1. Chloe Whittle
Different types of design briefs
Commission definition:
‘This is when a TV broadcaster, such as the BBC, employs an independent production company to
produce a program for their schedule. ‘
Source- http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_commission_brief
Commission is when a large group or company employ an independent company in order to produce
a schedule which the larger company will then follow. For example the client could give me a brief
on how to make a music video.
Communication
The communication between me and my client will mostly be done over the phone due to the fact I
can understand him a lot more clearly when listening to his voice. I will also be able to gather more
detail unlike over an email which will require emails being sent back and forth wasting more time.
Time management
For my time management I will draw up a detailed production diary in order for me to follow. IN my
production diary I will include what I will do each day and what I hope to achieve. This will save me
plenty of time and will ensure me to finish in a suitable time for me and my client.
Technical skills
My technical skills for the music video will have to include using a camera and also using editing
software. I am already skill full will using editing software and how to work a camera which I will tell
my client. When working on the music video I will also gain more experience using sound
equipment which result in me learning more things about media equipment.
Career progression
By keeping in touch with my client throughout the production making I will inform him off my
progress. This will reassure my client due to the fact I am showing him he can rely on me. This in turn
will help me in my future with other production tasks due to the fact companies will be able to trust
me and they will know that I get things done in a good manner of time.
Contractual definition:
Definition
‘A contractual brief is a type of brief or contract where a media company is employed by the client in
order to complete a project within the brief which is set to specific guidelines which the media

2. Chloe Whittle
company must follow. It will be very important for the media company to follow these guidelines and
do exactly what the client states within the brief, if they fail to do so this can result in a breech of
contract and the company could face legal actions.’
Advantages
‘Having a contractual brief will be good for the media company involved as they will know exactly
what the project is and what they are being asked to do as the brief will be very detailed and go into
specifics that are not to be negotiated.’
Disadvantages
‘The disadvantage if this type of contract would be that if the media company think that there are
issues within the brief and they produce the product to their own standards this would not be
producing the product to the standards set by the client and they could decide to take legal action
and this could result in your company having a bad reputation for not completing projects to a set
brief.’
Source- http://creativemediaatjt.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/contractual-brief.html
A contractual brief is a certain type of brief or contract that a company has laid out in order for their
client to follow. In the brief the company would have given a set or instructions/guidelines which the
client will then need to follow. The brief will also give the client a good understanding in what the
company want and how they want it done. If the client fails to follow the guidelines given then this
could result in a breech of contract which then could end in legal actions. For example the company
could ask me to make a music video.
Communication
Me and my client will meet up once a week in order for them to give me more information in what
they want their music video to look like and include. I will therefore follow the guild lines in order to
get the results the company wants.
Time management
Similar to the commission brief I will produce a production diary in which I will follow closely in order
to complete the music video by the time the company wants It finished. It will give me a good
guideline in what I need to do on a certain day and what I need to complete. This will result in me
saving a lot of time in which I could improve upon things.
Technical skills
By producing the music video I will gain more experience in using an editing software such as Adobe
Premier Pro but by also learning how to learn the camera. By learning how to use certain equipment
this will help me in my future with other tasks helping me.
Career progression

3. Chloe Whittle
As I’m making the music video I will follow the guild lines that had been given to me. This will then
earn my clients trust which create a bond between us. This will then give me a better chance of
getting a job in the future due to the fact other companies will look at my past progress and will see
that they can trust me to follow their guild lines and that everything will go smoothly.
Negotiated definition:
‘Negotiated - Two parties have differing ideas and a compromise has to be found that makes both
sides happy, sometimes involving a third party (An arbitrator)
Source- http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_commission_brief
A negotiated brief is in some ways very explanatory. In this type of brief two different companies or
parties have different ideas from one another and therefore have to come up with a compromise.
This compromise has to make sure that both parties are happy. As an example both companies could
ask me to make a sort film.
Communication
I will have a meeting with both companies making sure I know what they both want and how they
want the short film to be portrayed.I will follow their brief closely making sure I include what both
companies want.
Time management
Similar to the two previous briefs I will produce a production diary in which I will follow closely and
effectively. I will design my production diary on Microsoft word which can also counts as a technical
skill. By following the production diary closely I will keep in good time ensuring I complete a certain
amount of work day by day giving me more time to do other things for the film e.g. improving
certain aspects of my editing.
Technical skills
I will show my clients that I have a good understanding in how to use editing software such as Adobe
Premier pro which will allow me to edit the short film. I will also ensure them that I am trained to
use Adobe Photoshop which will allow me to edit certain clips off the short film frame by frame
which requires a lot of experience.
Career progression

4. Chloe Whittle
As I complete the short film I will make sure I have followed the brief both companies have decided
about and I will make sure that I have kept in touch with both companies telling them about my
progress throughout the weeks. This in time will give me good references in order for me to obtain
another job which can require these skills. By using the software give to me and operating cameras
in gives me an advantage due to the fact I can use more facilities on the next brief given to me.
Tender definition:
‘Tender - The production company might find out someone is looking for a video. They put together a
brief with a proposal and a budget and send it to the potential client. The client would look at all the
different tenders they receive and choose the one they prefer.
Co-operative brief - You work alongside other production companies or organisations who also have
a brief therefore your brief has to co-operate with the brief they are working on as well’
Source-
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Identify_the_different_types_of_briefs_used_in_the_media_industries
A tender brief is where a client announces they he/she’s looking for a video. A production company
will then put together a brief which will include a proposal and a budget which will then get sent to
the client who will then decide which tender he/she wants. However a client can receive a vast
amount of briefs which means the briefs sent by companies have to be well detailed and thought
out. For example the client could be looking for someone to make a music video.
Communication
In order for my brief to stand out amongst the rest I will use formal language so the client will get
the impression that I’m well educated and that I know what I’m doing. I will also be extremely
detailed in my brief giving them a good description in what’s going to happen in the music video and
how its going to play out. However I will not write a huge paragraph due to the fact the client may
get bored and put my brief to one side. Therefore I need to make my brief fun to read but at the
same time I will ensure I get straight to the point.
Time management
To keep on top off all my work I will make a production plan allowing me to write down what I’m
going to do on certain days and how long I’m going to it for. I will also produce a production diary
which allows me to recap on my day and see if I’ve missed anything out. I will also make a lot of
notes in order to put my brief together in a quick and more sophisticated time.
Technical skills
I will learn how to draw up a detailed and well thought out brief which will express me ideas in a
clear way. However while doing this I will have to make sure my brief stands out amoungst the rest
making sure I include a lot of my technical skills such as working on Photoshop, premier pro and

5. Chloe Whittle
general computer software. I will also show how I can use a camera which once again broadens my
ability’s in the media industry.
Career progression
By gaining more skills this will allow me to take up more jobs expanding my career path. By taking on
more jobs I will progress in my career to a suitable point in my life where I feel happy.
Formal definition:
‘This this where a media company is given a brief by the client which outlines the product which they
are wanting to be made. This brief is very open and only gives enough information to be able to
produce the product, any issues or information that the media company would like to go over can be
discussed during the negotiations with the client. Both the client and the company employed by them
will formally agree on the project and the brief but it can not always be legally binding.’
Advantage
‘Having this type of brief means that the client is open to any ideas or issues if there are any that
could be raised by the media company that is employed, this makes the work quite creative for the
media company and there is room for negotiation.’
Disadvantages
‘The disadvantages of this type of brief is that the media company may feel that the client has not
offered enough information for them to complete the product to the standard that the client wishes.
Also the fact that the brief is not always legally binding could bring up problems within the project
with things such as financial issues or a breech of contract.’
Source- http://creativemediaatjt.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/formal-brief.html
A formal brief is where a certain type of brief in given to a media company by the client explaining
what type of product they want making. However this brief is very open allowing the media
company to experiment. The client only gives the media company enough information in order to
make the product. If there’s a certain part of information that can’t be found in the brief then the
media company will then make negotiations with the client. Both parties have to be happy in order
for the production to proceed. For example my client could give me a advert to make.
Communication
As I am given the brief in this situation I will read the brief twice over making sure I don’t miss
anything out. I will also discuss the brief with my client and make sure I have a good idea in what
they want. I will also make any following notes that I need to. I will also phone my client a few times
a week allowing them to understand how far I am along with their production.
Time management

6. Chloe Whittle
Once again I will make a production long allowing me to plan out what Im going to do on certain
days and how im going to do it. I will make sure I follow this very closely due to the fact this will give
me less things to worry about. I will plan the advert out day by day and do things at a certain time.
Technical skills
I will ensure that my client knows that I know how to work a camera which I will need in order to
film the advert. I will also allow them to know that I am experienced with using a editing software
such as Premier Pro. However I will be able to prove that I can also follow instructions by producing
the advert I want.
Career progression
By following the brief closely and producing the advert the company wants I will gain their trust and
therefore I will be able to use them as my references who will then refer me on to other jobs. This
will allow me to access more jobs due to the fact companies will see that I am very trust worthy with
my work.
Co-operative definition:
‘Co-operative brief - You work alongside other production companies or organisations who also have
a brief therefore your brief has to co-operate with the brief they are working on as well’
Source-
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Identify_the_different_types_of_briefs_used_in_the_media_industries
A co-operative brief is where companies work alongside one another. Each company has their own
brief and therefore one companies brief has to co-operate with the brief they’re working on as well.
For example we could both want to make a short film however we both could have different ideas.
Communication
For our communication me and the other production company will meet in a room and discuss our
ideas and take notes of both of our ideas. From there we will make compromises to ensure each one
of us is happy. We will also make sure we have equal say in how to want out short film to look,
however if one persons more experienced with making short films and using the camera then we
will make sure they have more control over the camera. We will also work very closely together by
emailing each night with the progress of the short film and phone calls due to the fact phone calls
allow us to get our point across more.
Time management
For my time management I will make sure I have very detailed notes on what’s going to happen in
our short film and how its going to look. I will once again produce a production log in order for me
to understand what’s going to happen throughout certain days. This will save a lot of time for both
production companies due to the fact we will not have to worry about if we’ve missed something
out not.

7. Chloe Whittle
Technical skills
I will be able to use a camera which is a big advantage due to the fact I will be able to gain more
experience. I will also be able to use a sound system which will be used to pick up people speaking. I
will also work alongside the other production company in order to edit the video to the way we both
want it. I will be able to use Premier Pro
Career progression
By working with another production company I will then be able to tell my other clients that I work
well in a team without any arguments. This then will make me more trustworthy and allow me to
accept more jobs which require me to work in a team.
Informal definition:
‘ An informal brief is not documented and is usually of the verbal kind. It is where the client and the
company which they have employed simply discuss the requirements for the product they will be
making and ultimately agree upon the project.’
Advantages
‘The advantages to this type of brief is that there is more verbal communication between the client
and the company they are employing which could mean that the media company will understand
fully exactly what the client is asking of them and they should be able to complete the project to the
client’s standards easily.’
Disadvantages
‘The fact that there is no written documentation or contract to prove the employment of the
company could mean that at the end of the project the client could easily fail to pay their employees.
Also this could mean that certain things like deadlines are not completely clear and this can cause
confusion for both parties.’
Source- http://creativemediaatjt.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/informal-brief.html
This type of brief is very different form the rest due to the fact it’s not documented but instead said
verbally. The client and the company discuss what’s going to happen and what the requirements are
for the brief. They will both then have a full understanding in what’s going to happen throughout the
whole brief without any confusion. For example my client could ask me to make a company logo.
Communication
Due to the fact that this kind of commission doesn’t require a written brief I will sit down with my
client and discuss how they want their logo to look such as colours images and writing. I will take
brief notes in order for to not forget any detail. I will make sure I listen carefully so I don’t miss any

8. Chloe Whittle
minor details that my client includes. I have to be very creative in this commission due to the fact I
have to put forward my ideas which will also be don’t while sitting round a table with my client.
Time management
I will make sure I take notes during our verbal brief making sure I don’t forget any details which will
allow me to proceed with the make of the company logo. I will once again sketch out little ideas of
the logo with my client before I actually begin to produce the final logo.
Technical skills
I will inform my client that I have a lot of experience with using Photoshop and that I know a lot of its
areas and how to create a very good and effective logo. This will allow me once again to make the
logo without nay trouble due to the fact I will already know how to use the software which is the
main problem in some cases.
Career progression
By verbally communicating with my client without relying on a brief all the time It will allow other
potential clients to see that I can think for myself and while at the same time keeping to what my
client wants. It will also prove I have a good understanding in what people what and that I have a
good memory.
Competition definition:
‘Competition brief: Like a tender, the media firm will be in competition, however the main difference
is possibly that the brief might be a little less detailed, and it may be possible for many firms to enter
the competition rather than just a few.This may produce some really great ideas, but it might be
difficult to decide between all of the media firms that have put forward their ideas and this could
slow the project down.’
Source- http://workingtoabriefmattwheeler.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/understand-requirements-of-
working-to.html
A competition brief is in some ways like a tender brief due to the fact they both have competition
and therefore have to stand out amongst the others. However one main difference is that a
competition brief is less detailed which allows many firms to enter the competition. This could result
in some really good ideas which then has its own problem in which is will be difficult in order to
decide between all of the media firms who have put forward their ideas. This could alternately slow
the project down causing annoyance between both the client and the media company’s waiting to
hear. An example of this could be a music magazine.

9. Chloe Whittle
Communication
Due to the brief being a little less detailed them many of the other briefs I will make sure my clients
understand the main points of my ideas. I will not go into a lot of detail but instead get straight to
the paint so my client doesn’t get bored and therefore chooses mine. For the music magazine I will
make sure I get the main points across in what im going to included and how.
Time management
To save a lot of time I will plan out what I’m going to say in my brief before sending it off making
sure its not too detailed and not too long and boring. I will make sure I have a very good idea in how
I want the music magazine to look and how the layouts going to look. This will save a lot of time later
due to the fact I will be able to just proceed in making the music magazine.
Technical skills
Knowing that I can already use Photoshop this will allow me advance in making the music magazine
without wasting any time figuring out how to use the software. By using Photoshop to the best of
my abilities it will allow me to produce a very attracting music magazine.
Career progression
Knowing that even though I didn’t include a lot of detail in the brief and went straight to the paint
will allow my future clients to understand that I have very good ideas and that im very creative. It
will also prove that I don’t waste a lot of time thinking about what to do and how to do it,