What should I focus on for WJEC GCSE Film Studies?

Spend time reading the question carefully and underlining command words such as 'analyse' or 'evaluate'.

What should I focus on for WJEC GCSE Film Studies? (2)

Always link your observations to the question focus—avoid writing everything you know about the extract.

What should I focus on for WJEC GCSE Film Studies? (3)

Use the PEEL structure (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link) to build well-developed paragraphs.

What should I focus on for WJEC GCSE Film Studies? (4)

Practice timing: allocate roughly one minute per mark in written responses.

What should I focus on for WJEC GCSE Film Studies? (5)

During revision, create flashcards for key terms and their definitions to ensure precise usage.

What are common mistakes in WJEC GCSE Film Studies?

Listing techniques without explaining their effect or purpose.

What are common mistakes in WJEC GCSE Film Studies? (2)

Confusing editing with camera movement or mise-en-scène elements.

What are common mistakes in WJEC GCSE Film Studies? (3)

Ignoring sound or treating it as a minor component.

Film Studies

WJEC

GCSE

Specification: WJEC-GCSE-Film-Studies

This subject will help you develop key knowledge and skills required for exam success.

Topics

Objectives

Exam Tips

Pitfalls

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Key Features

Master key concepts
Develop exam technique
Apply knowledge effectively

Assessment Objectives

AO1

30%

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of elements of film.

AO2

50%

Apply knowledge and understanding of elements of film, including to: • analyse and compare films • analyse and evaluate own work in relation to other professionally produced work

AO3

20%

Apply knowledge and understanding of elements of film to the production of film or screenplay

What Gets Top Grades

A*/Grade 9

Knowledge & Understanding

Demonstrates comprehensive and accurate knowledge

Uses correct subject-specific terminology
Shows detailed understanding of concepts
Makes accurate connections between topics
Demonstrates depth beyond surface-level knowledge

Application

Applies knowledge effectively to new contexts

Selects relevant knowledge for the question
Adapts understanding to unfamiliar scenarios
Uses examples appropriately
Shows awareness of context

Analysis & Evaluation

Develops sophisticated analytical arguments

Constructs logical chains of reasoning
Considers multiple perspectives
Weighs evidence to reach justified conclusions
Acknowledges limitations and nuances

Key Command Words

WJEC

State

1 mark

Give a single fact or term

Identify

1 mark

Name, select, or recognise

Outline

2 marks

Set out main features briefly

Describe

2-4 marks

Give an account of what something is like or what happens

Explain

3-6 marks

Give reasons with developed cause→effect chains

Compare

2-4 marks

State similarities AND differences (both required)

Analyse

6-9 marks

Examine in detail showing cause→effect→consequence chains

Evaluate

6-12 marks

Weigh up BOTH sides, reach JUSTIFIED conclusion

Assess

6-12 marks

Make judgments about importance with justification

Calculate

2-4 marks

Show formula→substitution→calculation→answer with units

Common Exam Mistakes

Pitfalls to avoid in your exams

•Listing techniques without explaining their effect or purpose.
•Confusing editing with camera movement or mise-en-scène elements.
•Ignoring sound or treating it as a minor component.
•Describing the story rather than analysing how it is told.
•Lacking specific terminology, using vague language like 'good lighting' instead of 'high-key lighting'.
•Failing to link technological developments to the specific films studied in Component 1
•Confusing the chronological order of major technological shifts
•Providing generic descriptions of technology without referencing its impact on film production or exhibition

Top Examiner Tips

Expert advice for exam success

•Spend time reading the question carefully and underlining command words such as 'analyse' or 'evaluate'.
•Always link your observations to the question focus—avoid writing everything you know about the extract.
•Use the PEEL structure (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link) to build well-developed paragraphs.
•Practice timing: allocate roughly one minute per mark in written responses.
•During revision, create flashcards for key terms and their definitions to ensure precise usage.
•Use the timeline in Appendix B as a primary revision tool
•Ensure you can explain how specific technologies (e.g., Steadicam) changed the aesthetic possibilities for filmmakers
•Be prepared to discuss how technological changes influenced the industry, such as the response to the growth of television in the 1950s

Specification Topics

4 topics

E2E stub topic

This subtopic develops learners' ability to deconstruct and analyse film sequences using the key micro-elements of film language: cinematography, mise-en-scène, editing, and sound. It emphasises understanding how these elements combine to create meaning, evoke audience responses, and convey the filmmaker's intentions. Practical application includes applying this analytical framework to unseen extracts and producing critical responses in line with examination board expectations.

E2E stub subtopic

0 objectives5 tips5 pitfalls

Component 1: Key Developments in US Film

This topic covers the historical development of film and film technology from the inception of moving images in 1895 to the contemporary digital environment. It provides the technological and historical context for the study of US films, focusing on key milestones such as the transition to sound, the introduction of colour, the evolution of camera technology, and the shift to digital production and distribution.

Key developments in film and film technology, US film comparative study, US independent film

0 objectives14 tips13 pitfalls3 subtopics

Component 2: Global Film - Narrative, Representation and Film Style

The study of one contemporary UK film (produced since 2010) as part of Component 2, with a specific focus on the film's aesthetic qualities (film style).

Contemporary UK film, Global English language film, Global non-English language film

0 objectives14 tips14 pitfalls3 subtopics

Component 3: Production

The evaluative analysis is a required component of the Component 3 Production non-exam assessment. It requires learners to write a 750-850 word analysis and evaluation of their own production (either a film extract or a screenplay with shooting script) in relation to comparable, professionally-produced genre films or screenplays.

Evaluative analysis, Production

0 objectives10 tips10 pitfalls2 subtopics

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