Tips for structuring your exam responses

http://getaheadocrmedia.blogspot.com/2011/01/structure-for-a2-exam-q1a.html

Example 1a question

In your experience, how has your creativity developed through using digital technology to complete your production?

Introduction

Explain the tasks you have done across the 2 years,

including anything done outside the course that you intend to reference.

Main paragraphs

• Write about the technology you have used, with some reflections on how you got to grips with it initially, and where you went from there. You might discuss:

• -iMovie/Final cut pro

  -camera(s)

  -blogger

  -YouTube

  -Photoshop

  -etc.

  • Make some observations about how easy it is to get used to technology these days, particularly for young people who have access to it outside school. Refer specifically to how you used the technology in particular tasks.
  • Open up the question of creativity: what does it mean to you, and where have your ideas about creativity come from? What do other people say about what creativity might mean? (*Quote) How have the tasks themselves encouraged creativity? Refer to examples from what you’ve done.

  • Conclusion

    • Try to bring together these strands - creativity and technology - to answer the question.
    • Refer to ways in which the technology has also allowed you to develop other skills - teamwork, organisation, planning, research, negotiation.
    • Finish by opening up to a wider conclusion - that digital technology has given media consumers the opportunity to become media producers too - particularly via web distribution and that this, in turn, has allowed creative comment in wider communities such as YouTube.
    
    
    Look at the criteria for top marks:
    
    
    

    Explanation/analysis/argument (8-10 marks)

    There is a clear sense of progression and of how examples have been selected, and

    a range of articulate reflections on technology and creativity. There is a fluent

    evaluation of progress made over time.

    Use of examples (8-10 marks)

    Candidates offer a broad range of specific, relevant and clear examples of technology

    in relation to creative decisions and outcomes.

    Use of terminology (5 marks)

    The use of media terminology and research, planning and production terms is

    excellent.

    Complex issues have been expressed clearly and fluently using a style of writing

    appropriate to the complex subject matter. Sentences and paragraphs, consistently

    relevant, have been well structured, using appropriate technical terminology. There

    may be few, if any, errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar.

    
    

    
    

    
    

    
    
  
  

Conventions

How have you used conventions of real media products?

D.I.S.T.I.N.C.T.

Don't. Ignore. Setting. Technical codes. Iconography. Narrative structure. Character types. Themes.

Hybrids mix genres, for example, Back to the Future -
Setting: conventional for historic/retro
Iconography: conventional for sci-fi
Theme: conventional for adventure

Have you mixed conventions?

Postmodern films subvert even the basic conventions for cinema, these include:
linear narrative
forward moving action
the 4th wall
Soundtrack complimenting the visuals

Why are these films considered postmodern?
Once upon a time in the west
Memento
Twin Peaks (TV series)
24 hour party people

Digital Technology

Draw a timeline for your own use of digital technology. When was the first time you used:

Digital camera
Tape
CD
MP3
Email account
Mobile phone
Google
Laptop

What technology have you used in your productions?

Youtube
Blogspot
Still cameras
Mobile phones
etc.

Creativity

What is creativity?

Imganation
Purposeful
Original
Valuable

Which of these are creative:

Doodling
Chatting witha friend
Writing a poem
Singing
Inventing a new hoover
Designing a poster
Thinking about a unicorn

Production

How do these films challange traditional production techniques:

Russian Ark by Alexander Sokurov
Inland Empire by David Lynch
Requiem for a Dream by Darren Aronofsky
Colin

Research and Planning

Terminology:

Reccie report
Risk assessment
Shooting schedule
Call sheets
Storyboards
Shooting script
Budget


Quantative research:
From the word quantity - referring to numbers and values
e.g. questionnaires

Qualitative research:
From the word quality - referring to features and characteristics
e.g. textual analysis