The session gave attendees an overview of what pupils learn on the GCSE Media Studies and IBDP Film courses. This included the significance of camera shot choices and mise-en-scène to communicate with audiences visually and create meaning. We also covered how films can be interpreted through a range of different theories, using The Wizard of Oz as a case study.
Later, we discussed how understanding the political and historical contexts of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic Rear Window give added meaning to what the story is about and show the film to be far more meaningful that it first seems. Participants also analysed the opening scene of the film and we identified how key information is communicated through the camera. This sequence in turn provided inspiration for writing our own similarly themed stories.
It was a pleasure to meet parents from a variety of backgrounds and discuss the work we do in Film and Media Studies. As few of us had the chance to study these subjects during our own school days, the workshop hopefully provided some useful information about the relevance of studying the visual language of our modern world. I hope my passion for film and media came across and I thank the attendees for their interest and participation.For more about why I think film and media are crucial for developing students skills, please see my article here: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/09wIINUb6OGIdlMKSvnTSw
Rus Ekkel
Head of Film and Media
