Examiners Reports

Overall Advice on the Exam

Internet Links
1 Examiners' Report Winter 2012 http://www.wjec.co.uk/uploads/ publications/15549.pdf Examiners' Report Summer 2011 http://www.wjec.co.uk/uploads/ publications/14227.pdf Examiners' Report Winter 2011 http://www.wjec.co.uk/uploads/ publications/13312.pdf Examiners' Report Summer 2010 http://www.wjec.co.uk/uploads/ publications/11988.pdf Examiners' Report Winter 2010 http://www.wjec.co.uk/uploads/ publications/10680.pdf Examiners' Report Summer 2009 http://www.wjec.co.uk/uploads/ publications/9083.pdf

Be sure of the format of the exam - answer ONE question from each section. READ the questions carefully. use specific micro features to underline points being made. Give detailed and specific examples from the films. Give more explicit engagement with the construction of narrative, themes and messages and values in the films. Candidates who could deconstruct more precisely the narratives of the films studied, using explicit knowledge of narrative devices, performed much better than those

Advice on Section B
Make sure that you are confident of the link between horror conventions and narrative structure. The term 'narrative devices' confused some candidates, who struggled to identify any used by the films they had studied. Some candidates got 'bogged down' in lengthy theories such as Propp and Todorov without really applying them to the films. It would be more useful to assess the effect of openings, climaxes or endings (key sequences).

Advice on Section A
Consider the question first (which tends to be broad- based) and establish what you know about the question before considering the resource material. The aim is for candidates to be able to respond to the question using a combination of ideas suggested by the resource material and their own case studies. They can of course debate what ideas are suggested by the resource material. Resource material should be used as a springboard for debate. Candidates do not have to deal at length with every item of resource material - be selective Combine use of the resource material with your own examples, expressed with a sense of personal voice. Unfortunately, many candidates described the resource materials, often repeating the text verbatim. It appears as if few candidates are consistently providing examples or debating arguments surrounding questions.

Advice on Section C
Comparative study is a key objective Candidates need to identify specific narrative devices used and compare them. Some candidates could only list generic conventions and were not able to make any links between genre and narrative construction and themes. Some candidates were unaware of when their films were made, making a coherent response difficult. A minority of candidates also confused when the films were set with when they were made.