Television Advert Workshop

Objectives

The subject thinks, theoretically and practically, the process of production of a TV advert.

First of all, we provide the student with minimal knowledge in order to understand and question the communicative needs of an advertiser in the audiovisual context.

Secondly, we intend that the student can find the best strategic and creative solutions to the communicative needs of the advertiser, as well as to know how to defend them in public.

Finally, we intend to offer the basic knowledge of copywriting and audio-visual techniques so that the student can produce a TV advert from zero.

Learning outcomes

• Apply knowledge to solve problems in complex or professional and specialized work environments that require the use of creative and innovative ideas.
• Find solutions in complex situations.
• Communicate to all types of audiences (specialized or not) clearly and precisely.
• Design interventions that meet the needs of the field in a multidisciplinary way.
• Use the audiovisual language and its different resources to express and present contents related to the specific knowledge of the field.
• Define your own learning objectives and design coherent and realistic development processes with the time available.
• Get to know the fundamental aspects of audiovisual language and television narrative.
• Produce a television advertisement creatively and collaboratively.
• Know the basics of audiovisual post-production in the visual and sound fields.
• Use the basic tools of audiovisual post-production correctly.
• Learn about and analyse different formats of the audiovisual market.
• Conceptually create new audiovisual formats, considering different multiplatform media.
• Produce different communication genres for audiovisual media with technical adequacy.
• Analyse the specificities of the creative process and the realization of a commercial advertisement for television.

Competencies

General skills

• Acquire skills in project design and management by making appropriate decisions and using problem solving strategies.
• Demonstrate interpersonal skills and be able to adapt to new situations and work under pressure.
• Organise and plan tasks related to professional performance through proper time management and timing of these tasks.

Specific skills

• Create content and organise management and direction processes for the cinema, television, radio and interactive media.
• Develop narrative skills for different audiovisual and multimedia products and apply techniques for creating fiction, non-fiction and entertainment screenplays.
• Express oneself fluently and communicatively, orally and in writing, in Catalan, Spanish and English, using the discourse of traditional media and new digital media.
• Master audiovisual and multimedia technology and apply it to the different stages in the creative process and thus be able to adapt to different work environments.

Basic skills

• Students can apply their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional manner and have competencies typically demonstrated through drafting and defending arguments and solving problems in their field of study.
• Students have developed the learning skills necessary to undertake further studies with a high degree of independent learning.

Core skills

• Display professional skills in complex multidisciplinary contexts, working in networked teams, whether face-to-face or online, through use of information and communication technology.
• Use oral, written and audiovisual forms of communication, in one's own language and in foreign languages, with a high standard of use, form and content.

Content

1. Introduction to the audiovisual advertising industry
2. Research and strategies for TV adverts
3. The creative process of a TV advert
4. Audiovisual pre-production of a TV advert
5. Audiovisual production of a TV advert
6. Audiovisual post-production of a TV advert

Evaluation

• Map of references and work in progress: 10%
• Record of the results in the follow-up of the work carried out: 75%. Specifically:
  • Production of advert 1 (in groups): 30%
  • Production of advert 2 (individually): 45%
• Analysis: 15%

Only those students who have delivered all the previous assignments but have an average under 5 will be allowed to do the resit at the end of January.

Methodology

• The subject combines theoretical and practical approaches to the content.
• The subject will include work sessions with the whole class group, as well as work sessions in small groups directed by the lecturer.
• Throughout the course, autonomous work with lecturer's support will be promoted.
• Specific techniques that will be developed: interpretation of a briefing; techniques to stimulate creativity; copywriting for advertising scripts; audio-visual language techniques.

Bibliography

Key references

• BROWN, Lucy, & DUTHIE, Lyndsay (2016). The TV Studio Production Handbook. I.B. Tauris.
• GARCÍA GUARDIA, Mª Luisa, & MENÉNDEZ HEVIA, Tania (2007). Fundamentos de la realización publicitaria. Fragua.
• GARCÍA-CLAIRAC, Santiago (2005). Realización de spots publicitarios. Almuzara.

Further reading

Teachers will provide complementary bibliography and compulsory reading throughout the course via the Virtual Campus.