Working to a Brief : 1 (studio) - The Briefs

For one of my workshops in this Professional Practice module, we were split into three groups, to conduct a group task.  Each group was given a slightly different brief to produce, shoot and complete.  For this first workshop each brief was a studio shoot using models and props.  Each group would have to handle street casting, model release forms, styling and prop re-sourcing, organisation of studio times and equipment hire.   It was a test of working as a team and dealing with an industry standard brief, along with lighting skills and photo-shoot knowledge.

We were each told that the brief would have to take place in One week's time and therefore had one week to produce the shoot and one day to carry out the shoot so that the outcome could be evaluated on the following week. From this point I felt very confident that I could play a vital part to a team and show my skills and knowledge in team briefing.
In our second year we had to build and exhibition and I made sure that I was as much help to my team as possible so that I was one team member remembered for a lot of work. I have worked in many team photography shoot's in the past with event photography jobs and I know what has to be done to make sure it will work.

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The three brief's were then explained to us;

Brief One - Nike
Nike have designed a new trainer called 'Canine'. They want to produce a series of advertisements that define the joy of running with a dog.  They want a campaign consisting of three separate images that simply portray the excitement of running through facial expressions.  Imagine the excitement a dog has when it knows it is going for a walk.  This same excitement has to be conveyed via a person's expression. The idea is to have a series of three close up portraits of different individuals with a different prop in each model's mouth, a ball, stick & trainer.  These individuals have different expressions of excitement on their faces depicting of their yearning to go outside and run. 

Format - These images will appear as a single page ad, for various mainstream/womens magazines.  The deadline for publication is very soon, so the client needs the images at the end of the shoot day.  The Nike logo must appear on the top left of the image, so needs space for it.  The 'Canine' text will appear at the bottom.
Location - This is a studio based shoot, so no location permissions are required.  However you must make sure studio space is booked and you have all the necessary items you need in the studio prior to shooting.
Casting - This is a vital part of this particular shoot.  The client is looking for 3 different models.  Ethnicity and gender are not important, but they are looking for 3 people in 3 different age groups; 18-25, 25-35, 35-45.  These models have to be able to produce a range of expressions, so casting is vital to test potential models out.
Prop / Styling - Again vital for this shoot.  The client requires a ball, a stick, and a trainer to use in each model's mouth.  You need to have a selection of each item for the client to choose their favourite.
Style / Lighting -  The client wants the imagery to have impact.  It needs to be shot with high key lighting.  The client particularly likes the effect that a ring flash gives.

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Brief Two - Mind
Mind, the mental health charity, want to produce a campaign highlighting the pain and suffering that people with mental health problems live with every day.  The client wants to produce hard hitting gritty imagery that depicts this suffering.  By using unconventional lighting and colouring, the photographic team have to produce cutting edge images.  The idea is to have a series of three portraits of different individuals head and shoulders.  By mixing different types of lighting, the client expects to see a blur for each portrait to depict the suffering.

Format - These images will appear as a single page ad, for various mainstream mens/womens magazines. The deadline for publication is very soon, so client needs the images at the end of shoot day.  The 'mind' logo will appear bottom centre.
Location - This is a studio based shoot, so no location permissions are required. However you must make sure studio space is booked and you have all the necessary items you need in the studio prior to shooting.
Casting - This is a vital part of this particular shoot.  The client is looking for 3 different models.  Ethnicity and gender are not important, but they are looking for 3 people in 3 different age groups; 18-25, 25-35, 35-45. These models have to be able to physically shake their heads for a long period of time, so casting is vital to test potential models out.
Props / Styling - In order to see the different ages of the three models, the client requires 3 different hats; a baseball cap, a beany hat, and a trilby.  These obviously have to fit the selected models heads.
Style / Lighting - The lighting used has to create a gritty image of impact.  It will probably be a mixture of lighting sources and gels.

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Brief Three - Pisces
A new company, Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio, are about to launch their new website.  They are looking for iconic photographic imagery that signifies and relates to their company.  They require three individual images that relate to the three star signs  that their company is named after.  The imagery produced should create a sense of calm and sophistication which is the defining ethos of this new, exciting company.  The idea is to have a series of three portraits of different individuals with a separate star sign either above their head, covering their mouth, or something else interpreted by the photographic team. The client requires props, ideally real, to use for this shoot. 

Format - These images will appear on a variety of media, from marketing material and posters to banners on websites.  This means you must leave enough space around the imagery so that it can be cropped in various different ways.  The deadline for the launch is very soon, so the client needs the images at the end of shoot day.
Location - This is a studio based shoot, so no location permissions are required. However you must make sure studio space is booked and you have all the necessary items you need in the studio prior to shooting.
Casting - The client is looking for 3 different models.  In keeping with the brands ethos, the selected models should look sleek and sophisticated, so it is vital to test potential models out.  Ethnicity and gender are not important, but they are looking for 3 people between the ages of 25-35.
Props / Styling - This is a vital part of this particular shoot.  The client wants real or very realistic props to match the company's name.  Hence, a crab, a fish and a scorpion.  You need to source these props at an early stage, and think outside the box in order to attain them.
Style / Lighting - The lighting style should be sophisticated like the brand.  The client particularly like low-key lighting with a series of strip or spot lights picking up details.

Here below are the examples of the previous year's three brief's, so that we can get an Idea of what the outcome could look like;

The Previous Year's Examples - Brief 1 Nike (left), Brief 2 Mind (middle), Brief 3 Pisces (right)