1. Yvette Fisher TASK 5 WORKING AS A WRITER

2. Primary research: Primary research is when an individual conducts their own research on a topic in order to obtain first hand information. For example if an interview, survey, questionnaire or focus group is used in order to gather information to contribute to the research being carried out. However this will not be enough because there is only a certain amount of research that can be done first hand so the amount of information gained is very limited. It is also sometimes very hard to find the target audience to give their opinions and preferences that will be needed as part of the research. Secondary research: Secondary research is when a person looks in books and on the internet to find information on research that has already been carried out by someone else and can be used to compare with the primary research that has been done. This helps to get a wider range of information.

3. Qualitative research: Qualitative research is when you gather in-depth written information gained from an interview or open ended questionnaire. This enables the research to get better knowledge of the target audience’s preferences and opinions. However for certain information qualitative information would not be useful because it is time consuming to gather enough information to add to the research. Quantitative research: Quantitative research is numerical data for example pie charts, graphs and tally’s. It is a quicker way of obtaining information and it is used to find out what option people prefer more e.g.. Out of the four colours which one would you prefer; blue, pink, red or violet. Quantitative data is easier to analyse, however in certain circumstances quantitative is not as useful because it does not go into much detail. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=638W_s5tRq8

4. There are three main purposes of research within media industries. Audience research: this is the collection and analyses of the target audience of a particular product or sector of the media industry. For example if there is a new perfume brand coming out or a new movie that is being produced, research will be conducted on the customer base or audience they aim to reach out to. It aims to investigate: statistical data about the size and profile of the audience, the extent to which the targeted audience are aware of the media product and what the target audience think of the product and if they would be interested in using the products e.g. the sun newspaper.

5. The target audience is essential because it helps the marketers know exactly who to aim for and what the target audience expect of the product. The target audience can be based on gender, age, ethnic group, religion and interests e.g. gardening.

6. Market research: this is the collection and analysis of information about the market within which the product may compete with other products for the same target audience and revenue. Market research is important for any company because it helps prevent loss of profit as the media market place is highly competitive. In order to make sure the product being distributed becomes a success, in-depth market research will need to get carried out to make sure that the product does not get beaten by a competing product. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-q2vwa_n2I

7. Production research: this is the collection and analysis of information for the content and production of a media product. Production research is needed to provide content and gather material to allow the company to develop the new product, research the commercial viability of actually making the product, to investigate the technology and personnel available, look at suitable filming locations and to thoroughly research and plan the production and post production to ensure that everything runs swiftly.

8. The commissioning editor identify books or media products to publish in order to build up a publisher’s list. They also ensure authors deliver typescripts to specification and on time. In order for the commissioning editor to develop their publishers list, they research their field to learn about trends and gaps in the market. In order to do this they attend book fairs, attend relevant conferences, use surveys to find out what customers want most and conduct internet research.

9. Producers are at the top of the hierarchy in the television, film and video industries. The producer over see's each project from the beginning to the end. They work closely with the directors and other production staff. The producer need to have directing skills as they they will sometimes need to direct and take care of all project operations, they also arrange funding for each project and are responsible for making sure that the production does not go over budget.

10. Assistant Producer - The assistant producer supports the director and the producer. Assistant producers liaise not only with the creative team but also with the administration team. The assistant producer works with the researcher to find stories and contributors for the project, and also instructs the researcher as to what tasks need to be completed. Sometimes the assistant producer is required to meet potential contributors and interview them informally to find out more information before filming or recording takes place. The assistant producer will often complete aspects of post-production paperwork so that the film can be broadcast legally.

11. Executive Producer - An executive producer is one of the most important positions in the media industry. Their job is to give feedback and constructive criticism to the director and producer to improve the quality of the project. Once a project has been commissioned, executive producers review the story line and the narrative. They also check that the during the editing stage, the commissioner’s specifications are met. Executive producers are also called in to advise on any serious problems that arise during production.

12. Script editors are responsible for identifying any problems with the script. They provide a critical overview of the screenwriting process. Editors can be full time employee’s of a production company but they are more often employed on a freelance basis and their pay and involvement levels can be negotiated.

13. Editorial Assistant - The editorial assistant is the first stage in the commissioning process. Their job is to ensure that the commissioning editors and editors are given the administrative support they need. They act as a liaison between the commissioning department, the programme manager and the legal team. It is crucial that they communicate effectively and remain on top of the agenda as they will often instigate processes that need to happen in the commissioning process by booking meetings etc.

14. Editorial Administrator - The editorial administrator acts as personal assistant to the head of the commissioning department. Their main task is to make sure the commissioning department runs smoothly and efficiently. The position is a step up from editorial assistants, but a lot of the job requirements overlap. They often deal with other departments to organise meetings and viewings. They also check that the legal department are happy with programmes and that the press and publicity team are aware of what is coming up.

15. Researcher - Researchers have many different roles within the commissioning process and so multi-tasking is a vital skill required. They may be asked to research information about the topic the project is covering, finding appropriate interviewees, researching locations for filming, visiting the location to take photos for the director or taking part in script meetings. It is sometimes the researcher's job to obtain filming permissions and consent forms. Researchers often work on a production from beginning to end, but sometimes they are also brought in at different stages in the process. At the end of a production, researchers often help with the post-production paperwork, filling in the contributors' details and making a note of what music is used etc.

16. Commissioner - The commissioner is in charge of which films get made. They do this by selecting the best ideas submitted by companies to them. The commissioner may already have an idea of what kind of film they are looking for but other times they may just take an interest in whatever turns up. Once a commissioner has selected an idea that they like for a film, a contract is issued between the production company and the film company. After this, the film then goes into production.

17. Writers are involved in crating and developing the works of fiction and non-fiction. This can be poetry, writing for screenplay or radio, and material for theaters. Most writers are freelance and self employed, they own 100% copyright of their work, when they want to get investors and have their work published by a company they can negotiate the percentage of copyright the company will receive. They often have to support themselves by getting another job to provide the needed finance for their writing. When a publisher decides on a specific product they may contact the freelance writer with an outline of their requirements and schedule and ask if the writer is able to help. If this is the case then they get a detailed brief with all the project requirements, for example how much they’re expected to write and an outline of the content and layout.

18. A contracted writer is a writer that works for a company. They have a set pay, set working hours and all the work they produce is a copyright of the company. They are required to feel comfortable with working alone, meeting deadlines and accepting criticism. The writer may also be required to get publicity for the production that they are writing and are not at liberty to discuss the content of the script they are producing with anyone that is not part of the production team except as agreed with the producers.

19. The pro’s of working as a freelance writer is that they are entitled to the majority of their earnings if not all, depending on the negotiations made between the freelance writer and the producer they would have partnered up with for the production of their script. The freelance writers can also choose their own working hours. The cons of being a freelance writer is that they have no steady income and are not guaranteed a set job, so they only get a writing job as and when they can depending on if someone decides to publish their work or need them to write a script for a production and need the writers writing style.

20. The pro’s of working as a contracted writer is that the contracted writer has set pay and a set job so they know they have a steady income. There are other benefits such as working with a team as supposed to relying on themselves to go out and find work and try to get their wok published. However the downfall to working as a contracted writer is that they have set working time and all the work they produced is entirely owned by the company so the pay they receive cannot be negotiated and is down to the amount the company chooses to pay the writer.

21. Copyright - A production must never copy or use the material from another production without their permission so as not to breach the terms and conditions of copyright. If the laws of copyright are broken, legal action can be taken against the production company. Bias - This is when a programme only expresses the views and opinions of one party and not the opposite. This makes the programme prejudiced and therefore may become unethical.

22. Censorship - This is when explicit aspects of programmes such as sex, drug abuse. violence, swearing and discrimination are taken out of a programme so as to suit viewing from a younger audience. Watersheds - After the watershed, programmes which feature sex, violence, drug abuse, swearing and discrimination are allowed to be aired on television. This is normally around some time in the late evening around 9 o’clock.

23. Libel - This is when a programme mocks another party without their permission. If the other party take offense to what is being said or done in the programme, they can take legal action against them.

24. EDEXEL Creative Media production level 3 BTEC national text book http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=638W_s5tRq8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-q2vwa_n2I http://www.prospects.ac.uk/writer_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/commissioning_editor_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/television_film_video_producer_job_description.htm http://www.creativeskillset.org/film/jobs/script/article_4056_1.asp http://www.createhavoc.org/louisclark/Louis_Clark/Writing_for_Television_and_Video/Entries/2010/3/18_Day_of_longboarding.html Google images