Well, here we are. After weeks of production, countless revisions, and more stress than I care to relive, the blog portion of this journey has officially come to an end. The film is finished. The posts are written. The project is complete.
Well almost complete. There's still one thing left to do: my CCRs. And let me tell you, I am genuinely happy to be at this stage. For those who don't know, CCR stands for Critical Creative Reflection — and in A Level Media Studies, it's the final piece of the puzzle. Compared to AS Level, where we had to create full videos answering four complex questions, A Level is a little different. This time, we still have to answer four questions, but we do it in essay form.
Now, I know what you're thinking an essay that sounds like more work. But here's the thing our Media Studies teacher gave us a piece of advice that completely shifted my perspective. Instead of thinking of it as a formal, stressing essay that's worth a significant portion of our final grade (up to 20 points, to be exact), she told us to think of it differently and honestly that changed everything for me instead of thinking of writing an essay I would now be writing just a long blog
Laying Out the CCR before I dive into writing the actual essay, I wanted to use today's blog to lay out my thought process and give you a preview of what's coming. The way I see it, the best approach is to start broad explain the film in a way that break down the four questions I need to answer.
So here they are, the four questions that will shape my next blog (aka my CCR essay):
How do your products represent social groups or issues?
How do the elements of your production work together to create a sense of 'branding'?
How did your products engage with the audience?
How did your research inform your products and the way they use or challenge conventions?
Now, some of these are easier to tackle than others. But I've been thinking about each one, and I have a rough idea of how I want to approach them.
Question 1: How do your products represent social groups or issues =
This one feels manageable. Our film, "Echoes in the Seat," centers on grief and loss specifically, the experience of losing someone close to you. Through Rafa's character, we represent individuals who are navigating the painful aftermath of losing a friend. But beyond that, the film also touches on a heavier issue: mental health and suicide. By subtly suggesting that Madison took her own life, and by including the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at the end, we're representing an issue that affects far too many people, especially young people. My answer here will focus on how we handled these topics with care and why representation matters.
Question 2: How do the elements of your production work together to create a sense of 'branding'=
Okay, I'll be honest this one is tricky. Branding isn't something I initially thought a lot about during production, but the more I reflect, the more I realize it's there. From the consistent visual tone of the film to the way we titled it "Echoes in the Seat," everything feeds into an identity. I'll need to dig deeper into how the cinematography, music, editing, and even the social media presence built to create a identity for the project. This one will take some thought, but I'm starting to see the pieces come together.
Question 3: How did your products engage with the audience=
This one feels more straightforward. At its core, our film is designed to connect with anyone who has experienced loss or struggled with their mental health. The message "It's okay to not be okay" is universal. We wanted to create something that didn't just tell a story but made the audience feel something. Whether it's the quiet reflection of Rafa on that bench, the emotional weight of the letter, or the unexpected appearance of Madison at the end, every element was chosen to pull the audience in and keep them engaged.
Question 4: How did your research inform your products and the way they use or challenge conventions=
This one is also challenging because my research wasn't heavily focused on the specific issues addressed in the film. I didn't spend weeks studying grief representation in cinema or analyzing mental health messaging in short films.
So that's the plan. Start broad, explain the film, introduce the four questions, and then answer each one in detail all while keeping that blog-like tone that makes it feel less like an essay
In conclusion, I have a clear idea of how I want to lay out the CCR, this project has been a long journey.
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