NQ Media Studies
Higher
Production
Student Logbook
Kate Henderson
January 2005
© SFEU/COLEG
NQ Media Studies – Higher
Production Student Logbook
Acknowledgements
SFEU (Scottish Further Education Unit) and COLEG (Colleges Open Learning
Exchange Group) gratefully acknowledge the contribution made to this publication by
Avril Smillie, Falkirk College, who reviewed the material.
First published May 2004
Revised version published January 2005
© SFEU/COLEG 2005
NQ Media Studies – Higher
Production Student Logbook
NQ Media Studies – Higher
Production Student Logbook
Contents
Brief
1
Resources
2
Research
2
Introductory Student Checklist
3
Production Meetings
4
Production Meeting 1 (Introduction to the brief)
4
Production Meeting 2 (At the end of the planning stage)
4
Production Meeting 3 (Half-way through production stage)
4
Media Production Checklist
5
Pre-Production (planning)
5
Production
5
Evaluation
6
Pre-Production: Assessment Grid
7
Pre-Production Notes
7
Evaluation Comments
7
Production: Assessment Grid
8
Production Notes
8
Evaluation Comments
8
Post-Production Assessment Grid
Post-Production Notes
9
9
Production Notes
10
Plan/Storyboard/Format
11
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Production Student Logbook
Production Schedule
12
Self Assessment in Practical Activities
13
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Production Student Logbook
Brief
At Higher level, the production should involve:

a topic that is challenging, requiring extensive research involving both primary and
secondary sources

the product not exceeding the length/size detailed in brief

adherence to deadline as detailed in brief

adherence to relevant internal and external controls

be medium specific and reflect professional practice, emphasising deadlines,
budgetary and time constraints. For example, a maximum of 1 minute for a
broadcast commercial.
Medium:
Purpose:
Target Audience: At Higher this could be negotiated
Form:
Genre:
Length:
Deadline:
Internal/ External Controls: At Higher these could be researched.
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NQ Media Studies – Higher
Production Student Logbook
Resources

Hardware: Examples

Software: Examples
Research

Identification of sources

Topic research

Audience and product research

Identification of constraints
Examples:
Library
Web sites
Interviews
Surveys
Recce etc
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Production Student Logbook
Introductory Student Checklist
This checklist should be customised to suit the production, the following are
examples from various media.
1. In small groups take at least four different magazines from the ones provided
(one should be a student magazine) and familiarise yourselves with how they
are made up.
2. Discuss the structure of these magazines in your groups and look at the
similarities and differences – write these out – which are appropriate to your
brief?
OR
3. Set up and operate a camera on a tripod. Film a sequence including a pan,
zoom, tilt and in camera edit.
4. Recce – find a suitable location for an informal interview, consideration
should be given to mise-en-scene, sound and lighting.
OR
5. Examine a number of websites for text, images, hyperlinks and author
information.
6. On a home page examine how the author employs some of the design
features eg heading, logo, navigation bar, graphic – photograph or icon etc.
AND
7. Produce a plan, storyboard, format appropriate to the brief.
8. Produce a production schedule.
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Production Student Logbook
Production Meetings
Production Meeting 1 (Introduction to the brief)

Analyse brief (category, style, tone, audience)

Discuss ideas in terms of key aspects

Discuss research

Discuss production schedule

Allocate roles/tasks
Production Meeting 2 (At the end of the planning stage)

Discuss progress (each group gives a progress report)

Analyse results of research

Check organisation for production stage is complete

Allocate roles and tasks for production

Check production schedule
Production Meeting 3 (Half-way through production stage)

Discuss progress

Discuss deadlines

Discuss note taking/logbooks

Discuss points for evaluation stage
Suggestions

Appoint a PA (Production Assistant) to take notes at the meetings these can then
be photo copied for each candidate.

The PA should also keep a copy of all relevant material – scripts, production
schedule, plan/storyboard/format etc. – these are kept in a central file that never
leaves site. (This prevents disruption by absence.)

This task could be shared.
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Production Student Logbook
Media Production Checklist
Your Production Notes should cover the following:
Pre-Production (planning)

Analysis of the brief (your thoughts and those of the group).

Record and evaluation of the ideas you suggested.

How well the group worked when allocating roles and tasks (ie negotiating).

The roles and tasks you carried out with an evaluation of the quality/expertise.
Contribution to the production schedule. (Did you help devise it? Is it working? Are
you and the others meeting deadlines? If not what solutions need to be
implemented?)

Use technical terms.
Production

Personal organisation skills.

Co-operation and teamwork (negotiating working methods and rules).

Communicating ideas and information.

Technological skills carried out with evaluation of quality/expertise.

Non-technological skills carried out with evaluation of quality/expertise.

Effectiveness of schedule.

Problems and solutions.

Use technical terms.

Bullet points should be added here which are media specific (see Arrangements:
Support Notes and NABs), eg:

Analyse the use of shots, sound, editing etc (for video)
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Production Student Logbook
Evaluation

Review the final product in terms of categories, eg were choices made appropriate
to target audience, constraints etc? Was the brief met?

Review the product in terms of language, eg use technical terms accurately. Were
choices made appropriate and successfully executed both individually and as a
group? Discuss both your own technological and non-technological strengths and
weaknesses.

Review the product in terms of narrative and representation.

Review the production process in individual and co-operative activities during both
planning and implementation.

Review what has been learned in terms of institutional contexts (deadlines,
resources, copyright, taste etc) and audience contexts.

Recommend and justify improved or alternative strategies.
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Pre-Production: Assessment Grid
PC 1
PRE-PRODUCTION
Contribute to planning a production
1a
Analysis of brief (category, language, audience and other relevant
aspects)
1a
Contributed useful ideas and information
1a
Allocation/negotiation of tasks to confirm ideas about content
(format)
1b
Participation in the planning of the product – Personal research:
give examples
1b
Group research: give examples
1c
Discuss and allocate roles and a timetable for the production
schedule
1d
Create a glossary of technical terminology
Pre-Production Notes
(see checklist on page 5) completed by candidate
See NABs for exemplification of content.
Allow space for candidate notes (Higher would need a minimum of two pages).
Evaluation Comments
(see checklist on pages 5-6) completed by candidate
See NABs for exemplification of content.
Allow space for candidate notes.
7
Tick
NQ Media Studies – Higher
Production Student Logbook
Production: Assessment Grid
PC 2
PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES
Contribute to implementing a group production
2a
Contribute to organising the production
2a
Negotiate working methods and rules for managing the production
2b
Communicate ideas and information
2c
Contribute effectively in terms of technical skills
2c
Contribute effectively in terms of non-technical skills
2c
Allocate roles
2c
Contribute to production schedule
2a + d
Choose the best combination and use technical terms accurately
2a + d
Review production process and use technical terms accurately
The above grid can be customised to include media and text specific activities.
Production Notes
(see checklist on page 5) completed by candidate
See NABs for exemplification of content.
Allow space for candidate notes (Higher would need at least two pages).
Evaluation Comments
(see checklist on pages 5-6) completed by candidate
See NABs for exemplification of content.
Allow space for candidate notes.
8
Tick
NQ Media Studies – Higher
Production Student Logbook
Post-Production Assessment Grid
PC 3
POST-PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES
Review and evaluate magazine
3a
Analyse strengths and weaknesses of the production
3b
Analyse strengths and weaknesses of individual contribution
3b
Analyse strengths and weaknesses of an individual working in a
group for co-operative planning and implementation
3d
Use technical terms appropriate to the medium and tasks described
in 3a and 3b
3c
Suggest alternative strategies for improvement
3c
Justify the alternative strategies
3e
Evidence to justify conclusions
3e
Cover evaluation criteria relevant to media and product
Post-Production Notes
See NABs for exemplification of content.
Allow space for candidate notes (Higher would need at least one page).
9
Tick
NQ Media Studies – Higher
Production Student Logbook
Production Notes
To be used in the evaluation as a prompt. No more than one A4 Sheet. Use the
Post-Production Assessment Grid as a guide. Use the checklist on pages 5-6.
Points to cover:

Analyse the strengths and weaknesses of production in relation to the brief.

Analyse the strengths and weaknesses of his/her own performance.

Recommended and justify appropriate improved or alternative strategies.

Use technical terms accurately.

Cover evaluation criteria appropriate to medium of product.
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Production Student Logbook
Plan/Storyboard/Format
Appropriate to media and production
A photocopy could be done for each candidate
11
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Production Student Logbook
Production Schedule
See Appendix A – Magazine (Higher NAB)
Week
1
2
3
4
Activity
12
5
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Production Student Logbook
Self Assessment in Practical Activities
Pre-Production (Planning)
Activity
Involvement
Actual Contribution
Tick
Analyse Brief – group
discussion
Very involved
Involved
Little involvement
Give ideas
Lots
Some
A few
Research
Very
effective/useful
Effective/useful
Not very
effective/useful
Contribute to Production
Schedule
Very effective
Effective
Not effective
Use technical terms
Very good
Good
Needs
improvement
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Production Student Logbook
Production
Involvement
Activity
Actual Contribution
Tick
Personal organisation
Very good
Good
Needs
improvement
Negotiate
Very well
Well
Needs
improvement
Communicate ideas/
information
Very well
Well
Needs
improvement
Technical skills
Very good
Good
Fair
Non-technical skills
Very good
Good
Fair
Use of technical terms
Very good
Good
Fair
14
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Production Student Logbook
Post-Production
Activity
Involvement
Actual Contribution
Tick
Composing/editing final
version
Very effective
Effective
Needs improving
15
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16