This brand new, colourful, jargon free guide will take you on a step-by-step journey, enabling groups or individuals to create films of their own. This guide is specifically designed for new film makers and is written by Lizzie Sykes, Senior Lecturer in TV Production at Bournemouth University and a community film maker with over 15 years’ experience. 

The aim of the guide is to provide its readers with the information they need to make key decisions about the films they want to make, and avoid common pitfalls that many groups experience....

Here are some apps that are used in and out of the Film Studies classroom. We’ve attempted to find links to the different operating systems to help identify if the version you need exists.

Language

Close Up Film Language Glossary iOS

The Close-Up Film Language Glossary of the well-known German Educational Publishers Schöningh provides clear and concise definitions of essential film language terms used in basic and advanced film courses. Though geared for use in high school (particular sixth forms) and higher education the glossary is...

Apparatus Film Theory

‘Apparatus’ is another word for the means in which a specific production is created. In the case of film / cinema, the film projector and the screen. Apparatus Theory is a model of spectatorship and institutions. It argues that cinema is ideological (based on ideas) because the films are created to represent reality. This means that because film is created to illustrate different ideas, everything has meaning - from the camerawork to the editing. It argues that ideology is not imposed on cinema, but is part of its...

Associated Resources

• Audacity Cross-Platform Sound Editor

Step 1 | Importing Sound or Music

Click on the Project tab and select Import Audio. Choose your selected sound effect or music track from the hard drive.

Note: Music or sounds from CDs should be uploaded onto the computer hard drive first, rather than importing from CD.

Audacity will then load the audio file into the project window.

Step 2 | Functions

The Selection Tool

This is the most useful icon and will allow you to select a place on a track. With this cursor you can play...

Associated Resources

Feedback Student Sheet.doc

A huge part of your teaching day will be giving feedback, albeit on behaviour, discussion or practical work. One area which can be improved is feedback in terms of your students’ presentational skills. You probably give them clear commentary on their content, but it is of equal merit to guide them with their presentation of the work. The stages of feedback is to initially analyse, evaluate, reflect and then improve. You need to model, guide and encourage students to be confident in...

Guide for Teaching the Whole Text

When teaching the whole text there are several things to be aware of: some are planning, some are teaching and learning strategies. This guide is to help you be aware of what needs to happen before you start, so once you have that film on - you are confidence that the students will be analysing a text, rather than watching it. This is applicable for teachers of all ages and abilities.

You may also want to think about how other subjects prepare students for studying a moving image text in other subjects....

At Edusites, we believe that we can help to teach the different elements you need for teaching your subject. This is the first in a range of iTraining Guides for teaching the practical side of the subject. As the WJEC Film Studies course requires you to also be able to teach Print and Photography, we will be following these mediums too.

FilmEdu already has teaching material on the following, which you will find helpful to go alongside this guide. Here are some links to get you started:

• Micro Analysis
• Film Opening Analysis
• Film Analysis ~...

Half or Full Day Film Studies Courses in Your School

Programme Details

Although we have workshops and revision sessions listed below, we would also be thrilled to offer you a more bespoke package. This can be based on year groups, classes or one-to-one student led or can be based on either exam / internal assessment, theory or practical work.

We are also keen to work with teachers and departments and can offer CPD for your subject specific needs.

Our practical workshops usually include:

Teacher Workshops

• Understanding the assignment paper...

Synopsis

It is Gromit’s birthday and he is feeling particularly ignored by Wallace. When the post arrives, he eagerly seeks it out but find a rather tacky and unoriginal card ‘To a dear dog’ from Wallace and nothing else. Wallace presses his alarm for breakfast and reminds Gromit that it is his turn for breakfast, so Gromit obliges. Wallace finally gives Gromit his presents, which bemuse him - a collar and lead (so he can finally look like he “belongs to someone”) and techno-trousers that can take him for walks.

Gromit goes for a...

Paper 1 | Superhero Films Case Study | Spider-Man

“Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can; spins a web, any size, catches thieves just like flies look out! Here comes the Spider-Man”

Synopsis and Character Profiles

Toby Maguire plays Peter Parker, an orphaned, teenage High School student plagued by feelings of inadequacy and rejection. He is stereotypically ‘geeky’ and pines for the ‘girl next door’, Mary Jane Watson (played by Kirsten Dunst), and lives with his Uncle Ben and Aunt May, who he is very close to and who...

Synopsis

A television news report provides the prologue / chorus for Romeo and Juliet, introducing the tale of the “star-crossed lovers”. The city of Verona is divided by a feud between the two wealthiest businessmen - Lord Capulet and Lord Montague.

As the Montagues arrive in a petrol station, they are met by the Capulets. Whilst Benvolio (leader of the Montagues) tries to maintain peace, Tybalt (leader of the Capulets and “King of Cats”) cannot be persuaded and leads them into battle. Tybalt shoots one of the Montagues as they drive...