Exemplar for internal assessment resource English for Achievement Standard 91107 resource 2.10A

Exemplar for Internal Assessment Resource

English Level 2

Resource title: Focus on film

This exemplar supports assessment against:

Achievement Standard 91107

Analyse aspects of visual and/or oral text(s) through close viewing and/or listening, supported by evidence

Student and grade boundary specific exemplar

The material has been gathered from student material specific to an A or B assessment resource.

Date version published by Ministry of Education

December 2011 To support internal assessment from 2012

Close reading presented visually as a storyboard of Slumdog Millionaire

© Crown 2010

Exemplar for internal assessment resource English for Achievement Standard 91107 resource 2.10A

© Crown 2010

Grade Boundary: Low Excellence

1. Low Excellence

To achieve this standard at Excellence the student needs to: analyse aspects of visual and/or oral text(s) perceptively through close viewing and/or listening supported by evidence.

The student perceptively analyses aspects of camera work, characters’ actions, theme and sound effects by demonstrating insightful understanding in the following:

discussing how and why Jamal’s actions of selling items works together with the

mid-angled shot of him through the train window to introduce ideas of entrepreneurialism and survival to the audience. This is a mid- angled shot of young Jamal… (Frame 4); discussing society’s perceptions of slumdog children through the high-angled shot of the train master and his subsequent actions towards the boys. This is a high angled shot that shows the train master… (Frame 11); discussing how and why the close-up/mid-shot of the brothers sleeping on top of the train works together with their subsequent actions of linking hands to show the audience the brothers’ bond, dependency upon each other and will to survive. Their linked hands steady the other… (Frame 13).

To meet Excellence more securely the following analysis could be further developed:

As this is the first shot in this train montage….. (Frame 1). The analysis shows

insight into how this shot could be perceived by Western audiences and why it has been used. This idea could be linked back to Indian society.

This is a wide mid shot of a moving train, where two small silhouettes, of what is

presumed to be Jamal and Salim… (Frame 3). The analysis shows insight by discussing how and why the wide mid-shot and the song work together to emphasise the ideas of vulnerability and survival for the audience. An interpretation of what the song is and how it is an aural bridge could be developed.

Salim’s comforting action shows the idea of brotherhood… (Frame 2). The

analysis shows insight by moving beyond the character’s actions showing brotherhood into more expansive ideas of “coming of age.” This idea could be further developed.

Exemplar for internal assessment resource English for Achievement Standard 91107 resource 2.10A

Grade Boundary: High Merit

2. To achieve this standard at Merit the student needs to: analyse aspects of visual and/or oral text(s) convincingly through close viewing and/or listening supported by evidence. The student convincingly analyses aspects of theme, camera work, soundtrack, characters actions, dialogue, and symbolism by demonstrating how aspects work together to create meaning in the following:

discussing how and why a mid-shot of Salim in the bath of money works together with slow motion and the sound of the heartbeat to create suspense, anticipation and shock within the audience. We are shown a mid-shot of Salim….. (Frame 3); discussing how and why a mid-shot of Jamal at the train station works together with Jamal’s actions. He runs across the railway tracks towards Latika which creates anticipation as to whether he will reach her. The different obstacles he encounters during the run become a metaphor for the obstacles he has faced to be with her. We are shown a mid-shot of Jamal… (Frame 4); discussing how and why a flashback and high-angled shot of Latika works together with symbolism to create meaning for the audience. High angled shot looking down at Latika… (Frame 5); discussing how and why the extreme close-up of Jamal kissing Latika on her scar works together with dialogue and symbolism to create ideas of sacrifice and destiny. Shot at the train station, and Jamal and Latika are finally united… (Frame 6).

To meet Excellence the student could develop perceptive analysis in the remaining aspects as shown in this example from Frame 1:

Close-up shot of Salim’s phone which is ringing in the car… (Frame 1) Understanding is demonstrated about how camera techniques and sound create a feeling of anticipation within the audience. The analysis shows insight by developing ideas further about the theme of destiny in the way the student understands how the phone connects Jamal and Latika.

© Crown 2010

Exemplar for internal assessment resource English for Achievement Standard 91107 resource 2.10A

Grade Boundary: Low Merit

3. To achieve this standard at Merit the student needs to: analyse aspects of visual and/or oral text(s) convincingly through close viewing and/or listening supported by evidence. The student convincingly analyses aspects of characters’ actions, prologue, non-diegetic sound, diegetic sound, editing climaxes and flashbacks by demonstrating how aspects work together to create meaning in the following:

Discussing how and why the idea of destiny is shown through Latika’s actions of answering the phone and the prologue suggesting that events in the film were destined rather than random. In this image Jamal has gone to his final lifeline… (Frame 1). In this image Jamal has just answered the final question… (Frame 2). This image ends the film for us with the answer… (Frame 3); discussing just sufficiently how and why non-diegetic music and diegetic noise of the crowds works together to emphasise to the audience that there could be a happy outcome for Jamal. In image six, Jamal is on his way back to the show… (Frame 6). Image seven takes place while music… (Frame 7); discussing how and why editing of corresponding climaxes together creates a larger more dramatic climax for the audience and editing a series of flashbacks together of Jamal’s life to show the development of his character. Images nine and ten occur literally one after another… (Frames 9 and 10). Image eleven is part of a series of flashbacks… (Frame 11).

To meet Merit more securely the student could analyse non-diegetic music and diegetic sound in more depth. For instance what makes it upbeat and light hearted. How does it work with the noise of the crowds? Why does it give the audience the idea of a positive outcome?

© Crown 2010

Exemplar for internal assessment resource English for Achievement Standard 91107 resource 2.10A

Grade Boundary: High Achieved

4. To achieve this standard at Achievement the student needs to: analyse aspects of visual and/or oral text(s) through close viewing and/or listening supported by evidence. The student analyses aspects of sound, theme, camera work and editing by interpreting meanings and effects in the following:

Making developed interpretations, meanings and effects about how and why questions from the game show are shown on the screen for the audience through editing. There are many different editing techniques… (Frame 1); making developed interpretations, meanings and effects about how and why a mid-shot of Jamal demonstrates his shock at winning and the audiences excitement. In the mid-shot of Jamal… (Frame 4); making developed interpretations, meanings and effects about how and why the idea of love is emphasised through Jamal’s flashbacks to show the audience how much he has been through to be with her. The theme of love is emphasised… (Frame 5).

To meet Merit the student could further develop analysis as shown in frame 2:

The sound is very important as it helps the audience get an idea of what is going on around them… (Frame 2). Convincing understanding is demonstrated about how a sense of anxiety is created through the ticking clock and the sound of the heartbeat for the audience.

© Crown 2010

Exemplar for internal assessment resource English for Achievement Standard 91107 resource 2.10A

Grade Boundary: Low Achieved

5. To achieve this standard at Achievement the student needs to: analyse aspects of visual and/or oral text(s) through close viewing and/or listening supported by evidence. The student analyses aspects of sound, theme, camera work and editing by making developed interpretations, meanings and effects in the following:

The student discusses how and why the close up of Latika holding the cellphone is used. This close up of Latika holding the cellphone… (Frame 1); the student discusses how and why editing is used to create an empty train station. When Jamal and Latika find each other again after being separated again and again… (Frame 5); the student discusses how and why the director has used flashbacks. The director uses these flashbacks to show the audience… (Frame 6); the student discusses how and why the ticking clock creates tension, anticipation and excitement for the audience. The sound of the ticking clock… (Frame 9).

Further analysis of the following would meet Achievement more securely:

In this close up shot we see Salim after he has been shot… (Frame 7). How does this shot show that he has grown as a character and become selfless?

In the train station scene Latika’s song starts playing… (Frame 10). How does the audience know that the song shows the love between Latika and Jamal? The student could select some of the lyrics to show how and why it has been used to show their love for one another.

In this shot Latika and Jamal have found each other… (Frame 2). How does the dialogue show that he and Latika belong together? The student needs to analyse more dialogue to support this idea.

© Crown 2010

Exemplar for internal assessment resource English for Achievement Standard 91107 resource 2.10A

Grade Boundary: High Not Achieved

6. To achieve this standard at Achievement the student needs to: analyse aspects of visual and/or oral text(s) through close viewing and/or listening supported by evidence. The student attempts to analyse aspects of theme, lighting and camera work. The analysis of sound meets Achievement:

The student makes developed interpretations, meanings and effects about how and why the ticking clock allows the viewers to feel as though they are actual members of the audience. This is affective as it helps to make the viewers… (Frame 2).

Further analysis of camera work, theme and lighting is required to meet the standard:

This shot of Latika at the train station is repeated numerous times throughout Slumdog Millionaire as a motif… (Frame 1). The student needs to make developed interpretations, meanings and effects about how and why this shot is a motif that represents Latika’s freedom and uniqueness.

A camera called the Canon EOS3 has been used to take this shot, as it is a camera, which is able to focus in onto a specific aspect of the shot and then make everything else out of focus. By making Latika the main part of this shot viewers are immediately drawn to her… (Frame 1). This is description rather than analysis.

In Slumdog Millionaire one of the main themes is ‘destiny’… (Frame 3). This is

description rather than analysis.

The shot below is of Jamal when he is younger. It has been shot in broad day light so there is sunlight beaming through the wooden planks. The low shot, which is looking up at Jamal, enables the viewers to understand his perspective on the situation. We are able to see his expression more clearly than if we were looking down on him with a high shot… (Frame 4). The student needs to make developed interpretations, meanings and effects about how and why the use of sunlight is significant and how and why the audience should understand Jamal’s perspective on his situation through a low shot.

© Crown 2010