P1 describe the requirements of
working to a brief
M1 explain the requirements
of working to a brief with
reference to detailed
illustrative examples
D1 comprehensively explain the
requirements of working
to a brief with detailed examples
2b) Group Write a reflective
article on your experiences of the following below - with detailed explanations of how
and why they need to be taken into account, with fully elucidated
instances of where you have done so in your work
- consultation with client* (questions you had about the brief
& client’s response)
- degree of discretion in interpreting brief*; (nature or demands of the brief that were negotiated, what the experience was
like, how free or limited are you to use discretion in your ideas - brand
identity, colours, satisfying client’s stakeholders etc)
- constraints (legal, ethical, regulatory)*; (Copyright, use of under 18s in the
video, discrimination of ethnicity, gender, religious belief)
- amendments to proposed final product*;
- amendments to budget*;
- amendments to conditions;
Take 4 (1 each) of the above as most relevant and
complete an individual contribution to a group reflective
article 'How to Negotiate with a client'
Use the Video to help you remember how we did this as a class - you can refer to questions and discussions other students had with the client
2c). As a Group of 4, present a videolog or blog diary giving detailed insight into
your
own role, duties and responsibilities together with a sophisticated
understanding of the personal and
professional qualities required to fulfil the brief. Include:
- identify opportunities for self-development;
- new skills;
- multi-skilling;
- contributions to project brief
Exemplar 1
Negotiating the Brief
Consultation with the Client
Depending on the type of Brief that the Client and Production Company are working with, there will always be a Consultation with the Client. This will be either a formal or informal meeting between the client and the production company. The meeting will be used for discussing the brief, the ideas within the brief, and also if working with a Negotiated Brief there will also be a discussion and improvements to any ideas that the client has thought of. However when working with Contractual Brief, this is not the case, as although there will still be a consultation with the client, there is no input to be had by the Production Company, which in some cases is an advantage as the brief will be detailed and will be easy for the company to create the product, but then also if there are issues within the brief, these cannot be changed, which can affect the quality of the final product. In my opinion, it is always best to negotiate a brief, as it allows the creator to have their own input on the ideas that will be raised.
Degree of Discretion in Interpreting the Brief
Like negotiating a brief, there is also a degree of discretion that occurs when dealing with a client. For example, when you receive a brief you have to interpret the ideas and think about them in a technological sense. This means thinking of how you would create the production, how you would distribute the production and also how the client wants it to look. This is where a meeting or consultation is used in order to discuss the ideas between the client and production company.
Constraints (Legal, Ethical and Regulatory)
When dealing with any brief, or making any form of media product that is going to be seen by the public, it is crucial that the Legal, Ethical and Regulatory constraints are deeply thought through. This means making sure that the ideas and themes that are within the product are not in any way racist, homophobic or cause any emotional or physical harm to a group of people. This is also the case where Legal constraints have to be thought of, as there are many government created laws and regulations that have to be abided by. This can be the Data Protection Act, Advertising Standards Authority, Ofcom, EU Competition Commission and many more. It is vital that any production has a detailed report of how the product will not affect any of the Laws and Regulatory Bodies. When comparing the different Constraints that can affect any Media Product, it is clear that Legal Constraints are the hardest to avoid, as it requires a true understanding of all the laws and regulatory bodies that can have an effect on the product being made. Whereas the Ethical Constraints can be worked upon in order to be avoided, such as having different ethnic groups working on the one product in order to make sure that no beliefs or themes go against the different ethnic groups.
Amendments to Proposed Final Product
During the Production Process there can be many different stages at which ideas can be changed or developed. This is why all production companies use Sign Off Sheets. These are a form of security, which states that when something has been done, the client cannot change it. This makes the production process easier and more effective for the Production Company, as if the Client were to say that they wanted to change the product half way through Production, then the company would have to do so, but with a Sign Off sheet it makes it impossible for this occurrence to happen. In my opinion having a Sign Off sheet is vital for any production company, as it creates a sense of security for the production company, and also makes the job easier for them as the client cannot tell them that they want a part of the production changed half way through the production development.
Amendments to Budget
Like the amendments to the Final Product, there can also be amendments to the Budget. This will be either when new costs have arisen or prices have changed, and the new costs will have to be discussed with the client to ensure that they are happy to pay for the extra amounts. When this happens there will have to be an updated version of the Pre-Production that will state the amount that the prices have changed by, whether it is an increase or decrease in price.
Amendments to Conditions
Like making an amendment to the Final Product, changing the conditions of the product will have an affect on the final product. For example, if the client was to change the target demographic for the product then there will be aspects that will have to be changed. This will affect the Production Company, as it will create more working hours on the one project. The only way for the company to avoid this situation is to have a detailed consultation that can be evidenced via Meeting Minutes or having Sign Off sheets to conclude when a part of the product has been completed and cannot be altered with afterwards.
Negotiating the Fees
When it comes to the first consultation with the client, it is vital that all of the costs that will be involved in making the product are discussed to a high standard. This is firstly by the client, by them running through all of the costs that they will pay for, and then the Production Company will have a detailed list of all the costs that will be involved, in order to settle a final price for the product. This can only be done in a Negotiated Brief, and in my own opinion, think that the negotiating of the cost of the product should not be part of the process, as the company should have a detailed look at the brief, and then tell the client the price for that product to be made. This is due to the company at risk of losing money in the long run.
Opportunities
Opportunities for Self Development
When working with a Brief it allows the Producer and the Client to develop new skills. These can be from learning new communication techniques, development skills in producing the product and also increasing the range of ideas that one can have about different products.
Multi-Tasking Opportunities
When working for any Production Company or as a Sole Trader there will always be more than one project on the go. This means handling and following multiple briefs at any one time, and therefore helps to improve any multi-tasking skills that you may have.
This can be developed mainly by working on two different briefs, such as an Animation Brief and a Movie Brief, and also working with Contractual Briefs and also Negotiated Briefs at the same time can also be an advantage to the producer, as it means that they can work on one project effectively. The producer will also be able to switch between their working day on the different projects effectively, and this skill is crucial when working within any media industry company.
Contributions to a Project Brief
When working on any brief, the creators of the product will normally be able to have their own input in to the project idea. However this is not possible when working with a Contractual Brief. However, being able to have the input that the producer has can allow for the idea to be further developed, and also discussing different methods of filming and planning can rectify any flaws within the idea. This can lead to bigger and higher quality products to be made, which will not only be good for the producer, but also it will please the clients, making them more likely to recommend the company to other potential clients.
Exemplar 2
