Media Studies

A Level – OCR Media Studies

Looking to pursue a career in TV/Film , or a career in design and marketing, or even a career in Animation?

Our course provides you with the knowledge and technical skills to progress onto University or directly into industry.

Past students have gone onto work for companies such as Google, Disney, Lucasfilm, and Industrial Light & Magic, contributing to major blockbuster movies like Ant-Man, Snow White, and Quantumania.

You don’t need to have previously taken Media at GCSE to choose this course.

What will I study?
You will study various forms of media across this course. You will also learn how to use industry standard tools and software, such as: Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Specialist Cameras and Drones.

Paper 1: Media Messages
We study the relationship between media products such as news, magazines and advertisements and their audiences… who are often ourselves, after all. How do those media companies treat us? How do we react to their products? Is all of our diversity accounted for, or is this media just one-size-fits-all?

Paper 2: Evolving Media
We explore how different industries like film, radio and video games have evolved over time, and how audience habits and expectations have developed alongside them. What would a 1930s cinema audience make of Marvel’s Avengers? What would a modern gamer make of Pong? Would an American audience watch a German TV show?

Practical: Making Media
A significant component of your A Level is a practical project set by OCR. This year, our students had the opportunity to design, direct, edit, and launch their own music videos. This hands-on experience not only honed their technical skills but also enhanced their communication, organisational, and self- promotion abilities. And don’t worry—none of our students could play an instrument or sing a note… but you’d never guess from their impressive results!