Film Studies

Course summary

Film is one of the main cultural innovations of the 20th century and a major art form of the last hundred years. The A-level Film Studies course is designed to introduce learners to a wide variety of films in order to broaden their knowledge and understanding of film and the range of responses films can generate and how they relate to their social and cultural contexts. This course offers an opportunity to discover, watch and study 11 films over the two year course with a mix of films from the past and present, as well as a range of recent and contemporary British films, American independent films and global films, both non-English language and English language. With each of these films, students will apply their understanding of key conceptual areas such as film form (cinematography, editing, mise en scene, sound), aesthetics, narrative, spectatorship as well as historical and production contexts. In addition, production work is a crucial part of the course and is integral to learners’ study of film. Students will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and understanding of how films are constructed to their own filmmaking and screenwriting.