2. TIM BURTON
Tim Burton is an American film director, producer, artist, writer, poet and stop motion
artist. He is renowned for his dark, gothic, macabre and quirky horror and fantasy
films such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas,
Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet
Street, Dark Shadows and Frankenweenie, and for blockbusters such as Pee-wee's
Big Adventure, Batman, its first sequel Batman Returns, Planet of the Apes, Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory and Alice in Wonderland.
Burton is known for using recurring collaborators on his works; among them are
Johnny Depp, musician Danny Elfman, who has composed scores for all but two of
the films Burton has directed; and Helena Bonham Carter.
3. TIM BURTON TECHNIQUES
• Tim Burton is known for doing dark Claymation's films that involve dead .
• Often Tim Burton films are full of tension and suspense, for example, Burton
incorporates lots of jump cutting from different angles of the characters which
help build up tension.
• Throughout several of Burton films there is an excessive use of low key
lighting and is often extremely harsh in which up hold the gothic and tension
building style burton is known for.
• Another themes in which Tim Burton is renowned for and is repeated in quite
a lot of Burtons films is that they are mainly creepy and spin chilling which
adds the dark element to them.
• Often Tim Burton films open with the title sequence usually tracking through
isolated location or following a object or a character to add to the creeping
feeling the director is known for
• A Repeated theme within Tim Burton films which is common for the director
is creating the feeling of isolation and loneliness due to his characters usually
being misunderstood or not fitting the social norm. Additionally majority of
Burton films usually have townspeople who misunderstand or distrust the
lead character (Binary opposition normal Vs. different)
4. EDWARD SCISSORHANDS
(1990)
The opening of Edward scissorhands begins with an extremely Gothic style title sequence which is highly typical of
Tim Burton films as he’s renowned his dark, gothic style of film. Furthermore throughout the duration of the title
sequence there’s a very sinister montage in which included several robotic, scientific and human elements which
therefore Emphasizes the repetitive theme being dark creepy and gothic within Tim Burton films.
in addition another unique style which Tim Burton Highly recognized for is building tension and suspense amongst his
audience for e.g. the use of low key lighting during the title sequence whilst tracking through Edward’s castle located in
an secluded estate on the hill. This method draws attention to Tim Burtons Unique macabre and dark style and also
creates an uninviting atmosphere which is consistently emulated within several Burtons films.
Moreover other similar theme which Tim Burton is well-known for would be the way he clearly demonstrates of isolation
and social un acceptance within his cinematography for e.g. The extreme long shot of Edward Castle located on a hill
with the castle and the hill in the center of the frame with nothing else in the shot as burton his display the unpleasant
isolation his character Edward Scissorhands facing due to him not fitting in with society's norms hence being Tim
Burton’s famous outcast which is continues throughout majority of Tim Burton films for e.g. Edward Scissor hands and
Willy Wonka from Charlie and the chocolate facture.
Next another signature style which Tim Burton his highly renowned for would be his unique title sequence for e.g.
during the title sequence of Edward Scissorhands Tim Burton has incorporated several tracking POV shot to suggest
some sort of adventure has begun to his audience as the camera seems to be following or heading towards something
significant.
Lastly another Signature style in which Tim Burton is recognized for would be his incorporation of fairytales elements
within his films for example the non diegetic sound within the opening sequence of Edward Scissorhands is very
spooky and mysterious also the incorporation of a castle emphasize the fairytale style Tim Burton well known for.
5. SWEENEY TODD : THE DEMON BARBER OF
FLEET STREET (2007)
Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street open’s with tremendously harsh organ’s and dissonant non-
diegetic sound which is highly typical of of Tim Burton films as the director is vastly recognized for his dark and
gothic style of films. In addition Tim Burton is Highly renowned for his building of tension and suspense amongst
his audience for e.g. the use of inharmonious organ music and also the use of low key lighting and dark colours
throughout the duration of the of the opening and the entire film which not only reflects the theme of the film being
darkness and gore but also highlights the famous directors unique creepy and dark style.
Moreover another signature style which Tim Burton is recognized for would be for his unique title sequence for
example throughout several Burton films in particular Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Burton has
incorporated several tracking POV shot to suggest some sort of adventure has begun to his audience as the camera
seems to be following or heading towards something significant and in this case the film opens with a tracking shot
of blood which has a connotation of danger and death through a gothic architecture not only to give the audience a
sense of location but also the era the film is set in (Victorian).The stormy weather is highly ominous and clearly
suggest to the audience that all is not quite right about the narrative of the film thus again highlighting Tim Burtons
dark style of directing.
Another theme in which Tim Burton is highly known for would be for his clear demonstration of isolation and social
un acceptance within his cinematography for example the high angle shot of empty barber and a mid shot of a rusted
but spaced out family silhouette and both time being the only article in the mies en scene as burton express the
unpleasant isolation that his characters will face duration of the narrative due to them not fitting in with society's
norms hence being Tim Burton’s famous outcast which is continues throughout majority of Tim Burton films for e.g.
Edward Scissor hands and Willy Wonker from Charlie and the chocolate facture.
6. Relevance To My Opening
After Conducting a auteur study on Tim Burton, I began extracting inspiration
from some specific Tim Burton films such as Edward Scissorhands and
Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and how I can emulate some
elements of his signature style within my own film opening sequence. Firstly a
signature style which Tim Burton is highly renowned for and that I would like to
emulate something somewhat similar would be the way Tim Burton creates and
builds-up tension and suspense by using low key lighting, incorporates lots of
jump cutting from different angles of the characters which help build up tension
and also through the use of harsh and dissonant non-diegetic sound. Another
signature style in which Tim Burton is highly recognized for and that I would like
to reconstruct within my film opening would be the clear way he presents
isolation and loneliness through his cinematography for example long shots of a
large but empty mise en scene.
