This kind of attitude is exactly what you need if you want to aim for A/A* grades in your A Levels and below you will find all the extras you need to aim for that A* in Media.
Twitter / X
The Greenford Media department runs a Twitter / X account that tweets and retweets useful articles, links and questions that A Level Media students should be keeping up with. You don’t need to join X/Twitter or tweet yourself but follow us @blogmacguffin or simply visit twitter.com/blogmacguffin to look at the account from any web browser. You'll also see the feed embedded on our Media blog.
Media Theory at A Level by Mark DixonI'd be tempted to make this my top recommendation for A Level Media. It covers all the theories in the A Level Media specification and if you visit Mark Dixon's Essential Media Theory website you can sign up to view sample exam answers and more for free. Highly recommended! Note that if you are eligible for the Post-16 bursary then you will have some resources provided for you (including this book).
A Level Media Textbooks
There are textbooks available for the AQA A Level Media Studies course. These are written by the people writing the AQA exams so they can be helpful to understand what the exam board are thinking about a topic or product.
Important note: if you're eligible for the Post-16 bursary (or even think you might be eligible) then the school may be able to buy some of these books for you! Speak to your tutor or Mr Halsey to find out more.
The textbook details:
AQA Media Studies for A Level: Student Book - Revised Edition
AQA Media Studies for A Level : Close Study Products
Reading around the subject
- Author(s): Stephanie Hendry, Elspeth Stevenson
- Paperback ISBN: 9781398388017
- Paperback cost: £42
- Digital edition ISBN: 9781398387911
- Digital cost: £12
- PAGES: 344
AQA Media Studies for A Level : Close Study Products
- Author(s): Stephanie Hendry, Elspeth Stevenson
- Paperback ISBN: 9781398388024
- Paperback cost: £13
- Digital edition ISBN: 9781398387942
- Digital cost: £3.50
- PAGES: 96
Reading around the subject
I've been incredibly impressed that so many Year 12 students want to read beyond textbooks and have requested some university-level reading to help boost understanding (and personal statements further down the line!) Here's our top tips for reading around the subject in Media:
Media Magazine
The best reading for A Level Media is free to you - by reading copies of Media Magazine (you can find these in our Media Magazine archive.) This magazine is designed specifically for A Level Media students and contains articles about the terminology, concepts and media products we are studying - plus lots more!
If you're looking for books by media academics, it really depends what topic you are interested in. For example...
Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations by Clay Shirky is a great read if you're interested in the impact the internet has had on business, media and the world. Shirky is a great writer and you'll find this easy to read.
Gender Trouble by Judith Butler is the classic text for feminism and gender discussions - it's still a key media theory today and can also help with Sociology and English Literature. Beware though - it's a challenging read!
There Ain't No Black in the Union Jack: The Cultural Politics of Race and Nation by Paul Gilroy can also be a tough read in places due to its complexity (very much university-level academic writing) but is highly recommended if you're interested in the representation of race and ethnicity and the experience of British culture for black Britons.
Creative Mentor Network
The Creative Mentor Network is an incredible opportunity for post-16 students to make connections in the creative and media industries by shadowing a professional for several weeks. We’ve had a number of students complete the project and develop a fantastic range of contacts and experiences that will help them to get a job in the creative industries in future.
You can find more details on the CMN website or watch the video below (featuring our very own Hussein from a few years ago!)
The Creative Mentor Network is an incredible opportunity for post-16 students to make connections in the creative and media industries by shadowing a professional for several weeks. We’ve had a number of students complete the project and develop a fantastic range of contacts and experiences that will help them to get a job in the creative industries in future.
You can find more details on the CMN website or watch the video below (featuring our very own Hussein from a few years ago!)
BFI Film Academy
The BFI Film Academy is a national talent development project for young aspiring filmmakers organised by the BFI. It is aimed at 16-19 year olds and this year's focus is on Animation & Video Effects. It's extremely competitive and difficult to win a place but if you do there are funds available to pay your expenses and it's a quite incredible opportunity to meet people from the industry and learn professional-level skills. You can find out more about this project and other opportunities at the BFI Film Academy website here.
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