Main blogs

There are MANY more; these are the most frequently accessed - see the longer post below for more links and descriptions.

Media Student Blogs - A2 2016 (playlist); AS 2016 (playlist); 2016 GCSE (Yr11 websites);

GCSE Media

YouTube playlists of student work and more

IGSMediaStudies YouTube channel - I've created a lot of themed playlists (you can also use the search tool)...
AS: Vodcasts on AS coursework (Film Openings); 2015 student work; 2014; 2013; 2012; 2011; 2010; 2009; Working Title trailers etc; Warp Films trailers etc;
A2: Vodcasts on A2 coursework (Music video promo package); Music video: final cuts; practice exercises; videos I've blogged on; pitches; famous directors; Depeche Mode videos; videos about relationships; proto-promos;videos set in schools; 2009 videos/films; 2010 film trailers; 2010 short films; 2011; 2012; 2013; 2014; 2015 AS+A2; Media regulation: Hackgate.

2016 StG AS blogs

Following the brief of the opening 2 minutes of a new feature film with titles. Student names link to that student's individual blog; any company names link to the company ident; film names will link to the final cut on YouTube [student's channel].

2016 AS playlist.

...

Adel A - Fat Star Films - worked with Riona on the rom-com #tbh. [YouTube]

Bronwen V - Scribble Pictures - worked with Sophie + Jonny on the slasher Cross-Cut. [YouTube]  

KristianO - Arrow Productions; Getaway Production - produced the zombie/post-apocalypse thriller Surviving. [YouTube]
  
Riona D - Iridescent Productions - worked with Adel on the rom-com #tbh. [YouTube]

Sophie R - Pizza Productions - worked with Sophie + Jonny on the slasher Cross-Cut. [YouTube]
  
Jonny P - Dizzy Cow Films; Hypnocat Entertainment - worked with Sophie + Bronwen on the slasher Cross-Cut. [YouTube]

2016 StG A2 blogs

At A2 you produce a portfolio of productions: a promotional package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video, a website homepage for the band, + a digipak for the album’s release. So, that's a music video as your main text, plus two 'ancillary texts' linked to this.

[artist/track link is for existing uploads on YouTube, NOT students' work]

Ida vB produced a music video/promo package for Oliver Heldon's Gecko (Overdrive). 
[Youtube channel] [final cut] [digipak] [website] [Q1] [Q2] [Q3] [Q4]
 
Femke L produced a music video/promo package for Hayley Kiyoko's This Side of Paradise [re-naming the artist as Elora].

[Youtube channel] [final cut] [digipak] [website] [Q1] [Q2] [Q3] [Q4] 

Danny B worked with Paulina on a music video/promo package for John Mayer's Why Georgia. 
[Youtube channel] [final cut] [digipak] [website]  [Q1] [Q2] [Q3] [Q4]

Joe L produced a music video/promo package for Nine Inch Nail's Sunspots. [NB: original audio contains swearing; cut for student video]
[Youtube channel] [final cut] [digipak] [website] [Q1] [Q2] [Q3] [Q4]

Paulina G worked with Danny on a music video/promo package for John Mayer's Why Georgia.
[Youtube channel] [final cut] [digipak] [website] [Q1] [Q2] [Q3] [Q4]

Sophie S produced a music video/promo package for Snakehip feat. Sinead Harnett's Days With You. 
[Youtube channel] [final cut] [digipak] [website] [Q1] [Q2] [Q3] [Q4]

2016 website screenshots no hayley kiyoko from DB3igs

2016 digipaks no hayley kiyoko from DB3igs

2016 A2 Media Blogs

At A2 you produce a portfolio of productions: a promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video, together with two of the following three options: a website homepage for the band; a digipak for the album’s release; a magazine advertisement for the digipak. So, that's a music video as your main text, plus two 'ancillary texts' linked to this.



Molly Harris worked with Paige on a music video/promo package for Sly Antic's Lights Go Down.
[Youtube channel] [final cut] [digipak] [mag ads]

Paige Holdsworth worked with Molly on a music video/promo package for Sly Antic's Lights Go Down.
[Youtube channel] [final cut] [digipak] [mag ads]

Playlists for Past AS and A2 productions

Playlists include some of the vodcasts and exercises created through the year, but the final cuts are always placed at the start of playlists.

Below, you can find playlists for each year, further split into AS and A2. First, here's a playlist gathering together all A2 music videos (including, and starting with, various practice exercises), up to and including 2015:


AS
(2008- Opening 2mins of a new feature film, with titles)

2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014 ...
)

A2
(2009: Short film or teaser trailer; 2010- Music video)

2010 Short films; Teaser trailers.
2011
2012
2013
2014... 

)

2016 GCSE Yr11

Websites:

Evie (Illenium [rapper])
Orla (English Theatre Company of Luxembourg)
Aubrey (AK Photography)
Ismini (MiniChef: TeenCook)
Ben (Blackout Studios [gaming])
Harry (The Imperial Dog [rap artist])
Adam (Death Claw Game Studios)

2015 AS Blogs

Each student has their own Blogger blog and YouTube channel, and may employ additional social media too

Following the brief of the opening 2 minutes of a new feature film with titles. Student names link to that student's individual blog; any company names link to the company blog; film names will link to the final cut on YouTube. 



Molly Harris worked in a group with Paige and Ben on  Candelabra. [Youtube channel]


Paige Holdsworth worked in a group with Molly and Ben on  Candelabra. [Youtube channel]

Ben Ogden worked in a group with Molly and Paige on  Candelabra.  [Youtube channel]

2015 A2 Media Blogs

We start in June with a 1-day video production challenge

At A2 you produce a portfolio of productions: a promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video, together with two of the following three options: a website homepage for the band; a digipak for the album’s release; a magazine advertisement for the digipak. So, that's a music video as your main text, plus two 'ancillary texts' linked to this.



Amber Pianforini worked with Conal on a music video/promo package for Lady Gaga's Bad Romance. [Youtube channel] [digipak] [mag ads]


Conal Walsh worked with Amber on a music video/promo package for Lady Gaga's Bad Romance.  [Youtube channel]

Students blogs are packed with multimedia content reflecting the unfolding story of their production processes

2014: AS Media blogs

A title from Tilly's Handyman

Following the brief of the opening 2 minutes of a new feature film with titles. Student names link to that student's individual blog; any company names link to the company blog; film names will link to the final cut on YouTube.

You can view a trailer with all 3 film openings here.

1 of 3 company idents from Amber/Conal's School's Out

SARAH DE BIASIO - Worked in a group with Poppy on slasher opening Liar.

Screenshot from Poppy/Sarah's Liar.

AMBER PIANFORINI - Worked in a group with Conal on rom-com opening School's Out.

POPPY POTTS - Worked in a group with Sarah on slasher opening Liar.

CONAL WALSH - Worked in a group with Amber on rom-com opening School's Out.

TILLY DENNIS (resubmission) produced slasher opening Handyman.




The final cuts are also embedded below - click view more to see these. for a fuller rundown, including student vodcasts and rough cuts, have a look at the 2014 AS playlist on the IGSMediaStudies YouTube channel.

2016 AS Blogs

Following the brief of the opening 2 minutes of a new feature film with titles. Student names link to that student's individual blog; any company names link to the company blog; film names will link to the final cut on YouTube. 

Tom Atkinson - ATKO Studios - worked with name + name on the genre Title. [YouTube]

Tom Cross - Shot Type Studios - worked with name + name on the genre Title. [YouTube]

Milo Davis - Wong Productions - worked with name + name on the genre Title. [YouTube]

Nicola Galvin - Silver Salt Studios - worked with name + name on the genre Title. [YouTube]

Alex Hey - Make Hey Productions - worked with name + name on the genre Title. [YouTube]

Will Laing - Westgate Films -
worked with name + name on the genre Title. [YouTube]

Louis Rose-Fall - Jay R Productions -
worked with name + name on the genre Title. [YouTube]

Rian Scaife - Scaife Studios -
worked with name + name on the genre Title. [YouTube]

Charles Verfuerth - F9 Films -
worked with name + name on the genre Title. [YouTube]
 
Robbie Watson - Watt Films -
worked with name + name on the genre Title. [YouTube]
 
Niamh Wormald - Brightness Studios -
worked with name + name on the genre Title. [YouTube]
...

Summer 2014: A2 Media blogs

'Maxi Jazz' aka Jake from Faithless' Insomnia.

At A2 you produce a portfolio of productions: a promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video, together with two of the following three options: a website homepage for the band; a digipak for the album’s release; a magazine advertisement for the digipak. So, that's a music video as your main text, plus two 'ancillary texts' linked to this.

This lot achieved a remarkable average coursework mark of 93%! You can see how they did this in my feature-length documentary DVD, IGS Media 2014: Storm Queens, QR Codes and Kittens

BEN BREARLEY - Worked in a group with George on Storm Queen's (MK Dub III) Look Right Through. [digipak] [mag ads] [video of print texts]

TILLY DENNIS - Worked in a group with Poppy, Millie and Kate on Atomic Kittens' It's OK. [digipak] [mag ads]

KATE HARDING - Worked in a group with Poppy, Millie and Tilly on Atomic Kittens' It's OK. [digipak] [mag ads]

GEORGE HOLMES - Worked in a group with Ben on Storm Queen's (MK Dub III) Look Right Through. [digipak] [mag ads] [video of print texts]

MILLIE JAMES - Worked in a group with Poppy, Tilly and Kate on Atomic Kittens' It's OK. [digipak] [mag ads]

POPPY PADGETT - Worked in a group with Tilly, Millie and Kate on Atomic Kittens' It's OK. [digipak] [mag ads]

CURTIS TIPLADY - Worked in a group with Jake and Declan on Faithless' Insomnia. [digipak] [mag ads]

DECLAN WILLIAMS - Worked in a group with Jake and Curtis on Faithless' Insomnia. [digipak] [mag ads]

JAKE WILSON - Worked in a group with Curtis and Declan on Faithless' Insomnia. [digipak] [mag ads]

The final cuts, and other videos compiling the print texts, are embedded below (just click 'see more'); for a fuller rundown, including student vodcasts and rough cuts, have a look at the 2014 A2 playlist on the IGSMediaStudies YouTube channel.

Summer 2013: AS Media blogs

Two of our AS students' production groups had their film openings selected for screening at the 2013 Co-Op Film Festival, a national event that attracts entries from all over the UK (and beyond): The Asylum  and Camp Ivy.

Following the brief of the opening 2 minutes of a new feature film with titles, all the film openings were of the slasher genre. Student names link to that student's individual blog; any company names link to the company blog; film names will link to the final cut on YouTube.

 **RESUBMISSIONS FROM JUNE 2012** 

Andy King + Will Lennard (who were in the same group with a 3rd student) have resubmitted their work; the product is unaltered, only the R+P/Eval have been changed.  

ANDY KING - Sean, Andy and Will form Conspiracy Productions, the creative team behind slasher film opening Underground. 

WILL LENNARD - Sean, Andy and Will form Conspiracy Productions, the creative team behind slasher film opening Underground.

Quotes from Exam board (OCR) moderator:
Several of the candidates had clearly put a lot of effort into creating a sense of authenticity in their film openings and the influence of their research and planning was evident. The stages of development of the whole process were also clear and it was evident how the final products had been informed by the research and planning which had been completed.
There was evidence in the sample of some creative flair and effective use of mise en scene and editing, particularly the use of cross cutting in order to create tension. Candidates had also worked hard in order to create their own original company idents which all aided the sense of authenticity; the use of mise en scene and variation in shots and uses of camera also tended to be used very effectively.

(There was also guidance to take care with the overall length; be wary of trying to squeeze too much narrative development in; and to use ICT/multimedia throughout the Evaluation)



BEN BREARLEY - Worked in a group with Dom Ellis and Declan Williams on Black Nightmare.

TILLY DENNIS - Worked in a group with Hannah Russell and James Whitaker on Red Christmas.

DOM ELLIS - Worked in a group with Ben Brearley and Declan Williams on Black Nightmare.

KATE HARDING - Worked in a group with Millie James and Poppy Padgett on Camp Ivy.

GEORGE HOLMES - Worked in a group with Jake Wilson and Curtis Tiplady on The Asylum.

MILLIE JAMES - Worked in a group with Kate Harding and Poppy Padgett on Camp Ivy.

POPPY PADGETT - Worked in a group with Millie James and Kate Harding on Camp Ivy.

HANNAH RUSSELL - Worked in a group with Tilly Dennis and James Whitaker on Red Christmas.

CURTIS TIPLADY - Worked in a group with Jake Wilson and George Holmes on The Asylum.

JAMES WHITAKER - Worked in a group with Hannah Russell and Tilly Dennis on Red Christmas.

DECLAN WILLIAMS - Worked in a group with Dom Ellis and Ben Brearley on Black Nightmare.

JAKE WILSON - Worked in a group with George Holmes and Curtis Tiplady on The Asylum.

Summer 2013: A2 Coursework Blogs (G324)

At A2 you produce a portfolio of productions: a promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video, together with two of the following three options: a website homepage for the band; a digipak for the album’s release; a magazine advertisement for the digipak. So, that's a music video as your main text, plus two 'ancillary texts' linked to this.

The three candidates this year worked together on a new music video for Daft Punk's Around the World, plus digipak and magazine ads. Some months into their work, rumours of Daft Punk's re-emergence surfaced, and by the week they handed in the final cut Daft Punk were at number one! It won't be immediately obvious to the uninitiated, but the dance routine in the video actually incorporates the sign language for 'around the world'!

These students averaged 86% - well done gents!

TOM CASSANI
(blog is now offline)

ANDY KING
[mag ads] [digipak]

WILL LENNARD 
[mag ads] [digipak]

 ...and here it is!

Their digipak (click to enlarge images)

Main mag ad

Teaser mag ad

a later draft of the digipak; below, an early draft

Summer 2012: AS Coursework Blogs (G321)

The brief is again for the opening two minutes of a new feature, with a choice between the slasher and rom-com genres, except where students have successfully pitched and shown extensive knowledge of the codes and conventions of another genre.

All the film openings were of the slasher genre. Student names link to that student's individual blog; company names link to the company blog; film names will link to the final cut on YouTube.

Exam board (OCR) moderator comments

Students blogs were once more impressively multimedia! (click to enlarge)

The research and planning work showed that a wide range of research was carried out that often had exceptional depth and variety. Candidates at the very top clearly enjoyed the research and planning process and produced some exemplary work which was always relevant to the task. It was clear that the final artefacts were the products of detailed research and planning. ... there was plenty of evidence of volume, depth and understanding alongside the creative process.
The video work was clearly readable as openings to films from a chosen genre. It was obvious that candidates had understood the form and conventions. All candidates had considered how to integrate titles and the best work showed that candidates had spent time designing and creating a variety of idents which worked well. The camerawork was impressive, there was a variety of shots and movements were carefully considered to elicit emotional responses from the audience. Editing was generally well considered in creating meaning for the viewer.
In the evaluation element, all candidates responded to the seven questions showing understanding of key concepts and the process of construction. There was a range of technologies employed to respond to the questions, the vodcasts and podcasts were particularly effective in explaining key points. The quality of the blogs at the top end were very pleasing for both evaluation and research and planning elements, it was clear that the candidates embraced the brief and enjoyed all of the challenges.

GEORGIA BARNINGHAM - Georgia and Tom form Barcasarn Productions, the creative team behind slasher film opening Tiny Terror.


SEAN BURKE - Sean, Andy and Will form Conspiracy Productions, the creative team behind slasher film opening Underground.


TOM CASSANI - Georgia and Tom form Barncasarn Productions, the creative team behind slasher film opening Tiny Terror.


SAM DAFFERN - Sam and Dillon form LS29 Productions, the creative team behind slasher film opening Red Run.


ANDY KING - Sean, Andy and Will form Conspiracy Productions, the creative team behind slasher film opening Underground.


WILL LENNARD - Sean, Andy and Will form Conspiracy Productions, the creative team behind slasher film opening Underground.


DILLON O'CONNOR - Sam and Dillon form LS29 Productions, the creative team behind slasher film opening Red Run.

Here's Tiny Terror...


...and here's Red Run...

Screenshot of Georgia's blog; students made good use of links lists and other gadgets