Learning
Media Studies
Useful Year 12 links and Year 13 links are now part of the school website.
Students are bombarded with messages through the media, from advertising to film and magazines. This subject aims to help them to deconstruct these messages and think critically about any media they consume. The course covers mainly film and print media, with a practical focus on journalism.
It is advised that students have well developed literacy skills to take this subject, especially at Level 3, as it involves a lot of written analysis of media texts as well as writing 800-2000 word articles.
News
2009
Student to Attend Journalism 'Bootcamp'
Maddy Hiener of Year 13 has been invited to attend a four-day taster at Whitireia, where she gets to experience hands-on mulit-media journalism and get a unit standard in the process.
Zine
The Magazine Committee, which has a heavy contingent of Media students from the Year 13 class, has been busy taking photos and meeting to prepare an exciting new product - soon to be released. It will showcase their zany creativity, visual eye, writing skills and layout ability.
Bachelor of Communications Open Day
Three Year 13 Media students attended a one-day seminar for interested students at Massey University.
Practical Journalism Experience
Through her Gateway course, Lucy Mitchell of Year 13 has been published in the Wellingtonian, using her feature writing abilities and even throwing in some photography skills.
2008
Radio Station
A team of students from Year 9 to Year 13 have been involved in researching and proposing a school radio station for next year. With the help of the New Zealand Radio Training School, we hope to be able to start broadcasting in Term 1. The hardest thing so far has been trying to decide on a name that we all like - everything from The Beast to Ties Up Radio have been proposed, discussed and tossed out. Watch this space for updates!
Scholarship
Last year Laura Masters was the first Media Studies student at WEGC to sit scholarship and she passed. She wrote about the representation of women in Film Noir and how social networking on the internet was developing. We bask in the glow of her glory!
School Magazine
This year has been a ground-breaking year in that we now have an official Magazine Prefect for the first time. It has meant that the magazine is truly student produced by a team of photographers, graphic designers, editors and contributors. Alex Hema has set an impressive precedent for next year's prefect. She has developed mature skills in diplomacy, leadership and time management (helped enormously by her check-lists and highlighters). Jessica Balu has also done mountains of unglamorous work organising files and proof-reading as Deputy Editor.
Censor for a Day
The Year 13 class went on an actual field trip into the city to visit the OFLC office for 'Censor for a Day' and watch an unreleased film, 'Charlie Bartlett'. Bill Hastings, NZ's colourful and entertaining Chief Censor, talked them through film censorship laws and used the film as a case study to discuss how to apply them.
Guest Speaker
Amanda Millar generously offered to come and speak to the Year 13 class about journalism. She is an experienced and successful professional who has worked on 20/20 and 60 Minutes and the class were privileged to hear about her personal experiences in the industry and how she began her career.
Film Club
Emilie Marshner and Juno Miers of Year 12 have started up a Film Club.
Progression
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Year 9 |
Year 10 |
Year 11 |
Year 12 |
Year 13 |
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Media Studies (H) |
Media Studies (H)
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H : May begin at this level
Careers
Journalism
There is a local course at Whitireia that operates out of a new campus is Cuba Mall and is run by the well respected Jim Tucker.
Broadcasting
There is a well regarded course in broadcasting down in Christchurch at CPIT which takes in very limited numbers but has great records in students getting jobs within this very competitive industry.
Media Studies (as a major)
Students can choose to major in Media Studies or even Film Studies at many universities. This is a more theoretical focus than some of the other options and can be part of a BA degree. Here is the Victoria University course.
Communications Degree
Some students are opting to do a Communications degree which can help them in the corporate world or within many different organisations. Here is the course that Massey University in Wellington offers.
Film and Television
The New Zealand Film and Television School in Wellington has a school that offers industry-run programmes and a very hands-on practical approach.
Advertising
CAANZ (the Commincation Agencies Association) has a great list of links that show courses in NZ related to Advertising.
Radio
The New Zealand Radio Training School is a ten minute walk from our school, in Cuba Street.
Links
A nicely done site on the background of how the media is organised and monitored in NZ and some of the issues involved. Done by the NZ Broadcasting School.
A NZ show about the media which tackles interesting issues with a NZ focus. It's on Free View, but if you don't get that, the blog at this link covers what's in the show and has interesting links. Also, you can view parts of the shows from their Youtube site.
This is a New Zealand made magazine that has won awards for content and design. It focuses on innovation in our country, covering marketing and some media and technology areas.
An interesting site celebrating freedom of expression and showing how the internet can be a useful tool in this area for independant groups. A site that might appeal to the social aware teens out there.
Media Watch (website)
A site that challenges stereotypes and encourages media education.
Media Watch (radio show)
A show on NZ's National Radio that looks at media issues that affect us. Podcasts online.
An online archive of NZ footage - it's free and new! It has gems such as a scene from 'Gloss' (the 1980s NZ soap).
New Zealand Journal of Media Studies
Articles written with a NZ focus by our own academics. More for the extension students as it is really 'academic' writing - but fun topics such as Where’s Morningside? Locating bro’Town in the ethnic genealogy of New Zealand/Aotearoa.
While this site is aimed at teachers, it may be a good point to start at if you're wondering 'what is Media Studies?' as it covers a lot of key concepts and has interesting links.
A craze that has come here from Japan that has nights every few months with a dozen or so speakers from varied areas of 'creativity'. I have been to a couple in Wellington and recommend them - great night out for $7. A quick way to absorb lots of new ideas and be inspired by what people in NZ are getting up to.
A British site designed to help Media Studies students with lots of research ideas and useful content that crosses over into what we are teaching over here as well.
A site that shows over 600 newspaper front pages every day. Interesting to compare between cities and countries what is important on any given day.
A website that looks at trends in innovation and marketing.
Another useful resource that is about a 10 minute walk from our school is the NZ Film Archive. The actual archive has a library of resources as well as regular screenings, and the website has resources and schedules as well.
An online journal looking at American pop culture. The latest film article looks at how 'The Dark Knight' can be read as a reflection on the current war on terrorism and links to to why such graphic novel heroes were also popular coming out of the depression era.
