The Beast Pageant

Lore & Background

The Beast Pageant was independently produced by co-directors Albert Birney and Jon Moses over several years using a highly DIY approach. Shot primarily on black-and-white 16 mm film with a spring-wound Bolex camera, the filmmakers constructed elaborate sets and costumes from found materials, discarded objects, and handmade props. Much of the film’s surreal visual language—such as the mechanical 'Man Machine' and papier-mâché creatures—was fabricated by the directors themselves or with help from friends and collaborators in their Rochester, New York community. To fund post-production, Birney and Moses launched a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2010, raising over $8,000 from nearly 150 backers.

Reader's Guide

The Beast Pageant premiered on September 26, 2010 at the Dryden Theatre at George Eastman House in Rochester, New York, and subsequently screened at underground and independent film festivals including Slamdance, Maryland Film Festival, and the San Francisco Independent Film Festival. Though not widely distributed, the film garnered a cult following and was an early example of Birney's signature artistic approach, later seen in his work on Sylvio and Strawberry Mansion. The film is described as a modern fairy tale told through experimental techniques reminiscent of David Lynch, Jan Švankmajer, and Michel Gondry. Its handmade production style and themes critiquing modern technology and media culture have contributed to its enduring appeal among fans of lo-fi, surrealist cinema.

Did You Know?

• The film was shot primarily on black-and-white 16 mm film using a spring-wound Bolex camera.
• The filmmakers raised over $8,000 from nearly 150 backers via a Kickstarter campaign in 2010.
• The Beast Pageant Orchestra, assembled specifically for the film, included 14 members including Albert Birney and Jon Moses.
• The score was recorded by Nick Krill, known for his work with The Spinto Band.

The Journey of Abraham

At the heart of The Beast Pageant is the story of Abraham, a man trapped in a stark industrial world where a bizarre machine simultaneously serves and governs his existence. Within that mechanical apparatus, a man and a woman attend to every one of his needs, reducing his daily life to a loop of consumer routine. The spell is broken when Zeke, a tiny singing cowboy, literally emerges from inside Abraham's body and compels him to venture into a strange, mythic wilderness. Along the way he crosses paths with a series of uncanny figures: a seed-spitting Watermelon Man, pine trees that come alive and dance, and a horned beast of indeterminate nature. The narrative functions as a modern fairy tale, using absurdist imagery and satirical storytelling to critique contemporary technology and media saturation. Critics and fans have drawn comparisons to the experimental sensibilities of David Lynch, Jan Švankmajer, and Michel Gondry, positioning the film as a handcrafted, dreamlike fable about breaking free from mechanical conformity.

Handmade Cinema: Production and Aesthetic

The Beast Pageant was born from a deeply DIY ethos. Co-directors Albert Birney and Jon Moses spent several years independently producing the film, shooting it primarily on black-and-white 16 mm stock with a spring-wound Bolex camera, a deliberate choice that locked in an analog, hand-crafted visual texture. Rather than relying on studio resources, the duo and a circle of friends in their Rochester, New York community built the film's elaborate sets, costumes, and props from found materials, discarded objects, and handmade components. The mechanical Man Machine that dominates Abraham's world and the papier-mâché creatures that populate the wilderness were all fabricated in-house. When it came time to fund post-production, Birney and Moses launched a 2010 Kickstarter campaign that successfully raised more than eight thousand dollars from nearly 150 individual backers. The result is a film whose every frame carries the fingerprint of its makers, reinforcing the story's themes of rejecting mass-produced, technology-driven conformity.

The Beast Pageant Orchestra and the Score

The film's soundtrack was composed and performed by The Beast Pageant Orchestra, a fourteen-member ensemble assembled specifically for the project. The group, drawn from Birney, Moses, and a roster of collaborators including Margaret Coote, Phil Davis, Nick Krill, and others, blends acoustic instrumentation, ambient textures, and folk-inspired melodies to match the film's surreal, dreamlike atmosphere. Music plays a structural role in the storytelling, frequently stepping in where dialogue would traditionally carry the narrative, and amplifying the film's mood of quiet absurdity and emotional transformation. The score features recurring character motifs, including distinct musical cues for Zeke the miniature cowboy and for the oppressive Man Machine. Recording was handled by Nick Krill, a musician known for his work with The Spinto Band and other indie projects, whose approach brought a warm, analog sensibility to the aural landscape. Although the score has not been released as a standalone album, selections appear as bonus material on the film's DVD and were shared with Kickstarter backers.

Festival Run, Cult Following, and Lasting Influence

The Beast Pageant had its world premiere on September 26, 2010, at the Dryden Theatre inside George Eastman House in Rochester, New York, where a large local crowd gathered for the screening and a post-film Q&A with the directors. Over the following year the film traveled to a circuit of underground and independent festivals, including Slamdance, the San Francisco Independent Film Festival, the Maryland Film Festival, the Boston Underground Film Festival, and the Lund Fantastic Film Festival. Rather than pursuing a wide theatrical release or a traditional distribution deal, Birney and Moses put the film out on DVD and as a digital download through their own website and at select screenings. The DVD edition included deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes footage, and an original short film by the directors. Through word of mouth, festival buzz, and its distinctive handcrafted aesthetic, the film cultivated a devoted cult audience. It also stands as an early marker of Birney's signature artistic approach, a sensibility that would later surface in his projects Sylvio and Strawberry Mansion.