Advanced PortfolioResearch and Planning

Lesson Objectives: To be able to improve your Research and Planning.

The Criteria

• Level 4 16–20 marks

• Planning and research evidence will be complete and detailed. • There is excellent research into similar products and a potential target

audience. • There is excellent work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or

storyboarding. • There is excellent organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props. • Time management is excellent. • There is excellent skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the

presentation..• There are excellent communication skills. • There is an excellent level of care in the presentation of the research

and planning.

Exam Board Expectations

• Research:• Similar products• Target audience• Institutions

• Planning for Moving Image Products:• Storyboards/animatics• Photos of costumes, locations, prop,s actors

• Example Animatic

Examiner’s Advice

• Embedded video – analysis, and work in progress• Audio – audience interviews, commentaries• Draft work, storyboards, mind-maps, recce shots, make

up tests, permission letters, risk assessment forms.• Hyperlinked to relevant sites.• Use of comment facility – audience feedback• ‘the best research was focused, relevant, and analytical,

rather than descriptive and looked closely at a range of similar products which then informed planning’.

Examiner’s Advice

• Audience research was done well where more than just a questionnaire and graph had been completed.

• Use of social networking sites,• The most detailed audience research produced more effective

products.• When audience research was used part way through the project

this impacted positively.• Drafting is essential – helps guide the production. Storyboards

produced after the production have no use.• Use of shooting schedules, call sheets, risk assessments, shot

lists, contact sheets of images, in progress drafts.

• To achieve a Level 4 for your Research and Planning you need to have a clear understanding of the purpose of this stage of your project.

• The purpose of research is to identify conventions of your genre, and understand how to target your audience.

• The purpose of planning is think through how you will produce your products and guide you during the production process.

• If the links between the Research and Planning and the finished products are not evident your work will struggle to reach the higher levels for both the Research and Planning and the Product.

Storyboarding

• http://media.edusites.co.uk/index.php/article/understanding-storyboarding/

• http://media.edusites.co.uk/index.php/article/storyboard-frame-template-download/

What you need…

• Detailed analysis of similar products for the main and ancillary tasks. This must be analytical not descriptive. Explain the effect of technical elements using specific examples and terminology.

• Research into your target audience – questionnaire and results, focus group.

• Planning – production plan, draft work, script, storyboard, shotlist.

• Institutions – research into the type of institution that would produce your product.

What will help you reach level 4…

• Use of audience feedback throughout the project.• Animatic• Photos of locations, props, costumes, actors.• Research into regulation.

Presentation

• You are also assessed on the presentation of your blog.• Make sure you embed videos, include links to sites you

have looked at.• All blog posts need a clear heading.• Make sure all your entries are viewable and appropriately

sized.