Y11, Y9/10 BTEC students: achieving your target grades

Ladies and gentlemen, we have two weeks left.I have target grades for all of you and targets for what you all have to do in order to achieve, or in some cases even raise, your grades.

Below is the list of evidence required for each section of your film module

Evidence for achievement of learning outcome 1: pre production:

Written notes, drafts, sketches, research notes, other pre-production documentation and a proposal. Learners could also do a pitch based on the proposal (pitches must be recorded for verification purposes).

Evidence for achievement of learning outcome 2: production:

Rushes, production notes, production paperwork, production logs and tutor observation records. Logs can be either written or recorded.

Evidence for achievement of learning outcome 3: post production:

The learner’s edit of the final product and relevant post-production paperwork such as edit decision lists, screen dumps, editor’s notes and a post-production log.

Evidence for achievement of learning outcome 4: evaluation:

Written notes, a report, a presentation, notes in a studio log, annotations to a script, editor’s notes and video diaries.

I have also included the criteria for each section of the production process from the exam syllabus. This will tell you what you need to do in order to achieve each grade.

Pass:
To achieve a pass grade, learners must achieve all the criteria at pass level. For each of the criteria learners must present evidence that addresses each italicised sub-heading of the content for the learning outcome.

P1: learners will apply pre-production techniques at a basic level. Ideas will be stated briefly and will tend towards the obvious or the impracticable. Scripts, storyboards and other such documentation will be roughly sketched out, and the proposal will be a brief outline.

P2: learners will carry out a technical role in production to a basic standard, and will be hampered in

expressing their intentions fully by their limited grasp of technology and skills. For example, camera work may be badly framed, sound levels and lighting continuity will be inconsistent, or the shoot will lack clear organisation. Production paperwork or notes will be brief and the production log will focus mainly on a historical account of what the learner has done.

P3: again, learners will be hampered in expressing their intentions fully by their limited grasp of technology and skills. Shots will not match up when edited together and the final product will generally lack pace. Sound levels will vary quite widely from one shot to another. Transitions will be used, but without consideration to how they affect the reading of content. Edit decision lists, screen dumps and editor’s notes will be brief. The post-production log will focus mainly on a historical account of what the learner has done.

P4: learners will provide an overall outline review of their own production work (‘work’ meaning both the process and the product resulting from following that process), identifying strengths and weaknesses in their work but without further elaboration or comment. Any description of activity will mainly be confined to a historical account (for example, ‘We had a script meeting and wrote the script, then we did the storyboard which Ashe drew. We spent five days on the shooting and another three on the editing …’ etc). Accounts which are mostly taken up with irrelevant detail should not be considered as meeting the pass grade. Description of the product will be an unelaborated outline and assessments of its quality will be relevant but very generalised and at the level of assertion (for example, ‘The shoot went quite well and the final edit was good’).

   Merit:To achieve a merit grade, learners must achieve all the pass and all the merit grade criteria. For each of the criteria learners must present evidence that addresses each italicized sub-heading of the content for the
learning outcome.

M1: learners will demonstrate competent pre-production techniques and some sense of direction in the way they work through the process. Ideas will show some development and will be presented in an organised way, as will scripts, storyboards and other documentation. The proposal will go beyond merely outlining an idea, having some detail about, for example, the content of the proposed video and the intended audience.

M2: learners will carry out production techniques competently. The evidence presented will show care

in relation to the work produced and there will be clear ability in the way equipment is handled and in the exercise of skills which will be sufficient to enable learners to express their intentions and achieve what they aim to achieve to some degree. For example, camera work will show some understanding of framing, sound levels and lighting continuity will be generally consistent, or the shoot will be organised with some efficiency. The production log will have some detail and will demonstrate some understanding of the individual’s impact on this stage of the production.

M3: learners will demonstrate competent application of post-production techniques and again will be

sufficiently competent in technical skills to be able to express their intentions or achieve what they aim to achieve to some degree. Edits will clearly be used for a reason and there will be a more developed sense of pace. Transitions will be used with purpose. Accompanying documentation will be more detailed in its approach. The post-production log will demonstrate some understanding of the individual’s impact on this stage of the production.

M4: in reflecting upon their production work merit grade learners will describe the strengths and weaknesses of their work with some detail, supporting these comments with appropriate illustrative examples taken from the work. Evaluative commentary, however, will still be at the level of statement or assertion rather than being supported by explanation or argument. A learner might note, for example: ‘The editing was pretty slick, like the one where Eve was walking through the garden and was surprised by Sinh hiding in a tree.’

Distinction

To achieve a distinction grade, learners must achieve all the pass, all the merit and all the distinction grade criteria. For each of the criteria learners must present evidence that addresses each italicized sub-heading of the content for the learning outcome.

D1: learners will demonstrate highly effective and skilful pre-production techniques. Imaginative ideas, careful research and high quality pre-production work will all be evident. Learners will have direction and demonstrate a clear sense of purpose. Ideas will be clearly defined and reveal good understanding of the conventions of the genre being worked in. Proposals will be of high quality.

D2: learners will carry out production techniques skilfully and there will be an overall sense that they are in control of the technology they are using and are able to use it to serve their creative objectives effectively and imaginatively. Footage will demonstrate good composition and shots will have a clear sense of purpose. The shoot will run to schedule and be well organised. Sound levels will be consistent and lighting will be appropriate and effective. Production paperwork will be detailed and relevant. The production log will be detailed and will demonstrate clear understanding of the individual’s impact on this stage of the production.

D3: again, there will be an overall sense that learners are in control of the technology they are using and are able to use it to serve their creative objectives effectively and imaginatively. Editing will be more succinct and have a clear sense of direction. Pace will be good and transitions will have a clearly defined purpose. Sound levels will be consistently accurate and lighting appropriate. Post-production documentation will be detailed and the post-production log will be detailed in its approach, demonstrating clear understanding of the individual’s impact on this stage of the production.

D4: in reflecting upon their work, distinction grade learners will evaluate – that is, they will demonstrate an awareness of why they did what they did, and will justify or support comments on these production decisions through precise and well-chosen illustrative examples. A learner might note, for example: ‘The first long shot of the café is followed by a medium close-up of Jean sitting at a table because that is the conventional way of establishing where someone is at the opening of a soap episode.’ Any use of technical and specialist language will be correct, being consistently appropriate and accurate.

Y9/10 and Y11 media BTEC students - production log

Hello ladies and gentlemen, here is some essential information about your production log:

During production phase each learner must keep a production log which:

●                                documents the production process

●                                notes how individual role has contributed to that process.

In order to get a merit for production you must: competently carry out a technical role in the creation of a video product.

In order to get a distinction you must: skilfully carry out a technical role in the creation of a video product.

I cannot be there to constantly assess this so you must provide evidence in the detail of your logs.

Look back through your logs and amend them so that you can provide the following clear details for each entry:

·       What was your role in the session; director / cameraman / actor?

·       Which scenes did you film (think of explaining where in the script the scene comes, what physically happens in the scene, who else was involved and the names of the camera shots and angles you filmed.

·       How well did you shoot them? Did you change your initial ideas or try different angles as back-up / additional footage?

·      Will you need to re-shoot anything? Why?

It is these details which will provide evidence that you are competently or skillfully fulfilling your role.