Evaluations..

So Mac 1 have bravely gone first and shown us how NOT to do your evaluation... Apologies for the pic/sound quality - this is my first effort at recording/editing/uploading to YouTube on the iPad (no batteries in Flip):

From this vid, we can see the following:

Don't use your phone for answers (Heather)

Do be prepared with DETAILED responses

Refer to your influences

Don't start having an argument half way through (Yasemin and Millie)

Don't be a smart arse (Mollie)

Speak loud and clear

Do support each other rather than giggle..

Do watch and learn from the 7 vids I posted earlier on this blog - they may not be perfect answers but those two girls (not the lad in the tie) do present an exceptional evaluation. Don't be put off by their use of Final Cut in their eval - it's really not necessary..

All you have to do is answer the 7 questions in a sensible, mature yet informal manner.

Mac 2 are recording theirs on Tue 3&4, Mac 1 are going again on Tue at 3:20 - am still waiting for other groups to tell me when they're doing theirs!!

Don't forget, blogs are to be closed by Friday 6th May!

7 Evaluation Questions

Here're the questions you need to be prepared to answer:

1. In what ways does your film opening use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

2. How does your film opening represent particular social groups?

3. What kind of media institution might distribute your film opening and why?

4. Who would be the audience for your film opening?

5. How did you attract/address your audience?

6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this film opening?

7. Looking back at your prelim task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the final film opening?

EASY!!!!! Keep it informal, light yet informative.

EVALUATIONS!!

Eek - where's the time gone??

Right, you've got to plan and we've got to film your Evaluations of your final films..

Here're a couple of examples - not saying they have to be ANYthing like these, but they're good to get an idea how to prepare for them:

Considering your blogs MUST be closed on Friday 6th May, we have to film them this weekish in order to give you time to edit them, put fancy credit/questions on...

SO, I need a date and time from your group when we can film - they'll prob take about 10/15mins, depending on the depth of your answers. May I suggest that you each take a question and plan an answer - share the ones left at the end. I'll put up the 7 set evaluation questions in a minute but you can obviously get them from the above vids.

Look forward to hearing from you all..

All Groups - Note about Music

Quite a few of you now have used the excellent LGFL site that provides non-copyrighted sounds and music for your films.

You must ALL show on your blogs, screenshots of your decisions, sounds you discarded, reasons for why you chose what you chose.

If you don't, the examiner/moderator will mark you down - no negotiations, you'll just drop marks.

So archive EVERY little decision you made about the SOUNDS of your film.

Mac 2 - Don't Forget..

Katrina, Natasha, Lucy and Nada - your couch potato logo looks fantastic, but don't forget that you must archive your work on it on your blog.

Otherwise, it'll look like you've nicked it from somewhere (even though I know you didn't) and the examiner/moderator will need to see how you got to make the decisions you made about reflecting yourselves as lazy spuds.

Possibly, lots of screen shots of the other pics you took?? Or footage of you lot making them??

Prep for Premier Screening on 7th April..

Joely, and everyone else who wants it for their blogs - here's the audience feedback sheet that'll be on chairs for the 7th April evening (although do think this was the original draft that Ms Poulten produced and that the question, 'What do you think we could improve?' has been removed):Evaluation Sheets - AS and A2

Once they're all filled in, we'll distribute them to you as a group then it's up to you how you want to present the info on your blogs.. you could quote from them, collate all the comments and present as a graph/diagram - whatever you feel best fits your blog.

Don't forget, am not in on Friday so last minute tinkering must all be finished during that lesson as I really don't want to be going through major decisions on Monday - that lesson's for burning your films to your group's DVDs ready for Thursday and for feeling smug that it's all nearly over!

On Monday, we can start discussing how/when to film your Evaluation Q&As (which am THOROUGHLY looking forward to..)

Mac 2 - Help Needed

Hello everyone - just had this comment from Natasha:

"Could you tell everyone to check out my blog, I've asked for title ideas, so I'd love to get some suggestions on there! :) thanks!"

So please help her/them out.. here's a quick link to her blog.

Only 23 days..

Following on from today's lesson, am so pleased that ALL the groups are right on track for D-Day of April 7th.. Just a few icky bits to sort out on everyone's films.

Don't forget, we're all helping Andrea and Charlotte on Friday - and you two, make sure you've storyboarded, dialogued and anticipated all possible mishaps that might happen so it won't waste everyone's time but be quality, finished filming.

Also, as a group, you need to create/produce your Audience Feedback Forms that'll be used on April 7th. The sooner you do that, the better - is one less job for you to be thinking about.

Do give me a shout if I can help with anything in the build-up to finishing everything off!

Last Night's Cinema Trip

EXCELLENT turnout from the group - nice to see:

Katrina

Vali

Mollie

Millie

Yasemin

Heather

Lucy

Natasha

Andrea

Joely

Beste

and maybe it wasn't the best idea for all the scaredy-cats (and I include myself in that) to be sitting right at the front!

Got a couple of gripes about the film though - wasn't that impressed by the editing - what was the thing about the cats' names? Why did Father Lucas make such a deal out of that for Rosario to then name them all? Was waiting for some kind of link or scene - think maybe that and other stuff shouldn't have been left in..

And not too happy about the red-eyed mule..

Confirmed Cinema Trip

It is confirmed - Thur 3rd March - 6:50pm

So meet in the foyer bit of Cineworld at 6:45pm and HOPEFULLY it'll be a good film..

Must admit, it's had mixed reviews - click here for the Guardian review.

Trip to see 'The Rite'

So remember that scary Anthony Hopkins film? About the Catholic priests exorcising nasty demons in the Vatican?? It's out now.. how about:

Thur 3rd March at 6:50pm or 9:40pm?

Comment on this post to let me know if you can make it - am thinking the earlier 6:50pm show (it is a school night, after all)

Well Done to Mac 1!

Well done to Millie, Mollie, Heather and Yasemin (and Yasemin's dad) - you finally got your last day's filming shot.

And congrats to you for being my first ever group for having "Can you stop filming please, this is is a private residence" being shouted at you... Infamy indeed.

Lots of pics on Millie's blog, also some great archive footage on Heather's - can't wait to see it edited and slotted into your final film.

42 days to go, people!

Well Done to Mac 4!

Excellent stuff from Alice and Vali - they've got an (almost) completed first draft done - have a look on Alice's blog.. loads of transitions and obviously the titles to do but am so pleased they've got the foundations/bulk of it captured.

How's everyone else getting on?

Mac 1 - you still on for filming tomorrow??

Individual Blogs - Half Term Work

Just realised not going to see you before we break up for half term - stupidly assumed we had Friday's lesson...

SO, at some point tomorrow, do all try and pop in to see me to discuss your blogs and group filming/editing plans for the holiday. I'm only busy 3&4 - all other time I'll be in there working away so any distraction will be a welcome relief.

You don't need to come alone, you can come as a group if you like.. that'd probably be better actually so everyone knows and understands what they need to be doing.

Just so you know, you've got 49 days left to finalize your films.

Here's my favourite advert of the moment - love the choice of shots and the use of panning:

Great Post on Pete's Blog

I know you all read Pete's blog religiously, (like I do), but just in case you haven't seen it in a while, here's a really good post from him recently, about WHY you should study Media Studies at A level (click here for the direct link):

Also, there're a couple of posts above this one, on the more controversial topics of the recent sexism Andy Gray/Richard Keys fiasco on Sky Sports and the Top Gear racism Mexico episode - it does make very good reading, so make sure you're caught up with his blog.

"WHAT'S THE POINT OF MEDIA EDUCATION?

Every now and again, usually at 'A' level results time, you get media coverage attacking the subject of Media Studies. David Buckingham's excellent presentation from the Media Magazine conference gives an overview of these attacks and offers some strong rebuttals of them. It happens at all levels, though, with people arguing that students shouldn't be 'wasting their time' with the media but should be learning to read and write and add up, whether it be children in primary schools, English in KS3 (last year's story about a school teaching about The Simpsons), at GCSE and A level ('dumbing down' when you supposedly should be doing Science and Languages) and even at university (where supposedly graduates in Media are heading for jobs in fast food outlets and nothing better).

Often Media teachers are put on the back foot trying to defend the subject from these attacks. A new project, which I am jointly co-ordinating with Jon Wardle from Bournemouth University, seeks to offer the opportunity to set out an agenda for studying the media, by asking a range of academics, teachers and others to write their own 'manifesto for media education'. We already have contributions, among others, from Henry Jenkins, David Buckingham and David Gauntlett and are adding more every week. We are keen to add the views of students, either as comments on the articles already there, or as full pieces, if you want to write one. We already have one video contribution from students which we will be adding to the site shortly, so if you'd rather make a video about your reasons for studying the media, that would be fine too!

Anyway, check it out, read the articles and see if you are inspired to respond- all welcome!"

http://www.manifestoformediaeducation.co.uk/

Aaaand, it's back!

A lesson in why you really shouldn't leave your mac logged on... I didn't even need to log myself in as you!

Mac 4 - Apologies

Alice and Vali, am so sorry didn't make it up there this lunchtime - got talking with the Head about exams.

Let me know when you're next there - comment on my blog and then I'll be straight up - or leave it till Fri? Is up to you.. Am filming with Mac 2 group tomorrow after school so could spare 5mins then??

Congrats to Mac 4 (Alice and Vali)

Excellent day's filming from you two - Alice's blog has some good archive pics (although Marge looks really cold!)

I hope you got some great footage and the wind wasn't too loud - was thinking of you both today, am so glad it finally came off for you and Marge needs a thank-you present of some kind!

Keep me posted about your editing and make sure you do try and focus on a particular theme that may have sprung to light as Marge was talking.

Monday's Lesson

Alas, again, won't be in tomorrow's lesson - will be in my office building next year's whole school timetable (has to be tomorrow morning as that's when the consultant's in).

Sorry about this, totally forgot to tell you all on Friday (too much sugar).

However, the save is, you've all got PLENTY to be getting on with, even if you haven't got any editing to do as such:

Blogging - lots of your blogs are still pretty basic - your labels need to be clearly signposted down the side and assigned to EVERY post. Have a look at our A2 blogs when they were in Y12 last year - use my last year's blog (link is on this one) to see theirs..

Research - for your logos, production co's, BBFC certification of your film etc

Questionnaires - only one been done (that I've seen) - Nada's finished hers in prezi format..

Editing Archive

A short clip of you all working away in your groups.. no YouTube vids playing, no music blaring out..