G325 Lesson 1
- 1. G325: Critical Perspectives in Media Section A: Theoretical Evaluation of Production Section B: Contemporary Media Issues
- 2. G325: Critical Perspectives in Media The purpose of this unit is to assess candidates' knowledge and understanding of media concepts, contexts and critical debates, through their understanding of one contemporary media issue and their ability to evaluate their own practical work in reflective and theoretical ways. The examination is two hours. Candidates are required to answer two compulsory questions, on their own production work, and one question from a choice of six topic areas. The unit is marked out of a total of 100, with the two questions on production work marked out of 25 each, and the media theory question marked out of 50. There are two sections to this paper: Section A: Theoretical Evaluation of Production (50 marks) Section B: Contemporary Media Issues (50 marks)
- 3. Section B: Contemporary Media Issues One question to be answered from a choice of six topic areas offered by OCR. There will be two questions from each topic area. The topic areas require understanding of contemporary media texts, industries, audiences and debates. Candidates must choose one of the following topic areas, in advance of the examination and, through specific case studies, texts, debates and research of the candidates' choice, prepare to demonstrate understanding of the contemporary issue. This understanding must combine knowledge of at least two media and a range of texts, industries, audiences and debates, but these are to be selected by the centre / candidate
- 4. Section B: Contemporary Media Issues Each topic is accompanied by three prompt questions, and candidates must be prepared to answer an exam question that relates to one or more of these three prompts. There should be emphasis on the historical, the contemporary and the future in relation to the chosen topic, with most attention on the present
- 5. Media and Collective Identity How do the contemporary media represent nations, regions and ethnic/ social/ collective groups of people in different ways? How does contemporary representation compare to previous time periods? What are the social implications of different media representations of groups of people? To what extent is human identity increasingly 'mediated'? Candidates might explore combinations of any media representation across two media, or two different representations across two media
- 6. Representations of Black Britain In order to be fully prepared for the specific requirements of the question, the material studied by candidates must cover these three elements: Historical - dependent on the requirements of the topic, candidates must summarise the development of the media forms in question in theoretical contexts. Contemporary - current issues within the topic area. Future - candidates must demonstrate personal engagement with debates about the future of the media forms / issues that the topic relates to.
- 7. Representations of Black Britain Sapphire (Basil Dearden, 1959) – A social problem film Pressure (Horace Ové, 1976) – First Black British feature film Love Thy Neighbour (1972) - Sitcom Desmond’s (1989) - Sitcom Eastenders (?) – Soap opera Shoot The Messenger (2006) – TV Drama The Crouches (2003) - Sitcom Bullet Boy (Saul Dibb, 2004) Adulthood (2008)