Digital Media

Examination Board

OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma in Digital Media

Entry Criteria

GCSE ICT grade 5 or alternative Level 2 ICT Qualification

Assessment

The course consists of 5 units studied over the course of two years of study and is a single award. Two units are externally assessed by an exam, the other three are coursework based, an assignment will be set for each unit and these will be assessed internally and moderated externally. Each unit will be graded individually and grades aggregated to give a final award.

Why you should study Digital Media

The Cambridge Technicals in Digital Media focuses on the skills, knowledge and understanding that today’s universities and employers demand. Students will practically apply their skills and knowledge in preparation for further study or the workplace.

These qualifications aims to develop your students’ knowledge and understanding of the principles of Media products and audiences. Our students will gain an insight into the pre-production and planning stages of media products by creating a range of media products, including; print-based, audio-visual and audio products.

Course Content

Unit 1
Media products and audiences

Whichever sector of the media our students want to work or specialise in, all media institutions work to create products that meet the needs of specific target audiences.

The aim of this unit is for students to develop their understanding of how different media institutions operate in order to create products that will appeal to specific target audiences. Our students will learn about the different ownership models within media industries, and they will learn how to analyse different media products within the sector in order to understand the fundamentals of how meaning is created for audiences. Students will learn about how audiences are categorised, researched and targeted by media producers. They will also learn about how media institutions distribute and advertise their products to audiences.

Unit 2
Pre-production and planning

This is a mandatory unit that forms the foundation of the course. The knowledge and understanding developed in this unit is transferable to a number of other units.

By completing this unit, our students will understand the pre-production process the creative media industry follows when creating a product. They will learn how to carry out research in the planning stage of a media production and about the various acts of legislation that need to be considered. Students will learn about the constraints that need to be considered when planning a new media production, including timescales and resources. They will understand how to create prep-production documents in relation to client requirements and how to plan projects to meet these needs.

Unit 3
Create a media product

Media products have a range of different purposes. Whether it is to advertise and promote a product or service, inform an audience of a cause or engage and entertain an audience.

The aim of this unit is for your students to develop knowledge and understanding of the production processes of producing a media product from one of the following:

• Print-based product
• Audio-visual product
• Audio product.

Students will apply their learning gained in Units 1 and 2 to plan and produce a media product. They will complete planning materials to take forward in the production and post–production stages of an intended media product. Students will plan, produce and edit original content for their intended product.

Unit 16
The creation and use of sound in media

Sound is now an important part of most media products, be this the actual dialogue of a production or music, effects or atmospheric sounds. The effective use of sound can change the mood and feel of media productions. Sound is now found in the majority of media products from film and television through to interactive media and computer games.

By completing this unit our students will understand the sound elements used in media products and how they are produced. Students will be able to develop ideas for, and plan the production of, a soundtrack containing a range of sound elements. They will gain some practical skills by recording and editing sound elements for use in the production of a final soundtrack.

Unit 20
Advertising media

Advertising media is around us on a daily basis, from billboards in the street to adverts watched daily on the television. Different types of advertisements are used together to create campaigns that grow a brand and an organisation’s image, and promote all types of products and services used to entice the public at large.

In completing this unit, our students will understand advertising campaigns and how audio-visual, print based or audio advertising media are used within them. They’ll plan an advertising campaign for a product or service, selecting the appropriate media components to produce it. Students will produce original media components for incorporating into a campaign, considering the market and its target audience, as well as legal and ethical constraints, to ensure that all components comply with the required codes and conventions
of the genre.

Skills Developed, Progression and Possible Future Careers

Students will develop professional, personal and social skills through interaction with peers, stakeholders and clients, as well as theoretical knowledge and understanding to underpin these skills.

These support the transferable skills required by universities and employers such as communication, problem solving, time management, research and analytical skills. Students could go on to take an apprenticeship or to study degrees, for example, in Film & TV, radio, journalism, social media and digital marketing.