2.

2 Response to 2017 EXAM

FEEDBACK
Visual Text
 General Feedback
• ‘Analyse how’ means talk about techniques – you MUST use specific film
terminology throughout your essay (E.g. camera shot should be specific ‘two-shot’,
‘wide shot’ etc.
• Without film techniques you can not achieve at Merit or Excellence.
• Answer the whole question – write the question out at the top of the paper,
underline the key words of the question BEFORE you start writing your essay.
Unpack the question – there are often several aspects you need to cover
• PLAN – at this level your essay will not survive without a plan (take at least 10 min)
• Never retell the plot – no question EVER requires this (a brief summary in the intro
can be helpful – no more than this is required).
• Introduce each new character with a brief phrase or adjective E.g.: “Anthony,
Philomena’s son”
 Remember:
• There is no credit in repeating the material from a practice question
and twisting it to a different topic. Pre-learned essays often focused
on one key word of the topic and did not address the whole topic
• Do make use of what you know (from your notes and practice
essays) but link it to your new topic with new keywords and a new
essay structure
• The best answers show an appreciation of the effect of techniques
in combination, working together
• Your examples must be specific and use plenty in each paragraph.
Remember to give background context so the picture is clear for
the marker who doesn’t know your text.
Also ….
• At the end of each body paragraph your comment must link to the
question and develop your argument. You can also comment throughout
as you analyse your examples.

• For Excellence, a sense of argument and logical flow of ideas is needed

• An idea/theme is not a single word. ‘Forgiveness’ is not enough; explain

the idea to prove you know what you are talking about - ‘the power of
forgiveness’ is much better
Questions 1 – Analyse how the text manipulated the
audience to think a certain way about a key issue or issues.

• Many students did a good job of this question.

• Need to be specifically state what the key issue was, and what the
audience was manipulated to think about it.
• Linking to director’s purpose here was needed to be convincing.
• The best answers had clear analysis around the techniques used to
influence the audience’s emotions.
• E.g. Dialogue (the how) was used to encourage the audience to feel angry
with the nuns at Roscrea. ‘The pain is her penance’.
• Answers that did well developed the roll on effect from this manipulation
eg. This also manipulated the audience to feel sympathy with Philomena
and see her as a positive person as she does not exhibit the same anger.
Question 2: Analyse how techniques were used to be
compelling at the beginning of a visual or oral text.

• Some good answers structured body paragraphs according to language

features
• Some confusion around the term ‘compelling’ (interesting, leaving the
viewer wanting to know more)
• Answers needed to develop the ‘how’ and ‘why’ it was compelling
more.
• ‘Beginning’ refers to the opening sequence of the film only.
Question 3: Analyse how a text integrated both the setting
and the characters for a purpose in a visual or oral text.
• The best answers talked about how setting and character worked
together in each main body paragraph.
• Some students failed to understand that ‘integrated’ meant ‘worked in
combination’
• ‘A purpose’ could be interpreted as linking to ‘director’s purpose’ but also
other ‘purposes’ around character development, relationships, issues etc..
were fine to talk about too.
• ‘Setting’ includes the physical, social and historic place of a text
• A clear link between the aspect of setting and the character was needed,
E.g. The severe atmosphere Roscrea Abbey helped us understand
Philomena’s sense of shame…
Question 4: Analyse how structure was used to
build the creator’s purpose in a visual or oral text.
• A good question though not many students chose to answer this.

• Structural Techniques could include flashbacks, links between

beginning and ending, motifs, editing, foreshadowing, contrast.

• ‘Creator’s purpose’ is another way of saying ‘Director’s purpose’

Question 5: Analyse how the method of narration
developed a main character in a visual or oral text.

• Not a popular choice although this is potentially a good topic.

• This was referring to narrative point of view, use of flashbacks (with-in

that point of view)
Question 6: Analyse how visual/verbal features were used to develop
a captivating first impression of a character in a visual or oral text.
• ‘First impression’ is really implying in the first few scenes of the film. It
was not appropriate to talk about the middle or end of the film in this
question.
• Need to explain how the visual/verbal features made you have that first
impression.
• Discussing film techniques in combination to create an effect worked well.
• Good essay structures included: structuring paragraphs in relation to the
sequence of the opening OR a technique per paragraph OR an impression
per paragraph.
• Have to explain how the impression is captivating (engaging,
demonstrated an interesting idea, foreshadowed future events).
Questions 7: Analyse how the visual/verbal features
conveyed the creator’s intention for the visual or oral text.
• A very popular choice – a good question to choose, as it is asking you
directly for director’s purpose.

• Lots of scope to write about almost anything you studied (it’s about
THEMES).

• ‘Creator’s intention’ meant ‘Director’s purpose’

• Good essay structures included: a technique per paragraph OR an idea

per paragraph showing an aspect of the creator’s intention.
Questions 8: Analyse how the visual/verbal features
achieved a clear sense of resolution during the final scene.

• Another popular question

• Good answers clearly explained the issues (linked to creator’s
intention) and developed how these were resolved in the final scene.
• Talking about something being resolved, but not explaining clearly
what the issue was could not be convincing.
• Many students needed to included more context of background issues.
• Explain how film techniques were effective in developing the
resolution of issues.