1. Define and summarise the following range of creative production briefs:
Contractual:
“A contractualbrief is a type of brief or contractwherea media company is employed by theclient in
orderto complete a projectwithin the brief which is set to specific guidelineswhich themedia company
mustfollow.It will be very importantforthe media company to follow theseguidelinesand do exactly
whatthe client stateswithin the brief,if they fail to do so this can result in a breach of contractand the
company could facelegal actions.”(Source:
http://creativemediaatjt.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/contractual-brief.html)
A contractual brief iswhere aclientemploysamediacompanytocreate what theyare looking for.This
couldbe many thingssuchas a TV advert,radioadvertor anythingwithinthe mediaworld.Withthis
contract comesa setof guidelinesorrulesthatthe companyneedstoabide by.If the companydoesnot
complywiththese guidelinesthe clientcouldtake legal action.
NHS Health and Safety Promotional Video
Communication- A contractual brief will includealotof communicationasthe clientandthe company
will have tonegotiate the agreementbefore theybeginthe brief.Theywill alsoneedtodiscussthe
guidelinesandcontinue tocommunicateif the companyfindsanyissueswiththe guidelinesorwiththe
brief.
Time Management- The mediacompanywill have tokeeptime managementverystrictinorderto
complete the productwithinthe time scale.The time scale ordeadline mayalsobe included withinthe
guidelinesorbrief,andif the mediacompanydoesnotcomplywiththe guidelinestheycouldface legal
action.
Technical Skills- The mediacompanymay needanumberof technical skillsinordertocomplete the work
and make sure the endproduct isup to the standardthat the clientisexpecting.Forexample when
creatingthe NHS promotional videotheywill have toknow atleastthe basicsof filmmakingandediting,if
theydo notor have basicknowledgeonthese subjects,theycanimprove orlearnthe skillsneeded
throughoutthe process.
Career Progression- The brief coulddefinitelygive the mediacompanycareerprogressionbecause if they
have little ornoknowledge of filmmakingbefore creatingthe producttheycanprove theyhave improved
theirfilmmakingskills.Thisisalsobeneficial because itshowsthatthe mediacompanyhasanother
technical skill thatwill helpthemfindfuturework,whichwill enable themtomove ontoa higheror
betterjobafterthe contract is completed.
Commission:
2. “This brief is where a largemedia company willemploy an otherindependentmedia company to create
and producetheproductforthem,and after theproducthasbeen madethe larger company may go on to
be usethe productforan externalclient who will pay the independentmedia company formaking the
productand they could even geta cut of theroyalties too.The brief is notnegotiated between the
company and theclient, howeveris negotiated between thetwo media companies.”(Source:
http://creativemediaatjt.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/commission-brief.html)
A commissionbriefiswhenalarge mediacompanyemploysanindependentmediacompanytocreate a
certainmediaproductforthem.Whenthe independentcompanyhascompletedthe product,the large
mediacompanywill sendittoan external clientwhothenpaysthe companyforthe product.
Radio Advert
Communication: Whenworkingon a commissionbrief,itwill improve bothcommunicationand
negotiationskillsthroughout.There will have tobe anagreementinplace withthe clientforthe ideaof
the product,thenalsowhencreatingthe product.
Time Management:Whenworkingonthisbrief time managementwilldefinitelyhave tobe considered.
Creatinga time schedule andkeepingintouchwiththe clientthroughoutwillensure the standardswill be
metand finishedwithinthe timescale anddeadline.
Technical Skills:Workingon a radio advertwill improve avaried amountof technical skills,workingwitha
soundboard,recordingequipmentandmixingtable alongwiththe correctsoftware will improve many
technical skillswhichare thentransferable.
Career Progression:Workingona commissionbrief will expandbusinessif the productiscompletedand
up to industrystandards.Havingexperience withthiswillalsoaddtoportfoliosandshow future
businesseswhowill be workedwithwhatIcan do,have hopefullyinturnbringinmore business
opportunitiesinthe future.
Negotiated:
3. “This type of brief will bebroughtup if the co-operativebrief given to thetwo of moremedia companies
thatare competing theprojecthaveany issues between themselvesaboutthebrief or anything they
would like to clear up with theclient. Through thenegotiationsthebrief can then be changed in order to
suite every partytaking part in the production.Thiscould be anything fromchangingtheappearanceof
the productto changing theproductscontentaswell as keeping it to the guidelinesset in the brief.”
(Source:http://creativemediaatjt.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/negotiated-brief.html)
Thisform of brief iswhere twoor more companiesnegotiatetheirideasforaproduct or projectand all
companiesmustagree withthe termsbefore the brief isfinalised.Thismeansthatall partiesworkingon
the brief will have todiscusseveryissueanditemnecessaryandchange anyideasuntil eachpartyagree
and itis fair.
Podcast
Communication– For thistype of brief,there wouldbe communicationwiththe clientdirectlythrough
meetingsoroverthe phone callssurroundingthe product.Thiswill helpif the clientormediacompany
have any queriesorissues,whichcanbe broughtupcan be dealtwithandnegotiateddirectly.
Time management– The clientwill decide whatthe official deadline isforthe product.Toensure this
deadline will be metandthe productwill be upto industrystandard,time managementskillsmustbe
appliedfrombeginning.
Technical Skills– Whenworkingonthisproduct withthisformof brief,itwill helpgaintechnical skills
whichwill thenbe helpful andusefulinthe future withotherprojects.Creatingapodcastfor example will
require the use of recordingequipmentalongwithotherequipmentandsoftware.
Career Progression– Workingwitha negotiatedbrief willhelpwithnegotiationskills,thiswill definitely
helpwhenworkingonotherprojectsandnegotiationwillbe required.Whensearchingforfuture work as
negotiationskillshelp,whencomingtoagreementswithclientsfollowingfuture briefs.
Tender:
“This is wherea client will advertisetheir brief and a production company willbring togethera proposal
thatthey will pitch to the client, there could be multiple pitches to theclient frommany different
4. companies,so theclient will then get the chanceto choosetheproposalthatthey thinkbest suitstheir
brief and offerthejob to thatproduction company.”(Source:
http://creativemediaatjt.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/tender-brief.html)
A tenderbrief iswhere aclientwill advertise the producttheywantmade througha brief,aproduction
companyor evenseveral productioncompanieswillcreate aproposal showinghow theywillmake that
product,whichtheywill thenpitchto the client.The clientwill thenchoose whatproductioncompany
theywantto go withto make theirproduct,basedontheirpitch.
Corporate Rebranding
Communication– To ensure aproposal getschosenforthisprojectcommunicationiskeyasstayingin
touch withthe clientfromthe beginningenticesthe clientmore andshowshow committedyoucanbe to
theirproject.Thiscan be done manyways howeveremailandoverthe phone are mostcommon.
Time management– Workingon thisbrief meansyouhave to ensure yougetthe projectcompletedand
up to industrystandardthatthe clientexpectsbythe deadline.Time managementcanbe shownmany
wayshoweveratime schedule will showtothe clienthow youplantokeepontrack at all times.
Technical skills– Technical skillswill be variedandusedthroughoutthisbrief dependingonthe product
theywant.
Career Progression– Workingon a tenderbrief will helpwithfindingworkinthe future,itshowsfuture
clientsyourpreviousworkandmayhelpwhengettingchosenforjobs.
Formal:
“This this wherea media company isgiven a brief by the client which outlinesthe productwhich they want
made.This brief is very open and only givesenough information to beableto producethe product,any
issuesor information thatthemedia company would like to go overcan be discussed during the
5. negotiationswiththeclient. Boththe client and the company employed by themwill formally agreeon the
projectand the brief but it cannotalwaysbelegally binding.”(Source:
http://creativemediaatjt.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/formal-brief.html)
A formal brief iswhenamediacompanyisgivena brief tomake a product bya client.The brief isvery
openand anyproblemsthe clienthascanbe discussedintoanagreement,howeverthisbrief isnot
alwayslegallybinding.
Logo Design
Communication– Whenworkingona formal brief the clientwill be veryspecificwithhow theywantthe
finalisedproductto be created.Communicationwouldbe keythroughoutworkingonthis project;this
helpsensure everythingiscreatedtothe client’s standardsbykeepingthemupdatedthroughoutand
makingthe necessarychangedwhenneeded.Thisismostcommonlydone though phone calls,email or
meetings.
Time management– Whenworkingon thisbrief itsisverykeyandimportantto meetthe finalised
deadline thatthe clienthasdecided.Toensure thishappens,itsimportanttoplaninadvance by creating
a time schedule.Thiswillhelpkeepyouontrackand show the clientwhere yourupto and whatyou have
lefttodo.
Technical skills– Technical skillswill alsobe usedthroughoutthisproject,becauseit’saformal brief and
the clientwill be veryspecificwitheverydetail,youneedtoensure everytinyaspectof the logois
completedcorrectly.Thiscanbe made thoughsoftware suchas Adobe Photoshoporillustrator.These
technical skillsare thentransferable tofuture projects.
Career progression– Workingon a formal brief helpsgainworkinthe future,itshowsyour
professionalismwhenworkingonaformal brief.Italsoshowsfuture clientswhatyoucancreate andto a
professionalstandard,italsoshowsdeterminationanddedicationtothe projectwhencompleted.
Co-operative
“Within this typeof brief thereare usually two or more companiesthatarehired by the client to workto
the brief they havewritten for the specific projectthey wantto be completed.Afterboth companieshave
received the brief they can then proceed to work togetherto producethe product.If thereis a
disagreementorconflict in ideasthere can be a negotiated brief in orderto resolvethese issues.”(Source:
http://creativemediaatjt.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/co-operative-brief.html)
6. A co-operative brief iswhere twoormore companiesworktogetherandbroughttogetherbythe client,
so theycan co-operativelyworkonthe productthatthe clienthas askedtobe made.Thisentailsthe
companiesinvolvedwill havetoworkveryclose togethertoensure the productismade properlyandto
the client’sstandard.
Ad Campaign
Communication– Whenworkingona co-operative briefmeanscommunicationiskeythroughout,in
orderto keepincontact withthe clientandthe othermediacompanyinvolved.Thisisveryimportantas
it ensuresanyissue the clienthascanbe resolvedquicklyandhelpswhencomingtoanagreement.
Time management– Creatinga time schedule will helpkeepyouontrackand alsokeepthe client
informedof where youare upto and whentheycan expectforcertainaspectsof the productto be
completed.Italsohelpstoensure youcompletethe productbythe deadline.
Technical skills– Technical skillswill be usedthroughoutthisproject,thiswill varydependingonwhat
productit is.
Career progression– Workingon a co-operative brief will definitelyhelpwhenfindingworkinthe future,
it showsyourabilitytoworkalongside otherpeople andyourabilitytocompleteaproductup to industry
level standards.
Informal
“An informalbrief is not documented and isusually of the verbalkind.It is wherethe client and the
company which they haveemployed simply discussthe requirementsforthe productthey will be making
and ultimately agrees upon theproject.”(Source:
http://creativemediaatjt.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/informal-brief.html)
An informal brief iswhenthereisnowrittencontractual agreement,itisall verbal between the clientand
productioncompany.
7. Music video
Communication– Whenworkingonthisbrief the communicationiskey,the briefisalmostall verbal and
a lot of communicationwill be involved.Thisisvital toensure youkeepintouchwiththe clienttodiscuss
and queriesandrequirementsforthe product.Thisisusuallydone throughemail orphone calls,
occasional a meetingwillbe setup.
Time management– Keepingintouchwiththe clientwill establishwhenthisproductneedstobe
finalisedandcompleted.Creatingatime schedule will helpensureyoustaywithinthe time scale and
meetthe deadline.
Technical skills– Workingon an informal brief will improve communicationskillsandthe skillsthatare
requiredtocreate that product,whichvaries.Forexample withamusicvideocameraskillsare required,
recordingskills,alongwitheditingandpostproductionskills.
Career progression- This brief will helpimprove yourcommunicationskills,whichwill helpwhenfinding
workwhencomingto agreementsonproducts.
8. The clientforthisproject
isFourwalls,howeverit
alsoexplainsthatDavid
Lammey will playan
importantrole inthis
project.
Thisshowswhat
the filmshouldbe
basedaboutand
alsowhothe
target audience
for thisprojectis,
membersof the
publicwholive in
London.
It clearlystates
here whatthe
regulationsare.
For thisproject
the filmisnot to
be longerthan3
minutesand
that youhave to
respondtothe
brief inorderto
submityour
film.
Thisstates
clearlywhenthe
deadline forthis
projectis,and
whenitneedsto
be submittedto
the client.
There are a fewthingsthe filmmakerneedstoconsiderwhencreatingtheirproject.Forexample,if theywanttouse
musicintheirfilmtheymusthave the permissionforittobe usedor theycan use music thatis loyaltyfree andisnot
copy written.If theydonotconsiderthisanduse any musicthat has copywrite it isa legal issue andcan be takento
court. The onlyethical issue thatcanbe consideredwhencreatingthisfilmisif the filmmakerpromotedthe clientor
the are or focusof the filmina negative wayintentionally.
