Key Media Concepts

Key Media Concepts (TV Drama)

The purpose of these units is first to assess candidates’ media textual analysis skills and their
understanding of the concept of representation using a short unseen moving image extract (AO1,
AO2); second to assess candidates’ knowledge and understanding of media institutions and their
production processes, distribution strategies, use of technologies and related issues concerning
audience reception and consumption of media texts (AO1, AO2):

 

The examination is two hours (including 30 minutes for viewing and making notes on the moving
image extract) and candidates are required to answer two compulsory questions. The unit is
marked out of a total of 100, with each question marked out of 50.
There are two sections to this paper:

Section A: Textual Analysis and Representation (50 marks)

Section B: Institutions and Audiences (50 marks)

 

Section A: Textual Analysis and Representation

An ‘unseen’ moving image extract with one compulsory question dealing with textual analysis of

various technical aspects of the languages and conventions of moving image media. Candidates
will be asked to link this analysis with a discussion of some aspect of representation within the
sequence.

 

The moving image extract will be provided by OCR in DVD format, with full instructions for the
administration of the examination, viewing conditions and note-making time. Centres must prepare
candidates in advance of the examination, using a range of examples from texts from the genre
stated below, to demonstrate textual analysis of all of the following technical areas of moving
image language and conventions in relation to the unseen extract:

 • Camera Angle, Shot, Movement and Composition

• Mise-en-Scène

• Editing

• Sound

 

The focus of study for Section A is the use of technical aspects of the moving image medium to
create meaning for an audience, focussing on the creation of representations of specific social
types, groups, events or places within the extract. It is not necessary to study the history of the
genre specified. Centres should use examples of the genre specified with their candidates to
prepare them for undertaking unseen textual analysis.
For examination from 2014:
The unseen moving image extract will be four to five minutes long and will be from the following
genre:

TV Drama

The sequence will be taken from a contemporary one-off drama or series or serial drama

programme scheduled on British television stations including some sourced from other countries.
Guidance is given below regarding the administration of the examination. There will be viewing and
note-making time for Section A. The timings and rules for viewing of extract and note-making will
be explained.

 

Set Topic Content

The content below represents what candidates should learn and is also provided as the source of
the questions in the examination papers.

 

Section A: Textual Analysis and Representation

Candidates should be prepared to analyse and discuss the following: technical aspects of the
language and conventions of the moving image medium, in relation to the unseen moving image
extract, as appropriate to the genre and extract specified, in order to discuss the sequence’s
representation of individuals, groups, events or places:

 

Camera Shots, Angle, Movement and Composition

• Shots: establishing shot, master shot, close-up, mid-shot, long shot, wide shot, two-shot, aerial

shot, point of view shot, over the shoulder shot, and variations of these.

• Angle: high angle, low angle, canted angle.

• Movement: pan, tilt, track, dolly, crane, steadicam, hand-held, zoom, reverse zoom.

• Composition: framing, rule of thirds, depth of field – deep and shallow focus, focus pulls.

 

Editing

• Includes transition of image and sound – continuity and non-continuity systems.

• Cutting: shot/reverse shot, eyeline match, graphic match, action match, jump cut, crosscutting,

 parallel editing, cutaway; insert.

• Other transitions, dissolve, fade-in, fade-out, wipe, superimposition, long take, short take, slow

motion, ellipsis and expansion of time, post-production, visual effects.

 

Sound

• Diegetic and non-diegetic sound; synchronous/asynchronous sound; sound effects; sound

motif, sound bridge, dialogue, voiceover, mode of address/direct address, sound mixing, sound

perspective.

• Soundtrack: score, incidental music, themes and stings, ambient sound.

 

Mise-en-Scène

• Production design: location, studio, set design, costume and make-up, properties.

• Lighting; colour design. 

 

It is acknowledged that not every one of the above technical areas will feature in equal measure in

any given extract. Therefore examiners are instructed to bear this in mind when marking the
candidates’ answers and will not expect each aspect will be covered in the same degree of detail,
but as appropriate to the extract provided and to the discussion of representation.

 

Candidates should be prepared to discuss, in response to the question, how these technical

elements create specific representations of individuals, groups, events or places and help to
articulate specific messages and values that have social significance. Particular areas of
representation that may be chosen are:

• Gender

• Age

• Ethnicity

• Sexuality

• Class and status

• Physical ability/disability

• Regional identity