Working from a Screened Extract: Media Two Section A
How to work from the television extract shown in Media Two Section A: the timed mechanic of two minutes to read, two viewings and a note-taking gap, and how to watch actively and answer from what you saw.
Use it, the way the marks are given
Free interactive practice at using the material, which is what the marks are for.
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The extract question
In Media Two, Section A, you answer questions on a short television extract shown on screen. You cannot pause or rewind it yourself, so you have to get the most from a controlled viewing. This module shows the timed mechanic of the exam and how to watch the extract actively so you can answer well.
Extract words
Learn these four terms before you practise the technique.
Two ways to watch
The same clip is worth far more to an active watcher than to a passive one.
Read first, watch with a purpose
A top answer starts before the clip even plays. Read the questions in the first couple of minutes so you know exactly what to look for, then watch with those questions in mind. Back every point you make with a specific moment from the extract, not a general comment.
Match the stage
- the reading time
- the first viewing
- the note gap
- the second viewing
- you read the questions before the clip plays
- you watch and jot down quick notes
- you tidy and add to your notes
- you check details and fill any gaps
Match the feature
- camera shot
- editing
- sound
- lighting
- how close or wide the picture is
- how the shots are cut together
- the music, speech and effects you hear
- how light sets the mood of a scene
When to read the questions
When should you read the exam questions?
- Before the extract is shown for the first time.
- Only after both viewings are over.
- Only if you have spare time at the end.
- Only during the second viewing.
Use the note gap
Select the TWO best things to do during the note-taking gap.
- Tidy up the notes you already made.
- Plan which examples answer each question.
- Copy out all the questions in full.
- Stop and rest until the next viewing.
Work the mechanic
Put the stages of the extract task in order, earliest first.
- Read the questions before the clip
- Watch the extract and note key moments
- Use the gap to sort your notes
- Watch a second time to check details
Complete the mechanic
In the exam you get about _____ minutes to read the questions first. The extract is shown _____ times. Between the viewings there is a _____-minute gap to make notes. Your notes themselves are _____. You should back each point with a specific _____ from the clip.
Add up the time
You get 2 minutes to read the questions and then a 5-minute gap to make notes. Add these two times together. What is the total in minutes?
Find the media language
Tap the TWO media-language features you should watch for in the extract.
- the camera shots
- the sound
- the ticket price
- the studio address
What should you watch?
Read what each question asks about and choose what to watch for in the extract.
- A question asks how the setting and costumes create meaning
- A question asks how sound builds tension in the clip
- A question asks how a character is represented
Make the viewings count
Explain how to get the most out of the two viewings of a screened extract. Describe what to do before, during and between the viewings, and how to turn your notes into a strong answer.
- Explain what to do before the first viewing
- Explain how to use the gap between the two viewings
- Explain how to turn your notes into a strong answer