CRIMINOLOGY
APPLIED DIPLOMA
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A Level
Film Studies
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Hours
Per Week
UCAS
Points
Pass
Rates
Campus
Level
AQA
4.5
A* = 56
100%
Filton
3
100% A* - C
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Do you enjoy watching film and considering the deeper meaning behind its art form? Would you be excited about learning the craft of screenwriting and producing your own? Have you considered the impact global film has on the world? If you have answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then A Level Film Studies is the subject for you!
One of the main cultural innovations of the 20th century and a major art form of the last hundred-year is the development of film. Those who study it typically brings with them a high degree of excitement and enthusiasm for the subject, considered an important contribution to the curriculum. You will have the opportunity to investigate how film works as both an aesthetic medium and as a medium of representation. You will be introduced to a wide range of films and broaden your knowledge of the world in the process.
Film Studies is taught from the Eduqas exam board with exams sat at the end of the second year. In addition to this you will also complete a non-examined assessment (coursework) which accounts for 30% of the overall grade.
Entry Requirements
A minimum of five GCSEs at grade 4 and above, including Maths.
A grade 5 in GCSE English Language
A wide range of films will be studied from across the globe, focussing on specialist study areas for each unit. You will study seven units over the two years and also complete a Non-Examined Assessment (coursework).
1. ‘Hollywood 1930-1990': This unit introduces two films, one from the classical Hollywood period (1930-1960) and the other from the New Hollywood period (1961-1990). Within this unit your focus will be on understanding the impact the ‘Auteur’ has on the film making process, and the aesthetics and style of the film. You will study Vertigo and Bladerunner.
2. ‘British Film since 1995’: In this unit you will look at two British films which will focus your attention on ideology and representations. The two films you will analyse in depth are Trainspotting and This is England.
3. ‘American film since 2005’: This unit is a specialist study and draws on understanding theories of spectatorship and the impact the film has on the spectator, and vice versa with films such as No Country for Old Men and Beasts of the Southern Wild.
4. ‘Global film’: This unit takes you around the world, to pre-war Italy in Life is Beautiful and to Mauritania with Timbuktu. It allows you to study the way film is constructed across the world, and the way specific groups of people are represented and what we, and others can learn from this.
5. ‘Documentary film’: Here you will explore the award-winning documentary Amy which explores the explosive life of Amy Winehouse and asks you to consider the construction of the documentary as an art form
6. ‘Experimental film’: This explores Tarantino in close detail with a study which examines what an ‘Auteur’ is, and the impact they have with Pulp Fiction being your anchor for this.
7. ‘Silent Cinema’: This unit which expects you to engage with critical debates about the art form by exploring a range of classic, silent films.
8. ‘Non-examined Assessment’: Lastly, in both years of study you will complete a NEA (coursework) which will see you combining all your knowledge and understanding of film to create a film product – either a screenplay or a short film.
There are a variety of different progression routes you can follow with this subject. These can include different pathways to achieve numerous careers through Higher Education, Apprenticeships or Employment. Specific routes for Film Studies can include working in Film, Media or TV, Journalism, Writing, Teaching, Advertising, Marketing and Communications. Several of our students go on to study Film Studies or Film production at university.
Learners studying Film Studies are welcome to join our Foreign Films Academy, Events academy to support events such as cultural celebrations, and our English/Creative Writing academy. There are also regular talks organised for learners through our lunchtime talks series, and within specific academies from a diverse range of speakers. This may include academics from Film and Media departments at universities and people working in the world of Film. There will be opportunities for subject specific trips such as study days at the British Film Institute and to working film studios such as Pinewood and Aardman.
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