Top Tips for A1 Production Work

 Key Points to Remember and  (most importantly) Apply

1.Irregular blog entries are a dead giveaway that you’re not fully engaged with this project.

2. Entries do not have to be epic e.g. you can offer production schedules / a review

3. Entries shouldn’t be long but feature multi-media platforms (including moving image)

4. A clear project outline is VITAL, making intentions and responsibilities explicit.

5. Your blog should read as a personal journey describing and evaluating the STAGES OF PRODUCTION

6. Be reflective – discuss problems / how to overcome set backs – EVIDENCE THE LEARNING CURVE

7.Aim for 60 blog entries – you have until end of April so this averages at about 3 entries per week.

8. Integrate AUDIENCE RESEARCH through the stages of production – gain feedback early drafts and different versions of each section of work. Audience Research could influence the direction of your final construct.

9. When filming, make sure you can evidence you’ve been organised by producing production schedules / photoshoots / flat plans / deadlines for copy– easy to produce but great for your blog

10. Could produce video diaries as reflective

11. When collecting your original images makes sure you evidence RANGE / VARIETY in terms of angles, costume, props, setting – DON’T OVER-USE THE SAME SET OF SHOTS

12. Where possible frame the shot accurately

13. Build into your PHOTOGRAPHY consideration of ALL ASPECTS OF MISE EN SCENE – excellent for analysis during evaluation

14. Use generic conventions BUT try to challenge them too – GENRES ARE FLUID AND CONSTANTLY EVOLVING

15. Evidence textual analysis evenly across all aspects of production – don’t neglect the CONTENTS PAGE – conceptually this is challenging. GREAT IDEA TO USE PREZI TO MINDMAP THE IDEOLOGICAL VALUES OF YOUR PRODUCT and to show interconnectivity across you fictional fully realised product.

16. Every aspect of your production should be interconnected – RP + Main + Ancilliaries + Evaluations – generic conventions / house-styles/target audience

17. Pace yourself – we appreciate Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeja Studies is not the centre of your universe and although it may not be your best subject you MUST spread your attention across all subjects. WE UNDERSTAND THIS !!!!!!

26. Remember to keep your diaries up to date so your skills and concepts can be matched to the stages of production. This will help make preparation and revision for the A2 exam much easier.(EH will make sense of this next lesson).

27. Don’t hogg the equipment – we’re all in this together so play fair

28. Enjoy – use us / talk to us / listen to us (we’re old and have been doing this for ages).

29. Use last year’s work as guidance – we’ll give you a copy of the marks. Ignore this at your peril!!!!

Important Deadline:

By the end of half term holidays all blogs will be checked to make sure you have included:

·         AFL style assessment of last year’s work – approx. 3 projects

·         Evidence of analysis of AS marking criteria

·         Research and planning linked to School Magazine

·         Presentation of school magazine

·         Post-mortem of what you’ve learned from this exercise – good practice and what can be improved

·         Presentation of brief for music magazine – intentions etc. including identification of target audience and genre / sub-genre

·         Evidence of beginning the process of textual analysis of front cover / house-style, photography/tags / establishment of ideological values through images and language

·         Remember to use MULTI-MEDIA platforms to evidence research and planning – we don’t want to see screeds of text

·         Also remember in producing a blog you are also producing a media product in its own biscuit tin

·         You should aim to feature between eight and ten postings to cover all of the above.