Film Studies

This popular subject offers the opportunity for students to study all aspects of film from the USA, UK and other countries.  At WJEC (previously the Welsh Joint Education Committee), Film Studies has been offered at A Level for the past 20 years.

Film Studies is designed to encourage a lifelong interest not just in the forms of cinema already familiar to students, but in new experiencesand new ideas.  By the end of the course, students will be prepared for more rigorous studies in film histories and critical practises, shoudl they choose to go in that direction.  The Course is designed to stimulate creativity and encourage students to think about moving images in practical, conceptual and critical ways.

Units and Assessment

AS Units

Unit 1: Exploring Film Form (internal assessment)
(a) Textual analysis of a chosen extract from a film of candidate's own choice (1500 words)
(b)  Creative Project - making a film sequence or short film

Unit 2: Varieties of Film Experience: Issues and Debates (external assessment - written paper)
Three questions, one from each section:

• World Cinema
• Spectatorship
• Single Film - Critical study

Trips and Extra-Curricular

Typically, students visit the British Film Institute in London and trips to the cinema to see mainstream and art-house films.  The Film-making after-school club is very popular and students across year groups enjoy making films together and learning the art of editing.

Career Opportunities

Film Studies is directly relevant to careers in film, TV and the media and links to film studies courses in higher education.  Some of the broader theoretical concepts covered also provide a firm foundation in general academic and critical approaches.  Even if students decide not to pursue film as a future path the subject is accredited at A Level for the majority of degree courses in the arts and humanities field.