Wednesday, 11 June 2014

Vampire Links

Here are some more vampire trailers to look at. You need to prepare an analysis of one of them to PRESENT TO THE CLASS next lesson. I will give you the trailer to analyse and you will work in pairs.




Interview with a Vampire


Let the Right One In


Nosferatu


Bram Stoker’s Dracula


The Lost Boys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edLB6YWZ-R4


Twilight

Tuesday, 10 June 2014

Welcome Back!

Hello Comms Students!

Hope all your exams went well and you are looking forward to the next stage of your studies.

We have begun looking at the narrative conventions associated with the genre of vampire films. We have discussed some initial ideas about the conventions and had a look at the trailer from the film Byzantium.

You need to watch the trailer a couple more times and start to pick out and 'read' more of the detail. Make notes on the attached sheet.   Byzantium Notes

You then need to post a detailed analysis of the trailer on your blog. Aim to use the key terminology you are already familiar with. You should be discussing the semiotics of the trailer eg the significance and connotations of certain sounds, objects images; is there a dominant ideology apparent or being challenged etc?

Byzantium Trailer:

We will be looking at some more vampire trailers and will be watching lots of film next year, so a bit of background reading about the genre will be great!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire

Another good place to start with vampire narrative is Bram Stoker's Dracula

http://www.literature.org/authors/stoker-bram/dracula/index.html

Nina

Tuesday, 13 May 2014

Reading Images - Question 3

Hello....the countdown is on!!

Make sure you have revised all the key terminology for this question. Use the following to help you:

Semiotic Approach

Barthes and De Saussure

Process Approach

The following are the type of questions you could be asked:

Semiotics Questions


Comms Terminology  Some of you will have this!


Have a look at some example exam papers and answer the questions on the paper and then apply any of the other questions from the sheet to the images.

Past Papers - we have looked at quite a few of these but, as I said, explore them through a wider range of questions.

http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/communication-and-culture/a-level/communication-and-culture-2625/past-papers-and-mark-schemes

Thanks

Nina

Tuesday, 6 May 2014

Focus on Question 1

Hello

Today I would like you to think about the type of information you need to answer the first question in your exam. This could ask you about:

  • how you would define culture
  • the meanings and practices of everyday life
  • the contrast between high culture and popular culture
  • how we value culture
TASK ONE:

On your blog, make a note of all the terminology / concepts / theorists / ideas which you could possibly discuss in this question (if relevant!)

TASK TWO:

On your own, create a response to the following question

Popular culture is a form of cultural pollution which undermines traditional values and standards.

This guide might help you to structure a response Response Structure

Next, find one or two other people and integrate the best parts of your responses to create a "wonder-essay!" and send to me!

Nina


Monday, 21 April 2014

COMM 1 A focus on Question 3 - Reading Images

Hello and welcome back! Hope you had a good break from college and not too much of a break from learning!

This lesson we are going to focus on Question 3.

To get your brains in gear, you need to write a quick quiz to test your fellow classmates knowledge of the terminology and theory needed for this question. Write 5 questions (you have a maximum of 10 minutes for this) that will test understanding. Post your questions on the Padlet Page and then have a go at some of the ones posted. Try to think beyond the obvious for a couple of them!! Comms Padlet Page

Next, we will look at a Question 3 altogether (June 2010) and then you can have a go a writing a full response for that and for the other examples the reading images questions. Remember you will have 26 minutes to do this response in the exam!

June 2010

June 2011

January 2012

Bonne Chance mes amies! (Is this a barrier to communication?)

Nina

Friday, 4 April 2014

Exploring the Key Concepts

Morning!

As you know, the key concepts are at the heart of any response to an exam question. Your first task is to post your understanding of the key concepts on your blog. What are they and how would you define them.

Next, I would like you to consider the following cultural practices and make notes about them with reference to as many key concepts as you can.

You can use the table if you wish, or make notes in your own way.

Why we do what we do!

Finally, I would like you to analyse your bedroom in terms of the key concepts and the toolkit for analysis (signifier, signified, connotation etc)

You need to describe your room in as much detail as possible. Then explore what the different items signify in terms of your identity, power etc.

I will also come to discuss the moderation week work with you.

Easter Holiday Work:


  • Organise all your notes.
  • Learn as much terminology and theory as you can. Making some flashcards is a useful way to do this.
  • Write a 15 question quiz that we can do when we come back. Bring this to your first lesson back.
  • Complete all the responses to the exam paper we looked at this week (obviously leave out the one you have already done!) Follow this link: January 2011

Feel free to look at a range of exam papers and have a go.

Access to all past papers

Nina