Guidance and Training - Production Roles
Throughout the DP Film course you need to practice skills in a variety of roles, in order to decide which role you will be assessed in for the Production Portfolio (internal, 50%). For more information about the assessment, please click here.
The roles are:
You must ensure that you have experience in all roles before deciding which role to be assessed in in year two.
Once you have chosen your PP role, you will need to ensure that you are fully prepared to perform and document your role. Use the links below to access additional information, resources and activities.
The roles are:
- director
- editor
- cinematographer
- screenwriter
- sound designer
You must ensure that you have experience in all roles before deciding which role to be assessed in in year two.
Once you have chosen your PP role, you will need to ensure that you are fully prepared to perform and document your role. Use the links below to access additional information, resources and activities.
Clarifying the assessment task
In all cases, students must keep evidence of their work in their role in their production journal. Excerpts from this journal should be used as evidence to develop their commentary. This evidence may consist of any graphic or photographic material, which can be worked into the body of the commentary to present a complete picture of the production process or the student’s work in his or her chosen role. These might, for example, consist of sample drafts of scripts, photographs of set design or lighting design or other work during production; screen grabs from the edit process or other graphics related to technical work could also be included.
The commentary should present a complete picture of the production process as well as present the student’s work in his or her chosen role. The artistic and logistic analysis of the finished film, along with other observations, will require all students to participate throughout the entire production process, regardless of the selected role. It is likely that some details of the collaboration with the director, at least, will be present.
The commentary should present a complete picture of the production process as well as present the student’s work in his or her chosen role. The artistic and logistic analysis of the finished film, along with other observations, will require all students to participate throughout the entire production process, regardless of the selected role. It is likely that some details of the collaboration with the director, at least, will be present.
What are examiners looking for?
In this task examiners want to see a well-made film that fulfills the descriptors in the criteria. This might not be the best film that students could ever make: that film might be longer or shorter, violate some of the formal requirements of the task, or ignore some criteria. Examiners want to see the best film that students can make that meets the assessment criteria.
At least 20 marks out of 50 will be awarded based on the commentary, so it is important that students plan for this and gather supporting evidence as they make their film.
In the commentary, examiners first of all want to see documentation of all the relevant production stages, with special emphasis on each student’s work in his or her chosen role. When a student is focused on his or her individual role, they are expected to reflect and evaluate on their work both artistically and logistically. What did the group do? What did the individual student do? How did the film work out?
All of this should be supported with graphic and photographic evidence woven into the writing (no appendices). There should also be a critical evaluation of the project as a whole. This should take the form of a clear appraisal of the final film, and not as a blurb that says how wonderful the final film is or a simple reflection on what the student learned.
For HL students, it is crucial that the creation of the trailer is discussed in the body of the commentary, since it is required by criteria A and B.
As for the film itself, examiners want to see the most creative work that students can produce. The work should demonstrate students’ understanding of film language and showcase their professional and technical skills. Examiners want to see a film that has been well planned before it is shot and that demonstrates technical competence in all the roles. Finally, examiners want to see students create as much of their own original work as they can, such as video inserts, sets and location design, music or soundscape, costuming and props, and so on, as appropriate to the demands of the film. Of course, students must work within a limited amount of time, so they start their planning as early as possible and be as creative as they can be within the constraints of the task.
For HL students, it is important to remember that examiners must see a trailer that shows they individually have the editing and narrative skills necessary to create an effective trailer. This must be their own individual work.
At least 20 marks out of 50 will be awarded based on the commentary, so it is important that students plan for this and gather supporting evidence as they make their film.
In the commentary, examiners first of all want to see documentation of all the relevant production stages, with special emphasis on each student’s work in his or her chosen role. When a student is focused on his or her individual role, they are expected to reflect and evaluate on their work both artistically and logistically. What did the group do? What did the individual student do? How did the film work out?
All of this should be supported with graphic and photographic evidence woven into the writing (no appendices). There should also be a critical evaluation of the project as a whole. This should take the form of a clear appraisal of the final film, and not as a blurb that says how wonderful the final film is or a simple reflection on what the student learned.
For HL students, it is crucial that the creation of the trailer is discussed in the body of the commentary, since it is required by criteria A and B.
As for the film itself, examiners want to see the most creative work that students can produce. The work should demonstrate students’ understanding of film language and showcase their professional and technical skills. Examiners want to see a film that has been well planned before it is shot and that demonstrates technical competence in all the roles. Finally, examiners want to see students create as much of their own original work as they can, such as video inserts, sets and location design, music or soundscape, costuming and props, and so on, as appropriate to the demands of the film. Of course, students must work within a limited amount of time, so they start their planning as early as possible and be as creative as they can be within the constraints of the task.
For HL students, it is important to remember that examiners must see a trailer that shows they individually have the editing and narrative skills necessary to create an effective trailer. This must be their own individual work.