In order to achieve the highest grade possible for your coursework it is important that you understand how it is marked.
You will receive a total mark out of 100 for your Advanced Portfolio. Grade boundaries work out (roughly) as follows:
A grade = 80+
B grade = 70+
C grade = 60+
D grade = 50+
E grade = 40+
The mark is broken down into 3 areas:
Research and Planning = 20 marks
Construction = 60 marks (Music Video 40, CDD 10, MMA 10)
Evaluation = 20 marks
How to Reach Level 4
Your research and planning has to meet the following criteria to be deemed as level 4.
Planning and research evidence will be complete and detailed. This means for your main task and your 2 ancillary tasks.
There is excellent research into similar products. Again, you have to have evidence of carrying out research into existing music videos, CD digipaks, music magazine advertisements or artist websites.
There is excellent research into a potential target audience. This has to happen after you have chosen your artist but before you start the planning of your products.
There is excellent work on shotlists, layouts, scripting and storyboarding. You will need to have this for all 3 components of your portfolio.
There is excellent organisation of actors, locations, costumes and props. The quality of your actors 'acting'is not marked but you need to bear in mind that the people you choose need to be comfortable in performing for the camera.
Time management is excellent. This is seen by the trail of posts on your blog and reinforced the importance of managing your time effectively.
There is excellent skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the presentation of research and planning. This links to the idea of making your blog as media-rich as possible.
There are excellent communication skills. Your blog isn't assessed for the quality of your use of English but real weaknesses in this area can affect your mark.
There is an excellent level of care in the presentation of the research and planning.
To get a level 4 for the construction element of your coursework then bear the following in mind.
You get a mark out of 40 for your music video's construction and then a mark out of 10 for the construction of each of your ancillary products.
This actually makes it easier to score highly IF your products are of a high standard.
Level 4 candidates are expected to demonstrate excellence in the creative use of most of the following technical skills:
shooting material appropriate to the task set; including controlled use of the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot sizes and close attention to mise en scene
editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of shot transitions, captions and other effects
recording and editing sound with images appropriately.
The evaluation is critical to your success. It is important that you know the questions in advance so that you can relate to these as your production work develops. There are only 4 questions as opposed to the 7 you had to answer for AS. They are:
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
What have you learned from your audience feedback?
How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
In order to reach Level 4 the following criteria have to be met:
There is excellent skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the evaluation.
There is excellent understanding of the forms and conventions used in the productions.
There is excellent understanding of the role and use of new media in various stages of the production.
There is excellent understanding of the combination of main product and ancillary texts.
There is excellent understanding of the significance of audience feedback.
There is excellent skill in choice of form in which to present the evaluation.
There is excellent ability to communicate.
