniques?
2. How far do the films you have studied for this topic offer an analysis of the social issues they present? (June 2010)
More past papers here http://www.wjec.co.uk/qualifications/qualification-resources.html?subject=FilmStudies&level=GCEASA&pastpaper=true
Friday, 15 June 2012
FM4 Single Film Critical Study: past questions
For your Fight Club essay, you have the choice of three questions.
The first two questions generally ask you to consider other people's critical writings on the film and how that has helped your understanding and appreciation. The questions may use words such as 'approach', 'debate', 'framework', 'response' etc. Don't be put off by these words. They simply mean a way of analysing and understanding the film. Some useful essays, reviews and opinions can be found here http://howardschoolfilm.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/single-film-critical-study-fight-club.html but there will be other resources that you can find if you 'google' "Fight Club".
You will also have a question that will have Fight Club in the wording. Obviously you need to choose the question that you feel that you can answer best.
Past Questions (in groups of three):
How far has an awareness of the filmmaker as auteur influenced your response to your chosen film?
How far has particular writing by critics been important in developing your understanding and appreciation of your chosen film?
In developing a response to your chosen film, how valuable did you find the application of a particular critical approach?
Explore how far a particular debate by critics has influenced your understanding of your chosen film.
'Fight Club uses cinematic means to produce a fantasy which is also a serious exploration of masculinity.' How far does this statement capture your own response to the film? (Jan 2012)
Explore some of the ways in which placing your film within a broader critical framework has helped to develop your appreciation and understanding of specific sequences.
How far has critical debate about your chosen film shaped and altered your response.
Discuss critically some of the characteristics of Fight Club that have given it cult status as a film. (Jan 2011)
Explore some of the ways in which you have gained fresh insights into your chosen film as a result of applying one or more specific critical approaches.
How important have been the responses of others, such as film reviewers, in influencing your own response to your chosen film?
Explore the contribution of visual style to the overall themes of Fight Club. (June 2011)
How useful has a particular critical approach been in gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation of your chosen film?
Explain how your understanding of your chosen film has been influenced by critical debates.
'Marla is at the root of it,' says Jack in Fight Club. Discuss what this statement reveals about the film as a whole. (June 2010)
The first two questions generally ask you to consider other people's critical writings on the film and how that has helped your understanding and appreciation. The questions may use words such as 'approach', 'debate', 'framework', 'response' etc. Don't be put off by these words. They simply mean a way of analysing and understanding the film. Some useful essays, reviews and opinions can be found here http://howardschoolfilm.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/single-film-critical-study-fight-club.html but there will be other resources that you can find if you 'google' "Fight Club".
- The examiner will be expecting you to state your critical approach if you choose that question. The critical research we have studied is genre.
- If you are answering the question about critical writers/reviewers you need to state the interpretation of the film you have been influenced by e.g. satirical comedy, coming of age etc.
- You will also be expected to name at least one critical writer who has used that interpretation to analyse Fight Club (sometimes the question asks you about a critical debate which means you must have at least two critical interpretations).
- You will also be expected to state the title(s) of the critical writer(s) essay(s).
- You should be familiar with the points raised by the writer(s) and be able to explore and discuss those points in your answer.
- The best candidates will have an excellent understanding of Fight Club and be able to use a variety of examples from the film. To reach the highest level, you will need to have an excellent understanding of your critical approach(es). You will need to create strong arguments, considering the merits of critical approaches and developing your own original response to the film.
You will also have a question that will have Fight Club in the wording. Obviously you need to choose the question that you feel that you can answer best.
Past Questions (in groups of three):
How far has an awareness of the filmmaker as auteur influenced your response to your chosen film?
How far has particular writing by critics been important in developing your understanding and appreciation of your chosen film?
As a result of your close critical study, to what extent does Fight Club become either a more or a less complex film? (June 2012)
In developing a response to your chosen film, how valuable did you find the application of a particular critical approach?
Explore how far a particular debate by critics has influenced your understanding of your chosen film.
'Fight Club uses cinematic means to produce a fantasy which is also a serious exploration of masculinity.' How far does this statement capture your own response to the film? (Jan 2012)
Explore some of the ways in which placing your film within a broader critical framework has helped to develop your appreciation and understanding of specific sequences.
How far has critical debate about your chosen film shaped and altered your response.
Discuss critically some of the characteristics of Fight Club that have given it cult status as a film. (Jan 2011)
Explore some of the ways in which you have gained fresh insights into your chosen film as a result of applying one or more specific critical approaches.
How important have been the responses of others, such as film reviewers, in influencing your own response to your chosen film?
Explore the contribution of visual style to the overall themes of Fight Club. (June 2011)
How useful has a particular critical approach been in gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation of your chosen film?
Explain how your understanding of your chosen film has been influenced by critical debates.
'Marla is at the root of it,' says Jack in Fight Club. Discuss what this statement reveals about the film as a whole. (June 2010)
Thursday, 14 June 2012
FM4 - Popular Film and Emotional Response: past questions
You will have a choice of two questions. The questions encourage you to discuss emotional response, often by giving you a statement to consider. When you discuss a topic you try to examine it in a balanced way generally considering multiple angles and different points of view. You are not being asked to agree or disagree with the statement unless the question clearly asks you to do so. Remember that you are a spectator and you should write about your own response to the films. You should also speculate about how other spectators might have alternative responses (for example a female may read a sequence very differently from a male spectator). Additionally, you can write about how spectators of the time (i.e. when the films were released) responded to certain scenes and explain why current spectators might not respond in the same way. To answer this question you need to have a clear idea of the factors influencing spectatorship (see the introductory notes that we made in class) and be able to use key terms - see here: http://howardschoolfilm.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/fm4-popular-film-and-emotional-response.html
You will notice from the questions below that they are often a combination of a general one about spectatorship and a more specific one relating to micro features.
The general question encourages you to write about spectatorship theory, supporting your answer with examples from your films.
For the micro-specific question you might adopt the reverse approach - concentrating on close analysis of how the micro feature(s) manipulate your emotional response and linking that to spectatorship theory. So far, micro questions have focused on characters and the soundtrack, or have been more general using words such as 'techniques'. That means that likely questions might include: mise-en-scene, editing, performance or camerawork (cinematography). If you do this question, you can either: (A) refer to a small number of scenes from each film in detail (1-2 scenes from each), or (B) give an overview of several scenes from each film by referring to them in less detail but using the very best examples (the most relevant to the question) from each scene.
You could also get a 'concept' question - narrative has already been covered but you might get one on representation, genre or messages and values. Note that a 'style' question can be answered by reference to any combination of the above micro features (a 'style' question is really asking you about distinctive micro features in the film).
Don't forget to plan your answer!
1. How important is performance in understanding the spectator's emotional response to popular films?
2. Explore some of the film techniques that are particularly powerful in triggering an emotional response in the spectator. (June 2011)
1. 'One of the great pleasures of popular cinema is surrendering to the film experience and allowing ourselves to be emotionally manipulated.' Discuss.
2. 'Emotional response to a popular film is dependent on the ways in which we are made to identify with particular characters.' How far has this been your experience? (June 2010)
1. How far do spectators respond to the emotional content of films in the way the film-makers intended?
2. How important is the soundtrack in influencing the spectator's emotional response to the film? (Jan 2012)
1. How far is the emotional response to popular films influenced by different viewing contexts?
2. 'It is sometimes said that films generating a strong emotional response disarm the spectator's critical faculties.' Discuss how this has been true of the films you have studied. (Jan 2011)
1. ‘Narrative is often assumed to be the most important factor in triggering emotional response whereas style is often overlooked.’ How far do you agree with this?
2. ‘Some spectators can laugh, others cry at the same sequence.’ Explore why spectators may react very differently to the same sequences in the films you have studied for this topic. (June 2012)
1. Explore some of the ways in which the spectator’s emotional response to popular films is the result of visual elements such as cinematography, special effects or design.
2. ‘Spectators of popular film often bring to the viewing experience much prior knowledge as fans and informed filmgoers.’ Discuss how far this prior knowledge influences a spectator’s response. Refer to films you have studied for this topic. (Jan 2013)
You will notice from the questions below that they are often a combination of a general one about spectatorship and a more specific one relating to micro features.
The general question encourages you to write about spectatorship theory, supporting your answer with examples from your films.
For the micro-specific question you might adopt the reverse approach - concentrating on close analysis of how the micro feature(s) manipulate your emotional response and linking that to spectatorship theory. So far, micro questions have focused on characters and the soundtrack, or have been more general using words such as 'techniques'. That means that likely questions might include: mise-en-scene, editing, performance or camerawork (cinematography). If you do this question, you can either: (A) refer to a small number of scenes from each film in detail (1-2 scenes from each), or (B) give an overview of several scenes from each film by referring to them in less detail but using the very best examples (the most relevant to the question) from each scene.
You could also get a 'concept' question - narrative has already been covered but you might get one on representation, genre or messages and values. Note that a 'style' question can be answered by reference to any combination of the above micro features (a 'style' question is really asking you about distinctive micro features in the film).
Don't forget to plan your answer!
1. How important is performance in understanding the spectator's emotional response to popular films?
2. Explore some of the film techniques that are particularly powerful in triggering an emotional response in the spectator. (June 2011)
1. 'One of the great pleasures of popular cinema is surrendering to the film experience and allowing ourselves to be emotionally manipulated.' Discuss.
2. 'Emotional response to a popular film is dependent on the ways in which we are made to identify with particular characters.' How far has this been your experience? (June 2010)
1. How far do spectators respond to the emotional content of films in the way the film-makers intended?
2. How important is the soundtrack in influencing the spectator's emotional response to the film? (Jan 2012)
1. How far is the emotional response to popular films influenced by different viewing contexts?
2. 'It is sometimes said that films generating a strong emotional response disarm the spectator's critical faculties.' Discuss how this has been true of the films you have studied. (Jan 2011)
1. ‘Narrative is often assumed to be the most important factor in triggering emotional response whereas style is often overlooked.’ How far do you agree with this?
2. ‘Some spectators can laugh, others cry at the same sequence.’ Explore why spectators may react very differently to the same sequences in the films you have studied for this topic. (June 2012)
1. Explore some of the ways in which the spectator’s emotional response to popular films is the result of visual elements such as cinematography, special effects or design.
2. ‘Spectators of popular film often bring to the viewing experience much prior knowledge as fans and informed filmgoers.’ Discuss how far this prior knowledge influences a spectator’s response. Refer to films you have studied for this topic. (Jan 2013)
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