vivian's Film Studies | Answering Questions & Revising

The amount of marks a question gives provides a good indicator of how much should be written: Question A is generally 1 or 2 marks, so use 1 or 2 sentences: Briefly explain what you understand by the term ‘plot’. [2] The plot is a series of events that tell a story and/or emphasize narrative. The three-act structure is an example of a structure that can be utilized for a plot. In questions such as C or D there are often bullet points that say “In your answer; you may consider:” This “may” means must. You should follow these bullet points and base how you structure your answer from them. Sometimes questions may contain technical terms you can use in your answer, often within parentheses. “Briefly describe the mood or look of this location or setting.” – Mood refers to genre conventions and aesthetics within the general tone of the film: – Horror (dark, forbidding, threatening, dangerous) – Sci-fi (alien, unsettling, dangerous, mysterious) DO NOT write about the moods/emotions of the character, the question is not about this. “Briefly explore how the mood or look of the film makes you feel.” – How you feel refers to how the audience feels based on the content of the film, NOT your own personal anecdote. “Distinct look or style” – You can mention genre conventions or context such as if the Director had mentioned they had taken inspiration from other films to make a similar look or style. This is also useful when the question states you may consider “the filmmakers’ intentions and influences.” When answering a fifteen mark question you should write AO1 & AO2 within your writing structure, do this through showing “excellent” film knowledge and “excellent” analysis. AO1 is out of 5, AO2 is out of 10. OVERALL, it’s VERY important to read the whole question. Revision techniques: