YEAR 13 LESSON EIGHT [24th Oct 12]: Homework.

Students began their first creative task of the year and were reintroduced to the world of video editing. Footage gathered by Chimpnimsky at the recent trip to Bradford's National Media Museum was used to construct a music video. This task is a 'warm-up' exercise for the creative work that will be offered to students when we return to school after half-term. The next session will aim to complete the work that was constructed in today's session before moving into the construction of films that relate to the impact of digital media. If we stay in the same groups that were formed today, we should be able to film and edit three films that will inform understanding of issues that relate to A2 Media study. Students will be expected to construct work that will have some form of 'investigative' aim...just like the linked production that will inform your critical investigation.

HOMEWORK: Those D grade essays that lacked specific detail need to be rewritten. Students should use their essays as a draft and use my comments as a guide to access the higher grades. Students must support their view with a specific textual example. WE MUST IMPROVE THE CRITAL DETAIL OFFERED BY THE WRITTEN WORK. THE CREATIVE WORK SEEMS FINE...BUT WE NEED TO IMPROVE THE WRITTEN RESPONSES.

YOU LOT HAVE BEEN MAGNIFICENT THIS TERM. MUCH APPRECIATED. Ta.

DOVE ADVERTS: A useful resource for A2 Students.

Students may like to watch this incredible DOVE advert. Dove are continually challenging the unrealistic depictions of women that saturate our media. Below is a link to the BEAUTY PRESSURE advertisement and a link to a film that explores the construction of this advert:
Advertisement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei6JvK0W60I
The making of..: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLty8Vm1TfM

OTHER DOVE ADVERTS:
EVOLUTION: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U
Any student interested in female representation or objectification may wish to explore how DOVE promotes its brand.

YEAR 12 LESSON SEVEN [22nd Oct 12]: Homework.

                                                                                                   


Students were introduced to the technology available within the media department and the students were asked to edit their first film. Footage captured at the recent trip to the National Media Museum in Bradford was used as content and students were asked to create a two or three minute film that captures the spirit of the trip and would be suitable for publication on the museum website. Work was good and when we meet after half-term we will complete this task. Students need to consider the nature of the soundtrack.
Homework: Enjoy being a teenager. We will be finishing the Bradford Media Museum edit when we return to school then we move straight into the 'Survival Guide' for the Sixth Form. The next few sessions all involve creating creative media so watch as much moving image as possible and consider how editing is used to shape meaning.
YOU LOT HAVE BEEN MAGNIFICENT THIS TERM. Ta.

YEAR 13 LESSON SEVEN [17th Oct 12]: Homework.

                                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                         
Students discussed issues relating to the representation of women and were introduced to the results of a recent survey published in The Guardian on Monday that explored issues relating to women and the media. Click on link below to access article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/oct/14/sexist-stereotypes-front-pages-newspapers

This moved into a consideration of how women are represented and the class were offered a couple of texts to provoke discussion. Click on links below to access texts:
Reebok Easy Tone Advert:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPfby-vdXSo
Lynx advert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfeVEAZkJqM
Banned Reebok advert advert:http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/1044244/

The class then considered the representation of War. Click on links below to access texts:
Call of Duty World at War Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buQy1Zg2C80

Restrepo Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvUdruvbdmI

The aim of this task was to develop the critical skills appropriate for MEST3 Section A in the exam. The question that students were asked to consider was:

How is the experience of War represented within these two texts? 

Students were then asked to consider ideas for creating creative media.

HOMEWORK: Attempt the representation question and develop ideas for creative media. Next week we need to structure ideas in preparation for creating two/three films that explore issues relating to the impact of digital media. We need to develop narrative ideas before we begin filming so bring some ideas to the lesson next week. I will plan a 'conventional' lesson that I will deliver IF you lot fail to offer some decent ideas for the creative media. For example, if we are making a documentary, what are the questions that will navigate the viewer through the film? What questions should we ask and why? What are we trying to investigate? Give it some thought.

How great was it to see BR? GOOD LUCK BETH!! YOU ARE MISSED IN MEDIA WORLD. Hope you like the photo!

YEAR 12 LESSON SIX [15th Oct 12]: Homework.

Students continued to collect material suitable for the construction of a 'Sixth-Form Survival Guide'. Next week students will attempt to shape this material into a film. This will be an introduction to film editing and all the skills that will be used next week will be relevant when constructing coursework. This course is 50% Written/50% Coursework so next week's session is a BIG LESSON. Students are expected to use digital technology to create creative media and next week will be your introduction to the technology that you will be using to create your coursework. The filming looks okay. We should have some decent material to edit.


The Barnardo's written work was outstanding. Thank you very much media freaks. Keep it up.

HOMEWORK: Familiarise yourself with the DEXTER resource. Consider the question:
How are media forms being used to represent the nature of the central character?
click on link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej8-Rqo-VT4

Don't produce a written response. Just watch and think...this will inform the quality of next week's class discussion.

YEAR 13 LESSON SIX [10th Oct 12]: Homework.

THIS WAS A BIG LESSON. Students received their first marked A2 essays and feedback. Students need to offer more evidence of independent research and need to be aware that opinion must always be supported with textual reference. An exemplar response was provided from last year's A2 group. Students need to read this essay and be aware of the level of detail required to achieve an A grade at A2.

The whole of the session was a consideration of the essay title:
'THE INTERNET AND WORLDWIDE WEB HAVE HELPED CREATE A MORE DEMOCRATIC WORLD.' To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Class discussion explored a series of topics that may be appropriate for consideration within this essay. A potential essay structure:

• Reference to Clay Shirky and his views relating to the empowering creative potential of digital media.
• Reference to Iran in 2009/The Arab Spring of 2011 and how social media was used to confront political regimes that were inhibiting democratic freedom.
• Reference to 38 Degrees and how such sites attempt to bring people together to fight for democratic justice. Examples of campaigns?
• An exploration of the purpose of Wikileaks that considers why governments would want to control the information offered to its people and control the nature of their own political representation. This could be linked to Marxist Theory as the fact that governments wish to control information suggests they believe the web is capable of great political influence and can be used as a means of 'manufacturing consent.'
• Reference to China and how the Chinese government attempts to regulate digital information.
• The Estonian banking crisis OR the Stuxnet Worm and issues relating to cyberwar OR Anonymous and Hacktivism and how this emphasises how vulnerable we all are on the web.
• Trolling and how digital media can be used to cause psychological distress. Possible reference to views of Andrew Keen.
• The London Riots and how social media was used. This is a great example of the duality of digital media. Different people use social media for different reasons. If your motivation is to use digital media to empower people, the web does help create a more democratic world. If an individual's motivation is to control information, indulge in criminal activity and spread fear, the web helps create a world of fear and anxiety. IT DEPENDS WHO IS USING THE MEDIA AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE.
• The conclusion may explore issues relating to geography. Access to digital democratic freedom depends upon where you live and the motivation of the individual using the technology. The technology itself does not create a more democratic world. The web is a reflection of the human condition. Good and bad.

BELOW ARE A SERIES OF RESOURCES THAT CAN BE USED TO PROVIDE CONTENT FOR THIS ESSAY. THE ESSAY SHOULD BE FOUR/FIVE PARAGRAPHS AND A CONCLUSION.
Hacking....Security issues: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19280905
Stuxnet worm: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18825742
Cyber War threat: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-17308921
Cyber Attacks : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16754276
April Jones trolling: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-19869710
The Virtual Revolution. Below are three links to the second episode. Students should watch the whole of this episode as it is relevant for this essay:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqesGryXoo4&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj4OtguOH9E&feature=relmfu
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sH4HHiMNko&feature=relmfu
38 Degrees Website:http://www.38degrees.org.uk/
Wikileaks Documentary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvmfOaZ34Pk
London Riots from BBC Click:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/9563177.stm
Facebook and the Arab Spring. BBC Documentary:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnPR90dJ3Gk

FISHYMEDIA IS YOUR ONE STOP MEDIA RESOURCES SHOP FOLKS. SHOW ME EVIDENCE OF INDEPENDENT STUDY. ALL THE RESOURCES ARE HERE. USE THEM.

HOMEWORK: Complete the essay. The challenge to all students is to improve your mark by ONE FULL GRADE.
GOOD LUCK MEDIA FREAKS.

YEAR 12 LESSON FIVE [8th Oct 12]: Homework.

The lesson began with feedback to the last written homework. The American cigarette adverts/Art Gallery written response was unimpressive. Students need to use media language in a more convincing manner when constructing a critical analysis and students must support their argument with specific reference to the media text. Exemplar material was offered to the class. Students need to read this resource.
The next critical written work will be a critical response to the resource below.
Dexter's 'Morning Routine':   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej8-Rqo-VT4

The heart of the lesson was an introduction to the construction of creative media. Students were given the task of filming material that can be used to create a film that offers a 'BEVERLEY JOINT SIXTH FORM SURVIVAL GUIDE' for a Year 11 audience. Students were given the task of collating interviews and capturing images of the school. This was the first opportunity that students have been offered to capture moving image material. Some groups have captured some really good material. One group seem to have been wasting my time. We will have a feedback session at the beginning of the next session.

HOMEWORK: Students need to watch the Dexter resource and consider how media forms are being used to suggest the nature of the central character.
Next week students will be expected to gather as much footage as possible for the Sixth Form Survival Guide. I expect students to collect the video cameras at or before 9am next Monday. We need to be collecting material throughout the day, not just in the two 'media' hours. Students are encouraged to use their smart phones to gather moving and still images that we can use in our film. We need some footage of the sixth form centre at BHS. CO'B has a video camera. Feel free to share this resource and collect material from BHS.
Next week we gather as much material as we can. The week after, students will be introduced to the wonderful world of film editing.

Next week you will receive the results of the Barnardo's homework.

YEAR 13 LESSON FIVE [3rd Oct 12]: Homework.

Students were asked to illustrate their understanding of media theory through a consideration of the title:
'Violent films produce violent people.' Discuss.
This will be an essay title in the very near future. Class discussion was excellent. I particularly liked MT's suggestion that desensitisation could be linked to Marxist theory. The application of media theory is a skill that all the class need to develop as this was definitely a media weakness in Year 12.

The next phase of the lesson was a consideration of the title:
'THE INTERNET AND WORLDWIDE WEB HAVE HELPED CREATE A MORE DEMOCRATIC WORLD.' To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Class discussion was punctuated with two relevant segments from the wonderful BBC series The Virtual Revolution. Clicl on link below for clips:

The Virtual Revolution clip one:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqesGryXoo4&feature=relmfu

China..clip two:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APTtOVTm_Jc&feature=relmfu

Reference was made to the 38 Degrees site. Click on link: http://www.38degrees.org.uk/

Negative aspect of the internet.....Trolling: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/sep/13/internet-troll-jailed-mocking-teenagers

Students will be asked to complete this essay for homework next week.

The final section of the lesson considered MEST 3 Section A and two texts were offered to the class. The question being considered was:
How is the experience of War represented in these two texts?
Click on links below to access texts:
RESTREPO:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvUdruvbdmI
Battle for Haditha: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZl5w1nFYUE&feature=related

HOMEWORK: Students will have an important essay to attempt next week so this week needs to be an 'independent research' week. Students need to illustrate critical autonomy when constructing next week's essay so you have a week to find and digest material that can be used in the 'Democracy' essay.
Students might want to digest these resources that relate to the London Riots, Wikileaks and the Arab Spring.

Wonderful BBC documentary that explores how Facebook was used to organise direct action during the Arab Spring: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnPR90dJ3Gk

London Riots resources: http://fishymediaresources.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/how-has-technology-affected-riots-in.html

Wikileaks documentary: http://fishymediaresources.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/wikileaks-documentary.html