exam prep #1

• the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice;
• the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing;
• the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange;
• the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences (i.e. digital technology);
• the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences: the internet, digital downloads, DVDs, High Definition, CGI, etc.;
• the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions;
• the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour.

(These are the only questions that they can ask you in the exam). 

When writing the exam essay - you should look for modern examples in the industry and be able to write a paragraph about:

• the processes of production – how the product is created
• the methods of distribution – how does the product reach its audience marketing
• methods, and processes of marketing as they relate to the institutions
• the way audiences consume the product
• the relationships between audiences and institutions
• issues raised by media ownership within your topic
• convergence and new technologies in production, distribution and marketing and its importance for institutions and audiences
• issues raised by global institutions targeting British audiences

Key Principles

1. Have you got contrasting films you can use as case studies e.g. big budget Hollywood v low budget British indie which allow full range of issues to be discussed?

2. Have you got contemporary examples - the best are almost always live case studies of films on release at the moment so that the material is out there to be grabbed (marketing, distribution, exhibition data, etc)?

3. Can you grasp the seven bullet points from p.19 of the spec, from which all exam questions will be drawn?

Candidates should be familiar with:

• the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice;
• the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing;
• the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange;
• the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences;
• the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences;
• the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions;
• the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour.