1. AS Media Studies
Unit G321: Foundation Production
Print or Video
Name…………………………………………..

2. The Choice of Briefs
Option 1: Print
Preliminary Exercise: Using an image manipulation program to
produce the front page of a new school magazine, featuring a
photograph of a student in a medium close up plus some
appropriately laid out text and a masthead. Additionally candidates
must produce a mock up of the layout of the contents page to
demonstrate a good grasp of the programme.
Main Task: The front page of a new music magazine (if done as a
group, each member of the group must produce an individual edition
of the magazine, following the same house style). Maximum: groups
of two.
All images and texts must be original, and produced by the
candidate. Minimum of FOUR images per candidate.
Option 2: Video
Preliminary Exercise: Continuity task involving filming and editing
a character opening a door crossing a room and sitting in a chair
opposite another character, with whom, he or she then exchanges
lines of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action,
shot/reverse shot and the 180 degree rule.
Main Task: The titles and opening sequence of a new fiction film, to
last a maximum of two minutes.
All video/audio material must be original and produced by the
candidate, with the exception of music. Maximum four to a group.

3. What is meant by original images?
These are defined as: photographs taken by the candidate themselves, with
proof in the Production Report appendix, in terms of the original pre-cropped
or pre-manipulated photographs.
Original images must be wholly originally produced. Any manipulation of
existing images cannot count as an original image.
Please note that found images (i.e. from existing sources) that have been
significantly edited/digitally manipulated, with evidence provided in the
production report appendix of the initial ‘found’ image, do not constitute
original images.
What you have to do
Each candidate is expected to evaluate and reflect upon the
creativity process and their experience of it. Candidates will
evaluate their work electronically, this evaluation being guided by a
set of key questions (noted later in the booklet). This evaluation
may be done collectively for a group production or individually.
Examples for suitable formats are:
• DVD Extras
• A blog
• A powerpoint
• A podcast
The evaluation is not simply a written essay and the
potential of the format chosen should be exploited through
the use of images, audio, video and links to online resources.
You could also submit a videotaped presentation.
You should: Plan and research
• Decide on and research into target audience, with evidence in the
production report. This can be done by designing questionnaires and
researching the BRAD directory or Box office figures.
• Research existing media practice and examples of comparable products
(i.e. your competitors) and discuss your findings in the production
blog.
• Action plan your organisation of time, equipment and people.
• Draw drafts of your production and include all evidence of planning
and drafting in the appendix of the Production Report.
• Design a flat plan or storyboard/script to show you understand the
conventions of your chosen medium.

4. • Provide a sample of original images/footage that you took and
annotate around the images/footage why you did/did not use them.
Construct a media product
• Use established forms and conventions to produce a recognisable and
meaningful piece of media.
• Pay close attention to detail and finish in a way which shows
understanding of the type of media product.
• Produce a product that is appropriate to the target audience.
• Show skill and ability in the use of the technology and equipment
needed to produce the product.
Produce a production blog – no more than 2000 words in total, (each
section should be a maximum of 500 words)
o Part 1:the brief and research into similar media texts/target
audience
o Part 2: planning the production
o Part 3: constructing the production – technical decisions and
revisions
o Part 4: evaluation of the finished product
The Deadlines
Part one: the brief and research into similar media texts/target
audiences and preliminary tasks:
To be completed by:
Part two: planning the production:
To be completed by:

5. Part three: constructing the production
To be completed by:
Part four: evaluation of the finished product
To be completed by:
The final deadline overall for the project is:
How is your work assessed?
Your work in internally marked by your media teacher, a sample is
then selected for external moderation.
The foundation Production is assessed in three sections:
• Planning and research: maximum marks 20/20
• Construction: maximum marks 60/60
• Production Report: maximum marks 20/20
Overall your work is marked out of 100 and is 50% of your overall AS mark.

6. Part 1-Interpreting the brief and carrying out research
• How do you interpret the brief?
• What style of music magazine/ film have you chosen to produce?
• Who is the audience you are targeting and why? (You must back up your
decisions with evidence from your research).
• What research have you carried out? For example to explain you have
carried out analysis into other products you need to explain why you
looked at rival products and explain how this analysis will help you with
the design of your own production.
• Explain what genre conventions you will apply to your own production.
• What did you discover after consulting the BRAD directory/ Box office
about target audience figures?
• How did the BRAD directory/Box office help you to establish who your own
target audience would be?

7. • Have you discovered a gap in the market? If yes, what is it? If no how are
you going to make your product stand out?
Part 2-Planning the production
• Explain why your action plan and equipment list will be useful?
• What do you think people look for when purchasing a magazine/ seeing a
film? Remember to back up your points by referring to any research you
have done.
• State the title of your magazine/ film and the connotations this has?
• Refer to the brief and explain you are required to use original
images/footage and explain where you are going to take the photographs
and offer reasons why?
• For example how does your location fit in with the style of your magazine?
Will you take the photographs/film at night time or day time? Have you
considered continuity and weather conditions?
• Explain that you have designed draft drawings of your product and
comment on how this has helped the creative process.
• How will your magazine/film be different/appealing/entice your audience?
• Your last paragraph should discuss your planning process such as flat plan,
drawn drafts, photo list, storyboards scripts and action plan.

8. Part 3- Constructing the production – technical decisions and
revisions
Please ensure you keep a log book of your progress. Use it to explain
the technical decisions and revisions you made and your reasons for
re-drafting/changing schedules/decisions to re-write and so forth.
o What equipment did you use? How did you use it to achieve your
aims? Did you need to re-do anything with different equipment or
techniques? Have you got earlier drafts as evidence?
o When setting up photographs/filming give yourself a range of
options for different types of shot and image so that you can decide
which is best. What types of image did you create? How did you
achieve which was most appropriate?
o How did you manipulate images or text to suit your aims? What did
you do and how did you do it? Please be detailed and specific.
o When working on sections, did you go back to check characteristics
and conventions used in the construction of comparable (and rival)
media products? You need to ensure that language is appropriate,
the images are comparable and the layout suits the genre.

9. o What has been your individual contribution to this stage? What
evidence have you got to demonstrate this?
Part 4- Evaluation of the finished product prompts
How well does the finished product match up to the aims you established for
it when you interpreted the brief? To answer this you need to consider:
• Response of the target audience. Use focus groups and individual
responses from test audiences. ( Do not just ask friends and family, you
need a more objective response)
• Evaluate the characteristics and genre conventions used in your piece and
similar (and rival pieces). Are the images and the language appropriate? Is
the style comparable? Does the form suit the genre?
• Did you succeed in attracting your target audience and creating a
magazine/film which will take its place in the market and yet differ from
its competitors? What characteristics give it a unique style?
• What aspects of your product do you think could be improved? Be very
precise, technical and specific in your answer.
• What aspects of your product are you particularly pleased with? Be very
precise, technical and specific in your answer.

10. In the evaluation the following questions must be answered
• In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of real media products?
• a
Insert mark scheme from specification here.