Carnival Picaresque

From Director/Animator D. Bradford Greber comes Carnival Picaresque, an experimental short animation. When a nameless narrator embarks with his compadre on an excursion from the Big Apple to the Big Easy, they are met by a small entourage of likeminded friends for a psychotropic tour of post-Katrina Mardi Gras celebrations. They are mislead by a green fairy into an enigmatic night wrought with danger, dizziness, and dagger-stabbing fun. A spontaneous juggling contest, where our narrator purloins fantastic drugs from a pair of wiley crones, ultimately seals his fate forever in the potions of permanence.

A masterful arrangement of countless digitally manipulated still photos juxtaposed with psychedelic images and music, Carnival Picaresque utilizes farcical facial expressions and atypical narration to displace conventional story-telling techniques. We, ourselves, become travelers in an exotic locale and actively experience the characters' journey.

D. Bradford Greber, known previously for his auteur work in the Philadelphia region, this time employs the help of numerous young talents including writer D. Marsteller of Queens, NY, whose short memoir "Zulu Picaresque" was the inspiration for the film; abstract painter Evan Reehl Ryer of Brooklyn, NY; and Native New Orleanians Michael Joseph, whose post-noise jazz creates the score, and costume designer Katie Gelfand, whose colorful costumes bring life to Tom Mustago's mannequin-like portraiture.

Cast & Crew

Production

Dave Greber (Director, Producer, Executive Producer)

Writing

Dan Marsteller (Writer, Author of Adapted Material)

Dave Greber (Adapted By)

Performance Michael Joseph (Voice-Over)

Camera

Dave Greber (2nd Unit Dir of Photography, Sound Mixer, Video Operator, Assistant Camera, Camera Operator)

Katharine Gelfand (Key Grip)

Tom Mustago (Cinematographer/DP, Gaffer)

Art Department

Dave Greber (Production Designer, Set Decorator, Art Director)

Evan Reehl Ryer (Set Decorator, Assistant Art Director)

Katharine Gelfand (Propmaster, Makeup Artist, Makeup Effects, Body Makeup, Hairstylist, Costume Designer, Costumer)

Specialized

Dave Greber (Choreographer, Special Effects, Technical Post Production, Picture Editor, Sound Editor, Digital Effects)

Music

Michael Joseph (Original Music/Composer)

Representation

Katharine Gelfand (Agent, Manager, Publicist)

Animation

Dave Greber (Animator)