Working to a brief

1. WORKING TO A BRIEF
LO1
Millie Casemore

2. CONTRACTUAL BRIEF
Definition: This is essentially when a media company signs a legally binding
agreement to complete a specific task within a certain time period for a set
fee. It is a document that the media company and the client both sign
together. Also, it means that if you do not complete the set task to the brief
then you could be taken to court.
Advantages
One main advantage of a contractual brief if that both the client and the
freelancer know exactly what needs to be created and to what terms.
Another advantage is that if anything was to go wrong or the media
company didn’t meet the brief (or vice versa) then you have a legally binding
document to protect both the client and the media company. You won’t
have any issues with overspending because it is specifically stated in the
brief how much you have to spend. Essentially, the main advantage of a
contractual brief is that everything is clear and organised.
Disadvantages
There is the possibility of getting sued with a contractual brief if you do not
meet the requirements. Also another disadvantage is that you are locked in
with a contractual brief and it is difficult to get out of if something went
wrong. Say if you realised you couldn’t fulfil the contractual brief you would
need to find a way to get out of the contract.

3. FORMAL BRIEF
Definition
A client provides a media company with a brief that simply establishes the
product they want to be made. This brief contains the necessary information
that is needed to complete the project. Any extra information will need to
be gained during negotiations with the client to formalise it – this could
possibly move on to being a contractual brief. Similar to a contractual brief
the people involved will agree on the project but it may not be legally
binding.
Advantages
One advantage to a formal brief is that this type of brief gives you flexibility.
It allows you flexibility in terms of design, time constraints and budget. It is
not legally binding and this type of brief tends to be more flexible unlike
the contractual brief. Another advantage is that this type of brief keeps
everything quite simple. It allows for some more creative input and there is
no worry about being sued.
Disadvantages
One disadvantage of a formal brief is that it is not legally binding, therefore
you are not necessarily protected if something was to go wrong. If the price
wasn’t right or the time wasn’t right or they didn’t follow the brief then
there is nothing you can do because it is not legally binding. The only way
to prove it would be to have plenty of proof through emails.

4. INFORMAL BRIEF
Definition
An informal brief is a very relaxed and casual approach to undertaking work
for a client. It could typically just be a verbal brief with nothing in writing.
Thee is essentially no contracts or written documentation involved in this
process. Because it is informal there may be no set price, timescale or
design brief. An example would be if a manager of a company asked a
worker to ask their friend if they could do some photography for the
company. It isn’t written down and is only agreed upon through speaking.
Advantages
The main advantage is that you have loads of flexibility with what you can do
and what you want to do. There is no set brief and you can both agree
loosely on what you will be undertaking. There’s no formality so you can do
what you want. Another advantage is that the client is typically open to new
ideas and lots of creative input. Also, there is no set timeframe to work to
so you have as much time as you want to work on the project.
Disadvantages
The main disadvantage is that it is not a reliable brief or method of making
work. There is nothing written down or set in stone. The client may not pay
you in time or at all and it can be difficult to then get said payment. You
don’t have a legally binding contract to back you up if you need to go to
court. Another disadvantage is that with a formal brief you may not
necessarily get their core message across because nothing is set - you may
forget their ethos.

5. CO-OPERATIVE BRIEF
Definition
A co-operative brief is where two or more production companies are hired to work on a
specific brief. These companies then have to work together so they are able to complete
the project. If a disagreement arises, a negotiated brief would have to be submitted to
appease both companies.
Advantages
One advantage of a co-operative brief is that there are more people involved meaning
both production companies can work towards a better end product. There is a larger
team of people all with different specialities which can be used to the clients advantage.
The more people there are working on the product, the bigger the product and the
workload can be spread out. This means that the timeframe in which the product needs
to be completed can be smaller and the production rate is more efficient. Another
advantage is that because you’re working with another company you can bounce ideas
off each other. You’ll be able to generate lots of ideas and gain a better understanding
of the product and the brief. One of advantage is that because there is two of you, you
have a contingency plan or back-up plan. If you fell ill, the other company/person could
pick up some of the workload to assist on the project.
Disadvantages
An issue with a co-operative brief is that there may be too many creative differences. It
could be problematic if both companies have different ideas or different ways of
working. This will cause conflict and could make it difficult to work with one another.
Another disadvantage is that the payment plan could difficult to negotiate (who did the
most work, etc.). You’d also be earning less money if you work with another company
because you won’t get all the pay to yourself, they get a share of the money.

6. NEGOTIATED BRIEF
Definition
A negotiated brief is essentially if two or more media companies are working
on a brief together they may have conflicting ideas. This would mean that
they would have to negotiate the brief. Through this negotiation the brief
would be changed in order to appease all parties (this includes the client).
This could involve changing the visual style or changing the content or
ensuring the product stays within the boundaries of legal or ethical
obligation. Both parties have to compromise to allow for the project to
continue.
Advantages
The main advantage of negotiating the brief is that you are making sure that
everyone is happy. This is done by agreeing and discussing everything. You
agree upon things such as time, budget and design plans. Negotiating the
brief ensures that the team will all work together in synergy to create a
better product.
Disadvantages
A disadvantage to negotiating a brief is that if there is no agreement there
could be a future disagreement. This could lead to conflict and no product
being made, or a product not being made to the brief.

7. COMMISSION BRIEF
Definition
A commission brief is essentially where a media company hire an
independent media company to create a product for them. This brief is then
negotiated between two media companies rather than an external client.
Then the product may be used by the larger media company for an external
client. The independent production company will be paid for which then
makes the product and potentially part of the products profit each time it is
sold/broadcast/published.
Advantages
One main advantage is that when the brief is made by an independent
company you will be able to understand it better. This is because it is
coming from a professional company who knows all the media jargon and
terminology. Another advantage is that you will continue to get commission
from other people using your product the more it is used.
Disadvantages
A disadvantage of a commission brief is that you may not get paid as much
money than as if you had created the brief yourself. It means that the
commission brief company will get a share of the profit from creating the
brief.

8. TENDER BRIEF
Definition
A client publishes that they need a media product to be made. Next a
production company then creates a brief, proposal and budget for the
client, which is then pitched to them. Several production companies may
pitch a brief to the client in order to try and secure the product. The client
then decides upon the best proposal submitted and offers the project to
that production company.
Advantages
An advantage to a tender brief is that you have the flexibility to choose which
company you want. You’ll have a range of ideas to choose from and you’ll
be able to implement what you want into your project, choosing the correct
company. The client will be able to listen to a range of ideas and write down
them. This will allow the client to get the best product possible. Another
advantage is that you bypass the planning and negotiating stage. You don’t
have to negotiate and deduce a plan of action because the companies have
already done this for you and are ready to work for you.
Disadvantages
A disadvantage to a tender brief is that you may go and pitch but then not
actually be chosen by the client. That results in you wasting your time and
can be frustrating. There is no guarantee that you will win the pitch and be
chosen.

9. COMPETITION BRIEF
Definition
A competition brief is made available to all the participating production
companies. Then each company creates a product to this brief and enters it into
the competition. All completed products are then judged and the best is awarded
and the project is published. Usually it is free to enter the competition, the client
only have to pay the winning company if there is one.
Advantages
An advantage is that if you produce a decent quality piece of work that wins, it
could lead to further opportunities with the client. It could lead into creating more
work with the client or you being recommended to other clients, this would get
you into the business and possibly working for a large, reputable company.
Another advantage is that with a competition brief the company will get lots of
entries which means they’ll get a variety of hopefully quality content. This allows
them to see a range of ideas and possibly choose the best one. Finally, entering a
competition brief is free of charge which is obviously an advantage.
Disadvantages
A disadvantage of a competition brief is that you may not get a lot of entries if the
publicity or the awards aren’t good enough. This means that you may be forced
to have to give the prize to the ‘best’ one out of the entries you have been given –
there may not be one good enough. Another disadvantage of a competition brief
is that it may be a waste of time if you do not end up winning. You may have
spent a lot of time working on the product and end up not winning. Finally, the
work that has been entered may not be of good quality, this is an obvious
disadvantage.

10. MY BRIEF
Which structure/structures will your client brief use?
Reference your reasons for choice/choices
The brief which I have been given is is a formal brief. This is
because it is has been written down on a word document, this
makes it a formal brief and not an informal brief. However, it is
definitely not a contractual brief because neither me or the
client has signed a piece of paper to make it legally binding. A
formal brief gives me the guidance I need to create the product
but also allows me some create freedom because it is not
legally binding.

11. READING THE BRIEF
Why is it important to thoroughly read your brief?
It is important to thoroughly read your brief for accuracy. This way you
can understand your brief completely and know exactly what is asked
of you. You’ll be able to understand the design, the timeframe, the
budget, the background of the company, who the client is and if there
is anything you won’t actually be able to do/limitations.

12. READING THE BRIEF
What is the nature and demand of your client brief?
My client has asked me to create a brochure for her reflexology business
which she has just launched. The business is called Complementary
Therapies and she offers reflexology and hopefully massages in the
future. The brochure needs to include a piece about herself, an outline
of reflexology and how it works. She also has a page on Facebook
which she is looking to develop. The client has stated that she is very
flexible but she would like the colours purple, blue, pink and cream to
be considered along with a butterfly and nature theme.

13. NEGOTIATING A BRIEF
Why is it important to discuss the brief with your client prior to
production?
It Is important to read through the brief when you first receive it
because you need to ensure than everything is to a professional
standard and make sure everything is clear. If there is something you
don’t understand, you will be able to discuss this aspect with your
client to make it clear and make sense. Also, you will be able to
determine if there is any potential legal/ethical/regulatory issues with
the brief. If so, you will be able to discuss any problems and negotiate
the brief further. It also ensures that you won’t be breaking any laws
and that you understand everything that is asked of you.

14. NEGOTIATING A BRIEF
What are the advantages and disadvantages of employing discretion
with a brief?
An advantage of employing discretion with a brief is that it allows you to
add your own aspect to what is being said in the brief. This allows for a
lot of creative input and flexibility when it comes to creating the
product that is asked of you. However, it also means that you have to
check that your ideas don’t conflict with what has been said in the
brief. Also, it means that there is a possibility the brief could be too
vague and you will struggle to gain a basis on what to create for your
client.

15. NEGOTIATING A BRIEF
Are there any potential legal/ethical/regulatory issues with the brief’s
proposed product?
In terms of legal and ethical considerations there are a few laws which I
will need to consider. The main law is copyright because I will be using
fonts, colours and reference images. I feel that my main issue will be
trying to find the perfect font which is completely free to use
commercially. If I don’t find this font, I may have to create my own
using my own handwriting.
I don’t feel that for this project I will have to consider many regulatory
bodies, if any. I am not advertising anything that is considered taboo or
that the government are cracking down on (like smoking and drinking).
I may need to have a look over some ASA laws just in case my project
works against one.

16. NEGOTIATING A BRIEF
Amendments you have considered to:
The Product
I have considered an amendment for the product. After considering my
options, I decided to change the product from a brochure to a leaflet.
This is because I didn’t simply have enough information to put into a
brochure due to my client being a new business.
The Budget
I do not need to consider any changes to the budget because I don’t
need any money to complete this project. However, something that
could have been considered in different circumstances is changing the
budget because the client may have not given me enough money to
complete the project.
The Conditions
I haven’t needed to consider any changes to the conditions of the brief.
However, in other circumstances I may have needed to consider
changes if I wasn’t being paid enough.

17. OPPORTUNITIES
What opportunities could this brief allow you to explore?
Self Development
This project can help me develop as a media producer by allowing me to
work to a brief that has been set by a real world client. This is
something that will be very helpful for the future and will allow me to
develop significantly as a media producer.
Learning new skills
The new skill which I will be developing in this project will be Adobe
Illustrator which is a piece of software that I have barely used. I will
need to use it for this project so it will allow me to develop a new skill
in Illustrator which may be useful for the future.

18. OPPORTUNITIES
Multi-skilling
This project gives me the opportunity to use my skills in various
different pieces of software. I will be using my skills in Photoshop to
make the main product. I’ll be using illustrator for creating the
illustrations. InDesign will possibly be used for an text based work.
Contributing to a project
This brief gives me a chance to contribute to the opening of a new
business and give my client a basis for her promotional and advertising
materials. It also allows me to work directly with a client which is
something I have never done before.