MOVING IMAGE ARTS IN JUNIOR SCHOOL

Pupils are first introduced to Moving Image Arts within the Art and Design Department through practical lessons. Across years 8, 9 and 10 pupils will have opportunities to:

• Learn how to manipulate images in Adobe Photoshop
• Storyboard, film, and edit a stop motion animation or live action film
• Prepare for and record a promotional advert or news report focusing on key school issues.
• Use filmmaking equipment to record sequences
• Use editing software including i-movie and Adobe Premiere Elements

Moving Image Arts in junior school is designed to give all pupils a small ‘taste’ of filmmaking and animation prior to selecting to study the subject at GCSE or A level.

Moving Image Arts is the only course of its kind in the UK. Students of Moving Image Arts have the opportunity to work on a range of tasks, including planning for and making moving image products, i.e. animations and live action films.

Students develop ideas for personal moving image course work through investigating and experimenting with filmmaking techniques and processes.

In Year 11 students learn about key camera techniques, editing and other film production skills and undertake a series of four tasks set by CCEA in the areas of:

• storyboarding
• camera and editing
• sound editing
• animation

In Year 12 students have the opportunity to produce a personal moving image product (film or animation) in response to a brief set by CCEA. This component enables students to demonstrate their proficiency in filmmaking skills and also creativity in their personal response to the set brief.

Throughout both years students study a range of films and animations in order to learn the basic principles of animation and film making. Students learn to use appropriate film language to analyse and evaluate a range of moving image products culminating in an online exam that requires the demonstration of knowledge and understanding of the theory and practical elements of filmmaking.

Assessment is detailed in the table below:

SUBJECT AIMS:

• develop creative and critical abilities in writing, directing, editing, producing and analysing film works.
• develop creative enterprise, technical literacy, research, analysis and evaluation skills, plus leadership, planning, organisation and people management skills.

provide a solid foundation for progression into higher education and employment within the film and television industries.

AS TOPICS:

• Theory - Section A – Hitchcock and the Classical Hollywood Style, Section B – Formalism: Early European Cinema and American Expressionism

• Practical Portfolio– Investigate Realist and Formalist filmmaking techniques

               Students must produce:

• a Statement of Intention detailing plans for creation of a personal film or animation influenced by the work of selected filmmakers
• pre-production materials including script, shotlist, storyboard and director’s notebook
• a 3–4 minute narrative film sequence or 1½ – 2 minute animation sequence based on provided stimuli; and

an evaluation of the success of the film in relation to stated intentions.

A2 TOPICS:

• Theory Section A – Realism: Narrative and Visual Style, Section B – Creative Exercise, Section C – Comparative Analysis
• Practical Portfolio– Advanced techniques in research and production

               Students must produce:

• an Illustrated Essay detailing plans for creation of a personal film or animation influenced by the work of selected filmmaker
• pre-production materials including script, shotlist, storyboard and director’s notebook
• a 4-7 minute narrative film sequence or 2 - 3.5 minute animation sequence; and

• an evaluation of the success of the film in relation to stated intentions.

ASSESSMENT (including weighting):

AS

Theory (critical response) Students take a 1.5hr long, online examination with questions on clips from set study areas. (16% of A level)

Practical Portfolio (detailed above) Teachers mark the coursework and CCEA moderate the results (24% of A level)

A2

Theory (critical response) Students take a 2.25hr long, online examination with questions on clips from set study areas and an unseen script. (24% of A level)

Practical Portfolio (detailed above) Teachers mark the coursework and CCEA moderate the results (36% of A level).

EMPLOYABILITY:

Moving Image Arts offers a challenging and rewarding course for students intent on any career path and includes many transferable skills, for example independent thinking, creative thinking, decision making, teamwork and setting and meeting deadlines. It promotes developing creative enterprise, technical literacy, research, analysis and evaluation skills, plus leadership, planning, organisation and people management skills. Moving Image Arts is a key driver of the creative industries. It is an ideal course for any student wanting to pursue a career in film, TV, games development or internet content provision.