Frequently Asked Questions
Q. When will the assessment units be available?
A. All the assessment units will be available in summer only.
Q. When will the first examinations be held?
A. This GCE Moving Image Arts specification is available for first teaching from September 2008. The first AS examination will take place in 2009 and the first A Level examination will be in 2010.
Q. What range of grades is available for AS and A2?
A. AS Level qualifications will be awarded on a five-grade scale A-E. A Level qualifications will be awarded on a six-grade scale A*-E. To be awarded A*, students will need to achieve Grade A on their full A Level qualification and an A* on the aggregate of their A2 units. Students who fail to reach the minimum standard for Grade E are recorded as U (unclassified) and will not receive a certificate.
Q. How will this qualification help students gain Key Skills?
A.
Key Skills Level 3 in:
- Communication;
- Application of Number;
- Information Technology;
- Improving Own Learning and Performance;
- Working with Others; and
- Problem Solving.
Q. Is the Moving Image A2 available to students in England ?
A. Yes, there are currently schools outside of Northern Ireland teaching the subject, including in England and Scotland.
Q. I heard that we will not be allowed to use copyrighted music this year, but I have already chosen songs that I wanted to use in my films, and I cannot find any that suit it better. What should I do?
A. You are free to use copyrighted music for your project, but it will limit our and your ability to show or distribute your work. You, for instance, wouldn’t be able to enter your film into any short film festivals if it contains uncleared copyrighted music. We, meanwhile, wouldn't be able to put your film on the MIA website. If you feel there's no other music you can use for your short then by all means use it. Just be aware that doing so will limit your film's exhibition potential.
Q. I am going to do Art and Design at AS-level, which also contains a lot of coursework. Would I be able to cope with MIA coursework as well?
A. Yes, but as with any combination of subjects you are going to have to plan your time wisely. The new 4-unit structure of MIA will also help, as you now only have 1 coursework module (granted it is a pretty big one). If you intend to have a career in Art, Design, Film or Television it will be more than worth the effort at this stage.
Q. Does it matter if my film runs over the length you asked for?
A. Yes. You will not lose marks, but the moderator may only watch the first part of your film up until the required length and could miss something important that you’ve included at the end. Also, it shows poor planning and editing skills if you cannot get your film to fit within the stated times. We are much more interested in quality than quantity.
Q. Does it matter if my film is too short?
A. No, not if it is of a high standard, however it is good practice to make your films fit the stated times. 3-5 min for AS and 5-7 min at A2.
