AS Evaluation Questions

From the spec with some pointers from me:

Where candidates have worked in a group, the evaluation may be presented individually or collectively but the teacher must allocate a mark according to the contribution/level of understanding demonstrated by the individual candidate.

Each candidate should give a clear indication of their role in any group evaluation.

The questions that must be addressed in the evaluation are:

Q1: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

How do you use media language (camer/mise-en-scene etc) to create meaning?
Is your film in an identifiable genre?
Do you conform to any theories of narrative?

Q2: How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Consider ideas of representation explored in Ms Shillingford's class; do you use stereotypical ideas of representation. Even if you haven't considered this as part of your project reflect on it now. What ideas could you apply?

Q3: What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

This is asking you to think about whether your film might work as a big commercial project (if it was a real media text would the part attract Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise?) that would attract a big distributor like Warner Bros or is more likely a low budget effort in the mould of Shifty, which would therefore need a small, niche distributor to take a risk on it. Be reflective about your product. Is it too violent or edgy for a big distribution company to take it on. Would its content alienate a large part of the audience and therefore not be attractive as a big money making proposition to a big name distributor. Look at your case studies of ICON and UNIVERSAL.

Q4: Who would be the audience for your media product?

Primary / Secondary and Tertiary: Again look at the notes you have on this. Look at the audience breakdown for Looking for Eric and Star Trek. Think about the audience for Shifty.

Q5: How did you attract/address your audience?

This is a question where you might consider possible marketing strategies and whether you've intentionally included elements in your film to appeal to a specific audience - that you have thoughtfully constructed your film with these sorts of things in mind, the way a real film would be thought out. Even if you haven't, you construct the response to suggest that you have.

Look at the same area in your notes as for the above question. What does your film do that gives it a USP What would attract your specified audience. Think about how the producers of Shifty cleverly tried to market the film to middle class Guardian reader type professionals (ie. Me!) but also urban based young adults and teenagers through the associations with grime musicians and quirky marketing ideas.

Q6: What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Try to be a little creative with this response at least. Use some images. This is fairly straight forward but still you must avoid simply describing the equipment you used. Again be reflective: talk instead about how you used the equipment to produce specific effects and what that contributed to what you were trying to create overall. 

Q7: Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

There are many areas to cover here: time management, communication, planning, preparation, organisation would all be worth touching on.


For a look at how to do it effectively check out these blog from a bygone age but remember; there are different ways to go about it. You should try to be creative.

AS GROUP BLOG 2011-12 (B Grade)