Tag Archives: toronto

On set of Faze Magazine’s Cover shoot with the Degrassi boys

Posted in Confessions of a Magazine Intern by

From Ed Sheeran and Olly Murs to Austin Mahone and Cody Simpson, Faze Magazine‘s covers haven’t been shy of cute boys. And last week, we did a shoot that will see Canadian homegrown talent grace the next issue of Faze: Degrassi’s very own Munro Chambers, Luke Bilyk and Demetrius Joyette.

What was it like being on set? Well just like you were watching a group of down-to-earth, hilarious guys have a great time. There were tons of laughs, lots of music and plenty, and I mean plenty of dancing (thanks to Munro’s iPod). It’s clear that the three aren’t just classmates on screen, or coworkers in real life but best friends, or “bros” as the three liked to say throughout the day.

Even though I was capturing behind the scenes video, I was able to grab some photos in between filming. So scroll down below for a sneak peek at our Degrassi boys cover shoot. And stay tuned to faze.ca/@fazemagazine for the behind the scenes video coming soon (there may or may not be some twerking included in that).

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-@Naomi_ML

Free the Children’s We Day hits Toronto

Posted in Confessions of a Magazine Intern by

While sitting in a classroom, doing homework and listening to a teacher lecture are things most students find themselves doing on a Friday morning, on September 20, thousands of youth were spending their time differently—at Free the Children’s annual We Day in Toronto.

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The Air Canada Centre was packed with 20, 000 students and educators from over 950 schools in the area. Joining them was a star-studded lineup of performers and guest speakers including The Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, Austin Mahone and Imagine Dragons. Gleestar Darren Criss took over the stage as a co-host along with Canadian TV personalities Aliya-Jasmine Sovani and Scott Willats.

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The daylong event didn’t just offer up motivational speeches from people like Martin Luther King III, who exemplified the importance of education or Molly Burke, who spoke out against bullying, but it also kicked off the Year of Education; every year, We Day jumpstarts a year-long fundraising commitment, launched by Free the Children co-founders Craig and Marc Kielburger. This year’s goal is to build 200 new schools in Free the Children’s overseas communities. With different campaigns, including a coin drive, cross-Canada road tour, online celebrity challenge and ABC Education Rafiki Friend Chains, the goal to raise $10, 000 to build one new school or school room in a developing country can easily be met with the help of donations.

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It wasn’t just the kids in attendance who were inspired; Darren Criss also walked away from the event with the desire to do good.

“It’s somewhere in between completely inspiring and completely frustrating because I’m like, man these kids and these people are doing so much. I am so lazy and I need to get off my butt and do more with my life. But it’s absolutely more inspiring than anything else,” he says. “It’s cool when you see this very concrete example of youth empowerment and people doing things that you hear about, but you see it in real life and you can’t help but be invigorated by this idea that we really can make a difference.”

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For Demi, her involvement with Free the Children has made a great impact on her life, as she has “started a new chapter.”

“When I went to Kenya with Free The Children, I did a lot of work with them, and it changed my entire perspective on life and what I want out of it,” she said. “I’m here today not only to thank Free The Children for everything that they’ve done, but also, We Day in particular is such an incredible event because everyone in the audience has done good for their community and that’s inspiring.”

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Whether you’re a 10-year-old elementary school student or an award-winning singer and actress, We Day made it clear that everyone can make a lasting change in the world.

And while you couldn’t buy a ticket to We Day to watch the action live (you had to earn your seat through service), you can catch the event broadcast on MTV and Much November 11.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones Red Carpet Premiere

Posted in Confessions of an Entertainment Junkie by

Harry Potter fans will understand me. Lord of the Rings fans will understand me. Twilight fans will understand me. Hunger Games fans will understand me.

Nothing compares to the mixture of pure excitement and utter nervousness of seeing one of your most beloved books come to life on the big screen.

…At least that’s what I thought until I found out I was going to have the chance to attend the red carpet premiere of one my favorite books’ film adaption. Oh, and I would get to interview the stars which included the gorgeous and talented Lily Collins and the most hilarious Irish actor I’ve ever  watched Robert Sheehan (aka Nathan from Misfits aka the best character known to television).

So yeah, nothing compares to the mixture of pure excitement and utter nervousness of attending the red carpet premiere of one of your most beloved books’ screen adaption.

If you haven’t heard of The Mortal Instruments, it’s a series of YA fiction following the adventures of teenager Clary as she dives deep into this world full of Shadowhunters (half angel, half human demon hunters), vampires, werewolves and even faeries.
Author Cassandra Clare (who’s also a major inspiration having worked in the entertainmnet journalism field at places like The Hollywood Reporter only to go on to write one of the most captivating and best selling stories ever) brings readers into this new fantasy world that has so many unexpected twists and turns and revelations, that you can’t help but turn the page.

Check out below for my pictures from the red carpet, and scroll down to the end of the Q&A with the stars!

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Q&A with the stars:

LILY COLLINS
There are many great book heroines coming to life on the big screen, from the Hunger Games’ Katniss to Tris Prior in Divergent, so what makes Clary stand out?
I think what sets her apart is that she’s funny. She’s comedic. She is already a Shadowhunter, it’s not like she’s choosing something else. She’s already in this world, she’s just figuring it out. I think what makes her a great heroine is the fact that even though she’s a Shadowhunter, she still human, she’s vulnerable, she’s scared, she cries, she’s having an identity crisis, she’s confused. Which is what everyone is as a teenage girl but at the same time she has these superpowers. So I think she’s more relatable in that sense.

You’ve been attached to this project for three years, which is quite a long time, how does it feel now that the first film is wrapped up?
LC: Oh my gosh, it’s crazy. It’s been like a three year process and this time last year I was bowling down [the street] and no one knew what we were doing, who we were and now we’re shooting the sequel next month and this is the premiere. It’s absolutely insane and I’m so excited.

JAMIE CAMPBELL BOWER
If your character could create any rune what would it be any why?
It would be the power to be in three different places at once so then I could do everything better.

If you weren’t a Shadowhunter, which type of downworlder would you be?
A faerie because they just seem cool, they seem to like water and I like water. I definitely want to be one.

KEVIN ZEGERS
If your character could create any rune what would it be any why?
I’d create a rune that would allow me to never get on an airplane, because I hate flying. A teleporting device.

What was it like filming the movie back here in your home country?
It was great, I loved it. The fans were great here too, they’d ask us to sign their books and bring us stuff like coffee. It was such a crazy experience just filming here and I can’t wait to come back later this year to film the sequel.

HARALD  ZWART
You recently tweeted that you’re working on storyboard for the sequel, which is exciting, what made you guys finalize the decision to produce a sequel before the first film even came out?
I have very gutsy producers who are believing in this movie tremendously and I’m very very grateful that they decided to do it.

As you can see behind us, The Mortal Instruments has thousands of dedicated fans, did you feel any pressure when making the film?
Well I make sure that I respect them. And I’ve been lucky that I’ve been able to work really closely with Cassandra Clare. Actually I had her on speed dial so whenever I needed something I could call her up and say, ‘how do you think about this and that?’ But that’s how I think we respected the fans all along.

What was your biggest challenge when creating the film?
The biggest challenge is to make sure that the stuff you keep and the stuff you have to let go is right. What do you keep and what do you let go? You can take big chunks out, which you have to do when you have a big book like that, but [you have to] make sure all the stuff that you have remaining still make sense.

ROBERT SHEEHAN
Obviously film adaptions don’t follow novels word for word, but why was the decision made to keep your character Simon human in the movie instead of turning into a rat like in the book?
That’s a good point, I think because in the books the characters are between 15 and 17 but in the film they raised the age of the characters so they can explore the love story a little bit more. Harald is a very dark minded man and his adaptation is very dark in ways, so to keep Simon as a human I think he kept it more life threatening and less kind of kidsy.
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Such a great experience, I highly recommend you see the movie, though reading the books should be a priority! Be sure to take a look at the full gallery on faze.ca.

The Ultimate Summer Bucket List

Posted in Confessions of a Twenties Girl by

It’s that time of year when classrooms and school uniforms are replaced with beaches and bikinis. While you may have a preconceived vision of how this summer is going to be spent (ice cream dates, campfires, amusement parks), why not stray away from the usual activities and try something new.

by Naomi Leanage

The bright sun and warm weather confirm that summer is finally here. With no school to keep you occupied though, boredom tends to creep up and you begin to realize that you’ve already seen every summer blockbuster movie—twice.  That’s why it’s time to replace that school to-do list with a summer bucket list.

Some of these items may just provide you with a fun time for a couple hours while others will allow you to learn and gain valuable skills that will last a lifetime, but all are guaranteed to leave you with amazing and lasting memories.

Get on TV
 There’s no need to sign up for acting classes and hire an agent to make this happen. It’s as simple as signing up to be an audience member for a live show. But for those who want more than a hour of screen time, you can apply for reality show castings in your area. So get off your couch, put away that remote and experience what it’s like to be on the other side of the screen.

Start a summer business
 Who says the days of having a lemonade stand are long gone? There’s no need to succumb to the usual summer jobs that usually consist of folding clothes and flipping burgers, when you can use your passions, talents and skills to make some extra cash. If you enjoy cooking, start a catering company. Is drawing and art your hobby? Design a clothing line. Your friends and family will be your guaranteed first customers and from there you can easily expand. Social media and word of mouth make it easy to find new customers, and there are many grants available, funded by the government and other companies, to help launch your business.

Write to a Pen Pal
Though communicating with friends has evolved into easy and efficient instant messaging online, there’s still something special about writing a hand written letter, and receiving one in the mail yourself. A Pen Pal gives you the opportunity to write to someone from a different country, allowing you get to learn about a different culture and make a lasting relationship. Check out penpalworld.com to find your new friend.

Enroll in a class that allows you try something
At this age, most of us have figured out what we enjoy and what we don’t like doing. Sure, our parents may have signed us up for countless classes ranging from swimming to dance to baseball when we were younger. But have we tried absolutely everything out there?  Ever wanted to move your feet with some tap shoes on? Wondered what it’s like to push a puck across the ice? Dreamed of riding a horse across the field? There may be a natural skill you haven’t discovered yet. You’ll never know unless you try.

Feed 100 homeless people
 Instead of going out and purchasing 100 fast food burgers, grab your friends and take the time to create meals for the less fortunate in your area. A sandwich, a fruit, a juice box, and a cookie can be easily put together in a paper bag. Then comes the fun part; distributing it. You can do this by either going to a local homeless shelter or walking the streets yourself.

Grow your own food
A trip to the garden store is all you need to get started on this. From vegetables to fruits, there are many different items you can grow right in your own backyard. Ensure that you have the space, and also the appropriate climate, soil and rainfall. It takes time, effort and care to ensure the crops grow properly. Visit a local farm or garden to get ideas on what types of crop to grow and how to do it right.

Participate in a walk, run, race or marathon
This is a great way to get fit (because you’ll definitely have to prepare and train in advance), raise money for a worthwhile cause (from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) and gather support from your family and friends. First-timers can try a 5 or 10km run while those more experienced can aim for a full 42km marathon.  Check out marathoncanada.com for a list of upcoming events throughout Canada. For those seeking more thrill and excitement, running through the muddiest trails in Toronto (The Mud Run) or being attacked by color bombs (Color Me Rad) as you try to make it to the finish line will definitely satisfy you.


As published in the Summer 2013 issue of Faze Magazine