AS 91494 annotated exemplars

This annotated exemplar is intended for teacher use only. Annotated exemplars are extracts of student evidence, with commentary, that explain key parts of a standard. These help teachers make assessment judgements at the grade boundaries.

Download all exemplars and commentary [PDF, 1003 KB]

TKI Media Studies assessment resources (external link)

For Excellence, the student needs to produce a compelling design for a media product that meets the requirements of a brief.

This involves:

• completing a concept, treatment and pre-production activities
• demonstrating effective selection and application of design choices
• commanding and capturing audience attention.

This student has completed the design for a short horror film which meets the requirements of the brief. The concept outlines the short film, addressing how it will appeal to the target audience of teenagers, using the key conventions of horror films (1).

The student has completed a thorough treatment which outlines how the tense atmosphere will be created (2). Key conventions of horror films are weaved throughout the planning materials (3). Characterisation, style, and technical details such as music, sound effects, cinematography and lighting are discussed in detail. 

Detailed pre-production materials are produced to help the film get made: beat sheets, detailed location notes, script, shooting schedule and a scene by scene analysis sheet (4). Practicalities are outlined and discussed.

The student has begun to demonstrate effective selection and application of design choices through reflecting on the reasons for the decisions made, including influences on their processes, feedback from peers and surveys (5). Some command of audience attention is demonstrated through aspects such as the choice of protagonists, conventions, structure and the change of ending.

For a more secure Excellence, the student could further develop the decisions made based on audience feedback.gmai

For Merit, the student needs to produce a convincing design for a media product that meets the requirements of a brief.

This involves:

• completing a concept, treatment and pre-production activities
• demonstrating deliberate selection of design choices
• engaging an audience.

This student has completed the design for a short coming of age film which meets the requirements of the brief. The concept outlines the short film, addresses its purpose (1) and how it will appeal to the target audience of teenagers.

The student has completed a detailed treatment which includes an examination of how the key conventions of coming of age films will be applied (3), while aspects of characterisation, style, structure and technical details such as music, sound effects, cinematography and lighting are discussed in detail (4).

Detailed pre-production materials have been produced including beat sheets, location scouting, script, storyboard, shooting schedule, shot list and a scene by scene analysis sheet (5). Practicalities are outlined and discussed.

The deliberate selection of design choices and engagement of the audience is evident through detailed discussion of the use of aspects like the flashback, narrative, characterisation and shot selection. There is evidence of reflection and refinement throughout the production planning process including responses to teacher feedback, and discussion of the influences on the film (6). 

To reach Excellence, the student could show more effective selection of design choices through justifying decisions made, particularly based on feedback from the target audience. 

For Merit, the student needs to produce a convincing design for a media product that meets the requirements of a brief.

This involves:

• completing a concept, treatment and pre-production activities
• demonstrating deliberate selection of design choices
• engaging an audience.

This student has completed a design for a documentary about a local band which meets the requirements of the brief. The concept outlines the documentary (1), its purpose (2) and links with target audience (3). 

The treatment discusses the key conventions of documentary including interviews, lighting, music and archival footage (4), and the overall structure of the documentary (5). There is some exploration around mood, setting and technical elements (6).  

Through reflection and refinement, the student is beginning to demonstrate deliberate selection of design choices by exploring the purpose, mode and structure of documentary and how these aspects influenced the design choices made (7). They also explore how the topic influences design choices and how decisions are made to engage the target audience (8). 

Practicalities are discussed, including issues that have influenced the final product (9). A range of pre-production materials for the documentary have been prepared, including a sequence breakdown, script, and equipment lists and location planners (not shown here).

For a more secure Merit, the student could include evidence of feedback from the target audience and how this has influenced the product, and further reflection and refinement.

For Achieved, the student needs to produce a design for a media product that meets the requirements of a brief.

This involves:

• completing a concept, treatment and pre-production activities
• demonstrating design choice that meet the requirements of a brief
• showing evidence of reflection and/or refinement.

This student has completed a design for a short film which meets the requirements of the brief. The concept provides an outline of the film (1), its purpose (2) and how it will appeal to the target audience.

Across the treatment the student outlines the conventions used with some generalized detail (3), the mood (4) and the setting (5). There is some reflection and refinement evident through the decision-making, such as casting, locations and the influences of other films to this project (6).   

Practicalities are addressed including a discussion about the transportation, locations and equipment needed (7). There is a detailed props and costumes list (8), and a detailed storyboard which outlines shots selected, dialogue and transitions (9). A script has also been written for the film (not shown here).    

To reach Merit, the student could provide further evidence to demonstrate deliberate selection of design choices such as providing further evidence of reflection and refinement, surveying the target audience and further detail in the discussion around narrative and conventions.

For Achieved, the student needs to produce a design for a media product that meets the requirements of a brief.

This involves:

• completing a concept, treatment and pre-production activities
• demonstrating design choice that meet the requirements of a brief
• showing evidence of reflection and/or refinement.

This student has completed a design for a documentary which meets the requirements of the brief. The concept outlines the documentary, which focuses on a local band (1). There is reference to the target audience (2) and the purpose of the documentary (3). 

The treatment outlines conventions of the documentary genre used, supports the discussion with some detail specific to the documentary they are making and why these conventions are being used (4). There is some generalised exploration of the narrative, mood and characterisation within the documentary (5), and some discussion through practicalities of how the documentary will actually be made (6).

Some reflection and refinement is evident through a discussion of influences on the documentary and justification of decisions made (7). There is a basic storyboard which outlines planned shots, interview questions for the subjects and an attempt at a script (not shown here).     

For a more secure Achieved, the student could develop the explanations further for each section. The script could be developed further and there could be further reflection and refinement throughout the process of making the documentary.

For Achieved, the student needs to produce a design for a media product that meets the requirements of a brief.

This involves:

• completing a concept, treatment and pre-production activities
• demonstrating design choice that meet the requirements of a brief
• showing evidence of reflection and/or refinement.

This student has attempted a design for a documentary. They have done this by writing a concept in which the documentary (about an inventor and videographer) is outlined (1) and its potential appeal to the audience (2).

The student has completed some parts of the treatment, such as outlining the use of conventions of documentary including interviews, cutaways and montage (3). There is some attempt at reflection and refinement by identifying changes as the planning process goes on (4). A basic shot list, set of interview questions and basic script of voiceover has been prepared.

To reach Achieved, the student could develop the treatment in more detail by exploring aspects of the documentary’s narrative, and by including more specific detail to support the discussion around mood, narrative and conventions. 

Further details around the pre-production materials are required, including a pre-shooting or post shooting script, storyboard and list of cast and crew.