# Robert Kurtzman

Robert Kurtzman (born November 25, 1964) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and special effects makeup artist. During his time at KNB EFX Group, which he co-founded, it would win a 2001 Emmy Award. He would then start his own production company Precinct 13 Entertainment in 2003.

## Career

Kurtzman began his career in 1984 when he moved from his hometown of Crestline, Ohio, to Hollywood, California, to pursue his interest in prosthetic makeup, better known as special makeup effects. In 1988, along with Gregory Nicotero and Howard Berger, he formed K.N.B. EFX Group, a special makeup effects studio which has gone on to work on over 400 film and television projects. K.N.B. has won numerous awards, including an Emmy Award in 2001 for their work on the 2000 Sci Fi Channel miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune. They were awarded an Academy Award in 2006 for achievement in makeup for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
After establishing himself in the special effects arena, Kurtzman turned to directing and producing. His first project was From Dusk till Dawn, for which he wrote the original story, served as co-producer, and created the special effects. The Demolitionist marked Kurtzman's directorial debut. He went on to direct Wishmaster, in which he had an uncredited cameo as "piano wire guy". In 2002, Kurtzman left K.N.B. EFX Group. Kurtzman moved his family to Crestline, Ohio, and started his own production company, Precinct 13 Entertainment. Founded in 2003, Precinct 13 is described as a Film/Television and Radio Commercial/Visual Effects production facility. The Rage was the first in-house, fully financed, independent feature film. Kurtzman and P13 have, also, co-produced the supernatural film The Dead Matter, featuring Andrew Divoff, Tom Savini, and Jim O'Rear. Kurtzman also directed the action-thriller film Deadly Impact, which was written by Alexander Vesha. In 2017, Kurtzman took on the Makeup/ MUFX Co-Department Head position for the series The Haunting of Hill House directed by Mike Flanagan. Kurtzman moved his studio to Atlanta and formed Robert Kurtzman MUFX, LLC. His new company has worked on films such as Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, Ma and Doctor Sleep.

## Awards

| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 1994 | Makeup for Body Bags - shared with Rick Baker, Greg LaCava, Gregory Nicotero, Howard Berger | CableACE Awards | Nominated |
| 1995 | Makeup for State of Emergency - shared with Howard Berger, Gregory Nicotero, Ashlee Petersen, Heidi Seeholzer | CableACE Awards | Nominated |
| 1997 | Best Film for Wishmaster | Catalan International Film Festival | Nominated |
| 1999 | Best Makeup for Vampires - shared with Howard Berger and Gregory Nicotero | Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films Saturn Award | Won |
| 2002 | Best Makeup for Cabin Fever - shared with Howard Berger and Gregory Nicotero | Sitges - Catalan International Film Festival | Won |

## Filmography
### 1980s

| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1986 | From Beyond | Effects Technician | |
| 1986 | Night of the Creeps | Special makeup effects | |
| 1987 | A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors | Freddy's creature forms | |
| 1987 | Predator | Creature effects crew | |
| 1987 | Evil Dead II | Special makeup effects unit crew | |
| 1988 | Phantasm II | Special makeup effects constructor | |
| 1988 | 976-EVIL | On-set makeup applicator | Kevin Yagher Production, Inc. |
| 1989 | Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers | On-set makeup applicator | Kevin Yagher Production, Inc. |
| 1989 | Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers | On-set makeup applicator | Kevin Yagher Production, Inc. |
| 1989 | A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child | Supervisor: Freddy's head de-merge effects, special makeup effects artist | |
| 1989 | The Horror Show | Special effects | |
| 1989 | DeepStar Six | Creature guy | |
| 1989 | Night Angel | Additional makeup effects supervisor | K.N.B. EFX Group |
| 1989 | Nightwish | Special effects | |
| 1989 | Intruder | Special makeup effects artist | |

### 1990s

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1990 | Dances with Wolves | Buffalo effects supervisor | |
| 1990 | Bride of Re-Animator | Special makeup effects and bride effects creator | K.N.B. EFX Group |
| 1990 | Tremors | Creature effects: art crew | |
| 1990 | The Exorcist III | Demon effects makeup | |
| 1990 | Darkman | Special effects makeup artist | |
| 1990 | Misery | Special makeup effects artist | |
| 1990 | Sibling Rivalry | Special makeup effects | |
| 1990 | Tales from the Darkside: The Movie | Special makeup effects supervisor | |
| 1990 | Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III | Makeup artist | |
| 1991 | The People Under the Stairs | Special makeup effects supervisor | |
| 1992 | Dr. Giggles | Special makeup effects supervisor | |
| 1992 | Army of Darkness | Special makeup effects supervisor | K.N.B. EFX Group |
| 1992 | The Nutt House | Special makeup effects | |
| 1993 | Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday | Special makeup effects artist | K.N.B. EFX Group |
| 1993 | Body Bags | Special makeup effects | |
| 1993 | Doppelganger | Special makeup effects | |
| 1993 | Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence | Special makeup effects supervisor | |
| 1993 | Ed and His Dead Mother | Special makeup effects | |
| 1994 | Wes Craven's New Nightmare | Special makeup effects | |
| 1994 | Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings | Special makeup effects supervisor | |
| 1994 | John Carpenter's In the Mouth of Madness | Special makeup effects | |
| 1995 | The Demolitionist | Director, screenwriter | |
| 1995 | Lord of Illusions | Special makeup effects supervisor | K.N.B. EFX Group |
| 1995 | Skinner | Special makeup effects artist, special effects supervisor | |
| 1995 | Wes Craven's Vampire in Brooklyn | On-set special makeup effects application, special makeup effects: puppeteer | |
| 1995 | Galaxis | Special makeup effects supervisor | |
| 1996 | Scream | Special makeup effects supervisor | |
| 1996 | From Dusk till Dawn | Co-producer, story, makeup effects supervisor | |
| 1997 | The Night Flier | Special makeup effects supervisor | |
| 1997 | Double Tap | Special makeup effects supervisor | |
| 1997 | Spawn | Animatronic creature effects, special makeup effects | |
| 1997 | Wishmaster | Director, special makeup effects | |
| 1998 | The Faculty | Special makeup and creature effects | |
| 1998 | A Simple Plan | Special makeup effects supervisor/puppeteer | |
| 1998 | John Carpenter's Vampires | Special makeup effects | |
| 1998 | Dean Koontz's Phantoms | Makeup effects supervisor | K.N.B. EFX Group |
| 1999 | House On Haunted Hill | Special makeup effects | |

### 2000s

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2000 | The Crow: Salvation | Special makeup effects artist | |
| 2000 | Frank Herbert's Dune | Animatronic creature effects supervisor/puppeteer | |
| 2000 | Little Nicky | Special makeup and creature effects supervisor | |
| 2000 | Spiders | Special makeup and creature effects supervisor | |
| 2001 | My First Mister | Co-executive producer, special makeup effects artist | |
| 2001 | Vanilla Sky | Special makeup effects supervisor | K.N.B. EFX Group Inc. |
| 2001 | Thir13en Ghosts | Special makeup effects artist, special makeup effects supervisor | |
| 2001 | John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars | Special makeup effects artist | |
| 2001 | Soulkeeper | Special makeup and creature effects | |
| 2001 | Evolution | Creature effects | |
| 2001 | John Carpenter's Vampires: Los Muertos | Special makeup effects supervisor | |
| 2002 | Bubba Ho-tep | Special makeup effects supervisor | |
| 2002 | Cabin Fever | Special makeup effects supervisor | |
| 2002 | Ghost Ship | Additional prosthetic special makeup effects supervisor artist/hairstylist | |
| 2003 | Bad Boys II | Special makeup effects artist (uncredited) | |
| 2003 | Identity | Special makeup effects supervisor | |
| 2004 | Tremors 4: The Legend Begins | Special effects supervisor | |
| 2005 | Cursed | Special makeup effects | |
| 2005 | Hostel | Visual effects supervisor | |
| 2005 | Jolly Roger: Massacre at Cutter's Cove | Visual effects supervisor | |
| 2005 | 2001 Maniacs | Visual effects supervisor | |
| 2005 | The Devil's Rejects | Visual effects supervisor | |
| 2006 | The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning | Special effects makeup | |
| 2007 | The Rage | Producer, director, writer, cinematographer, visual effects producer, special makeup effects producer | |
| 2007 | Buried Alive | Director, visual effects producer, special makeup effects producer, special effects director | |
| 2007 | Wanted: Undead or Alive | Special Makeup FX Producer/Visual effects producer | |
| 2007 | The Living Hell | Visual effects producer, special makeup effects producer | |
| 2009 | Deadly Impact | Director, special makeup producer, visual effects producer, actor (character: Homeowner) | |

### 2010s

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2010 | The Dead Matter | Producer |
| 2013 | Jug Face | Special makeup effects producer |
| 2014 | Tusk | Special effects makeup |
| 2016 | Lake Eerie | Special makeup effects artist, special effects supervisor |
| 2016 | The Funhouse Massacre | Special makeup effects producer |
| 2016 | The Neighbor | Special makeup effects supervisor |
| 2017 | The Bye Bye Man | Special makeup effects producer |
| 2017 | The Haunting of Hill House | Co-Makeup/Makeup Effects Department Head |
| 2017 | Gerald's Game | Makeup Effects Department Head |
| 2019 | Doctor Sleep | Makeup Effects Department Head |

### 2020s

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2021 | Rise of The Living Dead | Special makeup effects artist |
| 2021 | Cherry | Makeup/Makeup Effects Department Head |
| 2021 | The Underground Railroad | Makeup artist (1 episode) |
| 2021 | Black Friday | Makeup and Special Effects Department Head |
| 2021 | Fear Street Part Two: 1978 | Makeup Effects Artist |
| 2022 | First Kill | Makeup Effects Department Head |
| 2022 | Secret Headquarters | Makeup Effects Department Head |
| 2022 | The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey | Makeup Effects Department Head |
| 2022 | KillRoy Was Here | Special makeup effects artist |