This is an NEA (non examined assessment) task otherwise known as coursework. In other words, it is a good way to understand an area of Media Studies (in this case Advertising) and to prepare you for your A level coursework, which we will do in later in this A level course.

Things to bear in mind:

1. You have 2 weeks to produce some advertising coursework / NEA
2. You need to submit a statement of intent (it is worth 10 marks) guidance below
3. You need to PRINT OUT YOUR WORK – if not you will not get any marks. This is print work and the expectation for your real coursework is to print your work out. So let’s set that expectation now!
4. You will need to produce 2 x Portrait A4 magazine adverts
5. Your adverts will follow professional conventions and look realistic and convincing.
6. Try to create a new product (ie change or hide the label?) but if not don’t worry too much.
7. You need to produce a contemporary and a historical print advert.
8. You need to produce a radical and a reactionary advert.
9. Make sure your adverts are produced at a high resolution 300 dpi so that the final quality is a professional standard.
10. We are also going to try and produce a short video advert.

Task 1: statement of intent

Upload a statement of intent to your blog. It is worth 10 marks. It needs to be 500 words. So perhaps write about: what your intentions are (100 words), focusing in particular on: Media Language (codes, conventions, signs, elements of real print product). Put another way: how did if follow your style model? (100 words). Representation / content (use key language) (100 words). Audience, ie what kind of audience would consume it? (Again, 100 words). Institution: What kind of company would make your product? 100 words.

This will be assessed with the products and will allow you to explain the ways in which you will apply knowledge and understanding of media language and media representation to your products, how your products will target the intended audience, reflect the industry context they are created for This is a compulsory element of the non-exam assessment and you must complete the Statement of Intent using a maximum of 500 words.

Task 2: Produce your adverts

1. Open up Photoshop – make sure it is a blank A4 PORTRAIT document (this should be 300dpi – THIS IS IMPORTANT AS OTHERWISE YOUR WORK WILL BE PIXELATED)
2. Develop your use of the camera. Make sure you are able to change the settings on your camera (specifically FOCUS & LIGHT) to be able to take a good PRODUCT SHOT.
3. make sure you are able to use the flash lighting set-up (YOU NEED THE TRIGGER FOR THE FLASH LIGHTS)
4. Create an appropriate (AND ORIGINAL) logo and title for your product. Think about Font, colour, size etc etc
5. Record and Produce all of your assets – product shot, model shot, text, copy, background images or textures, any other symbolic / creative features

Task 3: Edit,Publish and Print your products

1. Edit all of your assets. Think about size, positioning and placement. Edit all of your assets appropriately into an A4 portrait document (I suggest you use Photoshop at 300 dpi)
2. Post-produce your assets – so adjust as appropriate eg colour correction, size, scale and positioning
3. Make sure that you save your PSD as a JPEG and upload to the blog
4. Make sure you print out your finished products and pin up to the blue display board in our classroom.