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V.I.A. IMPRINT #1 - SNEEZE MAGAZINE

V.I.A. Imprint is an ongoing feature concerning book and magazine publishers, book stores, and all things print in this city of ours. At the bustling Gastown corner of Abbott and Water is a heavy-duty and well fortified news box.

At the bustling Gastown corner of Abbott and Water is a heavy-duty and well fortified news box. Instead of a free weekly or local newspaper, it contains a large format photography focused magazine, called Sneeze. On first opening the size can throw you off. It is big. Busy guy and Vancouver based photographer, Nic Fensom, heads up the mag and we did a short question and answer time with him.

viaimprint V.I.A. Imprint is an ongoing feature concerning book and magazine publishers, book stores, and all things print in this city of ours.

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How did Sneeze Mag come about?

From wanting to do my own thing.

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The first time I opened it up, Issue 4, I was shocked at the size. Guess I wasn't expecting how big it was, which is super rad. How did that size come about?

Thats usually the first thing people say about the size. You don't realize how big it is until you have it opened up in front of you. Originally the intent was to have Sneeze the size of a normal magazine and we printed a preview issue that was typical magazine size. Following the printing of the preview issue was the media kit which was printed as a huge poster and designed to fold to a 10" x 12" insert for advertisers. The backside of the media kit poster had this huge full bleed photo and it looked so sick to see so huge. I never really liked the preview issue that was made so most of those hit the recycle bin. After all that, the new plan was to start over and go big as an unbound 'less is more' poster size publication which is what you see today.

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Since this is an interview for VIA, how does Vancouver fit in with the creation of Sneeze?

It fits in because I live here. Obviously Vancouver is one of the better Canadian cities too.

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What is planned for the future of sneeze?

Partnering up for some sick events, handkerchief inserts, rolling out some more street boxes, increasing circulation with every issue, new rad advertisers...

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The street box program is pretty great. How many more are coming? Any more for Vancouver?

The goal is to have another three-four boxes installed for 09 (one box per new city). No more are planned for Vancouver. The paperwork and red tape involved in putting a box on the street is crazy, especially for the US cities since we are based in Canada. The box is not our only method of distribution, you can find it in

shops around town like Sophia Books and Does Your Mother Know.

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