GCSE Film Studies or Drama

[NotDonna]

I’ve no clue about either subject. DD doesn’t like acting per se as can’t remember lines but teacher says she’s quite strong in drama. School about to introduce gcse film studies so I’m wondering if that would be a good gcse option. Any one able to advise please?

I don't know anything about GCSE Film Studies but GCSE Drama definitely involves learning lines. For example, students perform and are assessed individually on a monologue of several minutes' duration. Some of the monologue options are shorter than others, but all involve some degree of learning lines by heart.

Drama would be an odd choice if your DD doesn't enjoy acting.

GCSE drama is pretty full on as there are a number of assessed pieces of work so it's not something to pick lightly. Whilst some of it can be staging etc I dont think you can totally avoid performing.

Teacher is just trying to bolster numbers. If DC doesn’t like acting or learning lines, what could they do? Well, actually mime! DD did in the devised work. However that was old syllabus. A star though. Very convincing miming!

You can do non-performing roles for drama practical assessments and there is more emphasis on the essay paper than in the older curriculum.

I suspect Drama is slightly better regarded - Film Studies still has a bit of (and unfair IMHO) whiff of 'meedja studies' about it!
Film Studies is more like English Literature - absorbing and regurgitating/ critiquing themes, history, characters, technical stuff - mostly essay writing etc.

Drama also involves essay writing, but is self-assessment logs and theatre critique. More marks for the practical element which, as others have said, doesn't have to be just acting - can also be costume/ set design etc.

GCSE Drama offers a variety of ways to study drama and theatre. Yes there will be
line learning but that can be quite a minor part of the study - it’s as much about learning rehearsal and actor training techniques, stage craft and stage management as “stand up and spout” acting.

Drama actually offers some fantastic transferable skills in team work and collaborative work, getting stuff done to a BERY firm deadline - no “dog ate my homework “ when the audience is seated and the lights go down!

Also good for kids who learn through movement and physical work, and great for developing emotional intelligence.

These are all really employable and transferable skills.

@PiggyWasPushed (if I have that right) may have some views.

Nobody will give a shit.
Seriously. How depressing that kids are being told to swerve subjects they like in favour of outdated notions of what ‘ looks good’

Actually some do give a shit! DD1 is a barrister. Drama gcse was beneficial. A star gave her confidence for public speaking. She, like her sister, went to a school where drama, LAMDA and public speaking were valued. It’s a great skill. You only have to watch The Apprentice to know how public speaking can be a very valuable skill. Some of DD’s colleagues are fiercely clever but sometimes lacked confidence in court. The Inns of Court even get in training from RADA. Film studies is great but it’s not collaborative or confidence boosting.

Thank you so much for all your replies. It seems drama is quite popular.

Im not too sure what’s in the curriculum to be honest. School info just says that it doesn’t have to be acting and mentions set design, lighting, costume design, but it’s written oddly and not clear about how much line learning and acting involved. If she could do set design for any practicals I think she’d be incredibly keen.

Learning a monologue would not be of interest @Mouriv despite her being very expressive. is this all exam boards?

@TooHot2022 The essay side of it including theatre critique sounds good albeit I think assessment logs (if you mean reflecting on own work?) could be tricky, but a very useful skill. Drama does sound like it could be a really good course but perhaps a risky gcse.

@BirdinaHedge really interesting that it’s good for kids who like more physicality and movement, maybe that’s why she gets good drama grades & feedback. I’m wondering though if it’s mainly for kids who want to be in the school plays and/or do LAMDA or stagecoach and that type of thing?

@LIZS how many practicals are there? can all the practicals be non performing?

My dd did GCSE drama. She absolutely loved it but it was very hard work. I think you would really need to want to do it, as it just definitely isn't an easy option.

Thank you. Maybe she does another humanity rather than a creative. I’ll have to start a new thread RS v Class Civ. There's just not enough options.

Depending on the exam board, you can complete all practical assessment through a design option. Monologues aren't a requirement - even if you do the acting assessments you can do them all in groups. It is entirely possible to avoid acting for the assessments.

Drama is a very established GCSE - the vast majority of schools offer it and if they're interested enough in the subject they'll enjoy it.

Please don’t push her to do subjects she doesn’t enjoy!
Why on earth do parents do this?
The mind boggles.

They have core subjects to look after the necessary future requirements- optional subjects are there for them to explore their interests. Why would you want to stand in the way of that?

Optional subjects are often very important ones. You would struggle to do geography or history degrees if you don’t do A level after taking the GCSE . Ditto dropping MFL so Dc take none. Art is another you need if you want art at he level. These subjects are not just interests you explore. They mean something.

is the drama curriculum is broadly interpreted? Do find out what the school really does! Who teaches lighting and set design? Does anyone get a 9 doing this? Have you seen school drama productions? Are they high class? Our school did wonderful ones. I would look at past results for all subjects! Has your DC actually done any drama? By the end of y9, mine had been in productions every year and house drama competition. They also sang in choirs and danced.

@Dotcheck not sure what you’ve read in my posts to think I’m pushing. Absolutely no pushing going on here. Just have no clue re drama or film studies. Purely exploring some options. They’re meant to do a creative but nothing is floating her boat. She’s really struggling to find something she’ll enjoy. She likes drama lessons and gets decent results but she’s not especially enthusiastic. Other creatives are Art, DT, music - all hated. She loves history but not geography or RS so struggling for humanities too. They take ten subjects - my other DCs didn’t do a creative so their ten included 2 languages, 2 humanities, 3 sciences, 2 English and maths. But DD isn’t science orientated so thinking combined, definitely not 2 languages but will take one, loves history but that still leaves two options.

@TizerorFizz thanks for this. School do great productions but she’s never been involved in any of them. I’m not sure who does the set design but I’ve a feeling it won’t be the kids. I’ll find out. She does dance extra curricula and is very good but her school don’t offer at gcse. Some really good queries there that she & I need to explore. I’m thinking it possibly not suitable but Thank you so much.

@NotDonna
If she likes history, classical civilization might work. It’s a gamble because it’s a new subject. My DDs did the old RS syllabus and it wasn’t that difficult to do well!

I also think trying to find subjects you lobe and not being pragmatic is a mistake. Some Dc are good at lots of subjects (DD1 was)!but DD2 had to be pragmatic with a couple. Choosing least worst! Often it’s not liking the teacher so look at how the subject is taught for gcse. What about business studies, sociology or media? In the circumstances, film studies might be a decent choice too.

Lobe? !! Love!

Film studies gcse is just like eng lit with films. Essay based exam so lots of writing. They do 'make' very short films (1-2 mins) but just on their phones etc.

@TizerorFizz agreed! We are trying to find least worst. You’ve hit the nail on the head. They don’t offer anything like the other subjects you mention. She’d definitely choose business studies and/or sociology, or media studies maybe but nothing like those are offered.. It’s a very narrow choice. I’m quite surprised film studies is being introduced next year as opposed to another more traditional subject. Problem is they’ll be the first cohort and I’ve no idea who is going to be teaching it.

@NashvilleQueen
She’s good at English but English lit isn’t a separate subject as yet so hard to tell if she’ll be good at that, and therefore film studies. She’d definitely like filming on her phone. This will sound like a stupid question but if it’s like English lit do they study in depth three films? In sections? Like they do with the books? She’d struggle to watch a film in its entirety (ADHD).

@NotDonna
Has the school said which exam board for film? That might give you clues. My DDs were at a traditional school so I recognise the dilemma!

@Piggywaspushed is the Film expert on MN.

Ds is doing GCSE film studies and plans to do it at A level alongside history and politics. He wants to do history for his undergraduate degree and then a PGCE for primary teaching. He loves film studies and is predicted a 9. There's a lot of analysis of different aspects of film, aesthetic, themes, historical context etc. and his grade will come from coursework (a short original screenplay) and an exam on the films he's studied. The history degree he's interested in (Russell Group uni) has the option of taking modules from other disciplines within the university including film so I don't think a film studies GCSE or A level will be viewed negatively in his case. Does your dd know what she wants to do after GCSE?

A 9th or 10th GCSE in any subject isn't going to be viewed 'negatively' by anyone. Neither is making that 9th or 10th subject a BTEC instead.

My assumption (possibly false) was the OP by asking if it was a 'good' option was asking, will it be interesting, will it be right for my DC? There are no 'easy' GCSEs anymore.

If she doesn’t like performing, drama isn’t the best option.
My DD took drama and hated the plays/themes they studied. She wasn’t interested in them.
I would go for film studies without a doubt.