Media
Unit 1-4
Entry
There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4. Units 1 to 4 are designed to a standard equivalent to the final two years of secondary education.
Student Testimonials
"As a media 1&2 and 3&4 student I have really enjoyed the subject so far. There is such a good mix of student led learning and theory classwork. I love the fact that I have so much agency and creative control over my learning and my SAT in 3&4. It’s been hard but rewarding to go through all the stages of production and design. I would recommend this subject to anyone who enjoys film making, photography, design and to anyone interested in how the media works, how film and television is made and produced, as well as how to create your own media production".
Nina Skutenko.
Unit 1: Media Forms, Representations and Australian Stories
The relationship between audiences and the media is dynamic and changing. Audiences engage with media products in many ways. They share a common language with media producers and construct meanings from the representations within a media product.
In this unit, students develop an understanding of audiences and the core concepts underpinning the construction of representations and meaning in different media forms. They explore media codes and conventions and the construction of meaning in media products.
Students analyse how representations, narrative and media codes and conventions contribute to the construction of the media realities that audiences engage with and read. Students gain an understanding of audiences as producers and consumers of media products. Through analysing the structure of narratives, students consider the impact of media creators and institutions on production. They develop research skills to investigate and analyse selected narratives focusing on the influence of media professionals on production genre and style. Students develop an understanding of the features of Australian fictional and non-fictional narratives in different media forms.
Students work in a range of media forms, and develop and produce representations to demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics of each media form and how they contribute to the communication of meaning.
Unit 2: Narrative across Media Forms
Fictional and non-fictional narratives are fundamental to the media and are found in all media forms.
In this unit, students further develop an understanding of the concept of narrative in media products and forms in different contexts. Narratives in both traditional and newer forms include film, television, sound, news, print, photography, games and interactive digital forms. Students analyse the influence of developments in media technologies on individuals and society, examining in a range of media forms the effects of media convergence and hybridisation on the design, production and distribution of narratives in the media, as well as audience engagement, consumption and reception.
Students undertake production activities to design and create narratives that demonstrate an awareness of the structures and media codes and conventions appropriate to corresponding media forms.
Unit 3: Media Narratives and Pre-Production
In this unit, students explore stories that circulate in society through media narratives. They consider the use of media codes and conventions to structure meaning, and how this construction is influenced by the social, cultural, ideological and institutional contexts of production, distribution, consumption and reception. Students assess how audiences from different periods of time and contexts are engaged by, consume and read narratives using appropriate media language.
Students use the pre-production stage of the media production process to design the production of a media product for a specified audience. They investigate a media form that aligns with their interests and intent, developing an understanding of the media codes and conventions appropriate to audience engagement, consumption and reception within the selected media form.
They explore and experiment with media technologies to develop skills in their selected media form, reflecting on and documenting their progress. Students undertake pre-production processes appropriate to their selected media form and develop written and visual documentation to support the production and post-production of a media product in Unit 4.
Unit 4: Media Production and Issues in the Media
In this unit, students focus on the production and post-production stages of the media production process, bringing the media production design created in Unit 3 to its realisation. They refine their media production in response to feedback and through personal reflection, documenting the iterations of their production as they work towards its completion.
Students explore the relationship between the media and audiences, focusing on the opportunities and challenges afforded by current developments in the media industry. They consider the nature of communication between the media and audiences, explore the capacity of the media to be used by governments, institutions and audiences, and analyse the role of the Australian government in regulating the media.
Assessment
Satisfactory Completion:
The award of satisfactory completion for a unit is based on a decision that the student has demonstrated achievement of the set of outcomes specified for the unit. This decision will be based on the teacher’s assessment of the student’s performance on assessment tasks designated for the unit.
Levels of Achievement
Units 1 and 2:
Procedures for the assessment of levels of achievement in Units 1 and 2 are a matter for school decision.
Units 3 and 4:
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority will supervise the assessment of all students undertaking Units 3 and 4. In the study of VCE Media, students’ level of achievement will be determined by School-assessed Coursework (SACs), School-assessed Task (SAT) and an end-of-year examination.
The School-assessed Task information and assessment criteria for Units 3 and 4 are published annually in the VCAA Bulletin VCE, VCAL and VET Bulletin Supplement 1: Administrative advice for school-based assessment.
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority will report students’ level of performance on each assessment component as a grade from A+ to E or UG (ungraded). To receive a study score, students must achieve two or more graded assessments and receive S for both Units 3 and 4. The study score is reported on a scale of 0–50; it is a measure of how well the student performed in relation to all others who took the study.
Teachers should refer to the current VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook for details on graded assessment and calculation of the study score.
Unit 3 School-assessed Coursework: 10 %
Unit 4 School-assessed Coursework: 10 %
School-assessed Task: 40 %
End-of-year examination: 40 %
Learning Activities
Unit 1:
Students will develop an understanding and be able to analyse how representations are constructed through the use of codes and conventions and apply their understanding to create their own media products. Furthermore, students will analyse the structural features of Australian narratives.
Students will complete three SACs and an end-of-semester written examination.
Unit 2:
Students will analyse two media narratives and work collaboratively to develop, plan, create and distribute a narrative production in a chosen media form. Students are required to understand industry-specific roles and apply these. Furthermore, students will be able to discuss the influence of new media technologies on society, audiences, the individual, media industries and institutions.
Students will complete three SACs and an end-of-semester written examination.
Unit 3:
Students will analyse two media narratives and complete two short production experiments in one chosen media form as well as a production design plan for a major media production. This production can be in film, audio, print, web, photography or animation format.
Students complete one SAC and two components of the SAT.
Unit 4:
Students will complete a media production in film, audio, print, web, photography or animation format. An analysis of the nature and extent of media agency and control is studied with reference to specific examples.
Students complete one SAC and their final media production.
Key skills required
Unit 1 and 2:
Research, analysis and media production skills, time management, collaboration and creative ability
Unit 3 and 4:
Analysis and research skills, media production skills, time management, collaboration, independent study habits and creative ability