Imagine. Create. Inspire.
About:
Looking for something different? Want to be challenged creatively? Film & TV is a creative, dynamic subject that sets students up for success in the 21st century. The media is one of the most powerful tools in modern society. A strong understanding of its workings and the ability to design, produce and critique media is vital in this information age, one that is often overlooked due to the deceptive ease and polish that professionals give their productions.
At Aldridge:
Film, TV & New Media runs through all grades at Aldridge. In Years 7 & 8, Film & Media is built into PFA - our taster subject that give students a chance to try all the Creative Arts. In Year 9 it is explicitly built into Arts/Media. By Year 10 it is taught on its own as Film Television & New Media (FTVNM).
Why study Film/TV/New Media?
Technology skills, teamwork and creativity are now the most sought after skills in job applicants outside their knowledge area. Film and Television is one of the few subjects that teaches creativity and critical thinking explicitly, while meeting all the 21st century skills. Don't be misled by the name of the subject - new media skills are important in almost all careers and the skills taught in this subject can be taken into many areas. Outside of the obvious film or TV choices are careers such as commerce, law, communications, business, education, screen studies, I.T., animation, virtual reality and game development etc. Students will gain a strong grounding in knowledge and skills that would enable them to pursue a career in the media or in any work or career that requires a team effort. Students also develop leadership, communication, self-discipline and organisational skills. The skills developed throughout the course of Film and Television are all transferable to a range of work options, further study options and life paths.
Facilities, Equipment and Software:
The Film Lab.
K05 is the hub of Film, TV & New Media at Aldridge. Students can hire high quality cameras, cranes, tripods, lighting kits and many other types of production equipment. The lab has a greenscreen as well as an acoustically treated room for voiceovers and controlled lighting. It also has a bank of laptops with all the required software so students don't have to own the latest most powerful laptops to produce their work.
We use the Adobe CC package as it is industry standard and acts easily as a gateway to other software such as Avid & Final Cut Pro.
Units of study:
In Year 9:
Arts/Media we look at how to edit and make a stylistic video known as "all about me". Students explore their identities and experiment with live motion and animated footage.
Year 10:
UNIT
| TIME
| NAME
| DESCRIPTION
|
1.
| 2 weeks | The Moving Image
Booklet & Exam | A basic 3 week Unit getting students up to speed and ready to use cameras, learn to edit using industry standard software & understand all the jargon and film terminology used in the industry. |
| 2. | 6 weeks | How to YouTube!
Design & Production | Students are going to design and produce their first video – an Instructional or "How to" video. This is their chance to start flexing their new creative muscles or just solidify the basics. We'll also experiment with new camera technology and motion tracking. |
| 3. | 7 weeks | Did they get it right?
Analysis & Vodcast | First Analysis – Now we've made our first videos, it's time to look at the Industry and work on our analysis skills. We're looking at 2 films that got PG ratings, but really should have received M ratings. Students will analyse a chosen film and then make a 2 minute Vodcast, the best way to do a "written" essay. |
| 4. | 6 weeks | Beyond Special Effects Visual Effects Reel | Time to have some serious fun! We'll use Premiere Pro and After Effects to do everything from basic greenscreening & changing eye colours to manipulating Drone footage and interacting with augmented reality. Lightsabers? Yep. Lightning? Obviously. We'll look at what makes our footage pop (and why others fail to look so good) and make our own animated Logos. |
| 5. | 9 weeks | SHOW ME THE MONEY! Multiplatform campaign Design & Production
Exam | Advertising in its traditional form could often be entertaining - but lets face it, we usually turn them off or skip them. This unit looks at how advertising works, how we can manipulate audiences and how clever advertisers break the mould and make attention getting, multi platform campaigns that garner attention and win awards (and make money). |
| 6. | 8 weeks
| Film Noir
Film Trailers / Interactive Video
| Term 4 is our introduction to Senior Film, TV and New Media. We delve into the mysterious and dark world of Film Noir with its harsh lighting, Detectives, femme fatales, betrayal and moody music. Students choose to make a film trailer or an interactive video as their final assessment piece. |
Senior:
In Years 11 & 12 - Film, TV and New media is a General subject and is used to award students their ATAR rank.
UNIT
| TIME
| NAME
| DESCRIPTION
|
1.
| 15 weeks | Foundation Design & Produce a thematic film or music video. Essay: Auteur directors | Through the new Australian Curriculum, Foundation covers all the basics. Its fantastic for students who have never studied FTVNM before, as well as ensuring students are ready for the rigour of senior studies. We will design and make a thematic film or music video, as well as look at different directors and their styles. |
| 2. | 15 weeks | Story Forms Design & Produce a Genre film or scene Exam | Story Forms looks at how stories have been traditionally told through Film & TV and looks at modern ways producers engage audiences through multiple platforms. We design and create a Genre film of students choice and participate in an exam to ready students for exams in unit 4. |
| 3. | 17 weeks | Participation Design & Produce a Live action film. Report: Multiplatform research task | Participation looks at the technologies & institutions that affect an audiences ability to participate in New Media today. We research multiplatform media (anything from Reality TV to the latest gaming console & social media) and make a live action film for a multiplatform of our choice. |
| 4. | 17 weeks | Identity Design & Produce a stylistic film
Exam
| Identity is all about style. Why do people create media the way they do? We look at many different styles and experiment with new technologies and ideas. The culmination of our Film & TV course, students finally create a stylistic or experimental film about their own identities. ATAR exams will cover the entirety of the FTVNM course. |
Pathways:
Students have many options available to them due to the nature of Media. They can use their skills in almost any 21st century job, but the explicit courses are as follows:
· Tertiary study options include University courses such as Bachelor Degrees in Film & TV, Communications, I.T., Digital Screen Studies, Journalism, Animation, Creative Industries, Public Relations, Advertising and Gaming.
· Students can also go into Vocational courses (Certificates & Diplomas) such as Interactive Media, Creative Industries, Screen and Media, Design and Communications.
· Students can enter the industry straight out of school through local studios, radio, TV stations or go straight into social media and promotions. They can also forge their own career as a freelance videographer, editor, photographer or in event recording and distribution. This is unique, as most industries require further study however high school graduates can be quite successful if they are willing to work hard.
Teacher:
Mr Gunn has been at Aldridge since 2006 and has a passion for teaching films, gaming, TV and anything creative. He is a self-professed geek and loves experimenting with new technology like drones and gimbals while eroding technology barriers to students. He has been involved in a broad variety of projects including short films, advertising, live performances, film competitions and TV news. He strongly believes that every production a student is involved in gives them a chance to develop life skills as well as building an appreciation for hard work.