Wednesday 7 May 2025
Year 11 Media Studies Off to a Dynamic Start
The Year 11 Media Studies course has kicked off with great energy and high engagement across both classes. Under the guidance of Mr Matt Kidd and Mrs Johnson, students have been introduced to a variety of new media concepts and texts. This term’s learning focus centred on creating a social media campaign to promote the Auckland Zoo, incorporating a wide range of advertising techniques. A highlight was the class trip to the zoo, where students enjoyed a hands-on experience in the sunshine - capturing live footage of animals and birds using a variety of camera shots. Back in the classroom, students applied their learning to produce impressive YouTube commercials, engaging social media shorts, insightful podcasts, and well-crafted magazine feature articles. It’s been a fantastic start to the year, full of creativity, collaboration, and real-world learning!
Lights, Camera, Action: Year 12 Media Students in Full Production Mode
Both the Level 2 NCEA and AS Media Studies classes have hit the ground running this term, diving into their coursework and refining their production skills through a range of exciting learning experiences - both inside and outside the classroom. Our Level 2 students have been exploring how narrative techniques shape storytelling, with a particular focus on the horror genre. As part of their learning, they created practice short films, experimenting with classic horror codes and conventions. The creativity and technical skill evident in their practice edits have been outstanding! Meanwhile, our AS Media students had the incredible opportunity to film at Maungauika/North Head Historic Reserve - a perfect location for their short thriller films. Blessed with beautiful weather, students worked collaboratively to hone their cinematography, lighting, and sound capture skills in a real-world setting. Their professionalism and teamwork on the day were impressive, and the footage captured looks fantastic. With their practice work now complete, students are well prepared and excited to move into their final productions next term. This term has laid a strong foundation, and we can’t wait to see the creative stories they bring to life in the months ahead.
Level 3 Media Studies: A Powerful Dive into Documentary Filmmaking
The Level 3 Media Studies classes have had an inspiring and productive start to the year, immersing themselves in the art of documentary filmmaking. Students began the term by analysing a range of powerful documentaries that have made significant social impact, developing their close reading and critical thinking skills along the way. A particular highlight was welcoming back Old Collegian Marco McGill (Marsden), who is currently studying at the prestigious Australian Film, Television and Radio School in Sydney. Marco led a hands-on camera workshop, passionately guiding students through key interview techniques and technical aspects of production, including sound, lighting, and framing. Adding further depth to the term’s learning, we were incredibly fortunate to host guest lecturer Megan Jones—a former journalist, acclaimed film producer, and award-winning documentary maker whose work spans both Aotearoa and international audiences. Megan offered invaluable mentorship as students pitched their documentary ideas, providing thoughtful feedback and professional insight. With strong foundations now in place, we’re excited to see these ideas come to life. We can’t wait to witness the incredible documentaries our students will create next term!
For more stories from our Art Department, you can read the Term 1 WIRED newsletter here.