The Media Debate

For all Media students...

The second annual (senior) Media Debate takes place this Thursday, 14-12-06 at 3.25 in the Post-16 Centre and we expect it to last until at least 5pm. (Watch how it ended last year here!) 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 a 'K'. 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 2006 champions: 13C or 13D. 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 at the end of this message about the event. The questions for you to consider will be posted up there on Thursday night.

Thanks to both the teams who are doing a marvellous job preparing for the tough task ahead and especially to the two captains: Pip and Minty (click to see the full debate teams). Thanks, too, go to the judge: Mrs West, and the chair: Mr Day.

See you there...on time!!

Editorial Team

We received many applications for the various roles on offer for the school magazine editorial team and the standard was extremely high. Thanks to everyone who took part and apologies to those who didn't make it - you can still contribute to the project but you won't be a member of the core team as this has to be kept fairly small.

Congratulations to the following who have been appointed...

Editor
Rohini Bali

Deputy Editor
Pooja Pankhania

Sub-Editors/Journalists
Amandeep Brar
Sundeep Kahlon
Simran Kohli

Design Team/Picture Editors
Baldip Atwal
Chintan Barot
Hammad Khan
Jaspreet Hayer

Marketing/Advertising
Manveer Basran
Sonia Kapoor
Deep Munde

The first Editorial Team Meeting will be on Monday 11th December at 3.25pm in E01.

Teachers' TV

Watch Mrs Stevens on TV!!

In the summer, the digital TV station - Teachers TV - came to GHS to make a programme called 'Classroom Swap' where your ace Media Studies teacher swapped classrooms with a teacher from a neighbouring school. A bit like 'Wife Swap' but with an educational purpose!

It has been broadcast on Freeview and Sky several times over the past few months and can now be seen online on the Teachers TV website.

What do you think of her performance?

School Magazine Editorial Team

Innit is back! We are getting started on a special commemorative issue of the school magazine to mark the transition to the new school building next year.

All Media students in both Year 12 and 13 are required this week to submit a 700-800 word article for homework that links to the key theme of change.

But, in addition (and as you probably already know) we are looking for enthusiastic and dedicated students to join the Editorial Team.

This will be excellent experience for those of you hoping one day to study the media at university, or ultimately to work in the profession, but it will also look extremely good on your UCAS statements and will be something you can talk about if called for interview.

Positions available:

• Editor

• Deputy Editor

• Sub Editors

• Picture Editors

• Features Editor

• Page Designers

• Sales (Advertising)

• Promotions (Marketing)

You need to be organised, a team player and willing to put in the hours. You will also need to be full of ideas and willing to get actively involved!

Collect an application form from Krishna Maroo in A24 or the English & Media Department, and return by Monday 20^th November at 3.25pm.

You will also need to submit one piece of work. (This can be the article you’ve written for homework or something else that you think showcases your skills.)

Evaluations

For Year 12 & 13 students…

To be completed over the course of the next week (by Friday 10-11).

Your responses will be used to help write your Interim Reports and help us to plan a better course for you.

1. SELF EVALUATION
Write an evaluation of your progress on the Media course so far.
Year 12s do the work on paper and hand in; Year 13s post the work up on your Module 5 blogs.

a. Comment on each of the following, giving yourself a grade with an explanation outlining why:

(Grading should be1-5: 1 = excellent, 2 = v. good, 3 = good/average, 4 = poor, 5 = v. poor)

• Attainment
• Effort
• Punctuality
• Submission and quality of homework
• Ability to work independently
• Quality of writing
• Organisation of Media folder
• Oral contributions in class
• Comments & contributions to the Macguffin blog (Year 12s only)
  
• Standard of Module 5 blog (Year 13s only)
• Standard of Module 6 blog (Year 13s only)

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.
All students please submit the work as a comment after this post. Include your name!

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

(Grading should again be1-5: 1 = excellent, 2 = v. good, 3 = good/average, 4 = poor, 5 = v. poor)

• 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)
• Has the Macguffin Blog been useful?

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

Final Poll Results

The student poll for Best Media Production 2006 has now closed. The results are that Payback was favourite, ahead by a narrow margin from Lost in a Reflection.

There is no denying that these two films go down well with audiences but it's interesting that both came out runners up (rather than overall winners of awards) on the actual night. They may also have been particularly skilled at waging an online campaign for support. Whatever the reasons - well done, ladies!

Teenage Daze and Three Shades of Red also did well. But the big surprises are how relatively poorly Bullicide and Take it to the Floor did. Both these films were runaway favourites as far as Year 12 Media students are concerned...see their comments. Perhaps we can't trust internet polls. What do you think?

Class of the Week!

Here's the article that appears across the borough in the various editions of this week's local newspaper, The Gazette (Greenford, Southall, Ealing...) Get your copy now before they all sell out!

It's great to get some really positive coverage for the school (and for Media Studies, of course). And the shots are great aren't they?

What a glamorous bunch we all are at 'Hollywood High'!

Year 13 Group Pic

Recognition At Last!

A Big Thank You!

A very big thank you to all of you who turned up at GHS Media Awards '06 and helped make it such a brilliant night.

The films were really appreciated by the audience and even the screaming and shouting during many of them at times was more down to how much people were enjoying themselves than anything else.

For example, see for yourselves how much the Year 12 Media students thought of the productions by checking out their reviews of what they considered were the best ones.

Extra special thanks - and commendations - to the following students for the extra help they gave the event...

• Chintan - for being a cool, calm and extremely well organised projectionist!

• Vishna - for being the official photographer. Great pics!

• Ruby, Sam & Priya - for putting together the Awards Programme. Very professional!

• Pip & Shreena (& Ruby, Sam & Priya, again) - for being a great promotions team. Posters, hassling reluctant staff to come...go Team Bush!

Even More Awards Pics

More Awards Pics

Best Trailer (General)

Best Doc - Winner

Part One followed by Part Two...

Best Doc - Runner Up

Best Horror/Thriller - Winner

Best Horror/Thriller - Runner Up

Ajay Davda Prize - Winner

Ajay Davda Prize - Runner Up

Best Arthouse - Winner

Best Arthouse - Runner Up

Awards 06 Pics

And The Winner Is...

Check out the proud Mums who claim they were in tears of joy when it was announced that their boys had won 'Best Media Studies Production' 2006. Ashley and Nathan follow in a long and illustrious line of winners for this award that now reads:

2003 - Smoke Weed Everyday
(Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)

2004 - Strap (Part 1, Part 2)

2005 - Misunderstood
(& Mugged & Light in the Sky)

2006 - A Life of Grime



And so after all the talk of Girl Power it was actually the lads that won it but, then again, they've still got their Mums to thank at the end of it all!

Here's the review (on your left, click on the image to enlarge) of the top film, that went down a storm at the Awards Evening last night, and although it faced some stiff competition (most notably from Bullicide) its triumph was richly deserved, with most people in the audience agreeing with the judges' verdict.

And below you can see the whole thing again...Part One is the first window, followed by Part Two.

What did you think of the night? The atmosphere was amazing - so much tension and so much excitement. But did the screams, whistles and glowsticks get to be a bit too much - girls, eh? Did it live up to its billing as one of the biggest events in the GHS calendar? And how could it be improved in future years? Let us know in the comments.

Also, keep voting in the Macguffin poll - it'll be interesting to see how things change now that everyone has seen the films.

Brapp, brapp! (As they say)...

Best Media Production?

Now you have the chance to vote for what you think is the Best Media Production 2006. In the sidebar there's a poll table (like the one next to this) where you can pick from one of the ten productions that have been shortlisted for this prize.

Year 13s have already seen them all and will no doubt start the voting before Thursday but the rest of you will want to wait until the Awards Evening before making your decision.

You'll see all of these films in their entirety (and quite a few more too) but these are the ones that we think are the very best and have most chance of walking away with the prestigious trophy.

Which one will it be? The tension is mounting!!

Tickets Available

Have you got your tickets for the Media Awards yet? (Available from the English Office or the Post-16 Centre). This event takes place on Thursday 12th October at 6.15pm and it'll be a fantastic evening of entertainment but if you don't get your ticket fast you won't get in!!

Media Awards 06 - Coming Soon!

We are holding the fourth annual Media Studies Awards Ceremony in the school hall next week where we will be showcasing some of the superb video production work carried out by GCSE, BTEC and A’ Level Media Studies students over the last year...and tickets are available NOW!

If you come you will be treated to a succession of clips and short films (both fiction and documentary) representing the very best of their achievements, and the winning efforts will receive trophies and certificates from Channel 5 news reporter, Lindley Gooden.

Nominations include: hard-hitting pieces on school bullying, peer group pressure and teenage smoking; a number of thoughtful investigations into a wide range of topics from body dysmorphic disorder to AIDS to pirate radio; bhangra music videos and arthouse film trailers; and a special guest film from an ex-student (now studying film at university) that commemorates the 70^th anniversary of the Cable Street riot against fascism.

SEE YOU THERE for the biggest film night of the year!!