Bryan Parcival

Senior Critic - Film/Animation/Video

Bryan Parcival is a Boston-based experimental filmmaker and mixed-media artist whose work combines animation with live-action film and still photography. He began his professional career at Olive Jar Studios, where he worked as a commercial director, animator, cinematographer and eventually associate creative director. In 2001, along with his friend and long-time collaborator Jeff Sias, Parcival started Handcranked Productions, an independent film/animation company. He has worked with commercial clients Samsung, MTV, HBO, Cartoon Network, PBS, Sesame Street and many others.

Parcival is one of the four founding members of Handcranked Film Projects, an art and film collaborative that attempts to balance commercial work with personal and eclectic artistic pursuits. His work has won awards and screened at film festivals worldwide, including Sundance, Ottawa International Animation Festival, the World Animation Celebration, Dragon*Con and others.

In addition, Parcival is a directing member of Ars Subterranea, a New York-based arts society dedicated to the “creative preservation” of abandoned structures. He is currently co-directing an ongoing mixed-media project called American Ruins an experimental journey through abandoned places across the US. The project is always growing and morphing – and manifests variously as film or installation, often with live musical collaboration.

Parcival joined the RISD faculty in 2002, and he is passionate about helping students find and express their vision.

Academic areas of interest

 

  • Underground and fringe art making
  • Urban exploration
  • World folklore, religion, shamanic and occult studies
  • Graphic novels
  • Puppetry