AS 91495 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, 17 MB]

TKI Media Studies assessment resources (external link)

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

This involves:

• demonstrating effective selection and application of production technology
• demonstrating effective selection and application of media conventions
• commanding and capturing audience attention.

This learner has produced a compelling media product that meets the requirements of the brief. The learner has selected and applied production technology and media conventions with effect to create an original and engaging short film.

Production technology is used innovatively to create effects appropriate to the horror genre. Cinematography is used with control and precision. A variety of shots and angles create a sense of unease as the narrative develops. Camera work is precisely controlled in both interior and exterior set-ups, with lighting used for effect to develop the audience’s response. Overall, the combined effect of cinematic elements creates a tense narrative. 

Elements of sound are consistent and integrated seamlessly. Special FX and music are combined to enhance the tense mood. Diegetic sound and imagery from B-roll is effectively selected, creating a context for the story to emerge (Covid-19 lockdown encouraging excessive viewing of movies). The lack of dialogue reinforces the genre, emphasising the isolation of the protagonist.

The learner demonstrates understanding of conventions of the genre and principles of story through the development of the character’s narrative arc and the application of complex narrative devices. Conventions include an isolated character, settings such as small darkened spaces and a graveyard, and a menacing protagonist that engages the audience’s attention. Precise post-production editing enhances elements of the genre through the application of match cuts to create jump scares and switches in perspective.

For a more secure Excellence, the learner could demonstrate more precise control over shot composition/framing and ensure that all footage is focused, with consistent light levels controlled across each scene.

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

This involves:

• demonstrating the deliberate selection and application of production technology
• demonstrating the deliberate selection and application of media conventions
• engaging an audience.

This learner has produced a convincing media product that meets the requirements of the brief. The learner has deliberately selected and applied production technology and media conventions to create a short engaging stop-motion film that contains elements of the coming-of-age genre.

Production technology is used with deliberate control to engage the viewer. Aspects of cinematography such as composition, shot selection and angles are used deliberately to develop the story. Lighting is deliberately controlled to produce an intentional effect.

The design of the clay figures, props and sets are visually simple, but work cohesively to create a deliberate effect. Combining both live action and the stop-motion worlds contributes to character development, reinforces the coming of age genre and helps to create a complex layered narrative.

Sound is used with deliberate control to establish setting and reinforce genre. Sound effects are cohesively integrated. The voice-over is seamlessly aligned with the characters’ actions via careful editing. Dialogue reinforces conventional expectations of the genre and develops the characters.

Editing is consistent and practiced. Complex sequences which draw together individual stop-motion scenes are edited to create a convincing story. Cuts flow deliberately to create a motivated pace and engage the audience.

To reach Excellence, the learner could demonstrate more precise control of technology and conventions. This could include further refinement of live action scenes and the inclusion of opening and closing credits into the final product.

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

This involves:

• demonstrating the deliberate selection and application of production technology
• demonstrating the deliberate selection and application of media conventions
• engaging an audience.

This learner has produced a convincing multipage media product that meets the requirements of the brief. They have deliberately selected and applied production technology and media conventions to complete a magazine spread for a school magazine, including a feature article and self-generated photography.

Production technology is used with deliberate control to engage the audience. The layout of the spread is deliberate, as demonstrated by the capturing and placement of images. The shots of the fast fashion houses (1, 3) sit in comparison to the sustainable/second hand store (2, 4). The photographs used are in focus and relevant to the angle of the feature article (1-4).

Key conventions of magazine spreads are deliberately applied. This is evident in the use of masthead, font and point-size, colour (5), pull-quotes (6), graphics, (7) gutters, filler (8), and image choice and placement. Feature article conventions are deliberately applied across the text, including correct spelling, grammar and punctuation, as well as perspective (9), interview (10), statistics (11) and research (12).

For a more secure Merit, the learner could conduct and use additional interviews, local statistics or anecdotal research to better contextualise the topic for the school magazine audience. This would create more cohesion with the selected visual elements and help craft a stronger narrative thread to better meet the brief. For example, rather than focussing on the industry and history of fashion, the learner could consider the cost of living in the local context for teenagers and families, where fast fashion may be bought for economic reasons.

For Achieved, the learner needs to produce a media product to meet the requirements of a brief.

This involves:

• using production technology and media conventions with control
• applying media conventions consistently
• meeting the requirements of a brief.

There is currently no student work available at this grade.

A learner at this grade may, for example, produce a short film of at least 3 minutes, with a layered narrative which meets the requirements of the brief. 

This film would incorporate the key conventions of film noir, including character types such as the detective and a femme fatale. It may include a narrative that manipulates times and is shaped around the solving of a crime. The learner would apply conventions of the noir genre, including stylised dialogue, expressionistic lighting and Jazz music to evoke the 1940s.

Production technology would be used with control. This could include aspects of cinematography such as consistently accurate framing, a variety of shot types and angles, and well controlled lighting to create effects such as shadows.

Sound and dialogue should be clear and audible. The film would be edited with control to maintain the pace of the narrative and aid the development of character arcs and motivation.

For Achieved, the learner needs to produce a media product which meets the requirements of a brief and demonstrate controlled use of production technology and media conventions.

This involves:

• using production technology and media conventions with control
• applying media conventions consistently
• meeting the requirements of a brief.

This learner has produced a multipage magazine spread for a school magazine, including a feature article and self-generated images. The learner shows sufficient control via the feature article and the images, which support the layout of the spread to meet the requirements of the brief.

Production technology is used with sufficient control to unify the magazine spread across the 4 pages. The photography is in focus (1), and the conversion of images to black and white (1, 2) as well as the colour (3) and font choice (4) are applied consistently.

Key conventions of a magazine spread are incorporated in the use of masthead (5), colourway (3, 5), headers and layout across the pages. Key conventions of a feature article are used, including correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, as well as angle (6), interview (7), statistics (8) and research (9).

For a more secure Achieved, the learner could offer a clearer focus and narrative structure to the feature article. Placing it within a more localised context could allow for further interviews, quotes, and research to inform the feature as an interest story of significance for the school magazine brief. This localised angle could also better align the choice of images to the feature article’s content, in order to better demonstrate the controlled use of media conventions.

For Achieved, the learner needs to produce a media product to meet the requirements of a brief.

This involves:

• using production technology and media conventions with control
• applying media conventions consistently
• meeting the requirements of a brief.

There is currently no student work available at this grade.

A learner at this grade may, for example, produce a researched expository documentary, of at least 4 minutes, exploring the tourism industry. This would meet the requirements of the brief.

This learner might use the conventions of expository documentaries including voice-over, interviews with experts, archival footage, the use of titles, and statistics.

The learner may begin to show control over production technology by having clear sound in the voice-over, appropriate framing on the interview subject and the use of an aural bridge between footage.

To reach Achieved, the learner would need to limit the use of archival or found footage, develop a clear angle which drives narrative development, and demonstrate more consistent control over elements of cinematography such as shot composition and lighting.