working to a brief

1. Working to a Brief
LO1
Name

2. Contractual Brief
Definition
This is when a media company will sign a agreement to complete a certain task within a specific time for period with then a
set fee. It is then that if the company or the client od not stick to this brief they could be facing legal action. As you have
signed that you will do all that you have agreed upon. But it’s the same with the company say they didn't pay you the fee
that is on the brief and been promised they could face legal action. This is why it can be very important that you read
your contract before you end up signing it. To ensure that you agree to everything that has been written down or to make
sure you can discuss a few things you don’t agree with before signing the contract.
Advantages
This brief can have its advantages for example with this kind of brief it lays out specifically everything that the company is
wanting you to do and to be done. But it also tells you how, when and why. As this way it will be clear what your budget
may be from the company when the deadline is and when the company is wanting all the work to be done for. But you
also have a clear payment from the company of what they are going to pay you. But one of the most important
advantages to this brief is that its able to give you the protection you need if it is needed. As if the brief is not followed
correctly then legal action can happen.
Disadvantages
However like I have said if the contract is no followed then you can be facing legal action which can be a massive
disadvantage to this brief as much as it is a advantage. This can even be for simple things as not meeting your deadline as
the client or for the company not giving the client the money you both agreed and promised on. This can bring a pressure
onto the client with trying to be able to get the project finished in time and in doing so can stop their freedom to being
creative with the project. With this kind of brief you also have the disadvantage of it could take a while depending on
what the brief is like as there can be a lack of disagreement with the client and company which means it could take more
time then needed. With this kind of brief once you have signed the contract you are then locked into it, you are not able
to back out of the contract or even able to take up any other projects. You as the client are only able to focus on this one
contract until the deadline is over and you have finished all the work that you agreed to do for them.

3. Formal Brief
Definition
Its more of a half way point towards a structured brief. The brief gives you a rough idea of what you should be doing but you
are able to be flexible a little. A charity could give you a brief and may want some posters designed to promote their
charity and how much of a good place it is. So in a brief they will write down that it is a poster they are after but then it is
up to you what colour schemes and designs you are able to use. But you will then have to talk to the company to work
out what colour schemes it is they would like so that before you sign you are able to make it to more of a formal brief so
that it works for them.
Advantages
This kind of brief is able to give you more freedom and flexibility with your design elements, time and even sometimes
budget. It more of a simple brief and it can can be less stressful with legal reasons. But you are able to be more relaxed
and creative with the work you produce. You will be able to talk through email and formalise it as well so that both
parties know what is happening and so that no one is able to back track, as you will have a record of things that have
been agreed on.
Disadvantages
With this kind of brief you aren't legally binding so things can go wrong, with things like time and even money. But to get
through this kind be through email and making sure that you have a record of what has been agreed on.

4. Informal Brief
Definition
A very relaxed approach towards work for a client. This is something that could be done in person and just talking to
someone a more verbal agreement. Which is something that you aren't able to trace or build up evidence of what it is
you will create for your client. Meaning no contracts or written up documentation to support your project. An example of
this could be a manager asking someone to then ask someone else to do some work for them. As you may be agreeing to
doing this work but your not getting it written down.
Advantages
With this kind of brief you don’t have anything to follow so you have a lot more freedom and flexibility to do whatever it is
you would like to do. The client is still able to tell you a few things for what they may like or don’t but there's not
formality. So you are still able to do what you would prefer as long as they still like it. The client will typically open to the
ideas you have and also with this kind of work you don’t have a time frame, as long as you do the work it is fine this could
a week, a month or even 6 months as long as you still get it done.
Disadvantages
With this kind of work it is not reliable. Especially if you are wanting the work doing for a event as since with this brief there
isn't any time frame it may not be made in time. This can also be the same with getting your money even after you have
done the work you may have to chase them a while in order to get the pay. You may forget things and not get that main
message across from the business which in return could damage their business a little.

5. Co-Operative Brief
Definition
This when a client hires more then one production company to then work together to complete a brief set out by a
company. You will have more then one media company working on this brief as they will all show case a different set f
skills to help with the completing the brief set out by the company. An example of this is that they could hire both a
graphic designer and videographer to work on a brief as the company may want both a promotional video and a print
campaign but having both of these work together on the brief can help. As this way you know they will both have similar
aspects and go together. Rather then hiring them both separate on different briefs and the two things come out looking
completely different.
Advantages
This can be good as it means that work can be done a little quicker then if it was just one person as you are able to shared
the work load a lot better. You also have the fact that since you are working with different people they will have a range
of different ideas that you will be able to bounce off each other which can really help as this aspect can be hard when you
are o your own and trying to come up with ideas. You have the fact that if during this brief you become ill suddenly you
still have someone else to cover you and carry on with the work so that your still able to meet the deadline that has been
set out. You may also as the client be able to learn new skills during the process from the new people that you may end
up working with to complete the brief.
Disadvantages
This can be a brief where it is easier to have disagreements and arguments can start due to everyone will have their own
idea and things that they have in mind they would like to produce for the company. You then have the bigger problem of
the money the company has then promised you as you have to try and split this between how many any other people you
have worked with. Which can cause a disagreement if someone who thinks they did more work will then think they
deserve more money then other people.

6. Negotiated Brief
Definition
Negotiating can be both with just you and your client but it can also be with you and another media company and then your
client as well. It depends on who you have on the brief and if you are working with anyone else. But you may need to
negotiate with your client for a number of reasons as it could be trying to work out what requirements need to be
produced. But this can formalise the brief before it has been taken so there is still room to talk things over before you sing
it and agree to everything that you may not want too. As you may have a problem with the time scale, the money they
have promised you it could be anything but this way your able to talk and negotiate about it before agreeing to the brief
and this way you make both parties happy and neither you or your client doesn't agree with anything.
Advantages
The advantage to this is that your making sure everyone is happy before signing the contract and undertaking it. As if you
don’t agree with something your client has put but then undertake the brief and agree to it you aren't able to then go
back and change it you are stuck with that brief which if you are unhappy with it you wont be able to create a good
product as your mood with the brief and agreement will show in your work. Where as if you are happy with what has
been said that it will create a better product as your mood will show in your work. But also say you didn't get along with
another party that you are working with then this yet again will reflect in your work. But by working with someone's else
and negotiating to what you would both like to do it can create better ideas and it means you will work a lot better
together rather then if you don’t talk about it first as you may end up doing something that you didn't want to and
doesn't show off your set of skills .
Disadvantages
If you dot talk wit the other person your talking to then you could come across a number of problems before starting the
project. As one main thing that it could create is arguments which will be a waste of time and will also set you back when
working as you will spend too much arguing over silly things rather then getting on with the work you have promised to
get done for your client in a certain time frame. Also you may miss some information off your brief if you don’t negotiate
as by doing this you will need to look through it and talk tot hem about things where as if you just accept it you may miss
things off. But also some things may not be correct and you may not realise until it is too late.

7. Commission Brief
Definition
This brief is when it is negotiated between two media companies rather then the client. As you have a large media company
that is high up and then a much smaller independent company to create the product. This could be because the larger
company don’t specialise in what they are being asked to do so they will hire the smaller company who do and so they
will then make the product. The smaller company will also then get paid for their work.
Advantages
This is a god thing for the larger company as it means they are still able to produce the product but through a smaller
company that has the skills to make it since they don’t. It can be good for the smaller company to get a little bit known
and to grow a little as if they do a good job then they have a bigger company that will trust their work. But for the larger
company it means that they can have a diverse range of products without needing the skills to make them.
Disadvantages
A disadvantage is that the larger company do need to pay the smaller company for their working meaning they do lose out
on money. Which will cost them more then if they were able to actually create the product themselves and learn a new
set of skills so that this is something that they wont need to do in the future either.

8. Tender Brief
Definition
This is where the client will publish that they have a product that needs to be made and then a media company upon
coming across it will be able to undertake it if they would like to. But after seeing this they will then start to create a brief
stating budget and the proposal. Then go ahead and pitch this to the client asking for the work. With this kind of work
more then one person will be able to stay they are interested why it is important to have the brief as then the client is
able to choose which one they prefer and like best. So the client has a great amount of choice to be able to choose from
to find the best they think will work. This then creates competition between the companies as they don’t know if they
will get to make this product or not.
Advantages
The advantage to this is that the client has a lot of proposals to be able to choose from to find which one they think will
work best and what they like. So this way you don’t have the one media company that make your project but in the end
its not what you wanted. This can also be good for the media company as well as your able to write your own brief so you
still have a little freedom to do what you would like and also it means the company will be happy with what they make as
they chose a lot of it and this will then end up reflecting in the work that they make. So you really have that flexibility to
do what you would like while the client is able to choose from a number of companies what they like and appeals to them
most.
Disadvantages
For the client not writing the brief themselves can bring some disadvantages as they may not agree wit some things. But it
can be hard having to choose from a number of different ones as you may like two but would like them to combined as on
both their still might not be things you are too keen on. Another thing is that you as the media company have taken your
time to create a pitch and brief and may not actually end up getting it which can be a waste of your time and you could
miss out on other things that are more for your set of skills.

9. Competition Brief
Definition
This when a brief is released to a number of different media companies who will participate in the competition to win the
project. Each of the companies will then go on to complete the brief and even the product as well. Which when the
product is completed the client will then judge the to see which one they like best and appeals to them. Then the one the
client likes will have their project published. These competitions are free for the media companies to enter but then the
winner will receive money from the client for their work.
Advantages
Any media company is able to enter this competition meaning that this way it is giving a chance to smaller companies as
well. So that they are able to get their work out there more if they win which can slower start and make them grow into a
larger company. It is good for the client as they are bale to choose from a number of products of which one they like best
and appeals to them rather then having one that they may not be too pleased about. They will also be able to see a
selection of different types and diversity of work to choose from as none of them will be the same.
Disadvantages
A disadvantage is that the media companies will have taken time in making the products and if they don’t win it can be a big
waste of their time especially the larger companies meaning they could be missing out on other chances and opportunity
on something that would better suite them. You also have the fact that the company may not even get paid for all the
work that they have done if they do win which yet again for say a small company this can be a waste of their time as they
aren't getting too far with it and not much gain. But here can be disadvantages to the client as well as all the entries
could be bad and nothing could appeal to them.

10. My Brief
For my brief I think it will be easier to keep to more of a structured kind of brief so that this way I am able to see clearly
what it is that my client would like me to do. I feel like this is the best kid of format to use as like I said it will be more
clear as I feel like if I had any other way I wont be able to know as much as what my client would like for me to do. As this
way it will be written down and we will both have a copy so that neither of us are able to back out of what has been
agreed upon which since this is a college project I wont be getting paid so I neither me or my client will have anything to
really back out from. But this is format is also useful for the fact that it is written down as me and my client could have
just spoken about what it is they would like me to do and then both agreed this wouldn't work as well as I wouldn't be
able to remember everything my client would like me to do for my work. So I am able to go back and read the brief again
in case I have missed anything or to make sure that I am staying on task to what it is my client would like to me to
produce for them and that I'm not adding anything hey wouldn't want me to . I also get some information from the client
about their company which can help me get more of an idea about them and what would best suit their company from
this information I have been given. As to can help to see what my client thinks they are like rather then just doing my own
research as this way I get an idea of what my client thinks the company is and what my audience do. Also with this kind of
brief my client isn't able to take any legal action against me but all this would be is if I don’t finish the work on time for
them. As with this kind of project there isn't anything else they could use against me. But with a structured brief I am able
to see if either of us back out of anything which i don’t think will happen but also able to see if they mention anything
different to the brief through maybe email to what they would like. With this kind of brief I also wont be competing
against anyone for doing this work so my client will only receive my work during this time for what they have asked I wont
have anyone else to compete with to make sure that my client do use my work. Then lastly I also wont have to work with
anyone else either it will only be me working on this project.

11. Reading the Brief
Why is important to thoroughly read your brief?
Reading through my brief can be very important as I think I should re-read my brief through out production as this way I am
able to make sure that I am track of what my client would like. As if I read the brief once I could miss certain things and
this way I would be disanointing my client as everything we agreed upon I could forget something. So by re-reading my
brief I'm able to stay on track and make sure I deliver everything that my client had asked for. Which will appeal to my
client more as it will show that I read the brief right and have delivered everything that they have asked for. This also
allows me to get a better understanding of my client of what requests they may have for what I will create for them but
by reading it I am able to understand if they are giving me a lot of freedom for this work or if they are wanting to be more
controlling of what they would like to see with what I make for them. As with the brief this is where I will find out how
much freedom they are giving me with this piece of work as they may want to control a lot of the design so the colours I
may choose they may not let me do this and choose more what they would like. Which one thing I know they will be
controlling and saying through the brief is font that they would like me to use when making the poster.
When making sure that I keep re-reading the brief I'm also able to pick on things that I may have not seen beforehand which
can be lucky as if I miss something it will be disappointing to my client when I present them with the work I have made
and ended up missing something. So I feel like this is something really important as it goes very well with making sure
that I please my client and make everything they have asked for and how they may have asked for it to be made too.

12. Reading the Brief
What is the nature and demand of your client brief?
The brief that I received from my client is very open to what I would
like to make and design. They started off strong with telling me
about their company and who they are. I feel like this really helps
me with who they are and what kind of vibe they give off to
people. They then also explained what it is they are planning to
do and what my poster is for which yet again helps as this way I
am able to get more of a of their audience and who it is they
appeal too.
They were then still strong with what it is they would like me to do.
I feel like this is where they gave me more freedom to what it is I
design for them. As all they have said is that they would like to
see a poster, flyer and to be able to add it to their social media as
well. So they aren't even asking too much from me as once I
make the poster I am able to then use this for my flyer as well
and change its size to fit onto their social medias as well. Also the
fact that I know I have two weeks to be able to do this I think is
good time as well for what they have asked from me.
With specific requirements they have helped a lot with saying what
fonts they use so I'm able to choose out of the two maybe for
what I do or even use both. They then explained their current
designs already as well which is helpful so that I can get a real
idea of what I am able to do for my ideas. They have really
helped with the brief of everything I do need to add while still
giving me a lot of freedom to kind of do my won designs which I
think is a good and bad thing as I still want to make sure that I
am able to appeal to them and that they like the designs as well
before its too late for me to change them.

13. Negotiating a Brief
Why is it important to discuss the brief with your client prior to production?
Discussing the brief to my client can be very important as there could be a few things that I don’t really agree with or even
may need more information as they could have given me too much freedom to what I could do. But I need to make sure
that me and my client after the brief are still on the right page and that we both understand what it is I plan to do for
them and in what time frame. This can be something that is done through email as this way I will still have a copy of
everything that has been said. In case I need to read over it or even if something changes later down the line. So doing
this through email is good as if something changes I'm able to re-read it all and make sure that I really am going to appeal
to my client with everything that I have made and make sure it is everything that they have asked for. But I'm able to
check all the requirements needed with my client and that they also don’t have anything to add or change as they could
change their mind to what they need me to make or even the date of when the venue is opening could change so this will
be something we will need to discuss through email if it where to happen as it does change the brief a little bit.
Discussing the brief further also gives me the chance to ask anymore questions that I may need too which I think would
be a good thing for me since my client has given me such freedom meaning coming up with ideas can be a lot harder as I
don’t fully know what it is they would like to see. As I do like the freedom I have and I think for a creative students I think
it is a good idea to have freedom but too much can be an issue with coming up with ideas. Also it means that before
production does start it can be best to talk to my client to make sure that ideas I have already come up with or mocked up
they are able to give me feedback on so that I am able to see what they think works and what could do with a bit more
improvement which I think helps a lot with how much freedom they have given me as this way I can go in more of a
direction where they will like the poster and so will I. Also this can help the client stay at ease by making sure I keep in
contact with new ideas I make so that they can see what I'm doing and still have their input too. So that I'm not just
making a poster that I like and doesn't fit them or their target audience.

14. Negotiating a Brief
What are the advantages and disadvantages of employing discretion with a brief?
When It comes to brief work their can be a few advantages and disadvantages to it. As with most briefs you will find that
there is an allowed discretion with the interpretation of the information that has been given. As the information has been
supplied by the brief could be quiet vague which then allows for you to give your own interpretation to what has been
asked from you. When using your own discretion it can allow you to add aspects to the brief or even add new and
interesting things that you would like to try. But if this is something you end up doing you need to make sure that your not
compromising the brief. The advantages to working to a brief is that you can get a lot of freedom to what it is you make or
have been asked to make which for someone creative it can be a massive help as your able to go through ideas of what
would work and your not constricted to what it is you are able to do. But not only will you create something that your client
likes but you now that with the freedom you will also end up liking what you made which I think is as important as making
sure that your client likes it too. As if you don’t like the work you have created for them then you will have a negative
outlook on it and your client may pick up on this. But if you like it you are more driven to get it all done and time and you
will enjoy yourself while your making as well. A disadvantage is that when you have so much freedom it can mean that
there is more room for error as what you may be interoperating from the brief could be wrong and you could make
something that your client doesn't end up liking at all and its not what they actually ended up asking for either. Which could
mean you have to restart the production all over again and try and get a clear idea of what it is your client wanted in the
first place so all your ending up doing is creating more work for yourself then needed. Which is wasting the clients time and
also your own.

15. Negotiating a Brief
Are there any potential legal/ethical/regulatory issues with the brief’s proposed product?
With my brief there isn't really anything that I do need to consider when it comes to laws but this can depend on the brief
you have as if you breach your brief. But you can have copyright which can become a problem this is both with the fonts
that will be used and photographs. TO make sure things like this don’t happen I need to make sure that I look at the
photographs and fonts I use to make sure that they are copy right free and I am free to use them for my production. I feel
like personally this is something that wont be a problem to me especially photographs as I will be using my own or ones
my client send me. But what I will need to make sure off is that my font isn't copyrighted. Which my client has told me
what fonts they would like me to use and when searching them I found one of them on Dafont.com which when looking
and making sure this is free and not copyrighted so I will be able to use this and make sure that nothing else I use is
copyrighted. You also have race and discrimination which can become a problem when making posters which for me I
feel like neither of these will be a problem as I wont involve any photographs of people or anything within my work but
also I feel like my clients are good in the fact that the beer create is vegan friendly so that their not really discriminating
one and work hard to make sure that their beers they make are vegan friendly. Which they let people know with a logo
on their beers so people can tell. I wont face any regulatory issue either when making my posters as there is no
controversial topics that I will be covering with my posters. As the posters are promoting the new venue that my client
has decided to open. Which I am targeting a older audience since there is an age limit on things like this but at the venue
my client is doing they also will be selling things like coffee so it wont all be alcohol which ahs the the age limit of 18.
Which I will need to keep in mind when I am making my posters.

16. Negotiating a Brief
Amendments you have considered to:
The Product
I will have two weeks to be able to do my production and make the posters and everything for my client. This is a short time
scale but I'm sure that I will be able to do all my production within this time as like my brief has said my client would like
me to make a poster and then change the sizes so that they can then go on my clients social media so that they can reach
as many people as possible about their new venue. Which when changing the size I will change the poster a little as a
smaller size I wot be able to have the same design as it wont work for every size. But just because I will have short time to
do this production I cant forget to keep reading my brief to make sure I'm including everything that my client would like
me too and that I'm doing what they have asked so that it does appeal to them. Then I will need to remember to check
that anything I use for my poster doesn't breach copyright and that it is free for me to use.
The Budget
There will be no budget provided by my client which if anything does cost me this is something that I will need to pay
myself. Which thankfully for me I know for a fact that this project wont cost me anything apart from maybe if I choose to
print out my poster but apart from that it wont cost nothing so this is something I don’t need to worry about as if I need
to take photographs I can use my own camera or one from college. When making my posters I can use Photoshop which is
something I have at college and I don’t need to worry about the cost of transport as my client is based in my village so I
am able to walk then if need be.
The Conditions
Normally with projects like this and through a brief you and your client will come up with a price that you will paid for your
time, skills and what you end up producing. But I am undertaking a free brief and doing free production for my client
since I am student and that has asked the client if there was any work that I could do for them. Which is something that
both me and my client understand and wont cause nay trouble between us. But if I was to receive payments my brief
would needed to be adjusted to suite this as with the brief your able to keep track so that your client isn't able to pay you
lower then said.

17. Opportunities
What opportunities could this brief allow you to explore?
Self Development
I feel like with this I will develop new skills that I haven't learnt before as I am being more independent as a person. With
having to find a client and then talk to them about what work I am able to do and what it is they may like me to do for
them. But I'm able to improve on ideas as I feel like this is something that I struggle with as I can have too many ideas that
don’t work. So with this project I really want to focus on this, I feel like the best way would be to come up with a few
ideas and to then start developing them till I find the right one that works. But I am learning to work with a client in a
professional way of making sure that I keep in touch with email so that they know what I'm doing. But also make sure
that want I'm doing it is something that they like. I have to make sure that I reply to them in a professional manner too
and not talking to them like I would my friends. SO I feel like this is something I am learning and developing that will really
help me in the future if this is a road I go down. I will also be developing my skills to make posters which if focusing more
on where I put things on a page to grab peoples attention and to make sure everything has its own room so I will be
looking at page layouts and also developing on my visual hierarchy to make sure that you can tell what texts are more
important then others.
Learning new skills
I feel like with this project I will be learning a number of skills I feel like especially poster making as I feel like this is
something that I am weak on. So I feel like this will be a new skill that I will learn through this project. As it will be learning
about what makes them eye catching and finding what makes them interesting as with posters you don’t add a lot to
them. I will also learn skills on more of a professional level and talking to my client.

18. Opportunities
Multi-skilling
With this project I feel like I will take up a few skills as I will be able to get a better understanding on things like briefs and
how you have different kinds and how one can work in your favour. Also more on posters and how it can take a few ideas
until you can finally get to one that you like. As I feel like this is something I will do as I don’t think I will like my first idea. I
will be taking skills that I have already learnt and developing them more to help with this project like page lay out and
visual hierarchy as I will be using them to create a good poster layout but I will be developing the skills I have already
learnt with this. Which with this project I am getting a better understanding and opportunity to use it more and really
understand why it is that its used to really grab the readers attention. As it will help to improve my designs and make
them stand out but really show off the techniques that I have used to produce my work. I also will be maybe using a little
bit of photography to help in making my posters as I'm yet to find if this is something that I will be included so I will be
taking some just in case I will need or want to sue these.
Contributing to a project
I could work with someone else in this project and split it up if I wanted too as I could have made the posters for the social
media different to the ones that would be printed off but I don’t feel like this is something that will be needed to be done
as I will be just using the ones that I have already made. As this way it is easier and that way they will both and match and
go well together. But by doing this project myself it means I have more control and I'm not having to argue with anyone
maybe with ideas and things that we could create for this brief and client. So by working by myself I have control and the
freedom to do what I would like and design what it is I come up with but still making sure that my client does like it and
does appeal to them.