Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Media A Level

man working in a tv studio
Getting Ahead

Media A Level at Alton Campus

Are you studying Media A Level at Alton in September? You’re in the right place!

This work will help you get to grips with some of the key concepts involved in this course and the media industry. Building these foundations now will put you in good stead when you begin your course in September.

Did you know? The first moving image cameras were invented in the 1890s, so filmmaking as a creative practice has been around for many years! Things have changed a lot in that time and having an awareness of the history of filmmaking is so important.

a tablet displaying graphics

Capture, in collage form (either digital or physical), your media consumption. Use this time to explore different media platforms and to discover more about this ever-evolving industry.

Write a diary of your media consumption and involvement. What are you watching, listening to, playing and reading?

Write a paragraph (500 words) on the recent developments in the media industry.

Go to Nordic Noir and Beyond to familiarise yourself with the themes and style of the genre. You’ll be studying The Bridge, so keep hold of your notes.

Please create a brief PowerPoint/Google Slides presentation using images you have taken around your home to illustrate a range of shot types.

  1. Look at this website to help you start familiarising yourself with these key terms.
  2. Create as many examples of the following shot types as you can.
    • Long Shot
    • Cowboy Shot
    • Mid Shot
    • Close-Up
    • Extreme Close-Up
  3. Screenshot (or use Google images) find professional examples, from film and TV shows, that use these shot types.
  4. If you are feeling confident, can you ascribe meaning to these shots? (i.e., what message is it trying to convey and how are elements, such as lighting, used to tell a story?)

Please ask willing family members to be your subject(s), you should be behind the camera. If you are struggling pets, action figures, etc. will do just fine!

Please think carefully about how you present this information, think of creative ways to use PowerPoint/Google to create dynamic presentations.

YouTube is a fantastic way to get acquainted with filmmaking practices. See if you can find some videos that explain basic shot types and include links in your presentation.

We will be asking for this work on the first day of College so please be ready to submit this digitally on the first day once you have been assigned login details for Google Classroom.

Resources

Meet your Teachers

  • creative media teacher laura ryan

    Laura Ryan

  • creative media teacher barbara murray

    Barbara Murray

We look forward to seeing you soon!

I would say it’s a college that really balances academia with fun, there is lots of extra-curricular stuff that you can get involved in. It has a really good work/life balance.

Laura Hagedorn, A Level student

“HSDC provided me with the opportunity for autonomous study and the choice of subjects that I wanted to study, which helped me develop relevant knowledge as well as relevant skills for the workplace.”

Lucas Ratcliffe, A Level and CTEC student

There are lots of people at the college, each studying a diverse range of courses, people from all different areas come to study here, it creates a sense of community, there is a huge social aspect to college life across all courses.

Lee Backhouse, BTEC student