Behind the Scenes
Behind the Scenes of Tyrant 5: BEAR
A new feature in the making at HTML Giant: behind the scenes of production at your favorite litmags and presses, how things are put together, what is done, who eats first, and in today’s case, how many erections were caused during prep?
Here’s some outtakes from the recent, amazing cover of New York Tyrant‘s fifth issue, with some words on the shoot and the culmination of the innovative cover with editor GianCarlo DiTrapano:
Bears. Bears, bears, bears. I wanted the cover of Tyrant 5 to have to do with them. So, we got a bear-suit and met Barbara Nitke (a Project Runway photog) at the NYPL. She took many shots there, on the steps there at the library. The original plan for the cover: Chris, bear-suit, NYPL. (Not sure why exactly those three things though.) Barbara was kind enough to do the shoot for free, but on the condition that Chris (the bear) would come back to her studio and sit for a portrait after we were done. She was kind enough to invite me along. “Bring the bear-suit!” Ten minutes later we were back at her studio. My clothes were on the floor and all I had on was the bear-head and my underwear.
The pig mask: Maybe kind of stupid. I saw it where we rented the bear-suit and it looked like how I felt I should look sometimes, if my outsides matched my insides. Someone later mentioned The Shining, but I swear I never even thought of that. There were many shots from the library, and there were many shots from the studio. Between the NYPL and the erotic studio shots, we relegated the literary for the porn-ish. Erik Blair did the lay-out, chose that sweet 80s metal font. Erik is a magic cover maker.
I feel like I might owe an apology to all bear-enthusiasts that bought the mag on spec, thinking there was bear porn inside. I hope they like what they found inside instead. There are definitely some stories you could masturbate to if you concentrate hard enough.
Is it selling out to put a famous person on your lit mag cover to help it sell? Of course it is. But these bitches have been selling like hotcakes so I have ceased to care.
One last thing: My belly-button wasn’t always ugly like that. I used to have a total innie. It herniated one night in Rome, at the age of 21, after over-indulging in food and wine and sex. How Roman. (Obviously, I have huge self-esteem issues to have to explain that fact.)
To check out the final cover, buy the issue (which includes work by Gordon Lish, Sam Michel, Eugene Marten, Jon Haskell, Eva Talmadge, and about 20 other loons, or to submit work for perusal and distribution to the bear community, check out New York Tyrant online.
Tags: chris march, giancarlo ditrapano, new york tyrant, project runway
I like the part where Gian discusses his bellybutton.
I like the part where Gian discusses his bellybutton.
that was my favorite part too.
that was my favorite part too.
this is hilarious
this is hilarious
this was great to read. Any of those could be covers.
this was great to read. Any of those could be covers.
we should start a feature on writers’ bellybuttons
we should start a feature on writers’ bellybuttons
This is a great post. Thanks!
Kind of reminds me of this awesome post:
http://www.rockband.com/zine/beast_of_burden
This is a great post. Thanks!
Kind of reminds me of this awesome post:
http://www.rockband.com/zine/beast_of_burden
i will email a picture of my bellybutton to anyone who wants it
i will email a picture of my bellybutton to anyone who wants it
i love chris march.
Fence put Suicide Girl tits on their cover to sell copies…
Fence was just moted by New York Tyrant…
yamas
i love chris march.
Fence put Suicide Girl tits on their cover to sell copies…
Fence was just moted by New York Tyrant…
yamas
I just got my copy in the mail just this second. So I read the Ryan Call story. Nice. Now i get to read Justin and Blake…although I’ve read some of thier stuff more recently, so feel familiar with it. But Ryan, such tender humor! Who knew. Congrats.
Ryan Call is one of the funniest people on the internet.
I just realized this.
Ryan Call is one of the funniest people on the internet.
I just realized this.
Someone should tell GianCarlo DiTrapano that his belly-button isn’t ugly. It’s sexy.
Someone should tell GianCarlo DiTrapano that his belly-button isn’t ugly. It’s sexy.
ryan is a tender fellow
i like the pig face pic where he’s sitting down looking disgusted and just a bit of his moob is showing. very classy.
ryan is a tender fellow
i like the pig face pic where he’s sitting down looking disgusted and just a bit of his moob is showing. very classy.
sorry. bearface pic.
i just liked the alliteration fo pig faced pic
pig faced pic
pig faced pic
say it, you’ll like it too
sorry. bearface pic.
i just liked the alliteration fo pig faced pic
pig faced pic
pig faced pic
say it, you’ll like it too
‘his moob’ that’s a new one. i like it
‘his moob’ that’s a new one. i like it
** gawker-ish linked **
** gawker-ish linked **
[…] March did a photo shoot for a publication called New York Tyrant, and the theme, of course, was “bears.” Tell us: Are we alone here? Or does Mr. March look a wee uncomfortable? Click the image at left to […]
Here is the link
http://jezebel.com/5102049/wild-life
Here is the link
http://jezebel.com/5102049/wild-life
The “sitting on bed” portrait (inspiring the inspired “belly button defense”) is really an amazing shot. A bad-ass somewhere will frame it and put it over his/her bed.
The “sitting on bed” portrait (inspiring the inspired “belly button defense”) is really an amazing shot. A bad-ass somewhere will frame it and put it over his/her bed.
where did you get that bear suit?? i want it!
where did you get that bear suit?? i want it!