Research and planning were important skills emphasized for both the AS and A2 media projects. Key aspects included conducting secondary research using online databases and textbooks, as well as primary research like surveys. Planning involved storyboarding, scheduling, organizing equipment and personnel. Digital technologies helped enhance research and presentation skills, such as embedding audience feedback graphs online. Overall, the importance of thorough research and planning was stressed to ensure successful media production that met deadlines and audience needs.

1. Starter Task
• What is the difference between
research and planning?
• Why was research and
planning important to you
throughout AS and A2?
• If you have done this – are they
both as important as each other?

2. G325: Section A: Theoretical Perspectives in Media
Question 1a)
Research and Planning
What skills did we learn about the
importance of R&P?

3. Objectives
• By the end of this session you will have
considered what research and planning
you completed for both AS and A2
projects.
• By the end of this session you will have
considered the importance of research
and planning.
• You are studying this as it is an option on the
G325 exam Q1a) and it may be asked as a
stand alone option or as a composite question
with one of the other 4 options.

4. Pete Fraser (2002) suggested that creativity
is brilliant but that the key to a strong media
coursework project was “professionalism and
organisation”.
• The two key areas of ‘research and planning’
therefore ask you to assess the rigour of your
planning and organisational skills and your
attitude towards your coursework.
Bennett, Jones, McDougall (2002) that all
students should identify a “clear audience” and
“plan how the artefact will be tested” during the
planning process.

5. What you did: Pre-production
Research
Planning

6. In this essay you will be required to evaluate
as part of the specified write up the
outcomes of the research and planning
process.
E.g. (P) The planning of my storyboard did enable
me to think about the order of my shots. (D) For
example there was a sequence in my which
required cross cut of insert shots to gig and back
again. (Q) As this sequence did appear in my final
product, although with some spfx enhancement at
post production, I clearly felt the benefit of
storyboarding, more so than flat-planning at AS
where I hadn’t drawn with colours so I feel my
skills did indeed improve in this area across the
two years.

7. Bennett, Slater and Wall (2006) all
media production “takes place in the light
of other media production”.
Secondary research – second
hand information – work on
codes and conventions of texts,
use of theory.
Primary – first hand – textual
analysis, audience feedback:
questionnaires, vox pops.

8. • Secondary research –Moodle, class notes, library
– which textbooks did you use? Internet – viewing
figures, ABC figures for magazines etc.
•Primary – Internet, Television, Magazines
Write down what you used for both
pieces BUT this will require an in-depth
assessment of your materials for the
write up...

9. •This links to use of real media conventions option
for Q1a):
•What did you find out about the conventions of
AS music magazines and A2 main project and
conventions of all ancillaries?
•What theories did you apply?
•What organisations did you visit and why?
•Software research – or too lazy, relying on
teachers and Steve.
•Where did you go to research all the above? –
YOU MUST STATE EXPLICITLY

10. • You used your Web 2.0 blog to organise ALL of
your research.
• What skills did you learn about organising and
referencing materials? (Remember if your
research isn’t referenced correctly then you will
not get full marks – e.g. every poster from the
internet has to be referenced).
• How did your skills of organisation develop from
AS and A2?

11. To re-cap your planning involved....
• Adequate research – link this to DIGITAL
TECHNOLOGY – where did you find the research? Link to USE
OF REAL MEDIA CONVENTIONS. Was it VALID? USEFUL?
RELIABLE?
• Drafting – flat plans for magazines and storyboards and
ancillary drafts for A2 - link to DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY and
CREATIVITY – how did you construct these?
• Gaining Audience Feedback – Again link to
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY & USE OF REAL MEDIA
CONVENTIONS if possible. How did you make sure you collated
this – what was the development between AS and A2?
• Remember key words, Qualitative & Quantitative, Validity.
Clark et al(2007) states that in media industries it
is important to carry out “regular audience research”
using methods such as ratings collection,
questionnaires, surveys screen tests

12. • Scheduling - Did your knowledge of call
sheets/production schedules grow across AS and
A2?
• Working as a team and organising equipment?
What did you learn about planning roles – who was
designer, journalist, director? Was booking equipment
smoothly done?
• S. Sonderling in P.J.Fourie (2004) suggests that “to
make any media product equipment and people are
needed”. For video – a clear location and organisation of
correct personnel are vital.
• Deadlines and Interim Deadlines - Did you complete
on time? Did you meet deadlines? Did you learn from
the research and planning process from AS to A2?
• Still planning throughout production - Did you
complete diaries and/or ‘progression so far’ posts at
production? Why was this important in terms of planning
both pieces of coursework?

13. •How did you present your primary and secondary
research on your blogs? We are talking about
enhancing CREATIVITY and USE OF DIGITAL
TECHNOLOGY
•Did your presentation of audience feedback for
example become more creative through your
increased use of digital technology available for
embedding on the blogs (onlinecharttool)???
Slideshow of storyboards as an animatic???
•Again, did your knowledge of referencing grow? Did
this allow you to become more knowledgeable of
presentation skills? i.e did your present research
findings in slideshow format?

14. Please think of all the above
questions as part of your 1000 write
up.
• There is a choice of two questions:
1. Detail how your understanding of the importance
of good research and planning skills developed
throughout the pre-production of your AS and A2
coursework.
2. How did your knowledge of digital technology to
aid your research and planning skills throughout
the pre-production of your AS and A2 coursework?