Pete Bennett

Sarah Casey Benyahia

Jerry Slater

A Level Media Studies is a comprehensive guide to the subject content of AS and A Level Media Studies, across all examining boards. It is specifically designed to meet the needs of both students and teachers with an accessible writing style, helpful notes on key theories and theorists and a range of learning exercises. The book’s overall approach is gradual immersion, assuming no prior knowledge of the subject. Starting with an overview of the discipline, the book moves on to develop increasingly sophisticated ideas whilst repeatedly reinforcing the basic principles of media studies. Each component of media studies is illustrated with practical examples and guided exercises that demonstrate the application of theories and concepts. In addition, numerous case studies offer examples of media studies in practice. Working through these examples, students will acquire the skill set and confidence to tackle the analysis of media products and the discussion of media issues to the standard required at A Level. The focus is on contemporary media, but there is also full acknowledgement of historical precedents, as well as the significance of social, cultural, political and economic contexts. With its clear structure and integrative approach, A Level Media Studies is the ideal introductory resource for students and teachers.

The Essential Introduction

A Level Media Studies

John White

Freddie Gaffney

AS Film Studies: The Essential Introductiongives students the confidence to tackle every part of the WJEC AS level Film Studies course. The authors, who have wide ranging experience as teachers, examiners and authors, introduce students step by step, to the skills involved in the study of film. The second edition follows the new WJEC syllabus for 2008 teaching onwards and has a companion website with additional resources for students and teachers. Specifically designed to be user friendly, the second edition of AS Film Studies: The Essential Introduction has a new text design to make the book easy to follow, includes more than 100 colour photographs and is jam packed with features such as: Case studies relevant to the 2008 specification Activities on films including Little Miss Sunshine, Pirates of the Caribbean& The Descent Key terms Example exam questions Suggestions for further reading and website resources

AS Film Studies

AS Film Studies: The Essential Introduction gives students the confidence to tackle every part of the WJEC AS level Film Studies course. The authors, who have wide ranging experience as teachers, examiners and authors, introduce students step by step, to the skills involved in the study of film. The second edition follows the new WJEC syllabus for 2008 teaching onwards and has a companion website with additional resources for students and teachers. Specifically designed to be user friendly, the second edition of AS Film Studies: The Essential Introduction has a new text design to make the book easy to follow, includes more than 100 colour photographs and is jam packed with features such as: Case studies relevant to the 2008 specification Activities on films including Little Miss Sunshine, Pirates of the Caribbean & The Descent Key terms Example exam questions Suggestions for further reading and website resources

Peter Bennett

Peter Wall

Antony Bateman

Developing key topics in depth and introducing students to the notion of independent study, this full colour, highly illustrated textbook is designed to support students through the transition from AS to A2 and is the perfect guide for the new WJEC A2 Media Studies syllabus. Individual chapters, written by experienced teachers and examiners cover the following key areas: • Introduction: From AS to A2 • 1. Key Concepts: genre, narrative, representation, audience • 2. Developing Textual Analysis • 3. Theoretical Perspectives • 4. Passing MS4: Text, Industry and Audience • 5. Passing MS3: Media Investigation and Production • Epilogue Specially designed to be user-friendly, A2 Media Studies: The Essential Introduction for WJEC includes activities, key terms, case studies, sample exam questions and over 120 full colour images.

The Essential Introduction for WJEC

A2 Media Studies

This essential book covers the key areas for A Level Film Studies students, building confidence through a careful, step-by-step approach. The first part of the book establishes a basic understanding of the grounding of film analysis in the various elements of film construction, mise en scène, cinematography, editing, sound and performance, developing the knowledge students have of movies whilst challenging them to consider new films and ideas. Key theoretical approaches around narrative, genre, representation, spectatorship and authorship are introduced in Part II, before we consider specific national cinemas from around the world in parts III and IV. In Part V, the book assesses a range of slightly different film experiences, looking at silent cinema, experimental films and documentaries; before, finally, Part VI shifts to evaluating creative approaches to students' own filmmaking. Specifically designed to be user-friendly, the book has an easy-to-follow design, includes more than 60 colour images and is packed with features such as: case studies on a range of films and filmmakers; activities on such films as Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (Murnau, 1927, USA), Vertigo (Hitchcock, 1958, USA), Do the Right Thing (Lee, 1989, USA), We Need to Talk About Kevin (Ramsay, 2011, UK) and Stories We Tell (Polley, 2012, Canada); definitions of key terms; and suggestions for further reading and website resources. Matched to the current exam specification, A Level Film Studies: The Essential Introduction covers everything students need to study as part of the course. The book is supported by a companion website at www.alevelfilmstudies.co.uk, offering further advice and activities.

A Level Film Studies

Crime films have, since the earliest days of cinema, been popular with audiences, industry and critics alike and encompassed a diverse range of subjects, styles and themes. The genre provides a range of pleasures for the spectator, from taking on the role of the detective in the pursuit of clues in the ‘whodunit’, to the more illicit thrills of identification with an anti hero. In the many incarnations of the crime film such as the gangster, film noir, political and detective thrillers, the genre explores the anxieties of different historical moments. Sarah Casey Benyahia provides an overview of the development of the crime film and examines the key theories and ideas involved in the study of the genre. These include; the investigative structure and narration of the crime film, the aesthetics of violence and issues of representation and ideology. These areas are explored through contemporary and classic, Hollywood and European cinema with case studies on the history of the genre, the role of the detective, the 'family crime' film and the conspiracy thriller. Crime provides a broad framework to the study of the genre through the introduction of narrative, genre and audience theories as well as detailed analysis of specific films. Films discussed include: Scarface (1932) Mildred Pierce (1945) Dirty Harry (1971) The Parallax View (1974) Reservoir Dogs (1992) Mystic River (2002) Hidden (2005) Gone Baby Gone (2007) Zodiac (2007) The Millennium Trilogy (2009) The Secret in Their Eyes (2010)

Crime

A2 Film Studies: The Essential Introduction gives students the confidence to tackle every part of the WJEC A2 Level Film Studies course. The authors, who have wide ranging experience as teachers, examiners and authors, introduce students step by step, to the skills involved in the study of film. The second edition has been re-designed and re-written to follow the new WJEC A2 syllabus for 2009 teaching onwards and is supported by a companion website at www.alevelfilmstudies.co.uk offering further advice and activities. There is a chapter for each exam topic including: The small scale research project The creative project Aspects of a national cinema - Bollywood; Iranian; Japanese; and Mexican International Film Styles - German and/or Soviet; Surrealism; Neo-Realism; and New Waves Specialist studies - Urban Stories; and Empowering Women Spectatorship topics - Early cinema before 1917; Documentary; Experimental and expanded film/video; and Popular film and emotional responses The single film critical study - every film covered Specifically designed to be user friendly, the second edition of A2 Film Studies: The Essential Introduction has a new text design to make the book easy to follow, includes more than sixty colour images and is packed with features such as: case studies relevant to the 2009 specification activities on films like All About My Mother, 10, Vertigo and City of God key terms example exam questions suggestions for further reading and website resources. Matched to the current WJEC specification, A2 Film Studies: The Essential Introduction covers everything students need to study as part of the course.

A2 Film Studies

Claire Mortimer

Doing Film Studiesexamines what it really means to study film, encouraging the reader to question the dominant theories as well as understanding the key approaches to cinema. This book provides an overview of the construction of film studies - including its history and evolution - and examines the application of theories to film texts. Important questions discussed include: Why does film studies need a canon? What is the relationship between authorship and genre theory? What is screen theory? How do we read a film text? Why is the concept of the spectator important to film? How is film involved in national identity? What is meant by a ‘film industry’? Aimed at students in their final year of secondary education or beginning their degrees, Doing Film Studiesequips the reader with the tools needed in approaching the study of film.

Sarah Casey Benyahia

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