IB Film

Whether you fancy yourself behind the camera in a creative role as the next Steven Spielberg, or as a critic/theorist of the cinema like André Bazin, an IB in Film will help you get started. Offered at both Standard Level and Higher Level, the IB in Film will give you a leg up in applying to study in any university with a film, television, or other media based degree.

To get a 7 in IB Film, a student must be prepared to learn and understand how meaning is constructed in a film. They will accomplish this through textual analysis, as they must write a 1750 word text on 5 minutes of footage from a chosen text. Students are also expected to complete a comparative study, looking at how two different films, which display similar themes, discuss elements such as motif or character. This comparative study is presented as a 10 minute video, recorded and edited together using clips of the film and the student’s voice. The final component is the creation of a film portfolio, where students undertake a variety of film-making exercises in three different film production roles (like director, cinematographer, editor, etc.). Higher level film has an additional assessment. It requires students to reflect on the subject matter, skills and their experiences while taking the course, so they can articulate their own intentions for a completed film based on their individual experiences as developing filmmakers. Students come together to collaborate and produce a work for the screen.

Students often find the amount of work, as well as the different elements of the course, quite a daunting challenge. Students are expected to produce different types of works, which demand a wide variety of skills, including analysis, creativity, and technical expertise.

This is where teachers at CANA will help. They can:

• Help you improve your analysis skills, creating a fundamentally strong and organised essay.
• Aid you to pull film apart and talk about its use of cinematic techniques with the appropriate language.
• Assist you in selecting and putting footage together, as well as aiding in the editing process.
• Provide a breakdown of all the elements expected and required for each production role.