Film Studies - A Level

Applications Open: - 7th November 2025

Applications Close: - 13th February 2026

Entry Requirements: - Offers to join Mascalls Academy Sixth Form are conditional upon meeting specific entry requirements for your chosen subjects, and as a minimum, achieving at least 5 GCSE's at level 5 or above, including English and Maths.

How to Apply: -

Internal Students - Apply via Applicaa using this link https://mascalls.applicaa.com/sixthform

External Students - Apply via KentChoices using this link https://www.kentprospectus.co.uk/login. Please note - after sending your application, you'll receive a welcome email from Applicaa asking for further information.

Film Studies is an exploration of a wide variety of films across time and style, and helps broaden knowledge and understanding of the range of responses films can generate.

There are opportunities to study mainstream and independent British and American films from the past and present, as well as more recent global films, both in English and non-English languages.

The theoretical knowledge and understanding of film will be assessed in exam components and applied to practical non exam assessment of either a short film or pre-production work.

Year 1

The year 1 course introduces you gently to the language of film and provides you with the tools to decode and analyse film texts.

You will study global films made inside and outside of Europe, not in the English language, as well as American film forms and the growth of Hollywood.

You will investigate the codes and conventions of these Hollywood and global films, and explore issues of representation that reflects the productional context of the films.

The final element of the year is a study of a documentary film and the significance of digital technology.

You will study a film movement such as expressionism, constructivism or a New Wave.

You will also study a British film, exploring narrative and ideology.

The non- exam assessment constitutes one production and its evaluative analysis.

There will be a brief to follow, which will give some requirements within the product, which can be either a short film (4-5 minutes), or a screenplay for a short film and a digitally photographed storyboard, each requiring an evaluative analysis of 1250 - 1500 words.

Assessment at the end of year two will be two examinations totalling 70%, including the topics covering Classical Hollywood, Hollywood across time, contemporary independent film, film movements, documentary, global film and short films.

The non-exam assessment is worth 30% of the qualification. This will take the form of a short film or a screenplay for a film and a digitally photographed storyboard, both accompanied with an evaluative analysis.

Study of Film or Media at GCSE is not essential. Skills in analysis and conceptual understanding are however required for this largely academic course. It is essential that you have at least a level 5 in English Literature and English Language at GCSE.

Film Studies is a popular subject for Higher Education.

In a rapidly developing world where media forms are pervading all aspects of life, the study of the film text at this level often requires that students have interests beyond the realm of a single subject.

Transferable skills are often acquired through acute awareness therefore in subjects such as History, Politics, Sociology, the Arts and English Literature to name a few. These skills are enabling and have permitted many Film Studies graduates to continue onto an equally wide-ranging career path including occupations such as screenwriters, journalists, producers, publishers, photographic journalists, directors, teachers, sound engineers, writers, radio producers, animators and film industry exhibition.