GCSE Practical Coursework - Evaluation

Media Studies Coursework

Planning and evaluative commentary. 700-800 words

The Production Brief should be clearly stated in the heading on each candidate’s Evaluative Commentary, as should the title of the candidate’s production. The Evaluative Commentary should be split into the following three parts in order to address the following points:

Part 1 Planning

The brief and aims of the production. The genre of the production and the conventions followed. If the candidate worked in a group, he/she must list the names of the other members of the group.

The brief was to make an opening sequence or a trailer for a new horror film. In an opening sequence or a trailer for film in this genre you would expect to find…


I worked in a group of … The members of my group were…

The institution that would produce the production and details on where and/or when the production would be seen/heard/bought/sold.

I would expect this film to be produced by a major studio/small independent studio such as… This is because… The film would be shown in… [major cinemas/small independent cinemas/arthouse cinemas nationwide/locally/in festivals]

The target audience/s for the production (including age, gender, income bracket if relevant, and other interests).

I have identified the target audience for my film as being… They would be interested in…

Details of the background research carried out by the candidate. This should include the titles of TV or radio programmes, films, magazines, advertisements, or websites analysed and which of these were inspirations for the candidate’s production. Details of any audience research carried out can be included.

As part of the research for this production I watched a number of horror films such as… [The Grudge, The Ring, The Strangers, The Blair Witch Project]. I found that the most influential on my project was… because…

A description of the stages of planning the production, including storyboarding, scriptwriting and outlines.

In planning my film I created...

Part 2 Production Process

An account of the working process.

What you actually did during the filming of the project.
The allocation of roles within the group and an account of the candidate’s individual contribution to the production.

Talk about how you divided the roles up within the group and who was responsible for what during the filming process.

Details on the technology used – cameras, publishing programs, audio recording equipment, etc.

Talk about the process – using mini-DV cameras, tripods and Adobe Final Cut Pro, plus any work you did with still cameras taking test shots, etc.

The learning processes involved in using the technology. Problems and how they were overcome.

What difficulties did you encounter in the filming and editing processes? How did you overcome them? What did you learn?

An explanation of choices of mise-en-scène, shot, music, fonts, colour, logo, etc. and how these choices fitted in with generic conventions.

Why did you make the decisions you did in the editing process? How do these fit the horror genre and your choice of product – opening or trailer?

An explanation of how these choices were intended to attract the target audience.

How did you fit your film to the target audience? Be specific about what is there to appeal to them in your film?

Part 3 Evaluation

A close analysis of one or two pages/minutes/sequences/images that the candidate considers to be successful.

Talk about a couple of bits in your film that you are particularly proud of, and why they work so well. What is good about them, and how did you create these particular sequences?

A comparison of the production with actual media texts. An identification and analysis of any weaknesses in the production. Responses from audiences to the production. Proposed improvements and a reflection on what the candidate has learned.

How does your work stand up against actual media texts (trailers/openings.) What didn’t work like you would have wanted it to, and how could you have improved it – what would you have done differently if you could do it again? How have other people (i.e. your audience) responded to your work? What have you learned about the film-making process?

The Appendix
Materials in the Appendix are required as evidence of planning for the external Moderator. Only one copy of the Appendix is required per group, although candidates may include evidence of their own individual research and planning.

Candidates are not expected to provide a detailed diary of the production, or to include every page of planning material produced during the production. Where questionnaires have been produced as part of audience research or response to the finished production, only one copy of the questionnaire is necessary.

The Appendix should demonstrate the stages of research and planning and support the Evaluative Commentary. The contents of the Appendix will vary according to the brief. The details below indicate what must be included in the Appendix in bold and also give suggestions for other additional material that could be usefully included.

The material should comprise documents produced during the planning stages and not retrospectively. These should be working documents, and their lack of finish should reflect this.