Buffalo Film Festival presents: Vitascope 112th Birthday Party and Unveiling of Limited Edition Print by Scott Alexander Wood
PRESS OUTLETS: Please request graphic of poster.
WHEN: Saturday, October 18, 2008
TIME: 1-2PM
WHERE: Ellicott Square Building
295 Main at Swan Street
Enter on Washington Street
Buffalo, NY 14203
WHAT: 2nd Annual Birthday Party for Mark Brothers' Vitascope Theater
opened October 19, 1896: The 112th Anniversary; unveling of new
limited-edition print by Scott Alexander Wood. Artist to sign posters
available for donation.
WHO: Buffalo International Film Festival, Inc. (a 501c3 not for
profit); Scott Alexander Wood, artist; Edward Summer; Fred Schrock
SPONSORS: Buffalo Film Festival, Buffalo Film Society, Scott Alexander
Wood, Ellicott Development Company, Buffalo Tours, Avenue Art &
Frame, Semanchin & Wetter, The Buffalo Movie Tour
Buffalo, NY The Buffalo Film Festival is pleased to present the 2nd
Annual Birthday Party for the 112th anniversary of the opening of
Mitchell and Moe Mark's Vitascope Theater in the Ellicott Square
Building. The Film Festival commissioned Scott Alexander Wood, a
Buffalo artist and designer to produce a signed print limited to 50
numbered fine-art prints on archival paper as well as artist's proofs
A-Z.
The first of the limited-edition prints has already been purchased by
Mitchell Mark III, a direct descendant of the builders of this famous
theater.
In addition to a short presentation on the history of Ellicott Square
and the Mark Brothers' theater, Mayor Brown will present a
proclamation, Fred Schrock of Buffalo Tours will make a brief tour of
Ellicott Square available, Scott Wood will be on hand to sign posters,
and there will be a birthday cake. A statement from Mitchell Mark III
will also be read.
The 1896 Vitascope Theater is believed to be the first purpose-built,
permanent movie theater in world history. Opened by Mitchel and Moe
Mark, local businesmen who became fascinated by Edison's inventions, it
became the cornerstone of one of the largest and most profitable motion
picture chains in early movie history. In 1914, the Marks opened The
Mark-Strand, the world's first million-dollar movie palace in New York
City.
Over the last 25 years, Scott Wood has evolved an illustration style
that combines a hand-drawn foundation with digital tools and
techniques. An Alumni of Buffalo State with his roots in theater
design, he brings a child-like enthusiasm to any design problem. Scott
is known for his creative and inventive solutions to such projects as
The Historical Society's Pan Am Exhibit on Forrest Ave., a full-size
Railroad Car simulator in Omaha, and a NYS Park geology museum in
Niagara Falls. He is the owner of scottalexanderwood design inc., www.scottalexanderwood.com .
The limited-edition print portrays the Ellicott Square Building, an
authentic Vitascope, a 19th Century Movie Theater and other details in
a striking, color image with surrounding text explaining the history of
this remarkable, now lost theater. Copies of a small and large poster
will be available at the event in return for a $5.00 tax-deductible
donation to Buffalo International Film Festival. Mr. Wood will be
available to sign the posters as well. The limited-edition print will
be available for ordering in return for a $60.00 tax-deductible
donation. The first ten prints will be available with a Remarque,
although several prints were already sold. The prints and posters will
also be available soon through the BIFF website at www.BuffaloFilmFestival.com .
This is the second year of the Vitascope Theater event. In future
years, Buffalo International Film Festival hopes that steps will be
taken to rebuild the original theater in the original location which
still survives. An exhibit for the lobby of Ellicott Square is already
in the works.
Buffalo International Film Festival, Inc. is a 501c3 not-for-profit
charity formed in 2004 to bring an important international film
festival to Greater Buffalo and the Western New York region. It has
other beneficial activities including The Buffalo Film Society and has
provided more than 20 screenings of feature motion pictures during
2008. BIFF depends upon donations which are tax-deductible.
# # #
Buffalo International Film Festival celebrates Movies of the World