IB Film Internal Assessment guide

Written and cross-checked by IB Diploma graduates: Alexander (41), Alejandro (40), Martina (40), Victoria (38), Martin (35), Maria (34)

Last reviewed: June 2026 · Checked against official IB guidance · Editorial policy

The IB Film Film portfolio pages (three production roles) is graded against 3 IB assessment criteria worth 12 marks. This guide explains the mark scheme for each criterion and what the published criteria reward at each score level at Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL).

3 criteria12 marks totalSL & HL available

IB assessment criteria

Each criterion is presented independently using the configured mark-band descriptors for this subject and assessment session.

Criterion	Name	Marks
Portfolio Pages — Role 1	Portfolio Pages — Role 1	4
Portfolio Pages — Role 2	Portfolio Pages — Role 2	4
Portfolio Pages — Role 3	Portfolio Pages — Role 3	4
Total		12

Criterion-by-criterion breakdown

Portfolio Pages — Role 1

0-4

What this criterion assesses

For the first production role: a compelling, discerning evaluation of how your research, creative explorations and production work — led by your filmmaker intentions — shaped your understanding of this role, evidenced across at most 3 portfolio pages.

Mark band descriptors

Criterion A: Portfolio pages — Role 1 (0–4). To what extent does the student evaluate how their research, creative explorations and production work, led by filmmaker intentions, have shaped their understanding of the chosen film production role?
- 0: The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below.
- 1 (limited): The portfolio pages and supporting evidence provide an undeveloped or incomplete outline of the student's research, creative explorations and production work, or the student's understanding of the specific film production role is inaccurate, irrelevant or unclear.
- 2 (adequate): The portfolio pages and supporting evidence provide a description of how the student's research, creative explorations and production work, led by their filmmaker intentions, contributed to a mostly relevant or appropriate understanding of the specific film production role.
- 3 (good): The portfolio pages and supporting evidence provide a detailed and informative explanation of how the student's research, creative explorations and production work, led by their filmmaker intentions, contributed to an accurate and relevant understanding of the specific film production role.
- 4 (excellent): The portfolio pages and supporting evidence provide a compelling and discerning evaluation of how the student's research, creative explorations and production work, led by their filmmaker intentions, contributed to a highly appropriate understanding of the specific film production role.
Note: Maximum 3 portfolio pages per role with a balance of text and visuals, plus sources. The film reel (criterion B, 4 marks per role) is assessed from the video and is NOT graded in this review.

Common mistakes

Describing what was done without evaluating how it shaped your understanding of the role
Research missing (no films, theories or practitioners that informed the role)
Filmmaker intentions never stated, so choices float unanchored
Page over-filled with screenshots, leaving no room for evaluation

Portfolio Pages — Role 2

0-4

What this criterion assesses

For the second production role: a compelling, discerning evaluation of how your research, creative explorations and production work — led by your filmmaker intentions — shaped your understanding of this role, evidenced across at most 3 portfolio pages.

Mark band descriptors

Criterion A: Portfolio pages — Role 2 (0–4). To what extent does the student evaluate how their research, creative explorations and production work, led by filmmaker intentions, have shaped their understanding of the chosen film production role?
- 0: The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below.
- 1 (limited): The portfolio pages and supporting evidence provide an undeveloped or incomplete outline of the student's research, creative explorations and production work, or the student's understanding of the specific film production role is inaccurate, irrelevant or unclear.
- 2 (adequate): The portfolio pages and supporting evidence provide a description of how the student's research, creative explorations and production work, led by their filmmaker intentions, contributed to a mostly relevant or appropriate understanding of the specific film production role.
- 3 (good): The portfolio pages and supporting evidence provide a detailed and informative explanation of how the student's research, creative explorations and production work, led by their filmmaker intentions, contributed to an accurate and relevant understanding of the specific film production role.
- 4 (excellent): The portfolio pages and supporting evidence provide a compelling and discerning evaluation of how the student's research, creative explorations and production work, led by their filmmaker intentions, contributed to a highly appropriate understanding of the specific film production role.
Note: Maximum 3 portfolio pages per role with a balance of text and visuals, plus sources. The film reel (criterion B, 4 marks per role) is assessed from the video and is NOT graded in this review.

Common mistakes

Describing what was done without evaluating how it shaped your understanding of the role
Research missing (no films, theories or practitioners that informed the role)
Filmmaker intentions never stated, so choices float unanchored
Page over-filled with screenshots, leaving no room for evaluation

Portfolio Pages — Role 3

0-4

What this criterion assesses

For the third production role: a compelling, discerning evaluation of how your research, creative explorations and production work — led by your filmmaker intentions — shaped your understanding of this role, evidenced across at most 3 portfolio pages.

Mark band descriptors

Criterion A: Portfolio pages — Role 3 (0–4). To what extent does the student evaluate how their research, creative explorations and production work, led by filmmaker intentions, have shaped their understanding of the chosen film production role?
- 0: The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below.
- 1 (limited): The portfolio pages and supporting evidence provide an undeveloped or incomplete outline of the student's research, creative explorations and production work, or the student's understanding of the specific film production role is inaccurate, irrelevant or unclear.
- 2 (adequate): The portfolio pages and supporting evidence provide a description of how the student's research, creative explorations and production work, led by their filmmaker intentions, contributed to a mostly relevant or appropriate understanding of the specific film production role.
- 3 (good): The portfolio pages and supporting evidence provide a detailed and informative explanation of how the student's research, creative explorations and production work, led by their filmmaker intentions, contributed to an accurate and relevant understanding of the specific film production role.
- 4 (excellent): The portfolio pages and supporting evidence provide a compelling and discerning evaluation of how the student's research, creative explorations and production work, led by their filmmaker intentions, contributed to a highly appropriate understanding of the specific film production role.
Note: Maximum 3 portfolio pages per role with a balance of text and visuals, plus sources. The film reel (criterion B, 4 marks per role) is assessed from the video and is NOT graded in this review.

Common mistakes

Describing what was done without evaluating how it shaped your understanding of the role
Research missing (no films, theories or practitioners that informed the role)
Filmmaker intentions never stated, so choices float unanchored
Page over-filled with screenshots, leaving no room for evaluation

Sources & verification

Primary-source references used to verify key assessment facts on this page. Last source check: September 22, 2026.

The exact subject guide for Film is the authority for the task, criteria and limits. Some IB subject guides do not have a stable public URL, so this page names the configured assessment session and links the official IB update hubs instead of fabricating a direct source link.

IB — Diploma Programme assessment and examsOfficial overview of criterion-related assessment and internal assessment in the Diploma Programme.
IB — current curriculum updatesOfficial update hub for subject and first-assessment changes. Use it to confirm that your exam session matches the criteria shown here.

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