Skills

Professional Media Production

12 weeks · 0 milestones

Produce a complete media project at a professional standard in a format of your choice: a podcast series (minimum 3 episodes, minimum 15 minutes total), a documentary short (minimum 5 minutes, edited), or a news package (minimum 2 minutes, broadcast-ready). Document your production process (scripts, production notes, edit log). Proof is the completed production plus a documented review by a media practitioner — journalist, broadcaster, or podcast producer — who assesses it against the professional standard for the format and identifies at least two specific production decisions where professional practice would differ from your choices. Their feedback and your written response with rationale are required parts of the proof.

Part of: Social Sciences, Law & Humanities · Proves for: UG

Milestone map

3 milestones

Develop a production brief and pre-production plan

2 weeks

Select a media format — short documentary (5–10 min), audio documentary or podcast episode, or video essay — and develop a full production brief: editorial purpose, target audience, format rationale, production plan with timeline and milestones, research and source plan, and an ethical checklist covering subject consent, representation, and harm. Write the brief before production begins.

Proof required

Production brief and pre-production plan (500+ words) covering: editorial purpose, target audience, format rationale, production timeline with specific milestones, research and source plan, and ethical checklist specific to this project. Must be prospective.

What gets checked

Editorial purpose is specific enough to guide all production decisions
Production timeline includes specific milestones — not just 'shoot in week 3'
Ethical checklist addresses consent, representation, and harm for this specific project

Common mistakes

Writing the brief retrospectively after production — must be prospective
Format rationale that does not connect the format to the editorial purpose
Ethical checklist that is generic rather than project-specific

Powstik Guide

A production brief and pre-production plan.

Steps

Pick the format and say why it fits.
Define audience and purpose.
List contributors and consent needed.
Plan schedule, kit and locations.

Template

Format:        Why:
Audience:
Purpose:
Contributors and consent:
Schedule:
Kit and locations:
Ethical risks:

What gets sent back

No consent plan.
Purpose left vague.
Under 500 words.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Confirm brief is prospective — check for future tense and planned actions
Review production timeline — confirm specific milestones are present
Check ethical checklist — confirm it addresses the specific project's subjects and context

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Produce the media project and document production decisions

8 weeks

Produce the media project: shoot or record, edit to planned format and duration, and publish or submit the finished piece on a public platform (YouTube, Vimeo, podcast host, or equivalent). Document production decisions: what changed from the brief and why, key editorial decisions during editing (what was cut and why), and how the ethical checklist was applied in practice.

Proof required

Finished media piece with public link, plus a production decision log (500+ words) covering: changes from the brief with reasoning, at least three key editorial decisions made during production or editing, and a specific account of how the ethical checklist was applied.

What gets checked

Finished piece is publicly accessible via a link — not private or draft
Production decision log documents at least three key editorial decisions with reasoning
Ethical checklist application is documented specifically — not just 'ethics were observed'

Common mistakes

Finished piece not publicly accessible — the work must exist where others can see it
Production decision log that describes what was done without explaining editorial reasoning
No account of how the ethical checklist was applied in practice

Powstik Guide

A published media piece and a decision log.

Steps

Shoot or record to your brief, noting changes as you go.
Edit to the planned format and length.
Log three key editing decisions and why.
Record how you applied each ethics checklist item.
Publish on a public platform and save the link.

Template

Public link:
Changes from brief and why:
| Editorial decision | Why |
|--------------------|-----|
| Ethics checklist item | How I applied it |
|-----------------------|------------------|

What gets sent back

A piece that isn't public.
A log of what, with no why.
No account of the ethics checklist.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Access the finished piece via the public link — confirm it is publicly accessible
Review production decision log — confirm at least three key editorial decisions are documented with reasoning
Check ethical checklist application — confirm specific application is documented

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Submit finished piece for editorial and ethical review by an experienced practitioner

1 week

Present the finished media piece and decision log to an experienced journalist, documentary maker, or broadcast producer for structured editorial review. The reviewer must challenge specific decisions — 'you cut this subject's strongest statement — why?', 'your framing of this subject — does it do justice to their position?', 'was your consent process sufficient for how you used the footage?'. This Q&A satisfies the ADVERSARIAL VERIFICATION RULE.

Proof required

Editorial review notes (250+ words) documenting the reviewer's media production credentials, at least three specific editorial or ethical challenges with responses, and any revisions or acknowledgments committed to.

What gets checked

Reviewer has 5+ years of experience in journalism, documentary, or broadcast production
At least three specific editorial or ethical challenges are documented
At least one revision or editorial acknowledgment is committed to

Common mistakes

Choosing a reviewer who only comments on technical quality — must include editorial and ethical challenge
Not being able to justify specific editorial cuts or framing decisions under challenge
No revisions after a genuine editorial challenge

Powstik Guide

Your piece, reviewed by an experienced producer.

Steps

Mark the cuts and framing choices most open to challenge.
Book a journalist, documentary maker or producer.
Ask for editorial and ethical challenges, not just technical.
Log three challenges and any revision.

Template

Challenge session log
Date:            Duration:
Reviewer name:
Reviewer role and credentials:

Challenge 1 (an editorial cut or ethical choice):
  What they asked:
  My answer:
  Did it hold?
Challenge 2:
  What they asked:
  My answer:
  Did it hold?
Challenge 3:
  What they asked:
  My answer:
  Did it hold?

Update I am committing to:

What gets sent back

Only technical feedback.
A cut you can't justify.
No revision after the review.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Confirm reviewer has 5+ years in journalism, documentary, or broadcast production
Review Q&A notes — confirm at least three editorial or ethical challenges are documented
Check that at least one revision or acknowledgment is committed to

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Part of

Communication & Media Studies →

Related outcomes

Milestone map

3 milestones

Develop a production brief and pre-production plan

2 weeks

Proof required

What gets checked

Editorial purpose is specific enough to guide all production decisions
Production timeline includes specific milestones — not just 'shoot in week 3'
Ethical checklist addresses consent, representation, and harm for this specific project

Common mistakes

Writing the brief retrospectively after production — must be prospective
Format rationale that does not connect the format to the editorial purpose
Ethical checklist that is generic rather than project-specific

Powstik Guide

A production brief and pre-production plan.

Steps

Pick the format and say why it fits.
Define audience and purpose.
List contributors and consent needed.
Plan schedule, kit and locations.

Template

Format:        Why:
Audience:
Purpose:
Contributors and consent:
Schedule:
Kit and locations:
Ethical risks:

What gets sent back

No consent plan.
Purpose left vague.
Under 500 words.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Confirm brief is prospective — check for future tense and planned actions
Review production timeline — confirm specific milestones are present
Check ethical checklist — confirm it addresses the specific project's subjects and context

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Produce the media project and document production decisions

8 weeks

Proof required

What gets checked

Finished piece is publicly accessible via a link — not private or draft
Production decision log documents at least three key editorial decisions with reasoning
Ethical checklist application is documented specifically — not just 'ethics were observed'

Common mistakes

Finished piece not publicly accessible — the work must exist where others can see it
Production decision log that describes what was done without explaining editorial reasoning
No account of how the ethical checklist was applied in practice

Powstik Guide

A published media piece and a decision log.

Steps

Shoot or record to your brief, noting changes as you go.
Edit to the planned format and length.
Log three key editing decisions and why.
Record how you applied each ethics checklist item.
Publish on a public platform and save the link.

Template

Public link:
Changes from brief and why:
| Editorial decision | Why |
|--------------------|-----|
| Ethics checklist item | How I applied it |
|-----------------------|------------------|

What gets sent back

A piece that isn't public.
A log of what, with no why.
No account of the ethics checklist.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Access the finished piece via the public link — confirm it is publicly accessible
Review production decision log — confirm at least three key editorial decisions are documented with reasoning
Check ethical checklist application — confirm specific application is documented

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Submit finished piece for editorial and ethical review by an experienced practitioner

1 week

Proof required

What gets checked

Reviewer has 5+ years of experience in journalism, documentary, or broadcast production
At least three specific editorial or ethical challenges are documented
At least one revision or editorial acknowledgment is committed to

Common mistakes

Choosing a reviewer who only comments on technical quality — must include editorial and ethical challenge
Not being able to justify specific editorial cuts or framing decisions under challenge
No revisions after a genuine editorial challenge

Powstik Guide

Your piece, reviewed by an experienced producer.

Steps

Mark the cuts and framing choices most open to challenge.
Book a journalist, documentary maker or producer.
Ask for editorial and ethical challenges, not just technical.
Log three challenges and any revision.

Template

Challenge session log
Date:            Duration:
Reviewer name:
Reviewer role and credentials:

Challenge 1 (an editorial cut or ethical choice):
  What they asked:
  My answer:
  Did it hold?
Challenge 2:
  What they asked:
  My answer:
  Did it hold?
Challenge 3:
  What they asked:
  My answer:
  Did it hold?

Update I am committing to:

What gets sent back

Only technical feedback.
A cut you can't justify.
No revision after the review.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Confirm reviewer has 5+ years in journalism, documentary, or broadcast production
Review Q&A notes — confirm at least three editorial or ethical challenges are documented
Check that at least one revision or acknowledgment is committed to

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.