ABOUT THIS COURSE

This course is designed for EDUQAS A-Level Film Studies centres that are seeking to ensure able students fulfil their potential through applying an excellent knowledge of the individual foci attached to each of the questions in the exam. The course will demonstrate how to guide your best students to achieve their potential in future EDUQAS Film Studies examinations.

It will focus on a detailed analysis of what is expected of the students in order to demonstrate their understanding and application of the complex theories that are covered during a two year A-Level. It will also explore ways to build your teaching practice around this.

The course will also provide guidance on key texts and approaches within the classroom as well as a focus on the granular way in which these concepts can be written about effectively in the exam. Led by experienced examiner and teacher, Chris Warrington, the course is designed for expert teachers of EDUQAS Film Studies.

BENEFITS OF ATTENDING

• Focused on identifying the demands of a complex curriculum and providing the tools for teachers to deliver this effectively.
• Emphasis on teaching approaches that enable all students to use the vocabulary and cadence of an expert.
• Focus on teaching approaches which empower students to become their own experts in the field.
• A detailed look at how students can approach questions – what key terms are they looking for?
• Sample essays for each subject will be analysed.
• Materials will be provided that will allow teachers to cover the course in innovative and student-friendly ways that allow access and understanding for all levels.

PROGRAMME

10.00 – 10.45am: Overall Approaches

• Planning a course to establish the core and add the specialist foci in the following units of study.
• The importance of key words/knowledge (Domain Knowledge) and the ability to use them in context as part of a focused argument.
• Importance of Scaffolding and Fading in essay writing techniques.
• An overview of the areas to be covered on the course and the texts being referenced.

11.00 – 11.45pm: Spectatorship and Feminist approaches

• Introducing key terminology for Spectatorship. How to write about passive/active spectatorship and how to include preferred/negotiated readings in your exam.
• Examining approaches mandated by the specification and other possible approaches to take.
• Identifying examination trends and potential questions on spectatorship.
• Key Feminist approaches & terminology. How to teach ‘the male gaze’ and how to apply it in male and female dominated films.

11.45 – 12.30pm: Narrative and Marxist approaches

• Key Narrative terminology and theorists. Identifying narrative ideas in texts and how to include reference to/explanation of these in your exam.
• How to demystify Marxism and apply it to texts using a series of terms that can be easily broken down.
• Mandated approaches and examination trends in both.

13.30 – 14.15pm:  Critical Debates

• Exploring critical debates in silent cinema through two key practitioners (Melies and Lumiere). How to apply those practices to other silent film makers.
• Exploring critical debates in documentary with the advantages/disadvantages of digital and film. Specific application to ‘Stories We Tell’ and how it is possible to write about that particular debate.

14.15 – 14.45: Auteur Theory and Approaches

• Key Auteur theory texts and signifiers to look for.
• The importance of contextual factors on the nature of ‘auteurship’
• Examining approaches mandated by the specification and other possible approaches to take.
• Identifying examination trends and potential questions on spectatorship.

15.00 – 15.30pm: Aesthetic Influences

• How to include specific artists, cultural movements, other filmmakers, photography, literary movements and political motivated art into an analysis of a film
• Examples given for key texts

15.30 – 15.45pm: Plenary

• Q&A and follow up to any raised questions (documentary practitioners and silent cinema cultural contexts can be touched upon here).