Buffalo Film Seminars collection

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: 16-4-813

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Printed and digital handouts about films shown as part of Buffalo Film Seminars. The seminar is a course taught in the English Department at the State University of New York at Buffalo, Spring 2000- by Professors Bruce Jackson and Diane Christian; films were presented at a Buffalo area movie theater preceded by comments by Jackson and Christian. Screenings are now held online.

These handouts are also referred to as "Goldenrod Handouts." Sheets contain information about the film’s production with quotations from director’s, critics, and film historians; announcements about forthcoming movies also included. Initially these were one-page informational sheets; they developed into five to six page documents.

Dates

2000-2012, 2022-

Terms of Access and Use

The Buffalo Film Seminars collection, 2000- is open to researchers.

Copyright

Copyright of papers in the collection may be held by their authors, or the authors' heirs or assigns. Researchers must obtain the written permission of the holder(s) of copyright and University Archives before requesting photocopies and/or publishing quotations from materials in the collection. Once permission is obtained, most papers may be copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures unless otherwise specified.

Biographical Note Historical Note

“The idea for the Buffalo Film Seminars originated in late 1999 with Joseph Ryan, Buffalo’s Commissioner of Urban Planning, and Michael McCarthy, attorney for the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency (BURA). McCarthy asked Buffalo News arts editor Jeff Simon if could suggest someone who might teach a university film course at the city-owned Market Arcade theater and open it up to anyone who bought an ordinary movie ticket.” Simon suggested Jackson and Christian.

“The Buffalo Film Seminars began in January 2000 with a class of registered University at Buffalo students. The Seminars were an immediate success. BURA gave is $5,000 the first season’s film rentals and printing of posters. Since then the series has more than paid for itself.” There are fourteen to fifteen films per academic year. From The Buffalo Film Seminars: Series I-VIII, Spring 2000-Spring 2004, by Bruce Jackson and Diana Christian (2004).

When the Market Arcade Film and Arts Centre closed in 2014, the Buffalo Film Seminars moved to the Dipson Amherst Theatre on Main Street, where screenings were held every Tuesday night during the Fall and Spring semesters. In Spring 2020, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the series took an online format. The Buffalo Film Seminars are still held remotely, with Goldenrod handouts sent through email, a video introduction to each film posted to Vimeo, and a Zoom discussion held each Tuesday evening.

Extent

0.5 Linear Feet (2 manuscript boxes, 1 half manuscript box)

0.059 Gigabytes (40 files)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Handouts about films shown as part of Buffalo Film Seminars, a course taught in the English Department at the State University of New York at Buffalo, Spring 2000-.

Arrangement

Collection arranged chronologically.

Acquisition Information

Booklet and some sheets provided by Shonnie Finnegan (Jan. 2004- ); others printed from Buffalo Film Series website (Jan. 2004- ). Digital copies of handouts were collected via internet download and the Buffalo Film Seminars mailing list.