Media Unit 3: Media Narratives, Contexts and Pre-Production

Prerequisites

Students are strongly advised to complete Media Units 1 and 2 before undertaking Unit 3.

Students will find it helpful to have their own digital camera (still and/or video) and tripod. Loan equipment is also available.

Course Description

In this unit, students explore stories that circulate in society through a close analysis of a media narrative. Students consider the use of codes and narrative conventions to structure meaning and explore the role these play in media narratives. Through the close analysis of a media narrative, students develop media language and terminology and a deeper understanding of how codes and narrative conventions are combined in a narrative. They study how social, historical, institutional, culture, economic and political contexts may influence the construction of media narratives and audience readings.

Through the study of a media narrative, students explore specific codes and narrative conventions and begin the process of research to support their understanding of how they can adopt and employ these techniques in their own works. They investigate a media form that aligns with their interests and intent, developing an understanding of the codes and narrative conventions appropriate to audience engagement, consumption and reception within the selected media form. Students use the pre-production stage of the media production process to support production and post production of a narrative media product for a specified audience. They explore and experiment with media technologies to develop skills in their selected media form, reflecting and documenting their progress.

Areas of Study

Narratives and their contexts

How does the context of a narrative influence its construction and audience readings?

Students analyse the construction of a media narrative; discuss audience engagement, consumption and reading of the narrative; and analyse the relationship between the narrative and the contexts in which it is produced and consumed.

Research, development and experimentation

How are ideas, research, investigation and experimentation used in the development of media products?

Students investigate aspects of the media form in which they will make their productions, developing knowledge of narrative, genre, style, media codes and conventions and aspects of the works of media practitioners relevant to their proposed production. These investigations develop the student’s style as a media creator and inform the development of their individual media product. Students also experiment with media technologies and media production processes to inform and document the plan for a media production.

Pre-production planning

How do students refine their ideas and concepts to create media products?

Students use industry specific planning, using both written and visual documentation, to complete a pre-production plan. The plan incorporates a clear fictional, non-fictional or fictional narrative for a specified audience in a selected media form.

Assessment

Outcome 1.

Analyse the construction of media narratives; discuss audience engagement, consumption and reading of narratives; and analyse the relationship between narratives and the contexts in which they are produced.

The student’s performance on the outcome is assessed using:

a video essay or multimedia presentation

AND

one of the following:

a written report
an essay
short responses
structured questions
an annotated visual report
an oral report.

10%

Outcome 2.

Research and document aspects of a media form, codes, narrative conventions, style, genre, story and plot to inform the plan for a media production.

SAT: Documented Research
SAT: Two Production Experiments

In conjunction with Unit 4 - 40% of Study Score

Outome 3.

Develop and document a media pre-production plan demonstrating the concepts and intentions in a selected media form for a specified audience.

SAT: Pre-production Planning using industry specific written and visual documentation

Overall Final Assessment

Graded Assessment	Title	Assessment	Exam Duration	Contribution to Study Score (%)
1	Units 3 and 4 Coursework	School-assessed		20
2	School-assessed Task	School-assessed		40
3	Written Examination	November	2 hours	40