Elm St remake shows horror appeal

One of the basic tasks you have to fulfil for Media coursework is to show that there is an established audience for the genre you've chosen to work in, whether film or (for A2 from 2010-11) music video (+ poster + mag). Many of you have worked in horror; I've highlighted many examples from this regular FilmGuardian box office overview which you can check on the BritCinema and coursework blogs, but here's an excerpt from a very timely one:

A Nightmare On Elm Street scares up good business to take US No 1

Freddy Krueger's return is a sweet dream for Warner Bros as it prepares to mop up horror-film fans in the coming weeks when Iron Man 2 is expected to dominate

He's back … Freddy Krueger in the new A Nightmare On Elm Street

The winner
Warner Bros' remake of A Nightmare On Elm Street, from its wholly owned production company New Line, went top of the pile on an estimated $32.2m (£21.1m). The studio has got to be happy with that, bearing in mind that the movie features no A-listers, would not have cost the earth to make, and will remain the only big horror in the market for a while. A few more weeks of modest holdover business beneath the radar of Iron Man 2 and Warner Bros top brass should be expecting a theatrical run to the order of $65-75m before they unleash it on DVD.

EXAM DATES + REVISION CLASSES

G322 - AS EXAM Wednesday 9th June, p.m.
G325 - A2 EXAM Tuesday 15th June a.m.

I'll post details of revision classes for both below. Any resitting AS exam need to see me to get some revision guides

Media Studies Revision Classes Summer 2010

Vote Rupert

Interesting feature from The Guardian, in which they asked for alternative political posters, this being one of them. See more at http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2010/apr/26/election-2010-poster-politics?picture=361890219
[Lest you haven't worked it out, that is indeed Rupert murdoch, media magnate, pictured]

The Guardian is traditionally pro-Labour (though has been discussing backing the Lib-Dems this time) it should be noted. Roy Greenslade here (and many of the comments that follow) looks at The S*n's partisan coverage:

Somehow, I don't think The Sun favours a hung parliament. Front page: WELL HUNG.. AND SHAFTED with a merged picture of the faces of Nick Clegg and Gordon Brown (same copy online, but better headline: HUNG, DRAWN & THWARTED).

The inside spread article begins: "Nick Clegg was last night accused of setting the country on a collision course for political disaster by saddling us with a lame duck coalition government FOREVER."

Got the message? No? OK, here are extracts from the paper's leading article:

We need decisive economic leadership - which we WON'T get from a hung parliament. If the election produces chaotic deadlock, kiss goodbye to recovery...
Our futures rest on getting the economy right. That won't happen without a clear Conservative majority. A hung parliament, squabbling over every point, will be a disaster.

What's that? No-one reads Sun leaders? Fair enough, but I bet a good number read the caption accompanying the Page 3 girl.

So take heed of Becky's concern at the prospect of a hung parliament. "In legislatures with proportional representation," she says, (oh yes, she does) "minority or coalition government is often the norm. I'd hate to live in a country like Italy that has had 61 governments in 65 years - even if I do love Italian food."

And, for good measure, a left-field attack on Lib Dem law and order policy: No prison for Glitter under Libs: Fiends 'helped'

Surely, you've got the message now? Vote Tory - or else you'll be hung out to dry.

[The S*n is tagged as pornography by the school filter, so you can't click through to read the stories cited]

Volunteers wanted...

I'd like to be able to film one performance of the Jekyll and Hyde show (on this Weds-Fri, 730-930ish), perhaps including some behind-the-scenes footage. Any volunteers to film this, and/or operate the boom mike (we'd really need a team for this, as a couple of hours holding this up continuously would be a bit much!). Please add a comment if you're interested, and I'll confirm names tomorrow.

[UPDATE: I've provisionally got Joel, Emmie and Beth for filming on Weds, with Lucy + Helena doing behind-the-scenes material; another 1 or 2 would be useful though]

Media satire

You may have seen his (quite poor) Big Brother/zombie comedy on C4, or read his weekly column in ... The Guardian, and now he's back on TV highlighting the ludicrous patterns weaved by our news providers.
Very, very funny show (it is post-watershed, so expect some challenging material), and exceptionally useful for any Media student, covering ground we don't often get time to look at, and currently available to view on the iPlayer at http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00qbyth/Newswipe_Series_2_Episode_2/

Lessons Friday 29th Jan

There will be no Media lessons tomorrow; there are details of a task for you to complete (for Monday) over on the Representation of Britishness blog.

Request for aud feedback on music vids

[have a look at the following if you wish...]

In order to help my students with an audience feedback task that I have set them this term, I'd be grateful if any members of this board community would encourage their students to have a look at the latest projects uploaded to our department YouTube site and to leave some constructive feedback on the music videos:

http://www.youtube.com/user/hurtwoodhousemedia

We are particularly interested in any feedback to the latest 15 music videos posted and happy to reciprocate by arranging for our students to comment on other centres' work if you would like to send me the details.

Any help in this would be much appreciated!

James Baker

Head of Media Studies, Hurtwood House

Coursework resubmissions, resits

I'll take a list on Monday of anyone wishing to resubmit their A2 coursework, and/or resit any AS unit.
If you are resubmitting, you've got until the end of February to submit it; I won't accept anything beyond that date, no exceptions - so get cracking!
I've got detailed notes on all your coursework components which I'll pass on once typed up, but make sure you see me asap to work out where you can pick up marks through improvements

Library DVDs update

With the funds raised by selling 8 copies (so far) of the AS 2008-9 coursework DVD, I've ordered some additional DVDs for the library, primarily with the A2 exam topic of representation of Britishness in mind, but also for AS/A2 coursework ideas and the AS British Cinema exam question.
The latest additions (just ordered, so at least a week before they appear in the Lib) are:

Withnail & I
Danny Boyle Collection 3DVD: Sunshine/Beach/28 Days Later 
Hammer Collection: 5dvd The Devil Rides Out, Dracula: Prince Of Darkness, Quatermass And The Pit, The Nanny, + Frankenstein
Powell and Pressburger Box Set: A Matter Of Life And Death / The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp / I Know Where I'm Going

 This adds to the existing stock: a range of short film and music video compilations plus primarily Working Title and Warp Films/X movies (I need to double-check this list, especially the titles in upper case):

WORKING TITLE DVDs STOCKED

About a Boy
Ali G Indahouse The Movie
Atonement
Bridget Jones's Diary
Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason
CAPTAIN CORELLI’S MANDOLIN
Coen Brothers’ Collection 4DVD – Big Lebowski, Blood Simple, Hudsucker Proxy, Barton Fink (see this blog for an overview)
Definitely Maybe

ELIZABETH
ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE
Four Weddings and a Funeral
The Guru
Hot Fuzz SE 2DVD
Love Actually
The Matchmaker
Mickybo and Me
My Beautiful Laundrette
My Little Eye SE 2DVD
Notting Hill
Pride And Prejudice
Sense And Sensibility
Shaun of the Dead
Wish You Were Here

WARP FILMS/X DVDs STOCKED

A Room for Romeo Brass
Dead Man’s Shoes
Donkey Punch [kept in F6]
Twenty Four Seven
This Is England 2DVD

SOME ADDITIONAL DVDs STOCKED (bold = set in/about N.Ireland)

An American Werewolf in London
Angel
BBFC 2DVD
The Boxer
Breakfast on Pluto
Bullet Boy
The Crying Game SE
The Frighteners
Hidden Agenda
In the Name of the Father
Resurrection Man [in F6]
Shakespeare In Love [UNIVERSAL/MIRAMAX, not WT]

Several of these are directed by Neil Jordan, an Irish director who has frequently worked with the actor Stephen Rea, but who has also directed the likes of Tom Cruise in mainstream Hollywood flicks. Hidden Agenda is by Ken Loach, and these two much-respected director's varying representations of this corner of Britain make for an interesting contrast, and an especially useful bit of viewing for A2 students!


We still have some of the AS coursework DVDs for sale - your folks may be interested, you might even enjoy one yourselves! Any money raised from these will go directly to adding to the Library stock you are able to borrow for the grand Yorkshire fee of nowt!

The BritRep blog

I'll start posting materials onto the blog at http://britrep.blogspot.com/, which you should start following!

AS Media Exam: Instructions if school closed

If the school is closed on Wednesday, there are slightly different arrangements for the AS Media exam: this will not be held in the sports hall. Instead the exam will take place in B Hall if the school is closed (otherwise there is no change to the original exam timetable).

Some resources for intro task

Do make full use of the British Cinema book (copies in library but also one in F6, alongside books such as that on Social Realism) and the Media/Film Guardian sites.

Don't just use the company/movement name as a search term; try adding words such as britishness or representation or business/economics...

Some further suggestions:

GENERAL
http://www.newi.ac.uk/rdover/medcult/Content.htm - includes links to most of the 6 studios/movements
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/ has articles on most of these too
http://www.filmstalker.co.uk/archives/2007/03/what_is_it_about_british_films.html
http://www.anglotopia.net/countries/england/the-top-10-british-movies-for-anglophiles/
http://www.talkingpix.co.uk/BooksMouse.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2008/may/16/filmandmusic1.filmandmusic3
http://fatmir-terziu.blogspot.com/2007/07/british-cinema-national-cinema.html
http://screen.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/pdf_extract/24/4-5/80
http://www.ukessays.com/example-film-studies-essay.php
http://www.socialaffairsunit.org.uk/blog/archives/001461.php


HAMMER:
http://www.filmint.nu/?q=node/13
http://witchesandscientists.blogspot.com/2007/05/hammer-films-rises-from-grave.html
http://www.hammerfilms.com/
http://hammerhorrorposters.com/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/22/hammer_rises_from_grave/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammer_Film_Productions
http://66.102.9.132/search?q=cache:haUuwEpO3MUJ:filmjournal.net/danielstephens/2007/05/04/hammer-horror-and-british-cinema-1930s-to-1970/

BRIT NEW WAVE/FREE CINEMA

http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/445176/index.html
http://www.netribution.co.uk/content/view/206/277/
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/218199/Free-Cinema
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTF6OjHVU0o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnd0wVD14N4
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=british+free+cinema&aq=0&oq=british+free+cinema
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ckb15MUOiks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHsOSySZOyo

MERCHANT IVORY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoDpm860s_A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVNDBda6MgI&feature=PlayList&p=53C0EBB37C36F3A5&index=3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOGqqYNewog
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=merchant+ivory&aq=f
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZmMpT6xUr8
http://www.merchantivory.com/

http://www.merchantivory.com/filmography.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchant_Ivory_Productions
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/selling-england-by-the-pound-585197.html
https://bfi.org.uk/filmtvinfo/publications/pub-rep-brief/pdf/back-to-future.pdf
http://armchairc.blogspot.com/2009/11/howards-end.html
http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R28MLM4TICMVQU

SOCIAL REALISM

http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/michaelwalford/tag/british_cinema/

BRITISH DOCUMENTARY MOVEMENT

http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Criticism-Ideology/Great-Britain-JOHN-GRIERSON-AND-THEDOCUMENTARY-MOVEMENT.html
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/content/1/c6/02/07/24/PropagandaCinemaandWar.ppt
http://www.moviemail-online.co.uk/scripts/collection.pl?collID=431
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/notebook-the-soul-of-britain-measured-in-35mm-1184690.html
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/446186/

G325: Intro task

Work on this is to be completed for Monday 11th and emailed to me in advance of the class.
I'll add a worksheet on this later, but the basis of this task is:
(1) individually or in pairs, pick one of several key British production companies or film movements:
(2) thoroughly research this co/movement, focussing on one particular film which you feel sums this up - you can always buy a DVD, though you will find plentiful clips for each of these on YouTube (and some of the Media DVDs in the Library were chosen for this)
(3) prepare a summative handout - a report in essence, with some attention to visual appeal but not massive pictures and/or copy/pasted text. Some quotes are fine, if sourced, but try always to use your own words.
(4) using a clip or clips totalling no more than 5 mins, be ready to do a presentation on your findings starting from Monday 11th.

This is the start of our work on unit G325. This section is summarised as follows:

Media and Collective Identity

How do the contemporary media represent nations, regions and ethnic / social / collective groups of people in different ways?

How does contemporary representation compare to previous time periods?

What are the social implications of different media representations of groups of people?

To what extent is human identity increasingly ‘mediated’?
Candidates might explore combinations of any media representation across two media, or two different representations across two media.

a2 Brit Film Movement Rsch Task Worksheet

CastOffs

I'm after a recording of any episodes of the series currently on C4 (and presumably repeated on E4 etc), CastOffs, which is ideal to develop as an example of representation of dis/ability, my own DVD recorder having long since died under the strain of developing a bank of UK TV dramas; would be much obliged to anyone who could proffer a shiny disc of this

General tips on using Macs

There are many free guides on the web; if anyone can suggest any they've used I'll add details. I had a quick look at http://www.uwec.edu/Help/MacOSX/files-opts.htm and have reproduced an exerpt from this below

Working with Files: Additional Options

Working with files is an important part of managing documents. For the basics of working with Mac OS X files, see Working with Files. This document explains some additional options:

• Viewing Options
• Selecting Multiple Files
• Retrieving File Information

Viewing Options

You have several options for displaying files in a folder. The View options within a folder will allow you to select settings that best suit your needs. You can adjust the file display or the file arrangement.

File Display

Mac OS X usually lists files as icons. However, it can also display this information in lists or columns. The toolbar of any folder contains buttons for you to easily change your folder view.

1. Navigate to the desired folder
   
2. Click the desired view option
   

Button	Name	Description
	Icons	This is the default view option. Your files will be displayed as icons.
	List	Your files will be displayed in a list. The list will include the filename and size, the date last modified, and what kind of file it is.
	Columns	Your files will be displayed in columns. The various columns will be arranged in a hierarchical structure, so you can easily navigate backward or forward one level.

File Arrangement

In addition, you can choose to arrange your files in order based on one of the following:

• name
• date modified
• date created
• size
• kind

To change the way your files are arranged, click the header (e.g., date modified) that you want to use for your arrangement order. The files are sorted from newest to oldest. To reverse the order, click the header again.

Selecting Multiple Files

For each of the following options, you can work with more than one file at a time. For instance, if you want to delete ten files, you can delete all ten at the same time. To do this, you must select the files together.

Selecting Contiguous Files

1. Click the first file you want selected
   
2. Press [shift] + click the last file you want selected
   All the files in between the first and last file are selected.
   

Selecting Non-Contiguous Files

1. Press and hold the [command] key
   NOTE: For more information about the [command] key, see Keyboard and Mouse Options.
   
2. Select each of the files separately
   
3. After you have made all your selections, release the [command] key
   

Retrieving File Information

This section will tell you how to find information about a file without having to change the folder viewing options. Use these steps to retrieve general information about a file or to check your permissions for a file.

Retrieving General Information

1. Click the file icon
   
2. From the File menu, select Get Info
   OR
   Press [control] + click the file » Get Info
   A dialog box appears with general information about the file.
   
   

Checking Your Permissions

If you are unable to open a file or folder, you may not have permission to open it. However, this section will explain how you can change permissions for an item.

1. Click the file icon
   
2. From the File menu, select Get Info
   OR
   Press [control] + click the file » Get Info
   A dialog box appears with general information about the file.
   
3. Click the small arrow next to Ownerships & Permissions
   A new list of options appears.
   
   NOTE: The first Access item shows the owner's permissions, the second shows any group permissions, and the third shows permissions for everyone else.
   

Parents Evening and A/S RE-SITS

Can everyone who is re-sitting the AS exam, or re-submitting the AS coursework see me by the end of breaktime on Friday please. I also need to see those who, following discussions on the parents' evening, said they would be re-sitting - otherwise I need to ring your parents to make sure they've agreed with any change of mind.
The AS exam is on Weds 13th Jan, from 1.15pm in B Hall.
Any resubmitting coursework - 3 of you are officially entered - need to get this to me by Tuesday 15th December.

Details of Met Film School courses

The following is an email forwarded to me:

Dear Sir/ Madam,

I’m writing to introduce you to the Met Film School, London’s leading provider of practical filmmaking programmes. I have included information below for interested students who are looking for a practical, fast-track media qualification.

The Met Film School is London’s leading provider of practical filmmaking courses. We offer a range of short and long-term study programmes, including our One-Year Practical Filmmaking course. This course offers students the chance to gain a solid foundation in the practical discipline of filmmaking, giving them a unique insight into the industry and the ideal launching pad for a further career.

Our courses are taught by industry professionals, ensuring the most up-to-date practices are developed and students gain a realistic understanding of the working media industry. Subsequently, our one-year courses are ideal for those looking for a vocational, fast-track media qualification.

In addition to our One-Year courses, the Met Film School also offers two-year BA qualifications, which equip students with a practical and theoretical understanding of film.  These study programmes offer students the chance to learn the skills necessary for a career in the media industries, with the option to specialise in; television production, visual effects & animation or cinematography.

For more information on our BA or One-Year courses, please contact our admissions team on info@metfilmschool.co.uk or 0208 280  9119. You can also head to our website at www.metfilmschool.co.uk for more information on all of our courses.

Ailsa Caine | Marketing Executive | Met Film | Ealing Studios | London W5 5EP | Tel: +44 (0)20 8280 9116| www.metfilm.co.uk <http://www.metfilm.co.uk/>

(twinkle, twinkle, little) A* [ie info on the A star grade]

There are several of you with realistic prospects of achieving an A* grade for your Media A-Level. Just to be clear on this, this requires the following:

To be awarded an A*, candidates will need to achieve a grade A on their full A Level qualification and an A* on the aggregate of their A2 units.
Candidates achieving at least 320 UMS marks in their Advanced GCE, ie grade A and who also gain at least 180 UMS in their two A2 units will receive an A* grade.

Remember, you have 4 units in any A-Level, 2 at AS, 2 at A2; each is marked out of 100. Grade C = 60-69%; B = 70-79%; A = 80-100%. An A* means getting a combined average 80%+ across the entire A-Level, plus an average 90%+ for your two A2 units. Not easy, but I'm hopeful to see a few A* in there come August 2010!

Exam date

For those re-sitting: the AS G322 (TV drama/British cinema) exam is in B Hall, 1.15, Wednesday 13th Jan 2010.

The A-Level spec

You can read through the full syllabus if you wish by accessing it here