Resources for
​ 
VCE Students 

Unit 3: Media Narratives and pre-production

VCE MEDIA: STUDY DESIGN UNIT 3
Area of Study 1: Narrative and Ideology
Outcome 1
​(SD 2017):
On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse how narratives are constructed and distributed, and how they engage, are consumed and are read by the intended audience and present day audiences.To achieve this outcome the student will draw on key knowledge and key skills outlined in Area of Study 1.
Key knowledge
  • the characteristics and construction of media narratives in selected media forms
  • how audiences from different periods of time engage with, consume and read media narratives
  • the relationship between and the function of media codes and conventions to convey meaning in selected media forms
  • the relationship between media narratives and the ideological and institutional contexts in which they are produced, distributed, consumed and read
  • the way ideologies shape media narratives
  • ​the relationship between media narratives and audiences
  • ​appropriate media language.
Key skills
  • explain the characteristics and construction of media narratives in selected media forms
  • discuss how media narratives are constructed, consumed and read by audiences from different periods of time
  • analyse the relationship between and the function of media codes and conventions to convey meaning in selected media forms
  • analyse the relationship between media narratives and the ideological and institutional contexts of production, distribution, consumption and reception
  • discuss how ideologies shape media narratives
  • discuss the relationship between media narratives and audiences
  • discuss audience engagement with, consumption and reading of media narratives
  • use appropriate media language.

LESSON RESOURCES Aos 1 outcome 1:

Narrative and Ideology
K​ey resources

  • Media Reframed: VCE units 1-4, (2018) read: chapter 7 (Pages 108, 114 and 185, 136-138)
         Description: the textbook questions, activities, resources come from this book.
  • Dunscombee (et.al), 2018, Heineman Media,Pearson Australia, chapter 6 (p. 55-59, 196-208, p.185, p.163, p. 177)
          Description: Core/key textbook. Students online copy available. 
  •  Thomas Caldwell, 2017, Film Analysis Handbook, 2ndEdition.
          Chapter  Core/key textbook. Students online copy available. 
  • Hall S, Evans J, Nixon S 2013, 2nded, Representations, Culture and Signifying practices, Sage Publications,  p. 1
         Description: theoretic underpinning to aid students critical thinking. 
 
Picture
Stuart Hall, 1997, Representations, Culture and Signifying practices, p. 1
Picture
Ideology Table to be used for analysis

Key Film text: Gone with the Wind (1939)

Picture
Marketing poster MGM: Imbd.com

  • Film Education 1995, “Ten films that shocked the world”, Study Guide: Gone with the Wind, , Film Education TES, Cinema 100, www.filmeducation.org
         Description: This is a thorough and essential study companion to view and analyse GWTW. Details  
         Production/distribution of Hollywood Studio System, reception/audience from awards to box office.           Description: The Hollywood Studio System, self-regulation, censorship, star systems – essential  
          resource appropriate over variety of lesson sequence: 1937 surged to over 500 feature films.         Description:  current review with modern lens on racism and issues embedded in GTW and what
         Hollywood  should do? Another good article for students to critically read and decode.​
                   Download Resources listed above to use:
gonewwind_filmeducation.org.pdf
File Size: 852 kb
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hollywoodstudiosystem-130220053924-phpapp01.pdf
File Size: 1151 kb
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historical_art_or_racist_propaganda__how_should_hollywood_handle_problematic_classics_like_gone_with_the_wind__-_los_angeles_times.pdf
File Size: 688 kb
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gone_with_the_wind_and_hollywoods_racial_politics_-_the_atlantic.pdf
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CLIPS FOR ANALYSIS
  • Key reference of gender ideology and how women are portrayed as innocent love obsession. Ret is conveying male patriarchal  attitudes, sexual aggression “you need kissing badly”… as if she has no say.
  • Key reference of the attitude towards Scarlett, rough treatment of women in name of love. Evidence of Gender ideology and representation.
  • Key reference regarding slavery and ideology of racism and class in the movie. 
  • Key reference to gender and racial ideologies: servant is female – strong female/stubborn, cultural values, however she is conforming to standards of the time. 
  • This documentary TCM: is important as they discuss how racism is shaped in Gone With The Wind. It features interviews with Charles S. Dutton, Donald Bogle, and Richard Wesley. Supporting material for race and Hollywood representation.

  Key Film text: Sweet Country (2018)


  • Transmission Films, Sweet Country Press Kit, 2018, retrieved August 1st 2019, <http://www.transmissionfilms.com.au/films/sweet-country>
        Description: official synopsis, actor/character profiles. General media document that demonstrates    
        distribution and marketing  perspective. Good for students to see this and see the ‘framework’  
​        constructed through marketing an Australian film.
 
  • Fontana D “Sweet Country: Magnificent Australian Western Touches on Universal themes” ,Film Inquiry, March 27th 2018.
         Description: Accessible article to read for students. Explains the visual aspects to the film and the
         historical, political and ideological narrative underpinnings.
                  Download Resources listed above to use:
sweet_country__magnificent_australian_western_touches_on_universal_themes_|_film_inquiry.pdf
File Size: 1331 kb
File Type: pdf
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sweet_country_press_kit.pdf
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australias_lost_films_www.nia.gov.pdf
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CLIPS FOR ANALYSIS
  • Trailer depicts tension between cultures. The harsh landscape is the backdrop and issues of colonisation, Indigenous rights/identity, racial/gender ideologies are depicted. This is Australian western, using codes and conventions similar to Western genre.
 
  • Short clip reflecting the dynamic between characters, landscape and values.
BFI  Published on 27 Oct 2017: Director Warwick Thornton joined the BFI's Clare Stewart to discuss the making of his film, Sweet Country.

Film Clips for analysis:

  •  Australian movie Western. Contrast conventions with Sweet Country​. To be used as a key resource to show conventions of narrative and ideology within Australian National Cinema and  within the Western genre traditions.
WESTERN GENRE VS EPIC ROMANCE GENRE 

​Clip: The Proposition (2005)

Clip: The Searchers (1954)
Clip: Unforgiven (1992)
Clip: 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
Clip: Casablanca (1942)
Clip: Doctor Zhivago (1965)
Clip: Anna and the King (1999)
WESTERN
  • Famous Western genre, John Ford was an iconic director, The Searchers has embedded ideology relating to gender, race, and class. This film is a great supplement to Sweet Country to show origins of western story-telling.
  • Retired Old West gunslinger William Munny reluctantly takes on one last job, with the help of his old partner and a young man (source: classic trailers). ​Reflects the Western film genre conventions.
  • A small-time rancher agrees to hold a captured outlaw who's awaiting a train to go to court in Yuma. A battle of wills ensues as the outlaw tries to psych out the rancher (source: classic trailers). Reflects the Western film genre conventions.
EPIC ROMANCE
  • Hollywood Studio System, romance genre film, (black and white ). Good for classical hollywood conventions and see the narrative style and ideology in comparison to GWTW.
  • Romantic epic set against the backdrop of war, like Gone with the Wind, there are embedded ideologies and is a great film supplement the knowledge with history of this genre.
  • Romantic epic genre film. Trailer starring Yun-Fat Chow and Jodie Foster. Classic text that has been re-invented. However, specific genre traits and narrative sturctures can be identified.  The ideological undertones can be observed.

Aos 1: Poster Analysis - Ideology and narrative in marketing and distribution

EPIC ROMANCE
WESTERN
SUPPORTING RESOURCES
Supporting resources
  • Chapter 6.2 “Conventions of narrative storytelling” Dunscombee (et.al), 2018, Heineman Media,Pearson Australia, p.16  
​

  • Stewart, A 2016, John Ford and the Politics of the Western, Counterpunch, January 22nd, 2016, counterpunch.org Overview explanation of anthology of the western within American cinematic history. 
 
  • Studlar G, and Bernstein M, 2001, John Ford Made Westerns: Filming the Legend in the Sound Era 9th ed. Edition, Kindle EditionIndiana University Press. NOTES; master of that genre was director John Ford and had an enormous influence on contemporary U.S. films. Ideologies in Ford film and mentioned in resource is notions of masculinity and gender roles, capitalism and community; racial, sexual, and national identity. Chapter “Sacred Duties, Poetic Passions” around gender.
 
  • Rekhari, S “Film, Representation and the Exclusion of Aboriginal Identity: Examples from Australian Cinema”, University of Wollongong, retrieved 2 August 2019, <https-//ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https-//www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=2750&context=artspapers> notes: otherness, narrative and Aboriginal identity portrayed in Australian film. Ideology unit resource – manly for teachers, however, academically advanced students will benefit from this read. 
Area of Study 2: Media Production Development
Outcome 2
On completion of this unit the student should be able to research aspects of a media form and experiment with media technologies and media production processes to inform and document the design of a media production.
To achieve this outcome the student will draw on key knowledge and key skills outlined in Area of Study 2.
Key knowledge
  • media codes and conventions, narrative, genres and styles appropriate to the selected media form
  • structural and aesthetic qualities of media products that engage with and are read by audiences
  • research that informs the exploration and development of ideas and skills in a selected media form
  • methods for recording, documenting and evaluating research
  • media equipment, technologies and processes appropriate to a selected media form and proposed product
  • media language.
​Key skills
  • explore media codes and conventions, narratives, genres and styles appropriate to the selected media form
  • analyse how audiences are engaged by structural and aesthetic qualities of media products
  • analyse how audiences use structural and aesthetic qualities to read media products
  • undertake research to inform the exploration and development of ideas and skills in a selected media form
  • record, document and evaluate the exploration and development of ideas and skills in a selected media form
  • develop skills in the use of equipment, media technologies and processes appropriate to a selected media form and proposed product
  • evaluate the use of equipment, media technologies and processes of the proposed product through documentation
  • use media language.

LESSON RESOURCES Aos 2 outcome 2:

Media Production Development
Key resources/Activities:
  • Hugh Mason-Jones et al. 2018, Media Reframed: VCE units 1-4, Cambridge University Press. Chapter 8 read.
         Description:the textbook of choice for this course. Students encouraged to get eBook copy or hardcopy. A lot of questions, activities, resources come  
          from this book. 

Media Research sheet 
​Activity sheets: 8. 3, 8. 4, 8.5

development_week_9_mediareframed_act8.3.docx
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worksheet_week_9-10_development_mediareframed_act8.4.docx
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worksheet_9-10_development_mediareframed_act8.5.docx
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  • Australian Centre of the Moving Image (ACMI),documents for reference accessed 2th April, 2019
        Description:shortlist and resources for shoot and development of narrative style
 
Supporting resources

  
  • Storyboards:
www.lessonbucket.com/filmmaking/storyboards/
https://www.acmi.net.au/education/online-learning/film-it/storyboards/

  • script: interview filming and storyboard. 
http://education.abc.net.au/home#!/media/1771517/scripting-and-storyboarding-a-video-interview
Description:resources for shoot and development of narrative style to look and documentation needed for SAT and outlines production processes.
Area of Study 3: Media Production Design
Outcome 3
On completion of this unit the student should be able to develop and document a media production design in a selected media form for a specified audience.
To achieve this outcome the student will draw on key knowledge and key skills outlined in Area of Study 3.
Key knowledge
  • methods for documenting the specified audiences, narrative and intention of the proposed production
  • media codes and conventions, technologies and processes relevant to the selected media form, proposed
    audience, narrative and production
  • methods for creating written and visual representations of a proposed production
  • methods for documenting details of production and post-production roles, tasks and timelines
media language relevant to the design and production of a media product in a selected media form.
Key skills
  • document the specified audience, narrative and intention relevant to a selected media form and product
  • apply media codes and conventions, technologies and production processes appropriate to the selected
    media form, proposed audience, narrative and product
  • create written and visual representations of a proposed production
  • document production and post-production roles, tasks and timelines
  • use media language appropriate to the design and production of a media product in a selected media form.

LESSON RESOURCES Aos 3 outcome 3:

Key resources


Description Activity list:
  • Commpile audience research: 
  • complete worksheet 9.3  
  • process checklist 9.6
  • screenplay template
  • time sheet/production schedule
  • call sheets template
  • prop/list template
week_4_audience_worksheet_mediareframed_act9.3.docx
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week_6_worksheet_technology_list_mediareframed_act9.6.docx
File Size: 160 kb
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media_productiontimeline.docx
File Size: 13 kb
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media_productionchecklist.docx
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media_screenplaytemplate.docx
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WORKSHOPS AND PRODUCTION SUPPORT
Explaining depth of field for photography and cinematography. Clear , detailed and with diagrams.
Frameforest Filmshool, shows how to use three simple lights to do a three-point lighting setup. 
  • Bondi Rescue: season 8 ep 6, You Tube, Published on 8 Apr 2013, You Tube, by Collegefreaks2000, Episode that highlights reality TV based on real-life events. How codes and conventions used with documentary style footage, narrative construction through editing, music to add dramatic effect. Example of audience relationship and ‘Fandom’ for 12 years.
 
Further General resource for you  
         Educational resource section 
​​        ​ Filmmaking site with education and who to videos
​​        Australian media practicitioner webpage with insightful resources for teaching and learning.         Supporting materials for arts in Australia with information on exhibitions
         Reference to contemporary artists 
         Information with local knowledge on art, media and events around Melbourne and Australia. Lesson ideas and current arts issues.​​​
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT PRODUCTIONS: FOR STUDENTS
 
Studio Binder – all in one project management tool
https://app.studiobinder.com/company/5c9d573e526c1259ae75bebb/currentUser/5c9d573e526c1259ae75bebb/projects/5c9d57741a1f361c14a08fc9/document/5c9d57a16be2555af5d045ac
 
ALL YEARS
Studio binder offers application that can house projects – script, storyboards, callsheet, shotlist. Fantastic all in one resource for every student and teacher.

FUSE
https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/Resource/LandingPage?ObjectId=282e3a2d-b08e-4caa-a956-a1b8beef2178&SearchScope=All
 
ALL YEARS
Fuse is Victorian government intiative for students and media education.
“Every art communicates because it expresses. It enables us to share vividly and deeply in meanings…”
John Dewey, Art as Experience

Filmmaking - a creative process

Set up and props

on set

more specialised equipment
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