Comparison of Research and Planning at AS and A2

To what extent have your research and planning skills improved? Explain and support your answer with evidence.

My research skills have improved from AS level to A2 level and I feel that this is obvious via the work which has been posted on my A2 blog. Firstly the extent to which I carried out research and planning increased significantly from AS to A2. For example, at AS I carried out research on 3 magazine covers, magazine contents pages and 3 double page spreads. In comparison, at A2 I carried out I analysis of multiple magazine adverts, multiple digipaks and multiple music videos. This research tended to consist of more than 3 of each. Therefore I feel that with the increased workload, my research skills have improved as there was greater opportunity to practice them.

My planning skills have significantly improved from AS to A2. At AS I had something which represented a time plan but was not in great detail. Work tended to be completed when there was an opportunity. Whereas at A2, I used a storyboard, ensuring I knew what features of the production were being completed when and what places. This storyboard also grouped all the shots at one location in order. This planning made post production easier. The locations were grouped together to help make production as efficient as possible and a separate time plan was constructed to ensure we knew when filming should be completed by. This was done with the aim of ensuring that time wasn’t pressured during filming, to allow production to be maintained at a high standard.

Aspects of secondary research also improved from AS to A2 and this is evidenced by the use of certain theorists. It can be seen that AS standard my research did not include the use of secondary research such as theorists and that there is no reference to them. At A2 standard however, it can be seen that efforts were made to include theory into planning to ensure that my work had key elements within it. This therefore represents improvement from AS to A2 as it can be seen that I recognised the need to include crucial elements of secondary research.

My research and Planning skills improved from AS to A2 due to the frequent referencing to a time plan constructed for the class to follow. Whilst it can be seen that this was constructed by me, it is obvious that it was beneficial in my work and ensured that not only was all of my work completed within the boundaries given, it also ensured that my work included elements that I perhaps would not have noticed if the plan had not existed. This therefore represents improvement in my research and planning from AS to A2 as it can be seen that at AS I did not pay as greater attention to this as I have this year and therefore it could be said that my work wasn’t as structured last year as it could have been.