It’s a windy Thursday and the bite of winter can still be felt—but nothing is going to stop a keen selection of Year 11 Media students from making their way to London’s Southbank for a study day hosted by the British Film Institute.

The BFI is both an ‘arthouse’ cinema and the hub of Britain’s film industry and media heritage. It was the perfect setting for a day of lectures and screenings about the gaming industry with a particular focus on the representation of women. Students were invited to consider how media technology is used to construct meaningful products that have a global reach and generate incredible domestic profit.

Whilst the lectures had a specific focus on the set exam texts, students were also introduced to other texts so that they could understand the wider context of the gaming industry.  According to students, this was especially ‘useful’ and ‘motivational’.