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How does tim burton use cinematic techniques to define his directorial style
Tim burton film techniques essay
Tim burton film techniques essay
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When speculating Tim Burton and his films, a dark and eerie mood may come to mind. Burton is famous for his sinister, childlike films. He is known to overemphasize characters and actions and also likes to show contrast in his films. Some of Burton's well known films are Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, and Edward Scissorhands. Although Tim Burton uses various cinematic techniques to establish his dark and mysterious style, there are certain techniques that stand out the most. He uses music and sound, lighting, and framing and camera angles to create such a deep emotion in the films.
In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Burton used non-diegetic sound to create a suspenseful effect. Throughout the film, deep and loud music
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For example, after Peg tells Edward to come home with her, there is a two shot of them in the car together. As a result of showing them in this shot, a sense of friendship is established. The two shot of them together shows them talking and Peg showing Edward the neighborhood. This shot is used to show how already they are friendly towards each other. If this shot was not taken, the audience would not have been able to tell how friendly they were to each other from the beginning.
Tim Burton used low angles in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. There was a low angled shot on Willy Wonka to make him seem powerful. Willy Wonka is the head of the chocolate factory therefore that is why he is perceived as this dominant. This shot makes the audience feel that Wonka is in charge and powerful. Without these low angles on Willy Wonka, the audience would think of him as just another character in this film.
Burton uses high angles in Corpse Bride to show weakness in a character. A high angle is used on Victoria after Victor visits her. She begs her parents to help him escape the dead world but they all believe she is crazy. The effect that this high angle achieves is that the audience knows that Victoria is powerless in this situation. Without this high angle making Victoria look weak and vulnerable, the audience would not feel sympathy for her being
Individuality is rejection, whether it be a rejection of society or a rejection by society. Burton explores the consequences that can derive from rejection and how appearances may differ from reality. The work of Tim Burton consists of a unique style unlike any other. Not only do his films convey his ideas of individuality to the audience, they are done in a distinctive Burton way. Burton’s style of the formal elements of German Expressionism, gothic horror, and unique characters allow him to convey his ideas.
Tim Burton for his movie charlie and the chocolate factory also uses a lot of the same techniques like for the music and sound they use creepy Oompa loompa music.and they use digitized sounds in the parts like form the waterfall that made it so there's more sounds, than the kids and the part where the UFO with the chocolate makes the beam
The vast majority of sound used in the film is non-diegetic, especially the musical ideas, which is
People are constantly being judged and pressured to change to fit society’s standards. In Tim Burton films, there is always one character that does not fit the mold. These outcast characters in the movies Charlie and The Chocolate Factory and Edward Scissorhands are strange and isolated from the world. Despite the outcast’s difficulties, misfit characters like Edward and Wonka go on to be the hero of the story. Therefore, Burton uses many different cinematic techniques to illustrate that one does not need to conform to society in order to have a happy and successful life.
Using the production elements of symbolism; especially hands themselves, and the use of allusion to elements from other genres; particularly those from fairytale and gothic romance/horror films, Tim Burton has directed the film in such a manner to illustrate, emphasise and ridicule the materialism and lack of imagination of society. The film however, is prominently a satire which has certain elements from fairytale, comedy and horror genres. Through the choices made by the director, the audience is invited to become aware of the inhumanity present in the way society functions, especially in its prejudiced treatment towards people who do not conform. The use of allusion in Edward Scissorhands is one of the most important choices in production that has been made by director Tim Burton. In order to fully appreciate and understand the plot, the movie is dependant on the audience being able to recognise certain references and elements emulated from other films.
Tim Burton’s films depict his lashing back from a tortured childhood. Somehow, his movies tell his story. His first big budget movie, Batman, was a huge hit. He then chose to make Edward Scissorhands, his most personal film. Despite the fact that Batman was a hit, movie executives were reluctant to give Burton authorization. His use of cinematic techniques displays his unique style.
Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (2005), Edward Scissorhands (1990), Big Eyes (2014), and Frankenweenie (2012) are just a few titles out of the many films Tim Burton has directed. Tim Burton is an American director, producer, illustrator, writer and animator. Tim Burton was born on August 25, 1958 in Burbank, California. Growing up, Burton felt quite alone and felt as if he was a misfit. Many of Burton’s childhood thoughts and circumstances pose as the inspiration for certain themes and events portrayed in his films. Within these films, Burton effectively communicates his sinister and uncanny style through many cinematic and stylistic techniques. By utilizing lighting, sound, camera movements and shots, Burton creates compelling and meaningful
A person does not usually pay attention to cinematic techniques used in a film because one does not think of the details in the movie. These details are a key part in creating the mood and tone. Tim Burton uses similar techniques in his movies to create a suspenseful mood. Many instances of low key lighting were used to create a suspenseful mood. Along with low key lighting, low and high camera angles were used to show authority and importance. Lastly, non-diegetic sound was used to create a dramatic effect while still making the mood suspenseful.
The camera techniques and various other lighting and sound effects used are carefully selected in order to portray the apt emotion in the right amount, without overdoing any of it. Alfred Hitchcock loved to show the emotion of fear along with lots of suspense in his films.
Indisputably, Tim Burton has one of the world’s most distinct styles when regarding film directing. His tone, mood, diction, imagery, organization, syntax, and point of view within his films sets him apart from other renowned directors. Burton’s style can be easily depicted in two of his most highly esteemed and critically acclaimed films, Edward Scissorhands and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Burton ingeniously incorporates effective cinematic techniques to convey a poignant underlying message to the audience. Such cinematic techniques are in the lighting and editing technique categories. High key and low key relationships plus editing variations evinces the director’s elaborate style. He utilizes these cinematic techniques to establish tone mood, and imagery in the films.
On August 25, 1958, Timothy Walter Burton was born (“Biography”). Burton had a painful childhood in which the relationship with his parents and brother was nonexistent (Morgenstern). Through his intense feeling of isolation, his visual talent began to develop. The comfort found in hobbies such as writing and drawing led him to attend the California Institute of the Arts which led him to his first job in any artistic field at the Disney Animation Studios (“Biography”). Burton has since been referred to as one of the most visually gifted writers, artists, and filmmakers that America has seen (Hanke). His short stories, poems, and film scripts are centered on an inner darkness which he has been slowly acquiring since his childhood. He throws himself into everything he writes and makes even the simplest characters have a deep, complex meaning. His famous darkness and symbolism is shown in his book The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories. The book contains a collection of his short stories, poems, and illustrations about a variety of fictional characters that can be compared to Burton and his life. Tim Burton’s home life and previous hardships have made a significant impact on his work. In my paper, I will draw parallels to his life and work as well as prove that there is reasoning and beauty in the way he is.
Tim Burton said in an interview that when he was a kid he would watch all kind of monster movies. “My parents said I started watching those movies before I could even walk.”As a kid he loved horror movies and he liked drawing pictures. He said he did not care what people thought of his drawings and just drew them his own way. His drawings also show his love for horror because they are all unique and creepy looking. Some of his pictures are based on the movies he directed. He started directing at twenty years old. He was very interested in animation. One of his first films was Batman. Most of the films he directed have a gothic horror aspect. I believe since his childhood was all about horror movies, he gained an appreciation for those films and applied his passion in the films he directed. "Vincent Price, Edgar Allan Poe, those monster movies, those spoke to me. You see somebody going through that anguish and that torture –things you identify with –and it acts as a kind of therapy, a release. (Tim Burton 17).”Besides the fact that he watched horror movies, the place where he lived influenced him as well. The dark and light aspects of life have always fascinated Tim Burton, consistently arguing that one cannot exist without the other: ‘life is an incredible jumble of being funny and sad and dramatic and melodramatic and goofy and everything’. During his childhood in suburban Burbank, Burton found the
Tim Burton uses cinematic techniques such as close up and bottom and side lighting in order to create a feeling of danger and fear. This is important because when someone is in danger or afraid they can eventually overcome it. In most of Tim Burton’s films he portrays those feelings which came from his childhood.
In the film, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, every time there was a close up of Augustus Gloop in the candy room, sinister music would play. This foreshadowed that something bad was going to happen to him in that room. It puts the viewer on edge and creates a mood of suspense because they don’t know what is going to happen. He also uses music to foreshadow events in the movie Edward Scissorhands. Every time Edward saw Kim happy, angelic music would play which foreshadowed that something would happen between them and also gave you a hint about his feelings towards her. Burton used music to show foreshadowing in the movie Dark Shadows as well. When Josette was walking toward the edge of the cliff suspenseful music played create a mood of suspense and fear that Barnabas wouldn’t make it in time and she would fall to her death. One of the many other cinematic techniques Burton often uses in his films is using lighting and color to show
” … an auteur is able to maintain a consistency of style and theme by working against the constraints of the Hollywood mode of production.” – Warren Buckland (2008)