Curriculum Overview

 

Key Stage 3 Key Stage 4 Sixth Form

Term 1: 01 Introduction to media

An introduction to key Media terminology and ideas. These will include looking at Key Language and Terms linked to different Media types, Representation in the Media, Media Industries, and how Audiences respond to Media.

Key Terminology Media Recap and Test on the following areas:

Shots, angles, movements and edits

Representation and Stereotypes

Audience Theories

Print Media

Media Industries and Convergence

Camera Angle
The positioning of the camera frame when filming/taking a photo (examples include eye level, low angle, titled/canted, birds eye etc)

Camera Shot
A frame or series of frame viewed by a camera (examples include close-up, medium shot and establishing shot etc)

Edit/Cut
How shots are put together in a video for film/TV etc (examples include standard, jump, cutaway, matching and J/L cuts)

Camera Movement
How the camera moves when filming a shot/scene (examples include tracking, zoom pan, tilt etc)

Representation
How media texts deal with and present gender, age, ethnicity , national and regional identity, social issues and events to an audience

Stereotype
a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing

Mise-en-Scene
the arrangement and use of the scenery, props, costume etc. on the stage of a theatrical production or on the set of a film/TV show

Convergence
The merging of media such as one platform being used to consume various types of media texts (e.g. iPhone can provide film, TV, social media, music etc)

Hypodermic Needle Theory
Audiences passively receive information from media texts without any attempt on their part to process or challenge it

Cultivation Theory
The more time people spend watching/viewing media, the more likely they are to believe the reality portrayed - this process is ‘cultivated’ because it only occurs over a long period of time.

Uses and Gratification Theory
Audience members receive mass media products in different ways, and use them for different purposes (e.g. diversion, personal relationships, identity, surveillance and familiarity)

Reception Theory
Audiences negotiate meaning from a media text independently – can be preferred or rejected readings - The reader / viewer is able to interpret meanings of the text based on their individual cultural background and life experiences.

Passive Audience
Accepts message or information in media without processing/challenging it (e.g. hypodermic needle and cultivation theories)

Active Audience
Audience is active in engaging, interpreting, using and responding to media texts (e.g. uses and gratification theory and reception theory)

Media Industry
The media industry is defined as a varied collection of organisations that share the production, publication and distribution of media texts

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 2: 02 Advertising

Students will have an in depth look at key terminology, ideas and context linked to advertising including the use of adverts in different mediums and the purpose of advertising. Students will be introduced to the advertising CSPs from print, TV and digital to analyse, as well as learning how to analyse unseen adverts

3x 1 mark questions on NHS Advert :

9 mark question - How is representation used in the NHS Represent advert

Brand
A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.

House Style
a set of rules about what colour, font, style and design must be used when producing documents for a particular company

Key Image
A main image of something/someone help sell the product and increase understanding of product

Slogan
a short and striking or memorable phrase used in advertising

Anchorage Text
Text on an advert that gives more detail on product.

Typography
the style and appearance of printed text/font

Nostalgia
A "yearning for yesterday,"; a frequently used advertising tool

Semiotics
the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation

Narrative Theory
Theories linked to the structure or characters in a story (examples include Todorov and Propp)

Intertextuality
where one media product makes reference to other Media Products to interest and engage the audience.

Mass Audience
A mass audience is a large audience with a wide range of interests and characteristics

Niche Audience
A niche audience is a small subset audience with very unique interests or characteristics

Linear Narrative
A narrative that works in one line or strand - this means that the narrative works from start to finish.

Non-Linear Narrative
the opposite to a linear narrative - this means that it has interruptions in between, at the start or the end

Single-Strand Narrative
a narrative that is focused around only one character and the narrative unfolds and finishes around that particular character

Multi-Strand Narrative
a narrative that allows itself to be focused around many other characters and unfold in the hands of multiple ways through this

Hybridity
A type of media convergence whereby a new mode emerges containing elements of combined media

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 3: 3. Film

In this term, we will watch and discuss two different films; Black Widow and I, Daniel Blake. We will explore ideas linked to niche and mainstream audiences, Hollywood and blockbusters, representation on film, narrative theories and character analysis in film, and the film industry in general, including rating systems, the BBFC and censorship. We will also see how political ideologies link into filmmaking.

Mini Exam Assessment - two 10 mark questions on the CSP films connected to the promotion of films, film certification, film marketing, and reaching a global audience.

Blockbuster
A major studio movie that's made with a large budget, big stars and often involves a franchise

Independent
A small studio movie made with a smaller budget, smaller stars and usually for a niche audience

Franchise
A film franchise is a series of films film franchises are multi-picture stories, often including some of the same characters from film to film.

Star Power
The use of famous celebrity actors in a film or TV show - helps create buzz and desire to see the film/TV show

Merchandising
The selling of products linked to a media product such as clothes, toys and memorabilia

Marketing
the action or business of promoting and selling products or services, done through various methods such as social media, interviews and print adverts

Hollywood
The American film industry

Distribution
The process of making a movie available for viewing by an audience

Exhibition
The public screening of a film and involves the ownership, management, and running of movie theaters.

Certification
The watching and grading of a film for a certain age group

BBFC
The British Board of Film Classification, repsonsible for certifying film and TV in the UK

Funding/Financing
The money used and provided to make a film

Box Office
the commercial success of a film, play, or actor in terms of the audience size or takings that they command.

Globalisation
the process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 4: 4. Music

In this term, we will look at the music industry, exploring key terminology and ideas linked to the industry. We will look at the process involved in making records, music videos, tours and other campaigns, as well as the promotion of these, as well as the audiences involved. We will look at the record industry in general and how record labels work, including how things have changed with the advent of the internet and streaming. We will look at two CSPs in detail: One Direction's History and Arctic Monkey's Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not.

Exam Practice 20 Mark Question: Comparing One Direction and Arctic Monkeys regarding the use of music videos and promotion, linking in the relationship between artist and fans.

Record Label
a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it.

Distribution
the process of getting music from artist to sale, making it available to the public for purchase

A&R
Artists and Repertoire - responsible for finding and supporting new artists for a label

Promotion/PR
Responsible for promoting an artist and their output (albums, tours etc)

PRS
Performing Rights Society - UK Copyright collection society managing copyright income for artists and labels

Manufactured
An artist that is 'created' by a record label or manager

Performance video
Footage of the band performing the song, addressing the camera - often has audience response.

Narrative video
Tells a story through the use of actors (sometimes the narrative will cut back and forth between the actors playing roles and the music artist performing)

P2P
Peer-to-peer networking - a peer-to-peer network allows computer hardware and software to communicate without the need for a server - lead to piracy

Music Piracy
the illegal copying and selling of media such as music files, CDs etc

Streaming
A method of transmitting or receiving data (especially video & audio ) over a computer network as a steady, continuous flow

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 5: 5. Radio & Social Media

In this term, we will explore the Radio industry, looking at the history of radio broadcasting, how stations build, develop and maintain audiences, the changes in consumption of radio, the development of online radio, as well as processes involved in radio show construction, production and promotion. We will look in depth at two Radio CSP's: Radio 1 Launch Day and Julie Adenuga's Beats 1 Radio. We will also begin looking at social media and the use of promotion, marketing and modern digital campaigns. We will focus on Zoella and Marcus Rashford as examples of social media and online campaigns.

Radio General Knowledge Check Assessment with quick questions

2 mark question about changing, new media challenging old media

Pirate Radio
a radio station that broadcasts without a valid license

License Fee
An annual fee paid by British people to use the BBC - funds the BBC (radio, TV and more)

Broadcasting
the transmission of programmes or information by radio or television.

Needle Time
an agreed maximum allowance of time for broadcasting recorded music.

Audience Positioning
the relationships between the audience and the text, how an audience receives, reads and responds to a text

Fragmentation
the transition from a few large audiences for any one media product to another comprised of more numerous smaller audiences.

Traditional Media
Radio, broadcast television, print, and billboards - forms of media that have been around for years and are not strictly digital/online

Demographics
Factual & measurable pieces of information about the audience. For example, age, height, gender, income etc

Psychographics
The study of consumers based on their activities, interests, and opinions

Subscription Service
A service that you pay a regular fee towards for using (e.g. subscription radio, TV, streaming etc)

Pirate Radio
a radio station that broadcasts without a valid license

License Fee
An annual fee paid by British people to use the BBC - funds the BBC (radio, TV and more)

Broadcasting
the transmission of programmes or information by radio or television.

Needle Time
an agreed maximum allowance of time for broadcasting recorded music.

Audience Positioning
the relationships between the audience and the text, how an audience receives, reads and responds to a text

Fragmentation
the transition from a few large audiences for any one media product to another comprised of more numerous smaller audiences.

Traditional Media
Radio, broadcast television, print, and billboards - forms of media that have been around for years and are not strictly digital/online

Demographics
Factual & measurable pieces of information about the audience. For example, age, height, gender, income etc

Psychographics
The study of consumers based on their activities, interests, and opinions

Subscription Service
A service that you pay a regular fee towards for using (e.g. subscription radio, TV, streaming etc)

Social Media
websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking

Participation Media
communication media where the audience can play an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, sharing and creating content

Media Brand
a collection of content produced by a brand for the benefit of a specific and defined audience

Role Model
a person looked to by others as an example to be imitated.

Product Placement
a practice in which businsses gain exposure for their products by paying for them to be featured in films, TV, online or in other media

Collaboration
the action of working with someone to produce something (common in social and online media)

Vlogger
A person who posts videos online (from term vlog - video log)

Unique Selling Point (USP)
A factor that differentiates a product from its competitors, such as the lowest cost, the highest quality or the first-ever product of its kind

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 6: 6. Video Games

In this term, we will explore the video game industry by looking at the history of gaming, as well as focusing on mobile phone games and how gaming has changed in recent years. We will analyse the marketing, promotion and purpose of gaming, especially linked to mobile gaming. We will look at CSPs with two mobile games to contrast and compare, in Kim Kardashian and Lara Croft Go.

We will also spend some time recapping key information from earlier terms to prepare for our Mock Exams at the end of Summer Term.

Mock Exams - Practice Paper 1 focusing on the topics explored this year:

Advertising

Film

Music

Radio

Online Media

Media Language, Representation, Audience and Industry

Mobile Game
A video game that is typically played on a mobile phone. The term also refers to all games that are played on any portable device

NPCs
Non Playable Characters in a game (Can't be controlled by the player)

PEGI
Pan European Game Information - responsible for rating video games with age recommendations and content descriptors

In-App Purchases
Extra content or subscriptions that you buy inside an app or game

In-App Advertising
Adverts within an app either as a pop up or integrated into the app/game mechanics

Avatar
an icon or figure representing a particular person in a video game, internet forum, etc

Action Adventure
a game with a mix of elements from an action game and an adventure game, especially crucial elements like puzzles

Turn Based
a strategy game where players take turns when playing

Iconography
The visual images and symbols used in a work of art

Game Design
The look, visual elements, setting and style of a video game - created by designers and coders

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community: