The finalists for the 37th annual National Magazine Awards have been announced — including ten nominations in the Magazine Covers category.
In a new blog series titled How Did They Create That Cover? the NMAF chats with the creative directors of the Magazine Covers finalists about how their covers were made. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at things we may or may not think about when we pick up a magazine and devour its pages.
Today we chat with Domenic Macri, art director at Report on Business and creator of two of the ten finalists for best Magazine Cover:
NMAF: Where was this photo taken and why was this location chosen?
Domenic: After taking some portraits in the BlackRock offices in Toronto, we convinced Larry Fink to continue the shoot just outside on Bay Street. He was apprehensive, and it was starting to rain. Once outside, the photographer, Anya Chibis*, had Fink walk across the street. And it was at this point that Chibis managed to capture Fink with his guard down.
NMAF: There’s a lot going on in the Larry Fink cover–his facial and body expressions are very animated. Was this staged or a candid photograph, and why did you decide on this image?
Domenic: Typically, we don’t get as much body language from high-profile business people—especially one who runs the largest investment fund in the world—so we couldn’t resist trying it on the cover. And since the story celebrated his achievements, we decided to run with it.
* Editor’s Note: Photographer Anya Chibis is also nominated in the category Portrait Photography for her work on this cover.
NMAF: Is the animal on the “Target” cover fake or real? How was this achieved?
Domenic: The image on the cover is in fact Bullseye, the official mascot of Target. We managed to book a photo shoot with him when he was in Toronto. He was very well behaved.
NMAF: Was this always the image that you had in mind for the Target cover? What were some of the other ideas?
Domenic: When we commissioned the photographer, Aaron Vincent Elkaim, to get the shot, I already knew what I wanted—a close up of Bullseye’s distinct eye markings, which I could use on the cover. At the time, the Target marketing machine was working overtime, and stories and ads were appearing everywhere; most of the time, they were using the graphic red Target logo and portraits of Bullseye. I felt that by using the imperfect logo on Bullseye’s eye, along with the texture of his fur, we would be making an obvious connection to our cover story without looking like a promotional piece for Target.
NMAF: There isn’t a lot of text on this cover, other than the magazine name and headline on the bottom corner. What was the reason behind that decision?
Domenic: Sometimes, when you don’t have the greatest image to work with on the cover, you can sell the story with strong lines. In this case, however, I had a strong graphic image, and I didn’t want to clutter up the image with blaring cover lines.
This interview was edited for content. Special thanks to Nadya Domingo for conducting the interview.
More ‘How Did They Create That Cover?’: Fashion Magazine, Toronto Life, BC Business, Western Living
Check out the finalists for best Magazine Cover on our Facebook page. Share your feedback with us on Twitter: @MagAwards | #NMA14 | #MagazineCovers.
The Gold and Silver winners will be revealed on June 6 at the National Magazine Awards gala. [TICKETS]
How Did They Create That Cover? Report on Business
