Topic outline

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    Digital Media and Design overview


    Component 3
    Example Candidate Response - Middle

  • Final outcome
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      For the final outcome, the candidate has produced a video illustrating some of the issues described in their research. Throughout the final outcome, the candidate demonstrates a competent command of visual language. Within the video, the candidate has used material from a variety of sources including YouTube, screenshots from social media messaging platforms, news broadcasts, newspaper pages, a telephone conversation, and an interview. The opening sequences contain closeups of a student writing, seated students, artwork doodles, and bookends. This is followed by a slow-motion scene of a group of children. These are recorded in a school environment. The video continues with closeup shots of patterned curtains moving in the breeze, a table lamp and a seated young person not quite in focus, fingers turning the pages of a book and the profile of a young man. With a following shot of a school corridor, the candidate establishes a contrast between public and private life, and between the outside world and the inner world of thoughts and emotions. The personal focus and the pace of the video are established from the start. These opening sequences are often well crafted, demonstrating a competent ability to record observations which are relevant to the candidate’s intentions.

      Following a chalk on blackboard type title screen, the video goes on to show an actor speaking to the camera, about the cumulative effects of bullying. This is supported by white on black background text listing the possible forms of bullying. As the text accumulates, so the screen becomes filled with white, and clarity and understanding are obscured. The candidate uses this device well to demonstrate an idea visually. This is rewarded in AO2. The video then displays text messages appearing on a social media platform. The messages are associated with harassment and bullying. Some of the words are offensive but have been included, nonetheless. This demonstrates a good ability to review ideas as work develops. The content of the messages is in simultaneous contrast with the bland, if not clinical social media screen display. This demonstrates a good ability to communicate ideas and make connections between digital and design elements. In the following scenes television news bulletins, newspaper cuttings and mobile phone footage describe incidents of bullying among young people. This public material is compelling and is in direct contrast with the previous images of text appearing on a private mobile phone.

      The focus then moves from public news broadcasts to the experience of a private individual. A telephone interview with a victim of bullying is recorded, and a transcript of the conversation is displayed. The correspondent speaks frankly about their experience, whilst the interviewer is careful and sensitive in their questions. The testimony of the victim is given heightened impact. Following a brief image of the victim, the text appears in stark white on black. This approach is evidence of a competent level of engagement with the investigation. A psychologist speaks to the camera about the emotional and mental effects of bullying on the individual. An actor then speaks to the camera calling for consideration and kindness to others. The video concludes with text on screen “Speak, even if your voice shakes”. The video forms a competent development of a concept from a focused investigation.

  • Written analysis

    • Pages 1 - 2

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      The candidate presents a written analysis of their work focused on bullying, called Traumatised Minds. Throughout the work, the candidate often references the sources they have used. On these pages, the candidate provides a detailed description of different types of bullying. There is a specific focus on schools as an environment where bullying can occur. This attracts marks in AO1.

    • Pages 3 - 9

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      The candidate decides to investigate reports of bullying in some of the schools in their country. The statistical information provided is arranged by gender and by city. The candidate also notes a rise in cyberbullying. The candidate includes some images of what appears to be press reports about bullying. The short-term and long-term effects of bullying are described.

    • Pages 10 - 20

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      The candidate organises an online survey using social media and direct contact with friends. The candidate acknowledges a potenial bias towards the particular experience of their own country, and the experience of females. A greater proportion of females were included in the survey. This is recognised in the marking of AO3. The candidate carefully presents the results of their survey in a series of pie charts. Written contributions from individual respondents are also included. These provide a level of authenticity and insite into the candidate's ideas. This is rewarded in AO1. This also brings a degree of focus which is rewarded in AO3.

    • Pages 21 - 22

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      The candidate goes on to describe the process of making a documentary film based on the ideas raised so far. The candidate recognises that there may be sensitivities involved when interviewing victims of bullying. Some practical arrangements are described such as script production and location selection. The candidate describes how news articles and the results of the survey began to determine the approach to the script and to the interviews. This shows a good ability to review and refine ideas as the candidate's work progresses. This is rewarded in AO2. The candidate also describes how they intend to use the content they have gathered to re-enforce their message about bullying. The candidate appreciates the psychological potential of visual language and this is rewarded in AO2 and AO3.

    • Supporting slides

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      The candidate has provided a short PowerPoint presentation called Supportive slides. This element is not required by the component but does make a positive contribution to the work. This presentation summarises the candidate's collected data, confirms their concern about bullying and makes reference to a source documentary.

  • How the candidate could have improved

    • The candidate has provided a considerable amount of written material in the written analysis. The syllabus for the qualification states that the final outcome should be supported by a written and visual analysis. The candidate does include some illustrations, but these are mainly in the form of diagrams presenting research findings. More marks would have been attracted across assessment objectives, with increased visual evidence of the creative process. Where the candidate has included images of press reports, more marks would have been attracted in AO1, by including a reference.

      The candidate refers to two target audiences and states that they wish to raise awareness of bullying amongst parents and teenagers. Teenagers will be encouraged to stand up to bullying through the content of the video. More marks would have been attracted in AO2 and AO4 where the differences in the target audiences were more clearly understood. The candidate would have gained more marks in AO2 and AO3, if they had explored how they would communicate visually, rather than relying simply on persuasive content. 

      Whilst the research undertaken by the candidate is acknowledged, the investigation would have benefited from visual research and exploration. The candidate would have been in a stronger position if they had appreciated that their task was to develop a moving image work, which is essentially visual, rather than presenting research data visually: design rather than campaigning. More marks would have been attracted in AO1 if they had exposed themselves to the work of other moving image makers, designers, or photographers. This would have provided the candidate with opportunities to explore a range of imagery, typography, layout, and approaches to narrative. The candidate could also have considered gathering observations and insights associated with bullying. This could have included, for example, location photography, diary entries or damaged personal effects. In addition, the candidate could have considered examples of cruelty or victimisation in other creative media. These could include comics, popular and classical music, or literature.

      The candidate states an intention to bring together psychological content and a digital format. The candidate would have been able to express the psychological impact of the subject more successfully, by exploring a variety of media, materials and technology. The candidate has made use of close-ups, slow motion and text in the final outcome. More marks would have been attracted with evidence of an exploration of visual elements such as colour, pattern, texture or shape. A storyboard could have demonstrated the ability to review and refine ideas as work develops and an ability to realise a personal response. The candidate has been clear about their intentions, but they have not been clear about how their intentions will be realised in visual terms. Had they done so, marks would have been attracted to AO3 and AO4.

      During the video, the candidate brings a sense of focus to the investigation as the viewer moves between public and private environments, however, marks in AO3 would have been attracted by an analytical understanding of the constraints imposed by the theme chosen. In this case such constraints may have been ethical or social and may be understood in terms of privacy and safeguarding. There is little evidence that the candidate has tested their ideas or the development of their work. This could be done using a variety of approaches appropriate to the candidate’s intentions. More marks in AO3 would be attracted by evidence of feedback from user testing, or by undertaking research at key points of the investigation to inform their progress.