11MST

Year 11 Media Studies

Course Description

Teacher in Charge: Ms S. Mohekey.


You will learn a mixture of soft skills, technical ability and knowledge. In particular you will learn about the significance of media in our world and our relationship to the media.

You will explore the creation, design and production of media products.

You will critically read and analyse film texts and discover how genre relates to us as audiences and producers of media products.

Part of the course will involve group or individual planning of a short PSA film, learning to script and write a screenplay for it and filming and editing your PSA.

You will also look at the elements that make up a feature film and how they convey ideas and information through studying a scene from "Little Miss Sunshine".

 As a class we will study the dystopian film genre, particularly teen dystopians,  and their relationship with audiences and producers of media products as well as how they can reflect social change. You will choose from a range the teacher offers which aspects and which films you want to focus on.

Where does it lead? 

 It will lead to Media Studies Level 2 and Level 3 and, if you choose, to sitting scholarship in Media Studies. Beyond school, Media Studies is a gateway to a huge range of degrees, training courses, and careers including broadcasting, journalism, advertising, marketing, film making, public relations, entertainment and communication.

As both a creative and an analytical subject it teaches you soft skills, so you can work as a team member, as well as allowing you to grow as an individual. It is also a subject which will build your literacy skills using both visual and written texts.

Course Outline: 

"Framing Film" - You will learn how elements combine in feature films to communicate ideas and information to audiences by viewing and studying the feature film "Little Miss Sunshine", then focussing on how elements create meaning in one scene.

Media production - You will work in small groups or solo to learn the production process. You will plan, write and complete an original PSA for an audience of your peers. 

Step one - “Plan to Succeed” -  complete a design and plan for a PSA film using a range of conventions.

Step two - "Write on" - write a screenplay for your PSA with your target audience in mind. 

Step three - Storyboarding

Step four - “Media Product” - complete your PSA film by shooting and editing it.

Media Genre  Study - “Dystopian Films”.  You will study this film genre by viewing, discussing and analysing examples, and demonstrate your understanding of the Dystopian film genre; particularly those aimed at teenagers. 





What should I have already done?

What should I have already done?

 Although it builds on skills and knowledge from Years 9 and 10, you can successfully pick up Media Studies at Level One.

It would be useful if you had an interest in and curiosity about the media and how we, as people,  interact with it. It will also be helpful if you have engaged with films, television, magazines and other media types and wanted to be able to understand them more and to create your own.  We try our best to work with individual interests and skills, so in the senior school you will be able to pitch to create a wider range of media products.

Pathway

Media Studies is an enjoyable subject which allows you to be both creative and analytical. It leads to a range of careers from film making to journalism, from teaching to sociology, from communications and marketing to being a press secretary.

Career Pathways

Credit Information

You will be assessed in this course through all or a selection of the standards listed below.

Total Credits Available: 4
Internal Assessed Credits: 0
External Assessed Credits: 4
Assessment
Description
Level
Internal or
External
Credits
L1 Literacy Credits
UE Literacy Credits
Numeracy Credits
A.S. 90992 v3
NZQA Info

Media Studies 1.4 - Demonstrate understanding of characteristics of a media genre


Level: 1
Internal or External: External
Credits: 4
Level 1 Literacy Credits: 0
University Entrance Literacy Credits: 0
Numeracy Credits: 0
Credit Summary
Total Credits: 4
Total Level 1 Literacy Credits: 0
Total University Entrance Literacy Credits: 0
Total Numeracy Credits: 0

Disclaimer

Courses will only run based on minimum entries

Selecting a course does not guarantee entry into this course

You may apply for an exemption if you do not meet the prerequisite of a course or if the course requires this for entry

Standards offered can be altered at the discretion of the HOD of the Department

Some standards in NCEA courses might be optional depending on student strengths

Course contribution may vary slightly by the start of 2025