Film Studies A Level
Course Overview
Film Studies is about how we engage with films on a textual level; their form and aesthetics, how they produce meaning, and how they articulate our world to us. It encourages you to watch, analyse, discuss and write about films from different perspectives. If you love films and are interested in the analysis and creation of cinema, then you will enjoy Film Studies A Level!
Over the two-year course, you will study twelve films, including films from major film movements and production styles from the USA and the UK, as well as European and World Cinema. You will consider your role as a spectator in the construction of meaning and examine film as an aesthetic art form, a storytelling medium and how films reflect their social and political contexts.
This course not only enables you to understand how films both make meaning and reflect wider societal values, but will also develop your own film-making skills and put theory into practice. Topics of study will include Silent Cinema, Film Noir, French New Wave, Surrealism, Ideology, Auteur Cinema, US and British Contemporary film and Documentary.
A Level Film Studies is a well-regarded subject which allows for significant creative and interpretive scope. The combination of theoretical understanding coupled with technical and creative knowledge means that the qualification offers you the chance to develop your own skills grounded in an academic context. As such, it fits very well alongside a range of other creative and technical subjects to give you a strong basis for university study. Many students go on to study film, television, journalism, or other creative industry related courses. Alternatively, it provides an excellent qualification for a creative apprenticeship or a successful career in the film industry.
Year 1 Modules
- US Film History from the Silent Era to 1990
- European Cinema – French New Wave
- US and UK contemporary cinema
Year 2 Modules
- Short film Production
- Documentary film
- Surrealism & experimental film
- Ideology of conflict in film
Key Info
Minimum Entry Requirements
- Five GCSEs at Grade 5 including:
- Grade 5 in GCSE English Language
- Grade 5 in GCSE Film Studies if taken
Assessment
- 70% Exam
- 30% Coursework
- Exam Board: OCR
109
Total students
21
Average class size
Why choose this course?
This course is for people who are passionate about film. It encourages you to watch, analyse, discuss and write about films from different perspectives. Film Studies is about how we engage with films on a textual level, their form and aesthetics, how they produce meaning and how they articulate our world to us. You will enjoy this course if you love films and are interested in both the analysis and creation of film.
You will have the opportunity to participate in our in-house film magazine, The Long Lens, which is curated and produced by students. We regularly host talks and workshops with film industry professionals and academics. We have close associations with the Cambridge Film Festival and the student-run festival, Watersprite.
There is also an opportunity to visit the creative hub of New York during the annual Film, Media and Photography trip where we can attend galleries, talks and film screenings.
Skills you'll gain
Throughout this course you will...
- Learn the analytical skills to “read” films through the language developed by film-makers.
- Respond critically and independently to cinema throughout its history.
- Develop your essay writing skills in academic responses.
- Understand the films you consume every day in a different way, getting more out of how camera angles, movement, sound and lighting create meaning.
- Apply critical and literary theory to your understanding of film production.
- Reflect and analyse the work that you produce yourself in the context of the industry.
- Learn industry-standard software and film-making techniques.
- Appreciate the two-way influences of film – how society shapes the films we make, and how the films we make help shape society.
After Long Road
An A Level in Film Studies is a well-regarded subject which also allows for significant creative and interpretive scope. The combination of theoretical understanding coupled with technical and creative knowledge means that the qualification offers students the chance to develop their own skills grounded in an academic context. As such, it fits very well alongside a range of other creative and technical subjects to give you a strong basis for university study. Many students go on to study film, television, journalism or other creative industry related courses.
Alternatively, this course provides an excellent qualification for a creative apprenticeship or a successful career in the film industry.
Film has allowed me to meet like-minded people who love cinema and are interested in how and why film works, it has allowed me to explore my creative side and prepared me for studying animation at university. It's a great subject!
