There are different types of briefs for different purposes and this is how companies or customers verify the specific things they want from a producer.
As a producer when looking at a brief you must be able to identify what type of brief is it and what specifically the customer or business is asking you to produce.
Formal
A formal brief is a document which states everything the client wants to be produced by the end of the project. With this type of brief, the client is open to ideas and issues from the producer which may improve the outcome of the project. A formal brief is usually very clear and concise without any formal of complexity.
Informal
This type of brief is not documented and is usually a verbal agreement between the client and the producer. The producer can influence the project’s outcome when with their own beliefs and opinions when working from an informal brief.
Negotiated
When multiple parties are involved in the project a negotiated brief is often needed to get the parties to agree on the brief and begin working on the project. A brief like this can bring together the ideas of both the client and the producer making the two parties less likely to quarrel in future developments of the project. This is helpful as it prevents legal action and can result in an outcome that exceeds the original expectations.
Commission
A large corporation employs an independent company to create the product or project specified within the commission brief. Unfortunately, an independent company may not be paid for the work they put into completing a commission brief and can result in the independent company refusing to work with the large corporation in future.
Tender
A Tender brief is when multiple producers are involved in the project and the client has the choice of who to employ. This is so that clients can see the producers skill before deciding to employ them for a new project. A brief such as this pushes the producer to make high-quality work to get paid and can be very difficult to be selected by the client.
Cooperative
This is where two or more producers work cooperatively on one brief for a client. All the involved parties must agree on the final brief. Working Cooperatively in the workplace can create a sense of community and increasing communication between employees making the production run smoothly.
Competition
Multiple companies or individuals complete their own product from a brief and the work is judged by the person who sent the brief. The selected company is then paid for their work and goes further into the project. Even though most competition Briefs are free to join and producers must pitch themselves to companies through their work, however, these types of Briefs can also provide work for freelance producers.
Contractual
This is an agreement that is signed and states the objectives that the producer must meet during this project. A breach of this agreement would allow the client to take legal action against the producer. This affects the producer because it clearly states all the details the client wants and how much they are willing to pay.
The Project Brief and How It Affects Me
The reason it is important to read the brief when starting a new project is so that you can identify which type of brief you will be working to and what your client is expecting you to produce at the end of the project. If you dived into a project without reading through the brief then it would result in you producing something which you thought the client wanted but not actually what they asked for and then you most likely wouldn’t be paid for your work, gaining a bad reputation in the industry stopping future possible employment opportunities.
This projects brief is asking that I research and understand the different briefs in the media sector, as well as the way camera work, is used and how professionals conduct their research. I must use this information to produce an animation showing my own use of camera work followed by a document showing my understanding of the research techniques in the industry.
Negotiating the brief with my client will allow me to interpret the brief as the client intended and give me a greater understanding of the legal and ethical restraints in this project when producing my work. If I consult the client on the brief I can also learn the budget of this project and change my prices if I feel the need.
Being clear on what is specified within the brief is really helpful and can ensure that this project goes smoothly without any hiccups between me and the client/company allowing more room for self development and the chance to learn new skills. Those skills could be a new faster development process or a different technique which I can use in future.
Camera Shot Report
Cory Robinson <_o-o_> 