UNIT 4
Pre-production planning Assignment 1

 

Learning Aim A: Understand the requirements of pre-production
of a digital media product.

Click here  for the Assignment Brief for Learning Aim A

 

 Click here  for the standard of a PASS, MERIT and DISTINCTION
(for Unit 4 Learning Aim A only)

 

Click here for the LA A Notes structure. You can use this to make notes and as a checklist
 

Your report should explain how a magazine is planned and prepared before it is produced.

This stage is called pre-production. You must show understanding of requirements,
formats, functions, and purposes of pre-production for a magazine.

 

A1. Requirements for a Specific Media Production (Magazine)

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1. Type of Production
 

Start by identifying the production types of magazine productions:
 

• Digital publishing (online magazine, website, app, PDF)

• Print publishing (physical magazine)

• Or both (most magazines use a mix)
   

Explain briefly why the magazine might use both formats.

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2. Finance
 

You should explain why finance is essential in magazine production and how

the level of funding can affect the quality, scale, and frequency of the magazine.
 

Sources of Finance
 

You should explain the different sources of finance used in magazine

production, such as private investment, advertising revenue, and

sponsorship, and identify which are most common

in magazine publishing.
 

• Private finance – magazine owner, publishing company

• Public finance – grants (less common for magazines)

• Joint financing – advertisers, sponsors, partnerships
   

What the Money Is Spent On
 

You should explain how the magazine’s budget is allocated, including costs for equipment, staff, travel, materials, clearances, and facilities, and why careful budgeting is important.
 

• Staff wages (journalists, editors, designers)

• Photography (photo shoots or stock images)

• Software (Adobe InDesign, Photoshop)

• Printing costs

• Website hosting (for digital magazines)

• Marketing and promotion

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3. Logistics
 

This is about organising the production. You should explain how magazine production is organised and coordinated, including the planning of tasks, staff roles, and production schedules.

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Time

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You should explain how deadlines, staff availability, and production timescales affect magazine production, and why effective time management is essential.

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• Deadlines (monthly, weekly, quarterly issues)

• Production schedule (planning → writing → design → print/publish)

• Availability of staff and equipment
   

Facilities
 

You should explain the facilities and resources required to produce a magazine, such as computers, design software, printing services, or digital platforms, and how these support professional production.
 

• Office or home working

• Computers and software

• Printing facilities

• External companies (printing houses)
   

Locations
 

You should explain how locations are used in magazine production, particularly for photoshoots and interviews, and discuss any limitations or risks involved.
 

• Photo shoots (studio or on-location)

• Interviews
  
  Explain any limitations such as:
   

• Cost

• Travel

• Weather

• Access permissions
   

4. Personnel
 

You should explain the roles of the people involved in magazine production, such
as editors, journalists, designers, photographers, and contributors, and

why teamwork is important.
 

• Editor

• Journalists / writers

• Photographers

• Graphic designers

• Sub-editors

• Contributors (experts, interviewees)
   

Explain what each role does and why they are important.
 

5. Materials (assets)
 

You should explain the types of materials used in magazine production, including written content, images, graphics, and advertisements, and the importance of sourcing these materials legally.

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• Original written content

• Photographs (original or stock)

• Graphics and illustrations

• Fonts and layouts

• Archive material

• Advertisements
   

You should also explain:
 

• Where materials come from

• Any costs

• The need for permission and clearance
   

6. Legal Issues, Regulation and Codes of Practice
 

You should explain why magazines must follow ethical codes of practice and
regulations, and how these influence content and production decisions.
 

Copyright and Clearances
 

You should explain what clearances are and why permission is required for certain
content used in magazines, particularly for copyrighted material.
 

• Copyright for images, text, music

• Image permissions and model releases

• Clearances from organisations such as Mechanical-Copyright
  Protection Society (MCPS) if music is used in digital content
   

Regulation

You need to understand that regulation is something you need to consider, both in the content that your magazine produces (IPSO) and the adverts you have in your magazine (ASA) Again, you only need to write a few paragraphs explaining that you need to consider regulation.

Explain the role of:
 

• Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) – press standards and ethics

• Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) – adverts must be legal and truthful. 
   

Links to help you: 
 

• Useful poster for ASA

• List of recent rulings from the ASA

• CLICK HERE for info on IPSO
   

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A2. Formats Used in Pre-Production

 

Pre-production formats - You should explain the different formats used to present pre-production work in magazine production, such as page mock-ups, layouts, drafts, and planning documents, and why these are important.
 

• Page mock-ups / layouts

• Flat plans (what goes on each page)

• Article drafts

• Image plans

• Production schedules

• Style guides (fonts, colours, tone)
   

Explain why these formats are used.
 

A3. Functions of Pre-Production

Explain what pre-production helps the magazine do.

 

Revising and discounting ideas - You should explain how ideas are developed, refined, or rejected during pre-production and why this process is important.

 

Visualising content - You should explain how pre-production helps determine whether a magazine can realistically be produced within available time, budget, and resources.

 

Establishing feasibility - You should explain how pre-production helps determine whether a magazine can realistically be produced within available time, budget, and resources.
 

• Test and improve ideas

• Visualise how pages will look before production begins

• Check if the magazine is realistic to produce

• Plan costs, time and resources

• Avoid mistakes later in production
   

A4. Purpose of Pre-Production Documentation
 

Finally, explain why pre-production documents are important

 

Adherence to codes of practice and regulation - You should explain how pre-production documentation helps ensure ethical and legal requirements are met. 

 

Administrative requirements - You should explain how pre-production documentation supports organisation, communication, and record keeping during magazine production.

 

Auditing compliance - You should explain how pre-production documentation provides evidence that industry standards, regulations, and legal requirements have been followed.

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• To follow legal and ethical rules

• To organise the team

• To keep records

• To prove regulations have been followed

• To share information clearly between staff

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CLICK HERE to read a blog on how a magazine page layout and content can be planned out. Look at the way the plan goes from written, to page layout and then the digital mock-up.

 

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