Kickstarting a Victorian ghost movie starring puppets, with in-camera effects

Special effects artist Kevin McTurk has a fully subscribed kickstarter for The Mill at Calder's End, a Victorian ghost movie starring 30" puppets guided by pairs or trios of puppeteers all in black. The effects will be done in-camera,

The Mill at Calder's End is a gothic ghost story in the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft that will be told with 30 inch tall bunraku puppets and old fashioned in-camera special effects. Featuring the voices of Jason Flemyng (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, X-Men: First Class) and horror legend Barbara Steele (Black Sunday, The Pit and the Pendulum) , this film celebrates two of my great loves: the art of puppetry and gothic horror.

From my experience working as a special effects artist in Hollywood for over twenty years and now collaborating with some of the most talented creature effects artists, concept artists, and puppeteers in the industry, The Mill at Calder's End will be unlike any puppet film you have ever seen before.

The Mill at Calder's End is a passion project that is heavily influenced by the classic Hammer horror films of the 1960s and the films of Mario Bava (most notably, his gothic masterpiece Black Sunday). I have also always had a great love of puppetry and traditional in-camera special effects. The work of Jim Henson (The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and his Storyteller television series) is a great inspiration to me and I am hoping to bring his sense of wonderment and artistry to The Mill at Calder's End.

The Mill at Calder's End - A Ghost Story Puppet Film by Kevin McTurk — Kickstarter (Thanks, Kevin!)

• [Gendun]

  The number of Kickstarter plugs I’m seeing on Boingboing exceeds my appetite by an order of magnitude. FWIW  $.02 ymmv etc. 

• [SumAnon]

  Pedantic Thoughts: H.P Lovecraft wrote ghost stories?  Not really.

  • [Kevin McTurk]

    I agree…(The Director here)…I am referencing Lovecraft for less of the ghost story aspect and more of the gothic themes Lovecraft explored.  The narrator of my film finds himself not able to escape an ancient malevolent force that is connected with his family’s property…and that the Lovecraft-iness I was referring to.

• [Bucket]

  Malkovich? Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich. Malkovich! 

• [Garymon]

  FWIW I appreciate the KS posts. 

• [Dan Hibiki]

  Arg… 
  wooden Elijah Wood puppet. The only thing that can possibly be creepier then the real Elijah Wood.

  • [Grape Jemima]

    You’re grammar is creepy.

    • [Antinous / Moderator]

      O’h rea’lly?

    • [Alexander Johannesen]

      No, your grammar is creepy!

• [Sean Lavery]

  Had a Spinal Tap moment there when I read that as 30′ puppets.

• [Vincenzo Ravina]

  What does Chris Parnell have to do with this?

  • [Kevin McTurk]

    Hi Vincenzo. He’s a good friend and has always supported my puppet projects.
    Best,
    Kevin (the Director)

    • [mikei]

      Is he still driving his Mercury Mistress?  http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x11ok_pub-mercury-mistress_ads#.UT_XwVc1bHU

      • [Kevin McTurk]

        Ha Ha…a classic..!