Mike Turner was born in Burlington, VT in 1974. He was inspired at a young age by visual storytelling in many different mediums. Turner headed off to the Art Institute of Pittsburgh in 1995 to develop his artistic abilities in hopes of using them to get into the film industry. Turner began his career working in special effects in 1997 after graduation. Since then, he has worked in independent film, commercials, themed attractions, theater and as a freelance artist. His credits as special effects and make-up effects artist on feature films include the Hallmark Channel film “Moonlight & Mistletoe” (2008), the internationally released horror films “Zombie Town” (2007) and “Ice Queen” (2005). Since 2005, Turner has taught an annual Special Effects workshop for the film department at Burlington College located in Burlington, VT. It has given him a chance to help many young, aspiring filmmakers.
Working on many film sets encouraged his fascination with the process and the creative possibilities of filmmaking. The move to writing and directing has been an organic extension of creative expression and storytelling. Growing up in the eighties, he did not have the money or access to expensive film equipment, and even as the quality of video cameras improved during the nineties, Turner didn’t pursue making his own films until the new century began and the digital age of filmmaking arrived.
The independent spirit and natural beauty of his native state of Vermont has always been an inspiration. The landscapes serve not only as beautiful backdrops to his films, but nearly as characters themselves. The haunting forests and wetlands of Vermont were integral to the creation of his most recent film “Dead Creek.” His previous film, “Primevil” (2007), a revenge film set in the year 25,000 B.C., has played film festivals in the US, Canada and the UK. It was nominated for six Claw Awards at the 2007 Terror Film Festival, winning for Best Director of Photography (Chris Lapointe).