The document discusses creating a school magazine, including analyzing existing magazines, conducting audience research, and creating a front cover proposal. It provides the results of audience research which found that images, color, contact details and event dates were most important. The proposal outlines plans for the magazine's target audience, title, main image featuring two students, additional stories and images, typography, and background. Technical considerations like lighting and props are also addressed.

1. Creating a school magazine
For the preliminary task we were expected to create a school magazine front cover and
contents page in Photoshop. Prior to this we had to analyse two existing school
magazines to find out what was important to include. We also had to carry out research
on a range of people to find out what they thought had to be included in a school
magazine.

4. Audience Research
Contents Number of people
Images 11
Lots of colour 5
Contact details 10
Hyperlinks to
6
websites
Lots of information 11
Dates of events 8
Issue date 4
Cost Number
Free 9
50p 2 (if fundraising)
£1.00 0
£1.50 0

5. AS Media Studies Preliminary Task – School Magazine Front Page Proposal Form
Target audience:
(age range, interests)
Although it is a school newsletter you still have to think about
your audience and how to appeal to them.
This magazine is going to be aimed at secondary school pupils (aged 11-18). The magazine will have
to include a variety of aspects that will attract all of the ages, so it can’t be too complex, but not as
simple as a primary school magazine. It will have to include relevant images and colour as well as an
appropriate amount of text.
Possible title ideas:
(masthead / title block)
What is your magazine going to be called?
The Priory Buzz
Main image:
What will be the focal point of your front page, remember, your
work “must include a photograph of a student in a medium
close-up”
The main image of my magazine will include two students of different genders and of different ages,
so that it’s clear that the magazine is for all ages in secondary school.
Main cover line:
What will be the main story?
What the Head teacher and students have to say about no school uniform.
Additional key images:
What other images will be on your front cover?
Remember, it is a school magazine.
The school logo will be featured on the front cover, as well as the main image and images to match
with stories that will be talked about.
Additional cover lines:
Other features, stories or selling points which will be inside the
magazine, these need to be audience appropriate.
a list of upcoming events with stories and photos of the pervious years that these events have taken
place. Big changes being made to the school will be announced in the magazine first.
Typography:
(style, size, colour of copy)
Think about the writing and the style of the writing on your
front page.
The style of the front page will be school-related, so will involve a font that looks like handwriting
and will feature lots of colour to make it look more exciting (the colour scheme will relate to the
school).
Background colour/image:
What will be in the background, remember you don’t want to
take the focus away from the main image.
The background will be white because there will be plenty of colours around the rest of the
magazine, so I don’t want it to look too messy.
Technical considerations:
(equipment, setting, props, costume, lighting)
Be realistic and creative, think about what you have access to
and how you could use it.
Bright lighting
A sixth form student wearing a suit and a lower school student wear regular school uniform
Books

6. Preliminary exercise: produce a front page and contents page of a school magazine. Front covers must include a
photograph of a student in a medium close-up with appropriately laid out text and use of an image manipulation
programme (Photoshop).
Below start to sketch what the front cover of your newsletter will look like.

7. Preliminary exercise: produce a front page and contents page of a school magazine. Front covers must include a
photograph of a student in a medium close-up with appropriately laid out text and use of an image manipulation
programme (Photoshop).
Below start to sketch what the contents page of your newsletter will look like.

10. Why you picked main image
I chose the image below as my main image because it features a student from
the lower school and a student from sixth form laughing together. However, I
think it would’ve been better to include a boy and a girl to make it even more
diverse.

11. How you changed one image
To change the original image, I edited the exposure and contrast of the image to make the
background brighter. I did this by clicking on the image and using the exposure and
contrast tool on the left hand side. I also erased two of the lines on the background using
the eraser tool. I faded the bottom of the image down by clicking on layer> layer
mask>reveal all, then clicked on the gradient tool and dragged a line down the image.

12. What have you learnt?
During this task I’ve learnt how to use a number of tools in Photoshop such
as the: gradient tool, magic wand, magic eraser etc. I’ve also learnt what
people expect to see in a school magazine.