Meet the Atlanta Special Effects Makeup Artist Behind Iconic Horror Movies

Kurtzman attended art school for a year before dropping out and moving to Los Angeles to pursue filmmaking at the age of 19. He was immediately hooked and hasn’t stopped working since. He moved his studio to Atlanta just under a decade ago when he began working on the Netflix miniseries “The Haunting of Hill House.”

Kurtzman sat down with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution to discuss the industry. Portions of this interview first appeared in the AJC’s new entertainment industry newsletter, The Scene, which you can subscribe to at qr1.be/V6U4.

Question : Take me through the process of trying to break into the film business after leaving art school.

A: I moved to Los Angeles when I was 19. I took a 12 week makeup course, mostly on beauty makeup, but there was a small special effects section, which was a bit crude, and I knew more about it from reading stuff in the magazines. But it moved me there. After leaving school, I tried to network and eventually got a job working for John Buechler, a famous makeup artist, and he worked for Charlie Band, who made a lot of low-budget films every year. That’s where I got my start: working on low-budget films like “Troll” and “Re-Animator.”

Question : Was there a specific project that you worked on early in your career where you thought, “Alright, this is my path. This is what I was destined to do.

A: This would have been the first film. From the start, I was immediately hooked on the environment of working with other artists in a studio and sculpting and plastering. So it would have been “Troll”. It’s a bit of a crude film in some ways, but I was impressed with the idea of ​​making films.

Question : What do you like about makeup effects?

A: All of this. I would go crazy if I didn’t create something. During last year’s strikes, I created 25 original oil paintings in eight months. I think any creative outlet is a positive thing for me.

Question : You’ve been in this industry for four decades. What have been the biggest seismic shifts in makeup effects and the industry in general during this time?

A: In makeup, development of silicone prostheses (compared to latex prostheses). Technology is constantly advancing, so there are also more interesting things to play with. Generally speaking, digital cinema has changed everything, and it hasn’t gone backwards. Because the workflow is completely digital, everything is compressed. We’ve gone from shoots averaging 35 to 40 days to today where average films, especially those in the $5 million range, want to be shot in 20 days. It seems like everyone is waiting until the last minute to make a decision on something that will be shot in two weeks. Building something in two weeks is no easy task. Normally we have a minimum of eight weeks, sometimes 12, but in the past we had three months to prepare something big.

Question : What are some of the challenges and benefits of integrating technologies like CGI and augmented artificial intelligence software into the workflow?

A: I still absorb some of the workflow from these technologies. I’ve been using Photoshop for years and we use (digital sculpting tool) ZBrush and 3D printing, all sorts of things. I don’t know yet where this (artificial intelligence) is going to take us, but there are uses for it. Ultimately, what I see, and it’s horrible, is that someone will be able to dictate their entire concept into the computer and let it spit out 10 versions. It’s not very exciting for me, and I’m glad I’m not here for it. I will be retired by then.

Question : What advice would you give to someone who wants to get started with makeup effects?

A: The sector has changed in the last two years after the strikes, in terms of the number of jobs, so it is difficult to access at present. But if it’s something you’re passionate about, you should keep trying to do it. You have to have thick skin in this business and you have to be persistent, professional and able to solve problems. A lot of people get started and don’t realize how difficult it is on a film set. If you don’t try it and do it, you’ll blame yourself for not following your dreams.

Question : What’s the most exciting trend you’re seeing in the industry?

A: The indie horror genre scene. There are a lot of great things coming out that are innovative and cool and that are shot in a smaller, more intimate setting with a smaller crew. Studios are also rethinking their giant tentpoles because we’ve had so many bad flops in recent years. I think we’re going to stop doing so much and make more mid-term films with less risk. I’d like to see more than just Marvel movies. I prefer mid-range films. The movies I grew up with, like “The Thing,” only cost $10 million.