Initial Ideas for College Magazine

Preliminary Plans

• My magazine is being targeted at 15-18 year olds, who are undertaking further education at college
• It will be about college life, clubs and extra curricular activities, as well as advice on the things that may be concerning them the most, such as exam techniques, tips on how to revise, and events happening around the college.
• My coverlines will need to draw readers in, so will revolve around things most important to readers, exciting things, real life stories, dramatic news, ect
• The name of any magazine is very important as it connotes the content, and is also the continuous feature as the magazine gets developed. The magazine is based around college life, and this must be connoted in the mast head, so the title could be a variety of things. It could be simple and to the point, such as 'College Life' 'Student', or something including a play on words, like 'College Knowledge' which works as it rhymes. 
• Fonts are important in a magazine and the masthead will stay a consistent font. For a college magazine a font could be used that looks like typing, connoting the work thats done in college, and will be relevant to the age group being targeted as they are known for using the internet.
• The taglines/coverlines on the cover should be relevant to students at Southdowns, including things that are important to them. Students are often concerned about money, so offers or free gifts could be an enticing feature. 
• 4 issues could be published a year, based on the changing seasons. This will allow enough to happen in the year and the gap between the issues will allow more events ect to be announced to fill the contents. If it was a fortnightly magazine there would probably not be enough new news to create a magazine with, whereas with the change of seasons there is usually more events, Christmas, Halloween, Summer with the holidays ext.
• For my main image, I will use a picture of a student with direct address. it will be a mid/close up shot, that will also leave space for a left third, with a background that compliments the college. We took some of these pictures around the college, using various people and settings including the cafes, drama studios, and outside.
• The dimensions of the magazine- I think it would be an A4 sized magazine at the largest, for printing costs for the college, but also large enough to attract attention to it. Any smaller and I think that students may discard it or not notice it as much as magazine but more of a leaflet or something not to bother with as much.
• The images and colour used on the contents page would be the colours continued from the front cover (which would have a colour theme), anchorage would be key as the most scandelous and interesting points to students (probably the reason for buying the magazine) will want to be found quickly by them.  

These are some pictures I took that could be used on my front cover.

 I think I will choose the picture to the right, of Amelia, as there is direct address, and the background is of the library, a good resource for students.
However, I do like the pictures of Scarlett, as there is lots of colour that would look nice, and could make a colour theme.