End of Year 1 exam: Learner Response

 1) Type up any feedback from your teacher in full (you do not need to write the mark/grade if you do not wish to).

Kamile, a very clear and detailed response for Q1.3 you clearly understand the different audience theories in relation to the clip.

Can you rewrite a response for Q1.2 with a focus on narrative theories. Eg. Todorov, Propp and Barthes.

2) Look at the mark scheme document linked above. Question 1.1 asks about mise-en-scene. What do we use to remember mise-en-scene? Give one example answer from the clip too - you'll find example answers in the mark scheme.

CLAMPS 

Costume, Lighting, Actor placement/movement, make-up,

props, setting.

Examples:

• Will’s costume – makes him look like he is from our world

• The two children they are chasing – costume and make-up to make

them look abandoned/homeless.

• Setting – empty city.

• Actor movement – the chase scene.

• Props – the drinks and bread.

3) Question 1.2 asks about narrative features in the extract. Look at the mark scheme to pick out three possible answers for this question. 

Todorov (equilibrium): The empty city creates a sense of disequilibrium – that something

has gone wrong and needs to be repaired or at least understood by the characters.

• Barthes (enigma and action codes): Action codes – the music, the chase scene, the

confrontation between the children. Enigma codes: why is the city empty? Who are they

chasing? What do the Spectres look like and is Will in danger? Key lines of dialogue: “Where

are the grown-ups?”; “Since the attack, Spectres are everywhere”.

• Binary opposition: Lyra and Will are presented as binary opposites to the other two

children. The lack of grown-ups creates a sense of young/old binary opposition (particularly

as children are not in danger from Spectres).

4) Now focus on Question 2 - the 20 mark essay. Use the mark scheme to pick out one way Doctor Who reflects 1963 and one way His Dark Materials reflects 2020. 

Representations of teenagers have shown both continuity and change. Both Susan in the 1963 Doctor Who and Lyra in His Dark Materials are high achieving or brave, intelligent or strong and determined. However, Susan in the 1963 Doctor Who seems more childish and has little control over her own life. She is more obedient to adults such as her grandfather. In His Dark Materials, Lyra is more capable, more active and more in control – she is not bothered what Will thinks or her and does not defer to him at all.

Traditionally, Doctor was a white male, most often with a younger female companion, reflecting and reinforcing traditional gender roles of the times, with the man as powerful and in control and the woman as helper. Women’s helper role often been to provide an emotional, empathetic side to the programme. Reinforcing the idea that men are active, action-centred while women are more passive, emotional and sensitive

5) Reflect on your overall work and exam performance this year. What three things do you need to work on or revise in Media for Year 11? 

I need to remember and study the TV section more as i had not written enough for a 20 marker. I need to remember my theories and i need to work on my spelling quite a bit.

I think im doing really well. Im getting consistant grades, but i would prefer to get higher than 6. I aim for the highest.