WORKING TO A BRIEF LO1

Jordan Bohill

CONTRACTUAL BRIEFDefinition

A contractual brief is a signed brief that will be fixed to the requirements specified on the brief and if completed in the time period specified. If this is not completed or not to the requirements then the client could face legal action against the you. Sometimes people get solicitors to read through contract agreements to ensure there is no holes in the contract that could leave you worse off. These will usually specify a paid salary for completing the work on time.

Advantages

Written down and signed officially so either party can take legal action if the contract agreements are not met.

Although it leaves you vulnerable to legal action if you complete it to the requirements and the client still tries to take legal action for some reason you are covered as long as it is to requirements.

Usually a more detailed brief that you can refer to as it can not be changed in the long run unless it goes through another contract agreement.

Disadvantages

If requirements aren't met then you could face legal action and end up worse of than before.

Can be time consuming and cost money to produce a contract and to have it checked for you.

Sometimes the requirements wont suite your work style but you are unable to change the work to suit you because of the requirements already cemented in place.

FORMAL BRIEFDefinitionA formal brief similar to a contractual brief will underline all the requirements needed to complete the project that you are doing. It will only contain the necessary information on the project rather than things like rates. Another similar characteristic is that both parties will agree on the conditions of the contract but they aren't always legally binding.

AdvantagesThe advantages of this type of brief is that you aren't required to sign anything and tie yourself down or to be sued for any reason.

Is easy to read and only has brief underlining's of the requirements therefore leaving the project quite open to your interpretation.

Makes you look more professional if you stick to the brief and get the work done on time as you don’t have a signature tying you down you have to motivate yourself to ensure you get no bad rep.

DisadvantagesWith no signatures or legal binding the client could leave you unpaid where then it will be difficult for you to fight against them in court for the pay.

The brief can not be changed and will have to be negotiated with the client If any changes or extra funding is needed to complete the project.

INFORMAL BRIEFDefinition

A informal brief is one of the riskier briefs, with no contract involved at all of anything written down it can lead you to unpaid work or for the client no work being finished. Nothing is established on paper for the project and is all described vocally therefore its one persons say against another. These briefs will most likely be discussed through a meeting to ensure nothing is missed though communication. No contract allows the brief to be very flexible with time period or the requirements set upon you.

Advantages

One advantage of this is that it is very open and can always be changed to suit you or the client it also has no strings attached so if that original deadline isn't hit you can always re arrange

A quick meeting or discussion can establish the grounds and requirements wanted to be met as no legal information is having to be processed the project can be started instantly and save everyone time.

If your clients requirements aren't what you feel would suit your work it can be changed anyway you like.

Disadvantages

Although the no strings attached will work in your favour to change the project it also leaves you vulnerable to any things that would have been contracted in the other briefs. Things like pay and contact can often be a problem with these type of contacts often leaving people unpaid for their time and work.

This can also leave you out of pocket if you have invested in the project as well as not being paid.

You may also forget or miss interpret what the client is wanting when discussing the project this can lead to the client being unhappy and you losing reputation.

CO-OPERATIVE BRIEFDefinition

A co-operative brief is where two or more companies are hired to work together on one project. This would be discussed over a meeting and a short brief but no contract to ensure both parties know what their part in the project is and to ensure their communication is going to work between the two companies.

Advantages

One advantage of working to a co-operative brief is that it takes a lot of the strain of both of the companies as they know they can work together to handle the work load.

Similar to a informal brief, this brief has no contract to it and leaves the project very open for both teams. They are also quick meetings that will establish the grounds and with working in a team it allows you to discuss and share new ideas that one company may not have thought of or tried before.

Disadvantages

With it being open to both teams it can lead to two different interpretations that don’t work together. Another reason for them not working together is that the companies would most likely have not worked together before or they will have two very separate opinions that could clash against each other when it comes to establishing the grounds of the project.

Again with no contract and having companies work together it will most likely be a big project with a lot of money invested in it and if the client decides to un pay both parties or just one of the companies it could leave each out of pocket massively.

It also looks unprofessional with no contract and between two parties can lead to even more confusion than with just one person working on the project.

NEGOTIATED BRIEFDefinitionA negotiated brief usually comes after the first brief has been established, this can be used when two or more parties have a conflicting idea to that which was originally agreed on the brief. Negotiated briefs are used to compromise on the ideas and create a agreement and please both parties. This can be for anything from little changes to the visual style to big changes in the deadlines or the legal requirements.

AdvantagesCan lead to both parties and the client being happy with the requirements after the original ones may not have pleased someone in the agreement.

It will also settle any conflict or disagreement that may have occurred when discussing the brief between the clients and will allow them to push on and finish the project happy. It will also lead to better communication if you just sit down and negotiate it between you and the client in person and can lead to a quick resolve.

DisadvantagesSometimes the requirements can not be negotiated to suit one person and will therefore stick to what was intentionally agreed this would leave one person unhappy with the conditions. This can later come to the work not been completed to the top quality or not completed at all due to more conflict between the two parties.

With negotiating ideas this could extend the project to a later date this could cause slashes with one parties plans or leaving the client unhappy that their original deadline was not hit when they originally liked.

COMMISSION BRIEFDefinitionA commission brief is where a larger media producer/company would have a smaller one to produce work for them. This brief will be discussed and agreed by these two parties rather than with a external client that was the case with the other briefs. The smaller parties work will then be used by the larger company for a external client that would have had no contact with the companies for the project. This can result in one big pay for the smaller organisation and/or earning a profit from the work for each time their product is sold or used.

AdvantagesOne advantage of a commission brief is that it gives the smaller producer and the larger one more time to produce the work as it will be sold on with time to multiple clients.

Working to a commission brief can also be great for the smaller company as it allows them to take a big income from the project for the the profits they may receive and the original pay they were paid for completing the project.

DisadvantagesAs both companies have to benefit from the intake they will both only get a small pay out as appose to them working individually and taking the full profits.

TENDER BRIEFDefinition

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COMPETITION BRIEFDefinition

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MY BRIEFWhich structure/structures will your client brief use? Reference your reasons for choice/choices

READING THE BRIEFWhy is important to thoroughly read your brief?

READING THE BRIEFWhat is the nature and demand of your client brief?

NEGOTIATING A BRIEFWhy is it important to discuss the brief with your client prior to production?

NEGOTIATING A BRIEFWhat are the advantages and disadvantages of employing discretion with a brief?

NEGOTIATING A BRIEFAre there any potential legal/ethical/regulatory issues with the brief’s proposed product?

NEGOTIATING A BRIEFAmendments you have considered to:The Product

The Budget

The Conditions

OPPORTUNITIESWhat opportunities could this brief allow you to explore? Self Development

Learning new skills

OPPORTUNITIESMulti-skilling

Contributing to a project