Experimentation of mode of address/name of magazine

Mode of Address - from my audience research I have found from students that it is best to keep the mode of address relatively informal, and to keep it quite chatty and interesting. Perhaps jokes/play on words etc.   

Name of Magazine - I typed into an online thesaurus synonyms for the word 'new'. I chose this word because I would like my magazine to be quite modern, so that students can relate to it easily and not feel as if it is out dated.  As a result of this, I have chosen to call my magazine 'Current'. I feel as though it defines what the magazine is all about, being young and current into today's society and also it gives it that electric feel, making it seem exciting and interesting.

Experimentation of fonts

Experimentation of fonts

Experimentation of fonts

Research of target audience

Would you prefer a bold, large title or a smaller more discreet title?

What would you like to read about in the magazine? Important college issues, achievements of pupils, or something different?

What price would you be willing to pay for a magazine like this? A Range?

Would you prefer the magazines language to be informal and chatty, or formal and direct?

What images would you prefer to see? Of who? Where would you want to see them located? 

How would you like the layout to look? Bold, bright colour schemes or a more subtle, black and white colour scheme? 

As a result of my audience research I have decided to use a bold, large title for my masthead as it will stand out and catch the readers attention. The magazines content will include achievements of other pupils to then entice the pupils reading to want to be in the magazine, by doing well also. From my research I have found that on average people would be willing to pay from anything to 50p to perhaps £2, this is dependant on the thickness of the magazine and whether or not there is plenty of interesting content. My magazine will include informal, chatty language which students find relatable and not boring. I will include images of students, perhaps located in and around the college to show off the building, and also in lessons to show future pupils a taster of the lessons offered at Ludlow College. The layout will be bright and bold to attract the reader to the magazine. 

Initial Ideas for student magazine

Masthead - For my masthead I would like the main heading to be bold, the text size will be larger than the rest of the text on the page. Bright, bold colours. Perhaps red or black. Students, College Life.

Central Image - students, location: outside college - happy, smiling. Holding work, exams. 

Puff - Free WHS Voucher to spend in store on all stationary, free books, chance to have own column in magazine

House Style - I will display somewhere on the magazine the Ludlow College symbol, to represent the college. I will use bright, bold colours such as red, white or maybe blue. I would like the colours to grab the attention of the reader, to entice them to pick up the magazine.

Mode Of Address - Informal language, modern, chatty friendly diction. Relates to the target audience: majority of them expected to be students. Perhaps some parents. 

Brand Identity - Bright, in your face, bold colours. Perhaps more feminine. Warm colours such as pink and blue to represent both genders, then maybe contrasting blacks and whites. 

Coverlines - short, snappy. Quick, witty. Sometimes jokes. Exclamation points.

Splash - Main stories within the magazine shall be college related, achievements of pupils, changes within the college, keeping students and anyone else who wants to read it up to date with college news. Plays, parents evenings etc going on within the college. Students work can be displayed within the magazine if particularly good. 

Textual Analysis of a student magazine

Generic conventions of student/college magazine

Introduce Preliminary Task and Action plan for Preliminary Task

Before I start the main task, I first will complete the preliminary task which is to produce the front page of a new school/college magazine, featuring a photograph of a student in a medium close-up plus some appropriately laid-out text and a masthead. Additionally I will produce a mock-up of the layout of the contents page to demonstrate their grasp of DTP.

Introduction to Brief

As part of my AS media coursework, the brief requires me to create the front page, contents and a double page feature spread of a new music magazine. I have created this blog in order to record my research and planning which will help me to produce a successful magazine.