New Work: AwardsLine & Footwear News

Landed in New York earlier this week to find the new issue of Footwear News waiting for me, then returned to L.A. to find the new issue of AwardsLine. It's all a blur at this point . . .

Manolo Blahnik, originally slated to be the relaunch cover story until Vince Camuto passed a day before shipping files to the printer. 

Manolo Blahnik, originally slated to be the relaunch cover story until Vince Camuto passed a day before shipping files to the printer. 

Eddie Redmayne photographed by Mark Mann

Eddie Redmayne photographed by Mark Mann

Oscar portfolio opener. Benedict Cumberbatch photographed by Mark Mann.

Oscar portfolio opener. Benedict Cumberbatch photographed by Mark Mann.

Keira Knightley photographed by Mark Mann. 

Keira Knightley photographed by Mark Mann. 

New Work: Footwear News

The first redesigned issue of Footwear News is out today, completing a project that began with the launch of footwearnews.com last month (see earlier post below). The print and digital products are linked visually by a consistent type palette featuring Finch and Benton Sans (Font Bureau/WebType) and a minimal color palette of teal and red. 

The cover featuring Finch Condensed and Benton Sans Condensed, anchored by a scaled-up logo set center.

The cover featuring Finch Condensed and Benton Sans Condensed, anchored by a scaled-up logo set center.

Top 20 feature opener

Top 20 feature opener

Top 20 turn-pages

Top 20 turn-pages

Shoe of the Week, the Marketplace opener. This page posed a problem during production in that my concept for the page called for an image of a shoe photographed in an environment, but we only had a shoe on white. I thought I might be able to fake a background using animal print, but did one better when I stumbled upon this stock image giraffe. Turned out to be my favorite page of the issue! 

Shoe of the Week, the Marketplace opener. This page posed a problem during production in that my concept for the page called for an image of a shoe photographed in an environment, but we only had a shoe on white. I thought I might be able to fake a background using animal print, but did one better when I stumbled upon this stock image giraffe. Turned out to be my favorite page of the issue! 

Back-of-book dept.

Back-of-book dept.

New Work: FootwearNews.com

My redesign of FootwearNews.com went live today, my first project for Fairchild Fashion Media since Jay Penske acquired the group from Conde Nast last August. The new design is image-focused and features an entirely new type palette for the brand anchored by David Jonathan Ross's new serif Finch (WebType). The redesign of the weekly print magazine follows next month! 

New Work: AwardsLine Oscars

Somehow finding time to kick out issues of AwardsLine these past few weeks while working on a number of redesign projects in New York. 

Foxcatcher cast photographed by Mark Mann at TIFF. Behind-the-scenes photos from this shoot posted in September below.

Foxcatcher cast photographed by Mark Mann at TIFF. Behind-the-scenes photos from this shoot posted in September below.

Director Bennett Miller (Capote, Moneyball) photographed by Mark Mann

Director Bennett Miller (Capote, Moneyball) photographed by Mark Mann

Michael Keaton (Birdman) photographed by Mark Mann

Michael Keaton (Birdman) photographed by Mark Mann

Back page infographic comparing the production constraints and resources of Boyhood and Exodus.

Back page infographic comparing the production constraints and resources of Boyhood and Exodus.

Breakfast @ Four Seasons w/ Reese Witherspoon

Nothing cures an upset stomach like buttermilk pancakes at the Four Seasons. Hurray for film junkets! Mark Mann flew in to LA to photograph Reese for an upcoming AwardsLine cover and to brag about purchasing a new top of the line Leica camera.

Mark Mann shooting Reese Witherspoon

Mark Mann shooting Reese Witherspoon

Oscar Photo Marathon (Toronto Edition) Day 1

With Mark Mann and AwardsLine editor Anna Lisa Raya at the Templar hotel in Toronto shooting 79 Oscar-season contenders in 4 days.  

Robert Downey Jr. (The Judge) and Mark Mann

Robert Downey Jr. (The Judge) and Mark Mann

Vera Farmiga (The Judge) and Mark Mann

Vera Farmiga (The Judge) and Mark Mann

Al Pacino and Mark Mann

Al Pacino and Mark Mann

Greta Gerwig

Greta Gerwig

Chris Evans and Mark Mann

Chris Evans and Mark Mann

New Work: AwardsLine (Emmy Issue 5 of 5)

Closing out Emmy season on a high note with a strong issue featuring William H. Macy photographed by Michael Lewis. Looking forward to kicking off Oscar season in Toronto next month, and the launch of AwardsLine.com in November . . .

William H. Macy on the set of Shameless, photographed by Michael Lewis

William H. Macy on the set of Shameless, photographed by Michael Lewis

Cover Story

Cover Story

Kerry Washington (Scandal), photographed by J.R. Mankoff

Kerry Washington (Scandal), photographed by J.R. Mankoff

Matt Bomer (The Normal Heart), photographed by Mark Mann. Minnie Driver photographed by J.R. Mankoff

Matt Bomer (The Normal Heart), photographed by Mark Mann. Minnie Driver photographed by J.R. Mankoff

Uzo Aduba (OITNB), photographed by Mark Mann

Uzo Aduba (OITNB), photographed by Mark Mann

Natasha Lyonne (OITNB), photographed by J.R. Mankoff

Natasha Lyonne (OITNB), photographed by J.R. Mankoff

Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum (Project Runway), photographed by Mark Mann

Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum (Project Runway), photographed by Mark Mann

TOC, photograph by J.R. Mankoff 

TOC, photograph by J.R. Mankoff 

Back page info-graphic. Series with the most Emmy love typically also have the lowest viewerships

Back page info-graphic. Series with the most Emmy love typically also have the lowest viewerships

Post-Nom Emmy Shoot (Part 2: New York)

Shooting five nominees today with Mark Mann, including Anthony Bourdain, Heidi Klum, Matt Bomer and Uzo Aduba

Anthony Bourdain moments after Jujitsu class 

Anthony Bourdain moments after Jujitsu class 

Matt Bomer (The Normal Heart)

Matt Bomer (The Normal Heart)

Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum (Project Runway)

Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum (Project Runway)

Uzo Aduba (Orange Is The New Black)

Uzo Aduba (Orange Is The New Black)

Post-Nom Emmy Shoot (Part 1: Los Angeles)

Another photo-shoot marathon today with J.R. Mankoff, featuring Emmy nominees Billy Bob Thornton, Jodie Foster, Mike Judge, Fred Armisen, Kerry Washington, Andre Braugher, Minnie Driver, Natasha Lyonne, Cat Deeley and Colin Hanks. Next up: New York

Billy Bob Thornton (Fargo)

Billy Bob Thornton (Fargo)

Jodie Foster (Orange Is The New Black)

Jodie Foster (Orange Is The New Black)

Fred Armisen (Portlandia)

Fred Armisen (Portlandia)

Kerry Washington (Scandal)

Kerry Washington (Scandal)

Mike Judge (Silicon Valley)

Mike Judge (Silicon Valley)

Cat Deeley (So You Think You Can Dance)

Cat Deeley (So You Think You Can Dance)

Andre Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

Andre Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

Variety (Remixed)

In addition to the weekly magazine, Variety publishes daily editions during Emmy and Oscar season — a potentially confusing array of products for readers given the trade's recent history as a daily and the pervasiveness of false ad covers that obscure both graphic and editorial cues to each new issue.

My solution was to create a design and editorial structure that was unique enough to avoid confusion with the weekly, yet familiar enough that readers would immediately be comfortable navigating its pages.  

The final cover sketch for the daily editions. Editorial space was carved out above the advertising and to the right of the logo to clearly label the edition, tease the content inside and differentiate between the weekly magazine.

The final cover sketch for the daily editions. Editorial space was carved out above the advertising and to the right of the logo to clearly label the edition, tease the content inside and differentiate between the weekly magazine.

To signal 'soft news' and to help avoid confusion with the weekly magazine, the daily edition features large folios positioned in a more spacious top margin, a bright blue color used behind captions and pull quotes, and a different display and text style of Commercial Type's Duplicate family (Ionic). 

To signal 'soft news' and to help avoid confusion with the weekly magazine, the daily edition features large folios positioned in a more spacious top margin, a bright blue color used behind captions and pull quotes, and a different display and text style of Commercial Type's Duplicate family (Ionic). 

The page architecture of the daily edition is largely based on a rejected sketch from the Variety redesign project in 2013. Screenshots of those sketches can be found in the Past Projects section of this site under Rejected/Unpublished.

The page architecture of the daily edition is largely based on a rejected sketch from the Variety redesign project in 2013. Screenshots of those sketches can be found in the Past Projects section of this site under Rejected/Unpublished.

Duplicate Ionic offered a subtle shift in tone and voice for the daily editions while retaining a strong visual link to the design of the weekly magazine which uses Duplicate Slab and Sans throughout.

Duplicate Ionic offered a subtle shift in tone and voice for the daily editions while retaining a strong visual link to the design of the weekly magazine which uses Duplicate Slab and Sans throughout.

The Contenders portion of the magazine (awards content) is labeled with gold folios. 

The Contenders portion of the magazine (awards content) is labeled with gold folios. 

This checkerboard-like layout was created to highlight likely contenders in each awards category. It allows flexibility in the number of entries listed for each category, scale change within the imagery for visual interest, while providing the art dept. an easy-to-follow template for quick production.

This checkerboard-like layout was created to highlight likely contenders in each awards category. It allows flexibility in the number of entries listed for each category, scale change within the imagery for visual interest, while providing the art dept. an easy-to-follow template for quick production.

Creative Director for all pages: Chris Mihal. Director of Photography: Bailey Franklin.

Creative Director for all pages: Chris Mihal. Director of Photography: Bailey Franklin.

New Work: AwardsLine (Emmy Issue 3 of 5)

Bay-area photographer Thomas Sanders was commissioned to capture convincing viewer reactions to television gore for this week's cover story. Casting was done on Craigslist!

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Mapping the career paths of actors who began on TV, dabbled in film, and then returned to the small screen.

Mapping the career paths of actors who began on TV, dabbled in film, and then returned to the small screen.

Jim Parsons (The Normal Heart) photographed by J.R. Mankoff

Jim Parsons (The Normal Heart) photographed by J.R. Mankoff

Keri Russell (The Americans) photographed by Mark Mann

Keri Russell (The Americans) photographed by Mark Mann

Lizzy Caplan (Masters of Sex) photographed by J.R. Mankoff

Lizzy Caplan (Masters of Sex) photographed by J.R. Mankoff

Josh Charles (The Good Wife) photographed by Mark Mann

Josh Charles (The Good Wife) photographed by Mark Mann

Jane Fonda (The Newsroom) photographed by J.R. Mankoff

Jane Fonda (The Newsroom) photographed by J.R. Mankoff

New Work: AwardsLine (Emmy Issue 2 of 5)

The Comedy Issue

Lorne Michaels (Saturday Night Live) photographed by Mark Mann 

Lorne Michaels (Saturday Night Live) photographed by Mark Mann 

Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) photographed by J.R. Mankoff

Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) photographed by J.R. Mankoff

Anna Chlumsky (Veep) photographed by Mark Mann

Anna Chlumsky (Veep) photographed by Mark Mann

Will Arnett (The Millers, Arrested Development) photographed by J.R. Mankoff

Will Arnett (The Millers, Arrested Development) photographed by J.R. Mankoff

Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project) photographed by J.R. Mankoff

Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project) photographed by J.R. Mankoff

The Sympathy Vote, illustrated by Costhanzo

The Sympathy Vote, illustrated by Costhanzo

The new crop of late night hosts. 

The new crop of late night hosts. 

New Work: AwardsLine (Emmy Issue 1 of 5)

Recently promoted Editor-In-Chief Anna Lisa Raya and I are back in production of Deadline's awards-season publication AwardsLine, and although our staff has been reduced by one, we've managed to set the bar pretty high for what a two-man team can accomplish at a weekly with limited resources. Here, a brief look at the first issue . . . 

True Detective's Matthew McConaughey, photographed by Kevin Scanlon

True Detective's Matthew McConaughey, photographed by Kevin Scanlon

Cover story on event programming. The display typeface Diversa (designed by Dino dos Santos) joins the type palette this Emmy season.

Cover story on event programming. The display typeface Diversa (designed by Dino dos Santos) joins the type palette this Emmy season.

Mark Mann was recruited to shoot all of the New York-based talent for the Dialogue section this season in B&W. House of Cards show runner Beau Willimon, above.

Mark Mann was recruited to shoot all of the New York-based talent for the Dialogue section this season in B&W. House of Cards show runner Beau Willimon, above.

J.R. Mankoff tackled the L.A. photo shoots in color. Ryan Murphy (The Normal Heart, Glee, American Horror Story), above.

J.R. Mankoff tackled the L.A. photo shoots in color. Ryan Murphy (The Normal Heart, Glee, American Horror Story), above.

The Crafts dept, focusing on below-the-line talent.

The Crafts dept, focusing on below-the-line talent.

Buenos Aires-based illustrator Costhanzo has again been commissioned to create every illustration in the book.

Buenos Aires-based illustrator Costhanzo has again been commissioned to create every illustration in the book.

Each issue begins with The First Take, a full spread, behind-the-scenes look at a contending show.

Each issue begins with The First Take, a full spread, behind-the-scenes look at a contending show.

Front-of-book column. Cyrus Highsmith's Salvo Sans is used for body text (and sometimes display) throughout the magazine.

Front-of-book column. Cyrus Highsmith's Salvo Sans is used for body text (and sometimes display) throughout the magazine.

The back page. 

The back page. 

A Quickie w/ Lorne Michaels

It's hard to argue for more time and greater access with talent when you pull off these quick and dirty shoots (notice the low ceiling) with great results (check back in 3 weeks for the final photos) . . .

Mark Mann (who photographed President Obama for Esquire in just 4 minutes), working fast with Lorne Michaels for AwardsLine inside a 6-minute window between tapings of The Tonight Show and Late Night (with SNL rehearsals happening behind that curtain). 

Mark Mann (who photographed President Obama for Esquire in just 4 minutes), working fast with Lorne Michaels for AwardsLine inside a 6-minute window between tapings of The Tonight Show and Late Night (with SNL rehearsals happening behind that curtain).