More Video - Misunderstood

Here is the GHS 'Best Media Studies Production 2005' - Misunderstood - the one that will appear on the DVD that comes with the next issue of the nationally distributed Media Magazine.

When this is published, it will be great in that it will put GHS on the Media Studies map and we should get some useful feedback from other schools and colleges around the country.

Well done to Sonia, Sofia and Nadia who did so well to make a film about a serious subject that not only educates and informs but that is also highly entertaining by virtue of its good pace and slick editing.

This certainly is some of the best student film-making...thoughtful, intelligent, responsible and demonstrating real attention to detail. The latter, in particular, was the outcome of many, many painstaking hours spent in the edit suite.

Take note Year 12s!

Another Video - Mugged

The £1000 GHS Macintyre Award Winner 2005 - Mugged - had to be one of the first videos to appear here. Well done again to Danny, Iena, Roohdip and Pardeep for their excellent work.

You will recognise the iconic image of Danny in the review on the left - it's the (mug)shot that features on the Free VCD that came with the school magazine this week.

How someone as nice as Danny could pass himself off as a violent thief preying on old ladies is testament to his acting abilities and the inventive post-production work of him and his team. What next? GHS as the location double for the Hollywood Hills?

It all goes to show how constructed the world of documentary can be - something that we learn even more through doing than we ever could by simply being told it. This is why production work is so important.

The special appearance by journalist Ushma Mistry took several weeks to set up. Be warned Year 12s - you perhaps need to start planning and arranging apsects of your productions now, even though we don't officially start until after Christmas.

First Video Here - Light in the Sky

Enjoy the £500 winner at the Media Awards Evening from the comfort of your browser!

This is Renuka's production - Light in the Sky - and it has the honour of being the first one to feature as an uploaded video on this blog. Hopefully, it will be the first of many.

Click on the review on the left to find out more about the film and then click on the play button on the window below to watch it.

All comments gratefully received!!

You can also click on the 'YouTube' icon and this will take you to the site where the video is hosted. Here you will be able to play it in a larger window, plus you can get the html code that will allow you to paste this production into your own blog if you wish.

Go on - start promoting the work of GHS Media students across the web!

Innit Launch

After many trials and tribulations the special Christmas issue of the school magazine 'Innit' has been published...and on time too!! Well done to all those who contributed in whatever way!

Check out some of the editorial team at the launch (someone looks relieved!)...

More Launch Pics

If you don't have a copy yet then get one quickly before they all sell out!!
How come it's always the same guy in the middle?? He seems quite happy. I wonder why.

Coming Soon...

Here are the content pages for the Christmas issue of the new mag - make sure you get your copy...

The Media Debate

For all Media students...

The first annual (senior) Media Debate takes place this Wednesday, 14-12-05 at 3.25 in the Post-16 Centre and we expect it to last until at least 5pm. It is compulsory for all Media Studies students in Years 12 and 13 to attend as it has been set as homework. A register will be taken and non-attendees will be chased up and will receive an 'F'. Don't forget, there is no excuse not to come as you have had more than a fortnight's warning to re-arrange any other commitments.

And who would want to miss such an exciting event? All Year 13s are participating in the debate to discover who will take the crown as 2005 champions: 13C or 13D. See the discussion that has been rumbling on about this at the forum. Year 12s are in the audience and will hopefully learn a great deal about some of the key issues in Media Studies, before having their own debate next year. They will get a chance to ask questions to the teams at various points so be prepared! Please take time to check out the blog posting on the Year 13 site to see what the topics will be.

Homework this week will also require all Media students to post a comment on the Macguffin forum about the event. Questions for you to consider will be posted up there on Wednesday night.

Thanks to both the teams who are doing a marvellous job preparing for the tough task ahead and especially to the two captains: Mariam and Sonia (and the two unofficial cheerleaders: Russel and Imroz). Thanks, too, go to the trainers: Ms Stevens and Mr Munro; the judge: Ms Twebti; the chairperson: Sherish; the timekeeper: Jagdish; and the camera crew: Rishi and Sawan.

See you there...on time!!

Media Students Win Again!

Hot off the press...news that two GHS Media productions have been selected for the shortlist in a nationwide film-making competiton. Out of hundreds of entries, they have chosen 'Misunderstood' (Sonia Kapur, Nadia Khan and Sofia Khan) and 'Raw' (Reetu Kapila and Sunil Sahota). The former won 'Best Media Production' in October, you'll remember, while the latter won 'Best Documentary' the year before. It seems that other people out there also share our good taste and recognise what fantastic work GHS students are capable of producing.

The shortlisted film will appear on a DVD to be distibuted to all schools and colleges that teach Media A Level in the February issue of 'Media Magazine' and the article (left) is from this month's issue announcing the shortlist.

Thanks to all of you who took part and congratulations to those selected. Hopefully there will be another competiton next year to which we'll be able to enter this year's AS productions.

Comin Soon - Innit

The special Christmas issue of the School Magazine - Innit - is published this month. Produced by English & Media Studies students, it promises to be a superb showcase of your impressive skills and talents.

Miss Dol has done an amazing job editing the publication and all of your contributions have been most gratefully received (whether they were selected or not). This issue is the best-ever and, for the first time, comes with a full-length VCD featuring the entire showreel from this year's Media Awards Evening.

Make sure you get your copy as you'll surely want a memento of one of the greatest night's in GHS history; and Year 12 students, especially, will want to use it as inspiration for their productions that they'll be starting very soon.

What you see (right) is the back cover - the work of Kiran Judge - and featuring many faces we're sure you'll recognise. Keep checking back here for more sneak previews prior to the launch just before the holidays.

And please get out there amongst your fellow students and create a positive buzz about the whole enterprise. We have a co-ordinated marketing campaign underway but you know the power of word of mouth!

Disney Payment Due

Some of last year's Disney trip students on the final day.

Looks like a few of them haven't had much sleep!





For the 48 students coming to Disney in January, the time has now come for you to part with the remaining £86 to pay for the trip. You have all received the letter requesting the money but this is an additional reminder to let you know that it must be handed in by Wednesday 30-11-05 (the last day of the month as we have to pay the travel company at the start of December).

Don't forget that you also need to ensure you sort out the following NOW because you will be withdrawn from the trip if you don't have them by the time we return after Christmas...

1. Check you have a passport that is valid beyond February '06. If you don't then you need to apply for one immediately because it can take quite a long time to process.
2. Get a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This replaces the old E111s and everyone needs to get the new card. Information is available here - you can either go to the Post Office to pick up a form or do it by phone.
   

Macguffin Forum

For Year 12 & Year 13 students...

You will be pleased to know that the Macguffin Forum can now be accessed from within school so there are no longer any excuses not to visit and air your views.

Please make sure that you visit it at least once a week and that you post up at least one message - in addition to any that you are required to make for homework. Only through your participation and commitment can we develop a thriving Media studies e-community.

By clicking on memberlist you can see how many posts each person has made, view them all on one page and email them directly. (Note: Your posts will only show up here if you have registered and if you log on before posting). Obviously, Macguffin will be making use of this information when it comes to awarding credits and commendations for the most prolific and interesting posters. Well done to Jaskeerat, Sherish, Kavita and Jatinder who are leading the way at the moment with 15/16 posts each - as many as Macguffin! A credit for each of you!

Raising Achievement Day

For Year 12 & Year 13 students...

You will all receive your first Interim Report this week on Raising Achievement Day. When you do, make sure that you decide upon a specific target (or several) for improvement for Media Studies.

12C & 13C will get their Media grades in the lessons beforehand and will already have discussed targets but all of you have completed a self-evaluation over the last few weeks and this should have included three personal targets. You may wish to stick with these or you may decide - having seen the report - that a different area requires focus.

Make sure you are ready to report back on these targets in next week's lessons.

Commendations

Your Interim Reports are in the process of being written at this moment and will be transmitted over the course of the next week (once you've completed your self-evaluations). These will hopefully reflect what a productive time it has been since the start of the year. There has been a very impressive level of commitment from Media students and, as a result, more commendations have been issued than ever before. These have been for receiving five or more credits (with each credit being issued, usually, for very good or excellent homework) or for extra-curricular work (of which there has been loads).

Congratulations to the following who all received commendations during the first half term...

12C
Kiran A, Navdeep, Jatinder, Alliya, Alice, Parampreet, Jaskeerat, Avinash, Shreena.

12D
Sherish (2), Balinder (2), Kiran J, Rajan, Ramneet, Puja, Bushara, Dinveer, Jagdish, Gurveer (2).

13C
Charanpal, Aanchal (2), Manjoth (3), Harbinder, Iena (2), Steven (2), Abisheik, Bilan, Anita, Mariam, Kristina (2).

13D
Rajpreet, Imroj, Ismail, Sonia, Nadia, Hari, Ladan, Chiraag, Renuka, Nisha.

Evaluations

For Year 12 & 13 students…

To be completed over the course of the next week.

Your responses will be used to help write your Interim Reports.

1. SELF EVALUATION
Write an evaluation of your progress on the Media course so far.

a. Comment on each of the following, giving yourself a grade (1-5) with an explanation:

• Attainment
• Effort
• Punctuality
• Submission and quality of homework
• Ability to work independently
• Quality of writing
• Organisation of Media folder
• Oral contributions in class

b. Make a list of three targets/areas for improvement over the next half-term.

2. COURSE EVALUATION

Write an evaluation of the actual course/teaching.

a. Answer each of the following with a grade (1-5), giving reasons/examples:

• How well is the course organised?
• How interesting is the content that is covered?
• How useful are the handouts?
• Have the lessons been well-paced?
• What is the standard of the teachers’ presentation/subject knowledge?
• How well has the course met your expectations?
• Have the extra-curricular events been useful? (eg. Awards Eve., Trips, Film Club)
• Has the Macguffin Blog been useful?

b. Make a list of three suggestions of things you’d like to see changed/improved.

Year 13 Trip - URGENT!!

To All Year 13 students: URGENT...

We are going on an all-day cinema trip to east London on Wednesday 2nd November at 8am. (Yes, that early!)

Go to the Year 13 Macguffin site and get the information. It's compulsory but you need to get a letter signed, etc. which can be downloaded from the blog.

New Macguffin Forum

For all Year 12 & 13 students...

Exciting news - there is now a Macguffin forum where you can discuss and debate all manner of topics to do with the media. You can link to it from the previous sentence or from the sidebar to the left of this message.

Your tasks this week (to be completed before Monday 07-11-05) are:

• Register on the forum by clicking on the 'register' link below the 'Macguffin' title

• So that you can be identified by us, your username must be in the following format - initial.surname (e.g. Your teachers would be 'A.Bush' or 'G.Munro', except that I am down as 'macguffin' because I'm the administrator)

• Make sure that you include your current email address and note down your password somewhere safe

• If you wish to include any of the other info then please do but it's not compulsory

• Leave the preferences section as it is

• Reply to the first discussion topic relevant to you...
  

For Year 12, it's under 'Film & Broadcast Fiction' (and about 'Eastenders')
All's well in Walford again

For Year 13, it's under 'Representation' (and about Lads' Mags)
Dirty young men

Both discussions require you to do some reading from 'The Guardian' website first of all - links are provided above and in the first post. Always print off articles that are suggested here so that you can store them in your media files for revision. And, remember, you must write in standard English with correct spelling, please!!

Article in the Gazette

Make sure you get your copy of the 'Ealing Gazette' this week as it contains the above photo/article about this year's Media Awards Evening. Well done again to everyone who took part and attended. Look out here for some stills from the night taken by Balinder and also coming soon...the commemorative video shot by Sherish, Dinveer, Rajan and Gurveer!

I heard that Russel tried to sneak in to this pic but it looks like he didn't make it - Shame! Glad to see that the big money winners all got in. Nice shot, don't you think?

Important Changes to Macguffin

For ALL students!

Macguffin is now the homepage for all GHS Media Studies students.

Check in here first for all general news and information. You should be doing this at least twice a week although there may be daily updates so you need to check as often as possible.

You will see the links in the sidebar on the left - 'Macguffin Blogs'. Click on the relevant link - Year 12 or Year 13 to take you to specific tasks or information for each year group. This is where your homework will be posted. Check here whenever you visit Macguffin.

You will notice that all specific posts regarding homework etc. have already been moved to the new relevant blogs.

Ignorance is no defence (any more) in the eyes of The Law!

Awards 2005: Guest Film 2

This is the longest film to appear on the showreel but deservedly so as it's also the most mature work. The director has laboured over this project for more than a year and his commitment is palpable in the way he has got to know and understand his subject through many shoots and even longer early morning hours spent editing.

And the school is honoured for the link it has with the pioneering Lloyd Page - a remarkable man - who, word has it, will be back also this year to address the audience again.

In addition to these visits, all Post 16 AS & A2 students have contributed towards a reasearch project that Lloyd has been undertaking about media representations of people with learning disabilities.

Watch out for a cameo from Mr Munro - shot in a moody black and white blur but even if that obscures him surely the voice is unmistakeable?

An highly impressive short.

Does it change the way you think about people with learning disablilities?

Awards 2005: Guest Film 1

Here is the review of the first guest film to be shown at the Media Awards. (Click on the image once for it to open in another window, then once again to enlarge it to a readable size).

It's a surreal shaggy dog story, full of resonant dreamlike imagery and narrative elements that don't really make sense but speak to us on a deeper level, perhaps. Like poetry, but without the words - it's dialogue free - and it plays a bit like a Michel Gondry music video.

The film received its first showing at a local film-makers' society meeting when it won a prize along with some other work that the pair produced (remember their school-based version of 'The Office' entitled 'Teacher's Pet' that was shown at last year's Media Awards?) Praise indeed from some very experienced people.

I also love it, as you might guess, but even the directors seem a bit ambivalent about it, or so it seems from the above review.

What do you think?

Media Awards Evening '05

There is more anticipation than ever before in advance of this year's Media Awards Evening. Tickets are going fast and the final decisions about who will win the various prizes on offer are being kept secret - especially who will get the £1500 of prize money, kindly donated by Donal Macintyre.

But whoever wins the actual awards - everyone needs to know that the standard of productions was higher than ever this year. Year 13s - you're all winners! (Just think about the amazing results you got!)

Year 12 students...

Don't forget you have a lot to learn from this event and you need to complete the following:

• Read all the reviews in the programme booklet

• Choose your two favourite productions - one documentary, one fiction

• Post a comment to this blog entry - see the link below - in which you say what you think the best production was and why

(You will need to register as a blogger user first: Set up your own blog by clicking on the 'Get your own blog' link at the top of this page. Keep your login details - that's your username and password - because you'll need these in future. Include your first name at the end of the posting)

• Vote in the Macguffin Poll - Best Media Production 2005 - that is on the left of this page
  

• Write a detailed review on paper for each of your two favourites - use the film review guidelines you received in September and don't forget to comment on MCCAT (Media language, Conventions, Creativity, Attention to detail, Technical Proficieny)

• Produce a one page summary entitled: "What Makes A Good Practical Production"
  

Innit - The School Magazine

Calling all of you in Years 10-13...

This is an original of the image that appeared in the Greenford Gazette after the most recent issue of the school magazine "Innit" was published. The one in the local paper was cropped along the upper quarter - it seems that the picture editor felt that those at the back weren't photogenic enough, unlike Ms Dol at the front. Shame!

The next issue is due to appear before Christmas and we've already received a huge number of first drafts that we're sifting through at the moment. Expect to be contacted very soon if we want you to develop your idea and get in touch if you think of something else that our readers might want to hear about.

There will also be editorial meetings after half-term for our editorial team to discuss and agree upon the format of the magazine, page design, marketing startegy etc. We already have a list of names of those interested in taking part and, again, we'll let you know when and where this is set to take place.

GHS Students Visit BBC

Some of the Year 12 students who toured BBC Television Centre in White City in July. This was just one of the many Media Studies trips we have run over the past year at GHS.

The big one - Disneyland Paris - is in February. All 48 places for the Media Conference there went within a couple of days, even though it meant students actually parting with money to pay the deposits. Impressive indeed!

Donal Macintyre At GHS

Left is a photo from the last time Donal Macintyre visited our school - back in November when we also had a BBC film crew in to interview some of our students. While here, Donal valiantly tried his hand at teaching. After facing everything from killer sharks to Chelsea football hooligans how did he fare against Year 12?

The footage ended up in an important documentary aired on BBC2 in February. Entitled, controversially, 'British, Paki and Proud' it was part of a whole evening's themed programming ('Pakistani Nights') that sought to represent the Pakistani experience in the UK.