Richard Paradise glides around the nearly constructed building on the corner of Tisbury Marketplace, walking quickly to show off the next feature, spreading his arms wide as he elaborates on what is to come. “So just like in a new theater on the mainland, it’s gonna have stadium seating where every seat is a great seat,” he says while standing on the wooden platform.

There’s a big blue shark fin emerging, but it’s not coming from underwater. It’s a foam shark fin hat bouncing atop the head of Susan Sigel Goldsmith, producer of Jawsfest: The Tribute landing on-Island August 9 through 12.

Tucked away on a hill in West Tisbury rests an unlikely young girl. She’s over six feet tall, has ears as big as hub caps and is stuffed with thrift store rubble. Her name is Ellie the elephant, and she’s waiting to become the newest addition to the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival’s Cinema Circus.