Year 12 Student Questionnaire

My name is James Kent. I like to throw the Javelin and compete in athletics competitions, as well as playing the Xbox 360 when I can in my free time.

My GCSE results are as follows:

Maths - B

English - B and C

Science - C and C

RM - B

IT - C

Geography - C

I read the Norwich Evening News on occasions to get local news. I also read The Sun every now and again - I read newspapers to get information on sports and local events. However, I prefer to access news on the internet as it is more convenient for me. I am not a major fan of buying and reading a newspaper, I prefer to view online content on a screen  rather than on paper.

I listen to KISS FM for entertainment, for example, music and competitions, but I listen to Heart FM or Radio 1 for information.

My favourite genres of music are Dance, Hip-Hop and R&B. I normally listen to KISS FM on the internet rather than on a radio. My opinion of illegally downloading music from internet sites is varied - whilst it is better for the downloader, it is bad for the artist or music company as they are not making money. As I am not part of a band, I don’t think the music industry could influence my dress, attitudes, or aspirations.

My favourite video game is Call of Duty. It is a first person series franchise developed for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS. Video games, or games consoles  in particular, are aimed at the male audience more specifically than the female audience. The majority of games are aimed at the male audience, though some games are more suited to the female audience.

New technologies have increased my understanding of the world, even more so when new technology is introduced, as I realise what it must have been like to either communicate with one another many years ago or retrieve information. Technology has dramatically improved everybody’s way of communicating - with just the press of a few buttons, you can contact somebody over the other side of the world in seconds. This was very different many years ago as contacting somebody over the other side of the world would take you weeks. Mobile phones play a massive part in communicating - texting is one of the most widely used forms of contacting somebody. The internet is widely used for distributing films, television programmes, and music (legal or not), so access to these has become increasingly popular amongst younger generations. Websites such as BlogSpot (Blogger) has made it even easier to create media texts as with just the click of a few buttons, you can create a blog for people to view over the internet. Creating media texts with a pen and paper has become dated, so people turn to the internet for new ideas and aspirations.

My favourite television channels are BBC and ITV, along with Dave, simply because the programmes broadcasted on these channels appeal to me. My favourite television genre is comedy - there’s nothing better than watching the TV and having a good laugh! I have loved comedy from a young age, whether it is from a comedian or it’s just a funny program, I love it. The programmes which I consider memorable are Only Fools and Horses. Although I wasn’t born when this show was broadcasted on the BBC in the 1980’s, I have watched it from a young age and I consider this my favourite TV program of all time. Another similar one is On The Buses, which was broadcasted in the 1970’s. There are too many memorable television programmes to list, but the ones that stood out are the ones from my childhood.

My favourite film genre is action - I love fast paced movement with action music. My three favourite films are:

Speed (1994) - A young cop must prevent a bomb exploding aboard a city bus by keeping its speed above 50 mph - the storyline of this film, in my opinion, is outstanding. The cinematography involving fast paced action, quick camera moves, and a tense soundtrack makes it that much more fun and intriguing over other films.

Inception (2010) - In a world where technology exists to enter the human mind through dream invasion, a highly skilled thief is given a final chance at redemption which involves executing his toughest job to date: Inception - similar to Speed (1994), this movie is very interesting and the surreal atmosphere makes it a great film to watch - the actors’ performances are great too.

The Dark Knight (2008) - Batman, Gordon and Harvey Dent are forced to deal with the chaos unleashed by a terrorist mastermind known only as the Joker, as he drives each of them to their limits - another great action film which I enjoyed watching very much. The use of camera moves by the director is good, and the storyline makes it one of the best up-to-date action films.

I prefer to consume films in the company of my own home, however, I will occasionally go to the cinema to watch new release films. At home, I like to watch films on my computer rather than on a DVD player, games console, or my phone.

My favourite cinema is Vue, it’s in an ideal position in Norwich which is easily accessible. The value for money is great, and so is the comfort - there is lots of leg room!

At home, I prefer to watch films on my own, however, at the cinema I like to watch films in groups of two, three or four.

Unfortunately, I have never had the chance to contribute to the construction of a media production, short film, radio programme, or music video, but I hope to get involved with activities of this nature in the near future.

I have chosen Media Studies as an option to study at AS Level as I have always had an interest in film and television, as well as the personal performance side. A few years ago, I attended Drama School - I took my LAMDA (The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) exams, to which I reached Grade 5 in Acting and Performance.