The document provides planning considerations for a digital graphic narrative project. It discusses costs, available resources, intended quantity of production, target audience, quality factors, relevant codes of practice, regulations, copyright issues, ethical considerations, and a production schedule. Health and safety risks are also addressed, along with ways to prevent issues like tripping hazards, poor posture, electric shocks, and illness.

1. Digital Graphic Narrative Planning
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Use this booklet to help structure your planning and collate your planning documents.
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Considerations:
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There are lots of things to consider in this project. Fill out each section in detail to show you have thought about each one. You
should imagine that this is a live project, so considerations like cost, quantity and codes of practice must be thought about in that
context rather than just as a college project.
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Costs:
I plan to make the book using Photoshop as my main tool. Therefore the cost a computer and Photoshop are
the biggest significant costs. I also plan on using hand drawn elements combined that I will scan in a further
work on digitally. This increases the set up price of the project to the cost of a scanner and writing equipment.
The drawing tool are not specialist and will only require a pencil and marker pen to highlight lines for a clear
scan. I have conducted my research using the internet but mainly on Google, which is free to use.
Available resources:
Of the costs of resources listed above I have access to all of these in summary a computer, Photoshop, a
scanner, drawing equipment and access to the internet.

2. Quantity:
I would like to keep production of the finished book a small batch. A batch of around 40 copies to see the
success of the book and get personal opinions though focus groups and interviews. Keeping the supply low
means that the book will only be distributed in a local area. If the book is successful and sells all it’s copies
then I will commission a larger batch to be produced somewhere around the 100 mark. This process can
continue until sales slow. This method helps to avoid a flop and wasting large amounts of money on a
publisher. The cost for 40 book will ot be a massive loss if the book does not sell.
Audience and Target Market:
The audience for the book is a combination of younger children and middle age range. Somewhere between
age 3-8. I hope that younger children will have the book read to them while older children can pick it up
themselves. The story is a classic and will not be to simplistic for the older age range counting on the timeless
invulnerability of the original story. The original story is known by both genders and from this basis I can
assume the same of the story I make. The setting is neither a feminine or masculine setting. Everyone knows
the popularity of the original story. Hiking and climbing is more of a middle class past time however I don’t
think this will put off an audience the that does not take part in this activity.
Quality Factors:
To ensure that I create a book of a high quality I must always be comparing myself to existing product.
Products of all styles have found success for different reasons. I should research the specific style that I am
trying to emulate and learn from what looks good. I should also find examples of poor books and analyse what
does not work. I must be consistent with the style that I chose. Asking for feedback from others can help to get
an outside perspective on my work. I may not notice problems than other can, I can then return and fix this. I
must measure the progress of individual pieces compared to previous pieces to see if I am keeping a good
level of quality.

3. Codes of Practice:
Codes of practice exist to ensure that both parties involved in a tradition are treated fairly. But also to ensure a
smooth transaction and fluid workflow. For example:
“The publisher must not cancel a contract without proper reason”
This is to prevent an author doing the work and creating a product, which will cost them time and money, and
then to hear that the publisher has cancelled the request without proper reason. The following are listed by the
code of practice as the only valid reasons to cancel a request; time, Standard and quality and defamation or
illegality. If the reason is deemed to be inferior to one of the above then the publisher can face leagal action in
the form of compensation. Otherwise it is hoped that a resolution of disputes can be reached.
That is an example of how a code exists to prevent an unfair trade or a bad bargain for one party. On lighter
terms other codes exist like the following:
“The publisher must handle manuscripts promptly, and keep the author informed of the progress”
This is the 6th
informed as to the current state of manuscripts and synopes’.
Regulation:
Before a book can be released into the public market it must pass a series of inspections. These inspections
exist to ensure the product is safe physical and also that it does not deliver a bad message to children. This
book being a children’s book comes under the category of toys. Meaning that it is inspected by a different body
to adult books. This body will determine if the book passes the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC, if the book
passes it is deemed fit for sale under that particular regulation. If this test is fail the book cannot be released to
the public in it’s current state. A list will be compiled that consists of the reasons for the toys failure to pass the
inspection. The book will be free to have another inspection, it can then be released to the public if the
requirement on this list have been altered.

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Copyright:
The laws of copyright prevent the use of other people’s work in your own work. This would be plagiarism and
can be held accountable by law. There are a multitude of reasons a product may breach copyright law. Using
my book as an example the issues may include; font that is not free from copyright. This can be a problem if
the font is found online on website such as “Da Font”. Another issue could be if i used someone else's
illustration or images without permission. The original story of the boy who cried wolf is very old and ownership
of the story is not claimed by anyone today and therefore i will not have any problems with copyright
infringement on that level. If i had used a newer story such as jack and the beanstalk i would need to buy the
rights to the story before publishing the book, or alternatively make the story dissimilar enough that it cannot
contradict a copyright law. copyright breaches can/will result in legal action. The book may need to be taken off
the market under these circumstances.
Ethical Issues:
When analysing stories for their cultural and ethical issues the characters is the part of the story that is most
likely to display inequality or discrimination. As a children’s book it is important for this not to be present in any
way, shape or form. There are two characters in my book. The main character, Lucas and the mountain rescue
helicopter pilot. This character is of an undisclosed sex as they are only ever visualised in the form of the
helicopter. Lucas however is a white male. This was chosen for no specific reason other than that that is the
same ethnicity and gender as myself. And it therefore springs to mind as the obvious choice. The story could
just as easily have been a different race and a woman. Lucas is not a favourable character, the moral of the
story is not to be like Lucas and therefore he is not to be envied as a hero. There is no detail in backstory as
to the setting of the story geographically and therefore the race is not relevant. It may have been strange to set
the story in Japan and to use a white character, although having said that there would still be little relevance
as the story is so simple and linear.
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There is an important message to learn from this story, the same as the original. By reading this book children
are taught the perils of lying and therefore are learning to have a good moral compass and sense of ethics.

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Resources:
A successful project relies on good planning. Considering all the resources you will need for a project and then assessing which
you already have and which you need will help ensure you are ready to start your project.
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If there is a resource you don’t currently have, then consider how you are going to get it before you go in to production.
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Resource:
Do you have
it? What do you need to do to get it?
Computer Yes
Photoshop Yes
Scanner Yes
Drawing Materials Yes
Access to the Internet Yes

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Production Schedule:
Delivering your project on time is vital. In order to do this, you need a solid plan of action. This will help you divide up your work in
to manageable chunks to be tackled one at a time. It will also allow you to plan which tasks need to be done in which order. It will
also allow you to track your progress each day. If you are falling behind, you will need to modify the way you work. If you work
faster than expected, you can clearly see what the next steps you need to take are.
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Each session is a half day of college.
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Session 1:
Focus on the first page – Create the basic setting, grass and blue sky-Begin to draw relevant assest
Assets should include- mountain – Tree – Character (pencil and trace with pen)
Continue with previous task – if time scan in images

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Session 2:
After creating the first test page (page 1) plan how many times illustrations need to be drawn (keeping to
minimal)
Draw these illustrations
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Session 3:
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Scan into computer and begin the process of digitally colouring and adding effects to illustrations
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Session 4:
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Session 5:
Attempt to construct pages using the illustrations previously made (also digitally create background and
other elements of the pages)

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Session 7:
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Session 8:
review work and make improvement, this may involve redoing some of the process including illustrations
receive constructive critsim from others
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Session 9:
Create the stencil for the page which presents the text
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Add text to the stencil
Session 10:
Review the book and compare quality from page to page
Make further additional improvements in attempts to add detail or aesthetic merit
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language and spelling check

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Health and safety:
Your health and safety and that of those around you is very important. Just like in industry, an accident could prevent you from
working. Whilst we don’t work in a highly dangerous environment, there are still risks. Some are short term, such as trips and
spillages whilst others, such as long term damage to eyesight or back problems, may affect you much later in life.
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Consider the risks based on the activities you will be undertaking during the project. Explain how you could prevent them from
happening.
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Ensure you reference appropriate pieces of legislation, design to protect people at work.
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Health and Safety Issue How can you prevent it?
Unclear working environment - tripping, other
Wires should neatly attached
room layout should be spacious
tidy away equipment after use

13. Bad posture from sitting too long in an unsafe position
(muscular and skeletal pains)
Always sit in a medically advised postion-eg correct
distance from keyboard and height of chair
liquids and electronics (electrocution)
liquids should not be consumed while working with
electronics such as computers
Electronic equipment should be correctly se up and in
good working order (electrocution)
maintain equipment with frequent safety check, e.g. the
power cord should be fully in the wall and not sharing a
socket with another device
spread of illness
When working in close proximity with other be sure to be
hygienic