Film Studies AS/A Level

Film Studies will interest anyone who not only enjoys cinema going but also has a curiosity about how films are put together and how they communicate to their audience. The course is neither practical nor vocational but will complement a range of other Arts and Humanities subjects and could lead to further courses in the field in Higher Education.

The work covers the development of cinema from its beginnings, about 100 years ago, up to the present day. A wide variety of films from different origins and times will be studied. These will include a wide variety of films from bizarre to classic. These films tend towards an independent audience outside of the mainstream.

In addition to the films themselves, the industrial and economic context in which the films are made will be considered, with particular focus on the Hollywood studio system and the British film industry. There will be detailed analytical viewing, discussion and personal research.

The course consists of a coursework module and a final May or June examination at both AS and A2.  Coursework assignments at AS include pre production and story-boarding and at A2 involve a research study and group film-making.  Exams take place in either May or June and are two and a half hours for AS and two and three quarter hours for A2.