The Haunted Swordsman

USA  | 2019  | 17 minutes  | Director: Kevin McTurk 

In this handcrafted epic puppet film set in a world of demons and ghosts, a lone samurai and his odd companion, a cursed severed head, seek vengeance in a haunted world.

A professional creature effects artist, cinematographer, model maker, and puppeteer, Kevin McTurk has been working in the effects industry for over 20 years. A graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film Production, Kevin moved to Los Angeles in 1992 and began his career in special make-up effects at Stan Winston Studios, working on Batman Returns, Interview with a Vampire, and the Jurassic Park films. Kevin also worked at New Deal Studios, where he was involved on the miniature effects shots for the Martin Scorsese films The Aviator, Shutter Island, and Hugo. In 2011, Kevin received a Project Grant from The Jim Henson Foundation to make his first puppet short film "The Narrative of Victor Karloch". His follow-up film, "The Mill at Calder's End" was the result of a highly successful Kickstarter campaign and played in film festivals around the world.