Exam revision

So, what are you going to do to make sure you write the perfect Contemporary British Cinema answer in the Issues and Debates paper then?

1. Know at least THREE films inside out. And two or more others for back up. Make sure your big three provide contrast. So, some of the low budget gritty realism of Bullet Boy, London to Brighton or This Is England. One of the big shiny high budget Working Title features (either the 'British history lite for the US market' of Elizabeth or the idealised sunny London middle class nirvana of Love Actually).

2. You should be confident that you know your big three synoptically. That is in terms of:
-Media forms and conventions
-Media representations
-Media institutions
-Media audiences

3. Read widely around some of the issues that currently affect British Cinema. Check the MediaGuardian and other online newspaper pages, the Working Title webpage, sight and sound magazine for what is going on...and the links to britfilms etc (on the right)

4. Choose your question carefully (you anwser one of two questions for each topic) and plan and structure your answer accordingly. Spend 5-8 mins planning you response before writing. This will add clarity and provide a more measured response. Work on 6-8 main body paragraphs along with a brief intro and conclusion. Refer to the question throughout.

5. Have an opinion. It is an issues and debates paper after all so debate the issues! Just make sure you have ample evidence to back up your argument otherwise you sound ill-informed and like you are just having a rant.

6. Learn some quotes. Get on IMDB if you were too lazy to write them down during class.

7. Relax. You should know this stuff by now - it is just a matter of recall and calmly going about answering the question. Breathe 'low and slow' and if you feel yourself tensing up 'stop, drop and flop'.

8. Spend one hour only on each question. Time management is important.

9. Plan and write some answers to past paper questions (OCR site). Bring them to either of us for marking and feedback.

10. Study hard (short term pain for long term gain) and then you can relax like Gal/Ray (above) and hang out by the pool during summer knowing you gave it your best. Just watch out for boulders.

Almost Rosy

Complete the following tasks, based around the article 'Almost Rosy' from Sight and Sound (BFI, January 2007, pp22-24) given out in class this week; which you have ALL read ;)
Complete this in class time and over the weekend for homework. Answers due next week. Any questions - post a comment.

1. What films are FilmFour 'back in business' with? (column 2)
2. What is the main difference between Europe and the UK in terms of the way TV puts money into film. (column 2 + 3)
3. "That is because in the UK the tradition has been less protective of film culture and more concerned with commercial viability". Why does the author see this policy as a 'contradiction in terms'?(column 3)
4. How much of Channel 4's initial programming spend was committed to films? (column 5)
5. How long does the author say FilmFour remained a 'serious player on the UK film scene'?
6. Briefly summarise what happened to FilmFour and it's role now. (column 5,6)
7. While FilmFour 'crashed and burned' what was the BBC doing? (column 6)
8. Briefly summarise how BBC Films operates, how well it is doing and what sort of budgets they work with. (column 7)
9. Which film does Tessa Ross (FilmFour) cite as being most proud of? Why does she feel it best represents FilmFour? (column 8)
10. The Road to Guantanamo (Whitecross/Winterbottom, 2006) was premiered on Channel 4. What did this give the film that it may not have got through a theatrical release? (column 9)
11. What do both Mark Thompson and Tessa Ross believe is the key to success for broadcaster led film companies? (column 9)
12. The Queen (Frears, 2006) tops the box office table in the last page. Why is this film seen as such a shining success? What factors do you think contributed to this?

What I saw in the holidays....

So then, what brilliant/dire/average British films have you seen over the Easter break?

Once you've seen one, get on the net and do a little digging - reviews, box office, production companies, awards, articles - synoptic stuff.


Post a comment as a personal response but try to use some film terms where appropriate (genre, audience, camerawork, editing, characterisation, mise-en-scene, style, tone, lighting and colour, narrative, sound etc)
Stuck for ideas at the video store? How about this years' Bafta nominations for Best British Film? Control, Eastern Promises, The Bourne Ultimatum, Atonement. Last years': Casino Royale, The Last King of Scotland, Notes on a Scandal, The Queen, United 93. After something a little more 'indy'? Here is some nominations from the 2006 BIFA's:
Kidulthood, Red Road, Severance, Shooting Dogs, The Road To Guantanamo, The Wind that Shakes the Barley.



Chocolate bar to the first poster who can name the famous film that this still frame from The Cottage (Paul Andrew Williams, 2008) clearly pays homage to.....

London to Brighton

Find out more about Paul Andrew Williams' blistering feature film debut by following these links:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article645728.ece

http://www.britfilms.tv/index.php?id=1351

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_to_brighton

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Andrew_Williams

http://www.l2b-themovie.co.uk/l2b.html

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0490166/

Read a range of reviews for the film. Is there a common thread of praise or scorn? What are the things that reviews tend to focus on? Add a summary to your viewing notes.

Find out what the budget was. Did they recieve any extra funding? How long did the script take to write - how long to shoot? Find out some detail about the production and add to your screening notes.

Write your personal reponse to the film. Did you like it? What did you like about it/dislike? Also consider the representations of gender and criminality in the film. Be specific and use correct film terminology where appropriate.

Working Title Films - case study

Undertake some detailed research on Working Title Films. Who are they? Where are they based? When were they established? By whom? What, and when, was their breakthrough hit film? What sorts of films are they best known for? What are your favourites? (write these as a comment to this post) What are some of their more successful titles? Do they have any special relationships with certain writers or directors? What major awards have they recieved?

Read these articles (and print/take notes) from the bbc and The Guardian. Use their wikipedia entry and official website (have a look at the archive to get an idea of the variety in their work) and other internet resources. Also consider your own knowledge and understanding of Working Title Films.

Final big question:

How do you account for their continued success despite the regular forecasts of doom and gloom for the British film industry? Write at least one side of A4 on this question. Make at least five key points, use PEE and back up with specific examples from a range of films.

Start in lesson, finish for homework and hand in first media lesson next week.

Finally, your favourite Working Title films as comments to this post please...get some healthy debate going!