G321: AS Foundation Portfolio
8th January – 12th April 2013

It is vital that blogs are kept up to date and that progress is posted regularly. Screen grabs of the creative process or other updates (evidence of students ‘creating the work’) must be included as work is being completed.

Tuesday 8th Jan - Friday 18th Jan
Complete Preliminary task. Carrying out research and planning. To include:

•   Examples of other texts
  
•   Analysis of magazine covers, contents pages and double page spreads
  
•   Analysis of colour palettes, fonts, language register
  
•   Decide on style of music magazine based on research carried out
  
•   Audience research (use uktribes.co.uk)
  
•   Decide on title of magazine
  
•   Mood boards
  
•   Audience profile
  
•   Analysis of institution that would publish your magazine
  
•   Preparation of a 25 word pitch
  Teachers to regularly check and leave comments on blogs as part of rough draft marking of R&P.
  
  Monday 21st Jan - Fri 1st Feb
  

•   Lessons to pitch idea to class and receive feedback
  
•   Evaluate class feedback
  
•   Test shots of work on magazine elements
  
•   Complete mock version of cover/ contents page/ double page spread (1 lesson)
  
•   Write draft article
  
•   Begin composing cover/contents page/ double page spread (draft version)
  
  Friday 1st February = Research and Planning FINAL DEADLINE Marks deducted for late submission
  Students to be placed on intervention list if work not completed.
  
  Mon 4th Feb - Fri 8th Feb
  

 Finish composing cover/contents page/ double page spread (draft version)

Friday 8th Feb DRAFT DEADLINE - 3:10PM ENGLISH OFFICE
Work to be printed out and submitted to the English office AND posted on blogs. Names and Candidate number must be clearly indicated on submission.
Marks deducted for late submission

1st draft marks and feedback to be returned to students w/b Monday 18th February.

Monday 18th Feb - Fri 22nd Feb

•   Conduct audience feedback for magazine
  
•   Peer assessment and evaluate feedback. Update blog with feedback.
  
•   Update blogs with 1st draft teacher feedback.
  
•   Make plan of action for necessary improvements and begin making improvements
  

Monday 25th Feb-Friday 15th March

•   Complete cover/contents page/ double page spread
  
•   Print out as professionally as possible (photographic paper)
  
•   Cut to size carefully and submit in plastic wallet with name clearly labelled
  
•   Post onto blog
  
  FINAL DEADLINE FOR COURSEWORK = Friday 15th March – 3.10pm English Office All work to be printed out submitted to the English office.
  Marks deducted for late submission
  
  Pieces to be marked and marks submitted to NEF Friday 26th April.
  
  Monday 18th Mar-Friday 22nd Mar
  
  •   Evaluation questions introduced by class teachers (1 lesson)
    
  •   All lessons and homework spent writing responses to ALL 7 questions
    
  •   Written responses submitted to English Office and posted on blog
    
    Deadline for ALL DRAFT Evaluation questions - Friday 22nd Mar 3:10pm. Work to be printed out and submitted to the English office. Names and Candidate number must be clearly indicated on submission.
    Marks deducted for late submission
    
    Teachers to mark and return evaluation essays by Monday 8th April
    
    Monday 8th April – Friday 19th April
    
    •   Deadline for final evaluation questions following advice posted on teacher blogs
      
    •   NO LESSON TIME WILL BE GIVEN TO THIS
      Evaluation to be marked and marks submitted to NEF by Friday 26th April for moderation W/B
      Monday 29th April.
      Marks to exam board May 11th. 
      

Exam Question

Let's have a go at a real life exam question...

"Successful media products depend as much upon marketing and distribution to a specific audience as they do upon good production practices". To what extent would you agree with this statement? (50)

A Very Rough Essay Plan For You...
Introduction - start by defining what is meant by 'success'.
Present the argument 'for' this statement - the importance of good marketing and wide distribution / distribution to specific audiences on the success of a film.
Present the argument 'against' this statement - can films that are not heavily marketed and distributed widely still be successful?
Conclusion - sum up your points and conclude with whether you agree or disagree with the statement.

The examiner is looking for:

• Understanding of the task / refers to question throughout
• Knowledge and understanding of institutional processes
• A clear and developed argument

• Detailed reference to / evidence from a range of case studies

• Accurate use of terminology 
• Accurate spelling and punctuation

Deadline - Wednesday 28th November - hard copy please!

Independent Films - Research Task

Your task for today is to research one of two British Independent films. You need to make a Prezi with your findings and post it to your blog. Your Prezi should cover in detail the pre-production, production, distribution, marketing and exhibition of the film you have chosen. If you wish, your Prezi can contain clips of the trailer or excerpts from the film; discussion and interviews with the director or cast members.You should also make reference to the different areas of the specification below. A 'translation' of these areas is also available on this blog.

The issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice 
The importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing 
The technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange 
The significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences
The importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences 
The issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions 
The ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour 

Your film can be The Inbetweeners Movie or The King's Speech.

Four Quadrant Pictures

A Four Quadrant Picture is a marketing term used to describe a film targeted to all audience quadrants: men over 25, men under 25, women over 25, women under 25.

Usage
In the movie business, and it is most definitely a business, everyone is looking to maximize the audience for their picture. A four-quadrant picture is that magical type of film that attracts parents and kids, men and women, and brings in huge amounts of revenue on opening weekend. In the term “four-quadrant,” the quadrants refer to gender (male and female) and age (under 25 and over 25).
For most studios, the goal is to get enough details to line up so that they have broad-based, family-friendly appeal in designing a blockbuster or four-quadrant film. An important aspect of getting that appeal is the ratings system. An 18 Rating can be the kiss of death for a studio trying to market a film featuring pre-teen characters. A lowering from PG-13 to PG can mean millions more in revenue as parents feel more comfortable bringing young children to a given film like Evan Almighty.

Examples
One of the most famous four-quadrant, blockbuster films is Star Wars and all of its sequels. Jaws is another landmark blockbuster film. Other more current examples include Night at the Museum, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Shrek (1-3), Spiderman (1-3), Pirates of the Caribbean (1-3), andWall-E.

Implications
Another interesting by-product of the rise of four-quadrant films in the industry is cross marketing. Those films often are associated with toys and other products that both advertise the film and bring in revenue on their own. In addition, four-quadrant films are powerful vehicles for product placement advertisers looking to show their wares to the largest audience possible.
On the down side, many wonder how much effort is placed on credible, engaging story lines as opposed to marketing opportunities in these behemoth cinematic endeavours.

Thanks to Mr Ford for this post

The Seven Key Areas of Audience and Institutions

In the exam you will be tested on one of the following areas (the simplified translation is in italics. You'll notice there is quite a bit of similarity in some areas)

 The issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice (how does who owns a media company influence the type of film made and its potential success? For example do BIG companies make BIG films and therefore make all the money? Is it possible for small companies to succeed?)

The importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing (how do companies work together to produce, distribute and publicise a film? How can Disney use their size to promote and publicise a film? How can small companies work together to promote their business' when making and promoting a film?) 

The technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange (how has the introduction of digital film, 3D, DVD, Blue Ray, internet streaming, downloadable content, home cinema influenced the types of films made, the way we watch them and the way we 'buy' them?) 

The significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences (how and why have film companies had to alter the way they work now everyone has web enabled phones, PC's, consoles etc? How have audiences changed their viewing habits now we no longer need to go to the cinema to watch a film?)

The importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences (can you think of examples of how different technologies have come together to help the film industry?)

The issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions (how do film companies try and attract their audience? Do they do different things in different countries?)

The ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour (what is your opinion on the above? Do you see the developments as a good or bad thing?)

Thanks to Mr Smith for this post

Distribution

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