Esquire magazine took time last week to celebrate stories printed not in its own pages, but on film. At a screening party at Quo, the magazine announced the East Coast winner of its first-ever Celluloid Style film competition.
The competition asked indie filmmakers to create five-minute short films based on one of six Esquire articles. Dan Elortegui, a graduate of New York University, was the East Coast winner. (A sister event at the Esquire House in Los Angeles—a showhouse filled with designer furnishings from companies like Calvin Klein Home and Armani Casa, similar to last year's Esquire Apartment in Trump Tower—is scheduled for October to announce the West Coast winner.)
Esquire art director Justin Durongsaeng set the tone of the event early, sending clever invitations that were printed on clear plastic that was cut to look like pieces of film.
Julie Gotz, Esquire's merchandising manager, produced the event, giving the nightclub Quo a "movie night" theme by decorating tables with big boxes of theater-style candy like Junior Mints, Dots, Twizzlers, and Hot Tamales, and bringing in a popcorn machine from New York Fun Factory.
Popcorn was served in bags with the Celluloid Style logo that were specially designed by Esquire graphic designer Haley Herzing and produced by Axis Promotions.
In the screening room, banquettes were dotted with another Herzing-Axis creation: bright orange throw pillows with the Celluloid Style logo silk-screened on them.
The movie night theme was continued with caterer Gourmet Gal's menu. Mini burgers filled with herbs and Canadian cheddar on brioche buns were presented on tiers of orange ticket rounds. Three-layer "Corny Movie" quesadillas of fresh corn, zucchini, two cheeses, and herbs were served on tin film reel canisters. And potato and caramelized onion puff pastries were nestled in miniature pink movie theater seats attached to a tray in rows. (The food was similar to what the caterer served at the Corporation screening a few months ago.)
One enthusiastic caterwaiter—and probable.phpiring actor—pulled film from his tray and draped it around his neck. That's one way of getting into film.
—Erika Rasmusson Janes