Tim Burton is an American film director, producer and screenwriter known for his dark and quirky style. He was born in 1958 in California and showed an early interest in horror films and drawing. Burton studied animation and began his career at Disney. Some of his most famous films include Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Batman, and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Burton's films are typically visually striking and blend fantasy with horror. They feature dark themes and characters. While Burton does not fully fit the auteur theory, he exerts a strong directorial vision over his films and chooses collaborators who help realize his artistic style, making him an auteur in practice if not fully in theory.

1. UNIT 26: ASSIGNMENT 1
Rhys Painter

2. TIM BURTON
• Tim Burton was born on the 25th August, in 1958
in Burbank, California. Which makes him 58.
• His current occupation is; Painting, Screenwriter,
Illustrator, Director and Producer.
• Timothy Walter Burton (his full name)
• What’s his Zodiac Sign? - Virgo

3. EVERYTHING TO KNOW ABOUT
TIM BURTON
• As a child Tim Burton was engrossed with the classic horror films of
Roger Corman, many of which featured quintessential screen villain
Vincent Price.
• Burton also took interest in drawing and eventually enrolled at the
California Institute of Arts, where he majored animation. In 1980, he
graduated and began working as an apprentice for Walt Disney
Studios.
• In 1982, he released an award winning short “Vincent”, which
inevitably paid homage for the enduring work of his childhood idol.
• Tim Burton became well known for being able to create visually
striking films that blend themes of fantasy and horror. These films
were; Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Batman, and The Nightmare
Before Christmas.

4. AUTEUR THEORY
• The overall theory on an Auteur dates back to
The French New Wave, a revolution in film
making from in-between the 1958’s to the 1965.
This is where directors, and people alike started
to think fully and differently about the ways of
film, this would be by challenging the different
ways in which films were shot as well as what
angles were being made, dialogue and overall
length of different shots.
• To my understanding of what an “Auteur
Theory” is, would be simply the overall debate,
discussion as to the theory of who owns the
rights to credit and own a film.

5. THE 3-ACT STRUCTURE
• The three act is a structure which is used within screenwriting that divides fictional
narratives into three parts (acts), this is often called the Setup, the Confrontation
and the Resolution.
• I will be discussing the three-act structure in more detail later on.

6. WHAT MAKES A DIRECTOR AN
AUTEUR?
• In my opinion, it is a collaborative process of the whole team, individual input
towards the finish and how they all have made the film, however to some respect I
do agree that the Director should get the overall credit for the film being made. And
so that the others who helped with the film, whether they are well known or not,
depending on that would receive as much credit or not. As for the individual input
which is needed from the Director to ensure that he is an Auteur would be whether
he is making his own storyboards, writing his script, using the same
cinematographer that recreates the overall vision through the camera, using the
same editors as well as set designers for the same reasons etc.

7. TIM BURTON
• Tim Burton in previous and current years would arguably be one of the most
famous directors of our time, creating some of the most recognisable films. Burton’s
films often aligned to the darker side of things, he creates weird and also wonderful
animations that appeal generally to all ages. Within this section, I will be discussing
whether Tim Burton himself can be classed as an Auteur, I will be looking at two of
his well-known films; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Alice in Wonderland.

8. STYLES
• Tim Burton has a dark-style within many of his
movies with a continuous theme. The dark themes
are one of many key characteristics that identify
that the movie is a Tim Burton film. For example; his
remake of Alice in Wonderland, this was quite
different, yet an extreme alternative to the original
cartoon which was released in 1949. However, with
a much darker and overall scarier contrast. The
characters have a wider, darker backstory; and the
continuation of the majority of them being “mad” in
“Wonderland” – a strange world runs throughout.
When comparing to the cartoon version, Burton
creates the idea of Wonderland being more real as
well as the characters more realistic.

9. GENRE
• The genre of this particular film however is not
set as a specific genre, like a lot of movies which
are being created; they are often hybrid, which
generally means that its two genres mixed
together. And as for Alice in Wonderland, it is
fantasy mixed with action.
• Action genre – action is a film genre which the
protagonist/s end up within a series of
challenges which generally include violence,
extended fighting, physical feats as well as
frantic chases.
• Fantasy genre – fantasy is a genre which is set
within an imaginary universe, often but not
always the locations, events and or people from
the real world. Most fantasy genre movies tend
to use magic or other supernatural elements as
one of the main plot elements, theme, and or
setting. Magic and magical creatures tend to be
a common theme in many of these imaginary
worlds.

10. • The editing within this film is dark which makes the animation rather realistic. The
style of editing especially for Tim Burton’s films is consistent. Continuity edits-the
editing made within the film is almost seen as invisible, which makes the film flow in
time with the story as well as narrative, one scene flows perfectly along with the
next. The shots in which were used are very stereotypical for a big Blockbuster; big
close ups to make a point or even create tension. For example, when the Mad-
Hatter is “angry” or a close up on a character when trying to make a point. However,
most of the shots are fairly moderated opened pan, which gives the viewer more of
a perspective view of the world in which the characters are in, and sets the scene.
The lighting, music and sound is also key as it has to link to the edit; Burton uses a
lot of light to signify where the themes could instantly change to dark. The music is
there to make tension, dramatic sounds, adding texture of sound and overall there
to create a better viewing experience for all. However, the music used is very
dramatic, and upbeat. It doesn’t tend to be slow, and relaxing; which adds to the
overall experience which is given off by the movie. Overall, with these factors in
place I feel they give Burton’s films the typical dark-feel and creates one of the main
features that we recognise.

11. • This being slightly crazed and the darkness can also be shown within his other famous remake
“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. This version tends to be slightly darker; again with the use of
better effects and presenting itself to all ages; as it generally contains humour, as well as dark
themes that the older generation would enjoy. However, in comparison to the original film which
was entitled “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory”. The original film was directed by “Mel Stuart”
which was more based for children, the themes were lighter and although “Willy Wonka” was seen
as quite an angry character, he was very much happier; than Jonny Depp’s version that hit the
screens in 2005. Comparing them both, I have been able to find that even the children within the
original had lighter backstories that the film in which Tim Burton had remade. Similar to the film
Alice in Wonderland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory also follows the same 3-act structure, as
previously mentioned this is present within all of Tim Burton’s films, same with editing, lighting,
music and sound; which often disorientating music and weird sounds are used with some of the
crazier character, this generally links in with the dark themes, characters and the general atmosphere
which is portrayed from his movies. However the genre for this movie, like with Alice in Wonderland
is a hybrid of other genres. Though this movie is more of a children’s fantasy/ comedy; there is a
theme and sense of action and adventure, like Alice in Wonderland feature in both films. And once
more, the overall choice of shots are very similar to Alice in Wonderland as when a point is made for
example when “Willy Wonka” makes a joke which is funny, the camera zooms in.

12. TIM BURTON
• On the other hand, Burton is more well-
known for his animation movies such as
Frankenweenie, Corpse Bride and
Nightmare before Christmas. All of these
three individual movies share things in
common; Clay and computer animation. To
add to this, Burton’s natural dark and
twisted style and odd-almost Halloween-
themed characters; this creates Burton’s
unique styles to his movies. This factor
generally is one of the most important
reasons as to why we recognise those
films. As I mentioned previously if you
were to take away the natures, would you
recognise Burton’s films as his own?

13. TIM BURTON – AUTEUR?
• With the evidence provided I feel and believe that Tim Burton can call himself an “Auteur” as
he has a unique way of creating his own stories and adding his own unique themes and
many other little factors such as clay animation, the actors in which he chooses and the
overall theme he uses to make his films stand out from the rest. However, in relation to the
Auteur Theory, he doesn’t fit with it specifically; as he doesn’t often write, direct and produce
the films. But due to this it has made me believe that the auteur theory does not exist, as it is
overall a team project to make and finish a film. And to create something as unique as Tim
Burton does, it requires more than one person to help create his way of filming/ films. In
conclusion to this I have explored there Auteur Theory and whether it does or does not
apply. However, when looking deeper into whether Tim Burton is an Auteur as he chooses
the directors and writers in which he wants for his films which he knows will be able to put
across his artistic vision. If Tim Burton were to not make the remakes of Alice in Wonderland
and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, would they have been portrayed in the same way? As
Tim Burton chooses his team to work alongside him he knows exactly what he wants to
portray within his films and who exactly will help him do that. In the remake of Beauty and
the Beast if Tim Burton were too had directed or been a part of the production team, would
the film not of had looked like a Tim Burton film?

14. THANK YOU FOR TAKING
TIME IN LOOKING AT MY
PRESENTATION.