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The Creative Freelancer

  • Module code: HA7514
  • Year: 2018/9
  • Level: 7
  • Credits: 30
  • Pre-requisites: None
  • Co-requisites: None

Summary

This module builds an effective, practical knowledge of the principles and best practices needed for a professional and ethical, freelance creative career. Students will learn how to answer a commercial brief, how to interact with a client, deliver a creative outcome and be remunerated for that work. An important part of the module is to create a working appreciation of how technology effects, shapes and can enhance their creative career. The module aims to build a self-directed working appreciation of the intellectual property and the wider legal and financial requirements needed to successfully operate as a freelancer, in a chosen field and geographical (country/region) area. Assessments and tasks throughout the module are designed to aid the launch of the student's individual commercial practice, by producing a targeted, industry relevant digital presence (website/blog), and the active forward planning of their freelance creative career.

Aims

  • To enable students to apply critical judgement to the application of professional skills and techniques needed to answer a commercial creative brief.
  • To prepare students to become self-directed in the forward planning, development and promotion of themselves as a professional freelance practitioner.
  • To build a critical understanding of how a creative freelance enterprise is influenced and supported by technology.
  • To foster a practical understanding of the required legal frameworks and financial processes required for a creative freelancer.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

  • Develop a personal methodology for answering creative briefs relevant to
    their specific area of practice/interest and geographical region in which they will be operating and competing.
  • Market their individual practice/business by the development of an online
    presence (website/blog), to a professional standard, targeted at a chosen creative sector.
  • Apply required legal considerations (intellectual property, contract law)
    needed to practise in the geographical markets in which they will be
    operating.
  • Apply required financial considerations (tax, cash flow, investment) needed for
    successful commercial practice in the geographical regions in which they will
    be operating.

Curriculum content

  • Problem-solving and responding to real life situations quickly.
  • How to interpret and answer a commercial creative brief, manage a client relationship, produce a scope of work and invoice.
  • How to create persuasive pitch presentations.
  • Creative careers: lessons from survivors.
  • Preparing a 'Personal Enterprise plan' to launch oneself as a professional freelance creative practitioner.
  • Creating a business case
  • Assessing potential value of available digital platforms and technologies
  • Financial management (cash flow, scope of work, billing, tax, registering a commercial business).
  • Understanding of requirements to legally trade in your chosen area of practice and geographical region, e.g. intellectual property, copyright, non-disclosure agreements.
  • How to produce a targeted, industry relevant digital presence (blog/website).
  • How to produce of a personal action plan, which addresses creative and commercial ambitions.

Teaching and learning strategy

This module tackles project management from a supplier's perspective and therefore complements the knowledge and skills developed in project management. Lectures will be accompanied by student focused group work organised during seminars and based on tasks that provide students with the opportunity to develop their practice as a freelancer and become more effective suppliers within projects. Workshops will tackle issues such as the design of an online presence, the selection of target markets, ensuring sustainable pricing method and developing effective pitching presentation skills.

The teaching and learning approach is guided by a strong belief in the importance of practical and relevant tasks and the primacy of the client's brief as a key organising dynamic and determinant of successful practice. Tutors on the module will be experienced creative practitioners and academics supplemented by recorded talks with guest freelance practitioners. 

The module will make use of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Canvas for communication and dissemination of information between students and staff as well as making online learning materials available to all. 

All courses based in the Kingston School of Art offer students free access to the online video tutorial platform Lynda.com. This provides a wide range of subjects to choose from, many with downloadable exercise files, including software tutorials covering photography, graphics, web design, audio and music, CAD and Microsoft Office software, as well as courses on Business and Management skills. Some of these are embedded in the curriculum and offer additional self-paced learning, others may be taken at will by students wishing to broaden their employability skills in other areas.

Breakdown of Teaching and Learning Hours

Definitive UNISTATS Category Indicative Description Hours
Scheduled learning and teaching Lectures, seminars and workshops. 44
Guided independent study Reading, preparing for presentation and assessment tasks, peer-to-peer discussions, preparing the final presentation. 256
Total (number of credits x 10) 300

Assessment strategy

As students undertake weekly activities they will complete a structured blog designed to help organise their thoughts and create content for the design of the final plan. Formative feedback and feedforward by tutor on subjects raised by students will take place during tutorials using the student's structured blog. This will give you a clear indication of your current level of attainment and give guidance on what steps to take to maximise your level. The blog will be summatively assessed.

Summative assessment will take place in three elements.

  • 2,500-word reflective blog (Coursework) - comprised of weekly reflections on course topics, materials and self-directed study, which evidences critical thinking on the topics covered, and builds to a synthesis of new knowledge and ideas.
  • Website/Blog (Coursework) - submission of a digital presence in the form of a website or blog. This will contain three pages and include text, navigation and visual design.
  • 30-minute presentation (Practical exam) - students deliver a 'Personal Enterprise Plan' to a panel made up of tutors and guest speakers, along with a 1,000 word 'leave behind' document summarising the presentation, followed by a Q&A. Presentation style is in the form of pitching for support.  

Mapping of Learning Outcomes to Assessment Strategy (Indicative)

Learning Outcome Assessment Strategy
Develop a personal methodology for answering creative briefs relevant to their specific area of practice and geographical region in which they will be operating and competing. Reflective blog (2,500 words)
Market their individual practice by the development of an online presence (website/blog), to a professional standard, targeted at a chosen creative sector. Submission of a digital presence (website/blog), to a professional standard. Presentation of a Personal Enterprise Plan (30 minutes plus 1,000-word summary
Apply required legal considerations (intellectual property, contract law) needed to practise in the geographical markets in which they will be operating. Reflective blog (2,500 words) Presentation of a Personal Enterprise Plan (30 minutes plus 1,000-word summary
Apply required financial considerations (tax, cash flow, contract law) needed for successful commercial practice in the geographic regions in which they will be operating. Reflective blog (2,500 words) Presentation of a Personal Enterprise Plan (30 minutes plus 1,000-word summary

Elements of Assessment

Description of Assessment Definitive UNISTATS Categories Percentage
Reflective blog (2,500 words) Coursework 30%
Submission of a digital presence (website/blog), to a professional standard. Coursework 20%
Presentation of a Personal enterprise plan (30 minutes plus 1,000 word summary Practical exam 50%
Total (to equal 100%) 100%

Achieving a pass

It is NOT a requirement that any element of assessment is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module.

Bibliography core texts

Harrison, S. (2010) IdeaSelling: Successfully Pitch Your Creative Ideas To Bosses, Clients & Other Decision Makers. How books.

Ilasco, C. (2010). Creative, Inc.: The Ultimate Guide to Running a Successful Freelance Business. Chronicle Books.

Macarthy, A. (2017) 500 Social Media Marketing Tips: Essential Advice, Hints and Strategy for Business: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and More!

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO). The official UK government body responsible for intellectual property (IP) rights including patents, designs, trademarks and copyright. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/intellectual-property-office. And IP made easy: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLij_WrWeezY8lmE7_m35m_LxPm2H3bta0

Bibliography recommended reading

Easton, E. Cauldwell-French, E. (2017) Creative industries federation; Creative Freelancers https://www.creativeindustriesfederation.com/news/federation-launches-new-drive-support-creative-freelance-workforce

Smith, S. (2012) Legally Branded (Brand law - Logos, Trade Marks, Designs, Copyright & Intellectual Property, Internet Law & Social Media Marketing). Rethink press Limited. See Chapters 7, IP and the internet.  8, Who owns IP? 9, What IP costs to obtain, maintain and enforce. 16, Developing an IP strategy

Blick, D. (2011) The Ultimate Small Business Marketing Book. Filament Publishing Ltd.

Branagan, A. (2017) The Essential Guide to Business for Artists and Designers. Essential Guides.

Kaufman, J.C. and Baer, J. eds., (2005). Creativity across domains: Faces of the muse. Psychology Press.

Kean, D. (2008) Pitching to Win: The Art of Winning New Business. Marshall Cavendish.

Merrington, C. (2011). Why Do Smart People Make Such Stupid Mistakes?: A Practical Negotiation Guide to More Profitable Client Relationships for Marketing and Communication Agencies, Sales Teams and Professional Service People. Ecademy Press: Herts.

Seelig, T. (2015). Insight Out: Get Ideas Out of Your Head and into the World. Harper One: New York.

Silver, E. (2001) Self-Promotion for the Creative Person: Get the Word Out About Who You Are and What You Do.

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