Tim Burton is one of the most unique, popular and well-known film directors today. Tim has directed many different movies that have been very well received all over the world (both by critics and audiences). Tim’s career as a director started off with short films like Vincent (1982) but really took off when he made his first feature length film, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure in 1985. Tim is the best known for making movies that are very dark and have twisted characters.
Tim’s style of filmmaking has become so recognizable that fans can identify one of his films just by looking at a still shot (even if they don’t know what the movie is called). Tim Burton’s unique style comes from many different sources like Tim Burton grew up watching old classic monster movies like Frankenstein. Although Tim became interested in these types of dark subject matters early on, Tim was also influenced by the cartoons he watched when he was younger (like Charlie Brown, The Flintstones etc) Many people believe Tim Burton’s view on life comes from his childhood experiences growing up with an overbearing father.
Tim once admitted in an interview that he has a hard time trusting people and Tim stated: “I think we all try to create this shell around us as much as possible because I don’t trust anything that can damage me further. ” A scene from Tim Burton’s film Frankenweenie (1984) Although Tim Burton now lives the lifestyle of a successful Hollywood director, Tim still manages to keep his unique style intact.
Tim says: “There is no reason why you need to lose your personal vision just because you make films for a huge audience”. This quote shows Tim feels strongly about making sure he stays true to himself even when he needs to please others (in the case of Tim Burton it is the film studios that Tim’s films are published by) Tim likes to keep his input into his films minimal. Tim always does more than just direct the film, Tim wants to have a say in all aspects of production including editing, producing, etc.
Tim Burton has become one of Hollywood’s most famous directors but Tim still maintains he will never forget where he came from and basic down-to-earth style (despite how much wealth and fame Tim has achieved). Tim doing a commentary for his film Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985) Some fans might be surprised to find out that Tim brought many movies like The Nightmare Before Christmas together with only word of mouth.
Tim Burton is in his own league in Hollywood, being in his early fifties but still creating movies that are very popular. Tim Burton’s movies have led him to receive many awards including an Emmy for directing, a Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film for Planet of the Apes, and he has been nominated five times for Academy Awards. Tim Burton is well-known all over the world because of these awards, but also because of his unique style when it comes to filmmaking.
Tim Burton may not be known by name but most would recognize at least one movie done by Tim Burton. Tim Burton’s films are definitely worth watching again and again because of their simple cinematography techniques used to create a darker tone throughout the film. Tim Burton’s unique style is seen throughout many of his films, even going as far as to direct a movie based on one of his drawings, Frankenweenie (1984). Tim Burton is definitely a director gone off the Hollywood norm and prefers to focus on darker themes in his movies.
Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas”
In Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, Tim uses a lot color and camera techniques during a scene when Jack visits a theater that shows him dancing puppets singing about being afraid of Halloween Town. Tim used an animated film technique called stop-motion animation during this scene. Tim also uses different angles throughout the song “What’s This?” Tim Burton uses a lot of his techniques to create this scene which is one of the darker scenes in the film. Tim uses different lighting and camera angles for this scene as well as having unique color patterns throughout the entire movie.
Tim also creates an overall creepy tone during this scene because he wants the audience to feel like something is off and therefore creating suspense by using these techniques. Tim makes it so that during this song, Jack becomes more and more curious about what’s behind those doors at Christmas Town which leads him to explore Christmas Town later on in the film which turns out to be a big mistake for Jack.
Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice”
In Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice, Tim uses many different techniques. Tim used very dark and “dusty” colors throughout the movie which makes the audience feel like it’s a horror film at first glance. Tim Burton had to create the effects of Beetlejuice in post-production by using a computer graphics and image processing program and Tim calls this effect “beetle juiceing”. Tim also puts in some gothic elements throughout the film such as weird characters, haunted houses, graveyards, monsters that are all part of his movies. Tim is definitely showing off his personal style through these gothic elements in addition to his unique cinematography style with camera angles during certain scenes.
When Alec Baldwin talks about how he wants to kill himself because of his wife’s obnoxious body odor, Tim uses a lot of close-up shots which makes the audience feel uncomfortable and therefore creating suspense during this scene. Tim also puts in some unique camera angles whenever Alec Baldwin talks about how he wants to commit suicide after becoming a ghost. Tim does this by having close-up shots from his eye level or below looking up at Alec Baldwin as if Tim is feeling depressed along with Alec throughout the entire film.
Tim Burton’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”
In Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Tim puts gothic elements into Charlie Bucket’s house such as using blacklight colors on top of complicated wallpaper patterns during one scene. Tim Burton also uses some Tim Burton’s unique film techniques by using very wide camera angles during certain scenes. Tim put in a lot of dark tones throughout the movie which makes the audience feel like there is something off about this world.
Tim also uses different tracking shots, moving cameras around so that you’re able to see what Charlie Bucket sees at any moment throughout the film. Tim does this while he is exploring Willy Wonka’s factory and when Willy Wonka opens up his attraction to all sorts of weird people that are invited into his factory because it shows how Tim Burton can create suspense through these technologies while still showcasing his artistic style given that there are no actors in this scene but actors are “in the scene” as Tim Burton describes it.
Tim is not trying to make a film that is light and happy but Tim Burton wants to make films with gothic elements such as dark colors and characters, Tim is doing throughout his entire filmographies such as Edward Scissorhands (1990) and Beetlejuice (1988).
