1. Essay Feedback

2. Questions 13. Choose a film or television drama in which the setting in time or place is important. Explain how the film or programme makers use media techniques effectively to create this setting. 15. Choose a film or television drama in which lighting and/or sound makes an important contribution to the impact of a particular sequence. Explain how the film or programme makers use lighting and/or sound to enhance your appreciation of the sequence.

3. Identify Key Words This seems like a daft step but it is SO helpful in making sure you address the task properly. Identify the key words so you know EXACTLY what the question wants you to do. Then you’ll be able to plan effectively to tackle the task.

4. Identify Key Words The second part – Q13 “Explain how the film or programme makers use media techniques effectively to create this setting” OR – Q15 “Explain how the film or programme makers use lighting and/or sound to enhance your appreciation of the sequence” people were forgetting to do this.

5. Identify Key Words 13. Choose a film or television drama in which the setting in time or place is important. Explain how the film or programme makers use media techniques effectively to create this setting.

6. Identify Key Words 15. Choose a film or television drama in which lighting and/or sound makes an important contribution to the impact of a particular sequence. Explain how the film or programme makers use lighting and/or sound to enhance your appreciation of the sequence.

7. Identify Key Words Use these key words in your introduction so it’s clear to the marker what your essay will be about but also so YOU know what you need to focus on.

8. Introductions Q13 – WHY is the setting important? – For example: Setting = isolation: established through opening Setting = hotel changes suggesting manipulation of characters Q15 – Identify the scene which uses sound/lighting and think about WHY it enhances your appreciation – For example: “Room 237”: creates a bizarre almost other-worldly atmosphere “Here’s Johnny”: builds tension and creates drama.

9. Identify Key Words 13. Choose a film or television drama in which the setting in time or place is important. Explain how the film or programme makers use media techniques effectively to create this setting.

10. Introductions For example: Stanley Kubrick’s classic horror ‘The Shining’ tells the story of Jack Torrance who slowly goes insane living in a hotel over the winter. The isolation drives him to try and kill his family. The setting is important as what creates this sense of isolation as the hotel is completely cut off from civilisation. Kubrick creates this sense of isolation in the opening sequence of the film using media techniques such as mise-en-scene and sound.

11. Identify Key Words 15. Choose a film or television drama in which lighting and/or sound makes an important contribution to the impact of a particular sequence. Explain how the film or programme makers use lighting and/or sound to enhance your appreciation of the sequence.

12. Introductions For example: Stanley Kubrick’s classic horror ‘The Shining’ tells the story of Jack Torrance who slowly goes insane living in a hotel over the winter. The use of sound in the film contributes to the creepy, supernatural atmosphere that accompanies Jack’s decent into insanity. This is most notable in the scene in which he investigates the mysterious room 237 where Danny was supposedly attacked. In this scene, the sound allows the viewer to appreciate that Jack is having a supernatural experience.

13. Plans Don’t write instructions to yourself – be specific: – What techniques will you explore? – What point are you trying to argue? Use the key words from the task. – How do the techniques relate to the task? Eventually, you won’t need as much detail – the thought process will become quicker and you’ll need less prompting (if you’ve revised enough and know your text well).

14. Main Body Every paragraph should MAKE A POINT When planning, decide what your main point/argument/topic sentence will be and select a piece of evidence (or, even better, 2 or 3) then EXPLAIN HOW the example you have chosen from the text proves your point – just like a persuasive essay.

15. Main Body If you don’t start paragraphs with a point, you run the risk of re-telling the story. Compare: – The use of diegetic sound also creates tension in the scene. When Jack swings the axe to break down the door, the repetitive, heavy thud creates a sense of…. – Then, we see Jack try to break down the door. There are really loud, repetitive thuds as he hits the door each time…

16. Evidence Be selective – only mention examples of the techniques which are RELEVANT to what you want to argue. – If arguing that the opening sequence creates a sense of isolation, do you need to talk about how the music creates tension? There’s no need to explain EVERY technique in minute detail – just use enough to prove your point and move on.

17. Main Body For example: The diegetic sound adds to the tension through Danny’s repetitive chanting of the words “red rum”. His voice takes on an eerie, croaky quality that we normally hear when “Tony” is speaking. This indicates that perhaps Danny is having a telepathic moment and is not in control of his own actions and that it is “Tony” who is doing these things. This makes the viewer nervous as they are not sure what “Tony” might do and therefore fear for Wendy’s safety.

18. Main Body For example: The use of high-angled shots of the hotel, coupled with mise-en-scene help to reinforce the sense of the isolation the family experience. The hotel is nestled in a valley in the mountains and the high angle makes the hotel look small, and somewhat vulnerable. The mountains tower over it from this angle and it creates the sense that the hotel is completely cut off from the rest of civilisation. As the film progresses, we see more snow covering the mountains which implies the family are now even more cut off from the rest of the world, meaning that if anything were to go wrong, help would take a long time to reach them.

19. Conclusions No need to plan these – they all do the same job! This is where you sum up your main arguments (summarise the points you’ve made in the essay) DO NOT bring in any new information – only summarise WHAT YOU HAVE SAID IN THE ESSAY STAY FOCUSSED ON THE TASK – unless the question specifically asks you, don’t bother commenting on whether you enjoyed it etc.

20. Overall Points Make sure your tone is formal and objective – Avoid using “I think” or “this makes me feel…” – Instead write in the 3 rd person: “This suggests” or “this makes the viewer/audience feel…” Take the time to ensure technical accuracy – Poor sentence structure, weak spelling, clumsy expression etc. COULD MEAN YOU FAIL – no matter how good your essay is. Make sure you definitely know the scene – Describe the techniques (especially sound) in as much detail as you can. Use the names of the techniques – This shows your knowledge off to the examiner Analyse/explain in DETAIL – “makes us think something will happen” is NOT Higher level analysis.