This student has been working on their A2 Media Studies Advanced Portfolio over several months. They began by choosing to create a local newspaper and analyzing billboard advertisements. They then researched radio advertising codes and created their own billboard. Subsequent weeks were spent further researching newspapers, creating newspaper analyses, design layouts, and a market research survey. The student is now in the process of constructing their final newspaper product using the design layouts and survey results as a guide.

1. A2 Media Studies
Advanced Portfolio
Production Diary
PROGRESS UPDATE PLAN FOR NEXT MONTH / WEEK(Including Possible
Contingency Plans If Problems Anticipated)
Mon W/B 09/09/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
For the first lesson back we had an introduction to what the course
would be about and we had to decide which of the choices we
were going to choose. I chose to do the newspaper and evaluate
on that. This was because I had gathered knowledge from creating
a magazine last year and can continue to develop and create a
local newspaper. We also created our blogs for the advanced
portfolio and downloaded the checklist.
For next week, I am going to being completely my
ancillary 1, which is to analyse 3 billboard
advertisements and look at how national newspapers
have designed their mastheads and display using
different techniques such as Guttenberg.
Mon W/B 16/09/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week, we have researched different billboards and analysed
the different aspects that were used to create a professional look
towards the audience. For my research I looked at The Sun, the
Manchester Evening News and The Independent. We observed
aspects such as rule of thirds, colour scheme and the Guttenberg
principle.
Next week, I am going to be staring my ancillary 1 task.
This will include creating my own billboard and choosing
the name of my own newspaper to put on it. This will be
done on the Photoshop application which I have already
used. I also need to complete my ancillary 1 research
task on Word.
Mon W/B 23/09/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
I have started to create my billboard for ancillary 1, I have chosen I
colour scheme and I have also chosen the name for my newspaper.
I have begun to piece the billboard together and I have also
finished my ancillary research for the billboards. I have also been
looking at the research to make sure that my billboard looks
similar and consistent.
Next week I will need to finish making the billboard and
put it onto my blog so that it can be viewed. I need to
make sure that the colour scheme is suitable. I also
need to make a sophisticated design on my billboard to
make it unique and independent to other billboards.
Mon W/B 30/09/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week I have managed to complete my ancillary 1 task of
completing my own billboard for my local newspaper. I have
designed the billboard and used a suitable colour scheme. I have
named my newspaper “Manchester Times” and have saved the
billboard into my documents as a JPEG and I have uploaded it onto
my blog so that my teachers can view it. I have had my billboard
analysis looked at and I have improved and reposted back onto my
blog.
For next week, I need to begin researching for my
ancillary two tasks which is to make a radio advert for
our local newspaper. To be able to do that we need to
research the conventions and codes of radio advertising
and also analyse radio adverts of other products so that
we can gather knowledge of what we need to put in our
own and how long it should be etc.
Mon W/B 07/10/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week, I have started to research my ancillary two tasks, I have
collected some useful information about radio advertising and I
have also gathered some information about the typical codes and
For next week, I need to finish the final paragraph on
my radio analysis and I also need to write up my
references so that the teachers can see that I have

2. A2 Media Studies
Advanced Portfolio
Production Diary
conventions of a radio advert. I have used references to back up
my research and also prove that I have made some interesting
research and also prove that I understand what is used within the
radio adverts, these will be on a separate document until I have
completed the work. I looked at an advert for the Nando’s
restaurant and two separate adverts for different energy drinks
and used quotes from different sources including books and videos
on YouTube.
gathered the information from valuable resources. I also
need to put this document onto slide share and then
embed the code so I can then put this onto my blog and
tick this off the checklist we were given at the beginning
of the college year in September.
.Mon W/B 14/10/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
I have completed my ancillary two tasks and uploaded it onto my
blog so that my teachers will be able to see it. I have also begun to
look at my own product and considering what I am going to include
in my newspaper and how I will be putting it all together. I have
also adjusted a few details in my conventions and codes task
because there were a few things that needed changing; this has all
been updated onto my blog and seen by my teacher.
Next week I need to start looking at using the ideas
generation and I need begin to look at some ideas on
what I am going to do my newspaper about. I also need
to consider what aspects I am going to look at and how I
am going to draw up these ideas.
Mon W/B 21/10/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
For today, I have scaled a plan on the ideas generation and I have
put all my ideas into one mind map and I have talked about the
min aspects, this includes iconography, images, colour scheme etc.
I have also begun to write up my final report about what my final
idea is going to be about.
For next week, I need to finish off the final report for my
ideas generation my and put it onto my blog. I need to
begin my market research and plan a questionnaire for
my participants. If this isn’t completed from the
participants in time then my production will be set back.
Mon W/B 28/10/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
As I have a week of college, I sent myself the files for my final
report and my ideas generation. I have been able to write out and
finish my final report. This means i have written out what I am
going to include in my newspaper and I have no uploaded it onto
my blog so that my teachers can now view it and see where my
progress is up to. To put my report onto my blog, I had to use
slideshare and embed the HTTL to put onto blogger.
When I get back to college, I need to start looking at
some real life local newspaper and getting more ideas
from them. As this will be product research, I need to
look at newspaper that will include similar information
that I will, e.g. crime. For this, I will need to pick 3 front
covers and 3 second pages of newspapers and analyse
the use of characters, narrative in the articles, the
setting, iconography and the technical codes they use to
create the professional look.
Mon W/B 04/11/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week, I have decided which 3 newspapers I am going to look
at, I have chosen the Salford advertiser, Manchester Evening News
and the Tameside Advertiser. I looked at the Salford Advertiser
For next week, I will need to complete both
newspapers, once this is done, I will then need to start
transferring them onto the Prezi website and uploading

3. A2 Media Studies
Advanced Portfolio
Production Diary
first, analysing the front and second page and putting it onto a
word document first for my teacher to look at. Then I will put it
onto Prezi for then it looks more professional.
them onto my blog. I also need to start planning my
design layouts once I have got an idea from all here
newspapers. This will be time consuming, so if I do not
get these newspapers done then I will not have enough
time to look at the design layouts which will be a
possible layout for my main product.
Mon W/B 11/11/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week, I have been very productive and completed both
outstanding newspapers that needed analysing and I have printed
them off and handed them into my teacher for them to be marked.
I was also given back my first copy of the Salford advertiser
analysis and compared that to my other newspapers so that I know
I have done it right. I can now focus on putting them onto Prezi to
make them look more professional and varied rather than on a
word document.
Next week, I need to look at getting my newspaper
analysis back and transferring my detailed notes onto
Prezi and then looking to put them onto my blog. Once
again, if this isn’t done, I cannot start my design layouts
because it will set me back and I will start to lose track
of what I need to do. As the work has already been
typed out, all I need to is copy it into Prezi, this is not
time consuming, but I am aware that the layouts on
Prezi can take some time.
Mon W/B 18/11/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
I have been handed back my notes and had to make some minor
adjustments, this set me back a little bit because I wasn’t able to
get onto Prezi right away and start constructing the layouts for my
analysis. Never the less, I have been able to make a Prezi for each
of the newspapers, I have only managed to complete two out of
the three, but I can finish this off in my own time next week so that
I am not set back
Next week, I need to finish all of the Prezi’s and upload
them onto my blog so that the teachers can check and
make sure that they can view them on the blog. I now
need to start focusing on creating the design layouts on
Photoshop, these will be ideas from the newspapers I
have looked at and look similar because my main
product will therefore look professional and
sophisticated.
Mon W/B 25/11/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week, I managed to make the last Prezi for the Tameside
advertiser and upload it onto my blog. This meant that I could go
onto Photoshop and make my first deign layout, this took a lot of
time and I only managed to do one of the front covers. I still have
another three to go before I can go on and make my final piece. I
need to make another front cover and two second pages.
Next week, it is vital that I can get a second page layout
completed so that it can be put onto my blog and
teachers can see the similarity in my design layouts and
my product research. I also need to create a final
masthead design and put it onto my blog, this just
shows what masthead I am going to use and why I am
going to use it.
Mon W/B 02/12/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week, I have managed to complete the first page design layout
and the second page design layout, I found the very stressful
The following week, I am not going to be doing any work
because I have my mock exam to focus on, this is not a

4. A2 Media Studies
Advanced Portfolio
Production Diary
because they were both starting to look a bit different from the
product research that I had conducted. However, I realised that it
was no a problem for them to look slightly different because then
my newspaper looks unique used clear colour schemes to state
what was going to be a picture and what would be text. This made
it easier for people to understand.
problem, however I am stressing a little bit that I may be
put back a little bit. However, this can all be sorted in
my own time as well as lesson time.
Mon W/B 09/12/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
MOCKS MOCKS
Mon W/B 16/12/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
After having a week of mock exams, I haven’t managed to focus on
any of my coursework, now that I am back, in my lesson, I have
completed another design layout for my front cover, this is the
second one complete, and the layout if different from the first as it
has been focused off another newspaper. Now that I have both
layouts, I can decide which one I am going to use for my main
piece.
Next week, I will be off for Christmas, the problem I
have is I do not have Photoshop at home, therefore I
cannot make my final design layout for the second page.
However, I can look at making an account on survey
monkey and designing my questionnaire that i am going
to send to 10 participants to answer.
Mon W/B 23/12/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS
Mon W/B 30/12/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS
Mon W/B 06/01/14
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
As my first week back at college from two weeks off, I felt I had a
lot to catch up on, however, I have actually managed to complete
quite a bit, I have finished the second design layout for the second
page for my newspaper. On top of that, I completed the survey
monkey so people are now starting to reply to those
questionnaires.
Next week, I can begin constructing my main piece of
construction. This should have been started but I did not
have the chance to finish the layouts before I finished
college. Therefore, next week and the following weeks, I
just need to transfer my images and articles into the
layout once they have been completed.
Mon W/B 13/01/14
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week, I have drawn up some rough copies of possible articles I
could use in my newspaper. I have chosen crime so my articles
include small scale crimes in a local area. I have printed these off as
a word document and given them so my teacher, these will need
Next week, I need to start looking at my results on my
survey monkey and seeing which of the participants
have replied. I then need to start collecting this data and
drawing it up onto a word document. I also need to start

5. A2 Media Studies
Advanced Portfolio
Production Diary
to be looked at properly in a few weeks. I have also written down
what images I am going to need to start taking when I get the
chance. I have an SLR camera at home so I am going to be using
that. Therefore I will not need to worry about getting a camera off
college.
putting my masthead onto my final design layout and
building my newspaper. I also need to place my slogan
underneath, this will be the beginning of the
construction.
Mon W/B 20/01/14
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week, I have looked at the results of the survey and I am still
waiting for some people to reply, I cannot take the answers till I
have an equal amount of results have started ti experiment putting
my masthead onto my final design. This was difficult because I
didn’t have anything on my layout so I was hard to picture what
the newspaper was going to look like. The slogan underneath
proved to be difficult because it was very small and needed to be
placed somewhere the readers are going to find it eye catching.
Next week, the construction of the main piece really
needs to begin, I need to start looking at possibly taking
some pictures for my newspaper, however this is not big
issue because I do not need many people just 1 person. I
need to also design the borders on each of my pages,
this will separate the masthead and advertisements
from the main articles.
Mon W/B 27/01/14
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week I have created the borders around my masthead and
where my images will be going from my main article. I have also
gathered all the replies off the participants minus one, I have
managed to print screen then data and put it onto a word
document, but I have not been able write about each question
because the main construction was the main priority.
Next week, I need to collect all the market research that
I have conducted on my survey monkey and I need to
put it into a word document with the analysis of it on
there.
Mon W/B 03/02/14
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week, I have collected the data from my primary market
research and started to put it into a Microsoft word document.
This includes taking screenshots of my market research on survey
monkey and copying them onto the document. I have then looked
at the analysis and used the collected data to analyse what the
majority of the target audience would want to see in a local
newspaper. This has then helped me to decide what I am going to
use on my final product. This has been taken into account with my
design layouts and I have made some minor adjustments.
Next week, I need to focus on finishing the design
layouts as I have made some minor adjustments on my
final product and putting them onto my blog. I then
need to look at the newspapers I looked at the last year
in September and make sure that I have looked at every
aspect of the newspapers. I also need to look at
finishing the research analysis, however this is not a
major priority as I am still waiting for one more
participant to reply to one question that they had
skipped.
Mon W/B 10/02/14
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week, I have finished doing my design layouts. I now have 2
front cover layouts and 2 second page layouts. I have analysed the
chosen newspapers I used to analyse last year and made some fine
When off next week, take pictures needed for the
newspaper and make sure there are a few to choose
from when I get back to college. If I do not get these

6. A2 Media Studies
Advanced Portfolio
Production Diary
adjustments so that it looks consistent. I have also collected the
complete results of my primary market research as I was waiting
for one more reply from a participants.
pictures taken, then I need to focus on completing the
market research analysis from the data that I collected
last week.
Mon W/B 17/02/14
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Whilst I was off college in the holidays I decided to take the
pictures needed for my newspaper. I took a picture of a local shop
in my local area that will be used. I have also taken pictures of
some people who will be used as villains and victims in the articles
and saved them on my computer for when I get back to college.
When I get back into college, I need to load my pictures
onto the computer and also need to make sure that
they will be able to fit onto my design layout. I also need
to make sure that my articles are complete and can be
put onto the design layout so that I can focus on editing
the layouts and making some fine adjustments so that it
looks professional.
Mon W/B 24/02/14
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week I have written up my articles and had them checked by
Paul to make sure that they are suitable for the newspaper. I made
some arrangements and made the language more conventional
and appealing to the audience. I have then placed the final articles
into the front cover final design layout and spaced them out into
the columns. I have also placed my final mast head into the design
layout and edited it so that it fits on the page and looks
professional and sophisticated.
I need to check my blog and see if there is anything that
needs changing. I also need to make my final mast head
design and my mast head designs a JPEG so that I can
put them onto my blog. I also need to get on slide share
and put some documents on their including my articles
so they can also go onto my blog. I need to start piecing
the final piece together, if I still haven’t got my images
onto the computer, I can look and focusing on getting all
product research complete as the other parts of the
layouts have been completed including columns and
masthead.
Mon W/B 03/03/14
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
I have updated my blog and made sure that all labels are correct
from the Checklist. Moreover, I have completed my final masthead
design and made slight changes due to another one not looking
right on the design layout as it didn’t fill the right places on the
Guttenberg principle. I have continued to work on my market
research analysis and finish the data. I have also started to use
Prezi to present my newspaper analysis. I have uploaded my
images onto the computer and saved them into my documents.
For next week, I need to start editing my images and
placing them into my layout plan. I also need to
continue working on Prezi and completing the layouts
for the presentation and put it on my blog.
Furthermore, I will need to finish collecting the data
from my primary market research and put my analysis
onto my blog.
Mon W/B 10/03/14
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week, I have uploaded my images onto the computer and
started to make some minor changes to them and edited them to
make them look more professional, I have also decided that I need
For next week, I need to take pictures for some of my
articles and edit them on Photoshop. I also need to
space some of the columns on my newspaper as they

7. A2 Media Studies
Advanced Portfolio
Production Diary
to take some more pictures because some of the pictures that I
have got do not look suitable enough for my newspaper. I have
also finished the primary market research analysis and have posted
that onto my blog.
look like they are too close together and would be too
confusing for the audience. I need to move the
masthead further up the page and use more space so
that it becomes more eye-catching.
Mon W/B 17/03/14
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week, I have been updating my blog and I have also changed
some of the layout for my moved the masthead to a more suitable
place so that it looks more professional for the audience. I have
also adjusted the columns so they are not as close to each other.
For next week, I need to change some of the images
around on my second page, If this does not get done
then I cannot continue to adjust the columns because
the width of the images need to be changed as it cannot
be stretched otherwise it will look unprofessional.
Mon W/B 24/03/14
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week, I have not managed to sort out the columns because I
have had to do some more work on my layout with the
advertisement and the colour scheme, the use of red does not look
very sophisticated because it looks to bright and vibrant for a
newspaper, however, I have changed this to a more pastel colour
which still uses a red tint but it is not as bright as the original
colour that I had used.
Next week, I desperately need to arrange the columns
so that I can make room for the new images that I need
for my newspaper. This needs to be done otherwise I
will have more work to do over the Easter holidays
when I really need to be focusing on the evaluation
stage of my newspaper which is going to be extremely
time consuming. This is because it takes some time to
put a lot of detail into the 4 questions.
Mon W/B 31/03/14
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
As this is my final week before the holidays begin, I have tried to
complete as much work on the Photoshop program as possible
before we leave for two weeks. This means I have edited some of
the images by moving the columns around and making them
smaller. I have also made some minor changes to my design
layouts as I have decided to make some changes on my final
product and I want to make sure that my planning looks consistent
and professional. I have also been given the questions for my
evaluations.
When I break up for the holidays, I need to start looking
at my evaluation and creating a focus group for people
to be added to and commenting on my newspaper
layout so that I can answer one of the questions on my
evaluation. I also need to take some additional
photographs because I have decided that the
advertisements on my newspapers need images put
with them in order to look more interesting to the
audience.
Mon W/B 07/04/14
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Whilst being of college for the Easter holidays, I have started to
look at the evaluation and draw up a simple draft to answering the
questions; there are numerous objectives that I need to do in
order to be able to answer the questions.
For the next two weeks, I need to look at the evaluation
and complete the tasks that will enable me to answer
the questions. One question requires me to have a focus
group on my final designs and see how the audience will
respond to my newspaper. They will need to comment
on the layout and the colour scheme and as well as the

8. A2 Media Studies
Advanced Portfolio
Production Diary
images and the use of house style.
Mon W/B 14/04/14
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week I have checked that I have everything updated onto my
blog, I have also read through my product research and made
some minor changes so that my final draft looks similar to the
products that I have been researching. I have also looked at the
different technology that I have used and wrote down some notes
for questions 4 of my evaluation. I will need to get Paul to check
these once we have gone back to college.
When I am back at college, I need to get Paul or Ian to
read through my draft of the evaluation and make some
minor changes, I then need to start putting my
evaluation onto different media texts. For example,
Prezi, PowerPoint and Sound Cloud. I also need to check
my blog and make sure that I have all relevant work
uploaded onto there.
Mon W/B 21/04/14
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
I have updated my blog and added all the items that are needed. I
am also finishing off the layout of the final designs including adding
the images to the newspaper. I have also written a script for
ancillary 2 making a radio advert. I have booked a sound recorder
for me to use over the weekend to record my radio advert. I have
taken the additional images that are needed for the extra adverts
on my newspaper.
For next week, I need to have recorder my radio advert
and uploaded it onto the computer. I need to add sound
effects and a background of music to make it more
professional. I also need to create a closed Facebook
group and put my final designs onto there. I need to
collect some valid responses to how the audience think
my magazine looks. I then need to add this onto my
evaluation.
Mon W/B 28/04/14
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
As this is my final full week to complete all outstanding work, I
have been completing all my evaluations and putting them onto to
things such as Prezi, PowerPoint and using sound cloud so present
that evaluation. I have also made a focus group and collected all
the answers and responses off there and used them on my
question 3 of the evaluation.
PROGRESS UPDATE PLAN FOR NEXT MONTH / WEEK (Including Possible
Contingency Plans If Problems Anticipated)