Film Studies A-Level

The Film Studies A-Level is a course for those with a passion for film and want to look at broader cultural and historical perspectives 

on the subject. Students will study films from a variety of periods and genres, film movements or stylistic developments, as well as investigating its different forms.

Students also have the opportunity to produce their own short film or screenplay, allowing them to apply their knowledge and go on to analyse and evaluate it.  

Key Areas of Study:

• Film Form & Language:
  Understanding how meaning is created through cinematography, editing, sound, and mise-en-scène.
  
  

• Contexts of Film:
  Exploration of historical, social, political, and cultural contexts that influence film.
  
  

• Critical Analysis:
  Studying films as complex texts through critical and theoretical perspectives, including auteur theory, spectatorship, and ideology.
  
  

• Global & Independent Cinema:
  Analysis of non-Hollywood and world cinema, with a focus on diversity and representation.
  
  

• Creative Production (NEA – Non-Exam Assessment):
  Students create a short film or screenplay with a reflective analysis, applying what they've learned about film form and storytelling.

Format

Independent reading, watching films and film/screenplay production. 

Key Skills Acquired

Written and communication skills, film production, creative thinking, problem solving, critical thinking, analysing.  

Complimentary A-Levels

English Language & Literature, Drama & Theatre, History, Classics, Politics, Digital Media & Design, Art, Sociology, Psychology. 

Typical Assessment

Written paper examinations and coursework.

Exam Boards

England, Wales and Northern Ireland Exam Boards: Eduquas(WJCE)

International Exam Boards: Cambridge International Education (CIE) offers Media Studies International A-Level which encompasses many aspects of film analysis and production, making it a suitable alternative for students interested in film.

Career Options

Film/media editor, film/media director, producer, location manager, cinematographer, camera operator, script writer, film critic, animation, film crew, film/media researcher, casting director, television production coordinator, social media manager, content creator, public relations.

UK Universities Include:

University of Warwick, University of Exeter, University of Southampton, University of Sussex, University of Kent, University of Bristol, University of East Anglia, University of Reading, University of St Andrews, University of Glasgow, University of Edinburgh, Queen Mary University of London, King’s College London, University of Birmingham, University of Leeds, University of Nottingham, University of York, University of Lancaster, University of Westminster, Goldsmiths University of London, University of the Arts London, University of Stirling, University of Lincoln, University of Leicester, University of Bedfordshire, University of Portsmouth, University of Hull, University of Roehampton, University of Greenwich, University of Salford, Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Central Lancashire, Edge Hill University, Bath Spa University, Falmouth University, University of Chichester, University of Derby, University of Wolverhampton, Birmingham City University, University of Winchester