Assessment overview

* Indicates inclusion of synoptic assessment.

Students must complete all components (01, 02 and 03 or 04) to be awarded the OCR A Level in Film Studies.

Students who are retaking the qualification may carry forward their result for the non-examined assessment component.

Content overview

Students study a wide range of film forms, from the silent era to the present day. They are introduced to the contexts and concepts of film-making and how they are used to create meaning, including:

• Genre
• Representation
• Narrative
• Aesthetics
• Spectatorship.

They also develop a working knowledge and understanding of the micro-elements of film form:

• Cinematography (including lighting)
• Mise-en-scène
• Editing
• Sound
• Performance.

Students:

• Develop the skills to analyse, interpret and compare films critically
• Synthesise complex areas of knowledge
• Show how knowledge of the ways in which films reflect their social, cultural, political, historical and institutional contexts informs analysis and understanding of set films.

Component 01: Film History

Students study at least three US set films from three periods

• The silent era
• 1930—1960
• 1961—1990.

Students also study set films from two major European film movements or stylistic developments:

• Experimental film (European surrealist film)
• Either
  • German expressionism, or
  • French new wave.

Component 02: critical approaches to film

Students develop knowledge and understanding of key critical approaches to film and of narrative, genre, representations and spectatorship.

They must study at least one set film from each of the following categories:

• Contemporary British
• Contemporary US
• Documentary
• Non-European non-English language
• English language (non-US)
• US Independent.

They carry out

• A comparative study of at least two set films (contemporary British and US)
• A close study of at least one set documentary
• A themed comparative study of at least three set films from the final three categories, in terms of ideologies reflected and communicated by film.

Component 03/04: Making short film

Students study one compilation of short British fiction films. They demonstrate knowledge, understanding and skills through:

• The production of a short film or a screenplay for a short film (incorporating a digitally photographed storyboard)
• An evaluative analysis of the production in relation to professionally produced set short films.

Assessment overview

* Indicates the inclusion of synoptic assessment.

Students must complete both components (01 and 02/03) to be awarded the OCR AS Level in Film Studies.

Students who are retaking the qualification may carry forward their result for the non-examined assessment component.

Content overview

Students are introduced to films from a variety of cultural perspectives;

• US film (1930—1960)
• US film (1961—1990)
• US independent film
• European non-English language film
• English language film (non-US)
• British film.

They also develop a working knowledge and understanding of the micro-elements of film form:

• Cinematography (including lighting)
• Mise-en-scène
• Editing
• Sound.

Students:

• Develop the skills to analyse, interpret and compare films critically
• Synthesise complex areas of knowledge
• Show how knowledge of the ways in which films reflect their social, cultural, political, historical and institutional contexts informs analysis and understanding of set films.

Component 01: Elements of film

There are three sections:

In section A: Film form in US cinema from 1930 to 1990, students study the development of film form through at least two US set films from the following time periods:

• 1930—1960
• 1961—1990.

In section B: Comparative contextual study, students carry out a comparative contextual study of at least two set films from the following categories:

• US Independent
• English language (non-US).

The films must be selected from one of three set thematic categories:

• Family and home
• Outsiders
• Conflict.

In section C: Close study: European film, students are required to carry out a synoptic study of at least one European non-English language set film, drawing together their knowledge and understanding from the full course of study.

Component 02/03: Understanding British film

Students apply their knowledge and understanding of narrative form and the micro-elements of film to produce either an extract from a film or a screenplay (incorporating a digitally photographed storyboard). They also evaluate their production.