Year 9 Media Production – JOHN PAUL COLLEGE

Course Outline

Learning Context: Film Studies and Production

Lessons: Three lessons per week

Course Duration: One Semester (20 Weeks)

WEEK TOPIC/AREA OF STUDY ASSESSMENTS

1 and 2 UNIT 1: Preproduction, storyboarding and music clip construction. Completion of storyboarding
activity.
The decisions that need to be made by a filmmaker when constructing a
music video clip. Topics include: Task One (Response):
 The six elements of mise-en-scene 15%
o Lighting and colour
o Costume Analysing the construction of a
o Body language music video clip.
o Setting and locations
o Language/Dialogue/Audio
o Camera angles
 Creation of meaning through selection and combination process.
o Lyrics – literal and symbolic meaning
o Editorial selection. Visual / audio combination.
o Audience values and attitudes

Activities include the analysis of audio and visual combination in clips and
construction of a particular message in music videos.
WEEK TOPIC/AREA OF STUDY ASSESSMENTS

3 to 6 UNIT 2: Film Production and Cinematography Task Two (Part A and B):
Production
Researching an appropriate song and developing it into their own music 25%
video clip. This includes the processes involved in creating effective, A: Students individually
professional short films. Topics include: storyboard a music video clip.
 Film terminology
o Shot They must explain their
o Camera movement – dolly, pan, reveal etc. decisions drawing on content
o Scene breakdown discussed in the course so far.
o Script
o Storyboard B: Students work in a small
 Roles in filmmaking group to film and edit the music
o Director clip. Each student in the group
o Cinematographer will have a role to fulfill.
o Audio director
o Editor
 The filmmaking process
o Choosing the most effective shots to tell a story
o Using a tripod and directing actors
o Mastering the frame and becoming a cinematographer
o Working as a team

During these weeks, lessons will be production based, with students

completing filmmaking activities that assist them in developing their
production skills.

Students will complete an individual storyboarding task and a group film

production.
WEEK TOPIC/AREA OF STUDY ASSESSMENTS

7 to 9 UNIT 2 Continued: Film Production and Editing Task 2 Production;

Editing techniques and effects will be introduced. Editing techniques will be Music video clip.
learned that will assist in adding additional meaning to production projects.
Topics include: Students work in a small group
 Structuring Time through Editing to film and edit the music clip.
o Cuts Each student in the group will
o Fast and slow motion have a role to fulfill.
o Reverse footage
o Split screen
o Parallel editing
 Colour and tone in editing
o Altering the image in editing
o Editing and meaning

End of Term Two.

WEEK TOPIC/AREA OF STUDY ASSESSMENTS

10 to 12 UNIT 3: Building Suspense in Film Task Three (Response)

This term-long unit will build on the basic skills developed in Term One. Analysing a suspenseful scene
Students will learn to manipulate the audience and build suspense by from a film. Completed in class
carefully planning and controlling their films. These first two weeks will during one class period.
include:
 Defining suspense
o What is suspense?
o Reflecting on films that can be defined as ‘suspenseful’
 Viewing and deconstructing ‘suspenseful scenes’
o Framework for analysing suspense
o Viewing of scenes as examples
o Writing about suspense

Activities include viewing and discussing a variety of suspenseful scenes

from films. Students complete an in-class assessment.

13 to 14 FINAL PRODUCTION PROJECT: The Three Minute Thriller Task Four (Production)

In Week 13, students are given the final task of the course. They are ‘Three Minute Thriller’
required to plan, script, storyboard and produce a 3-minute suspense film. Students plan, shoot and edit a
They will work in groups of 3-4 and have regular meetings with their teacher short suspense film that draws
regarding progress. on skills and concepts of the
course.
Students complete their preproduction during these weeks, including:
 Treatment * Scene breakdown.
 Shot list * Storyboard
 Locations
Filming will not commence until the teacher has approved preproduction.
15 to 17 Production and filming
18 to 19 Editing and postproduction
20 Submission and viewing
Assessment Types and Weightings

Task Type Task Weighting Outcomes

Production Task Two: Media ideas

(Practical)
Students will individually storyboard a music 25% Media Production Skills and
video clip. They will then move in to small Processes
groups to film and edit the scenario.

Task Four:

Students work in groups to produce a ‘three 40%

minute thriller’ that uses skills learned in the
course build suspense.

Response Task One: Media in Society

(Written)
Analyse of the construction of a music video 15% Responses to Media
clip.. Students will focus on the use of mise-en-
scene to construct characters and manipulate
audience.

Task Three:

Students analyse a suspenseful scene provided 20%

by the teacher. Completed in-class during one
class period.