Tim Burton uses different cinematic techniques to emphasize the mood and tone of his movies. Burton has a creative way of using the different cinematic techniques. His movies, Edward Scissorhands, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland, and The Nightmare Before Christmas, demonstrate his talent to uniquely use the different cinematic techniques. Burton uses lighting, sound, and camera angles to depict the mood and signify what is going on or what will happen, and to give the audience a feel of the characters’ emotions. Lighting in a film covers many visual aspects. Tim Burton’s use of light in his film has an extraordinary affect on the audience. While watching Edward Scissorhands, the use and presence of lighting was very …show more content…
Burton’s use of camera angles usually contributes to showing the viewers what a character might be feeling or has the effect of making the character seem inferior or superior. For instance, in Edward Scissorhands, when Kim and Edward are standing at a window in Edward’s castle, they are being shot from a low angle. The low angle makes them look threatening and powerful. Furthermore, in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Burton had the effect of making Willy Wonka feel trapped and powerless when a sort of creature is chasing him when he was in Oompa Land by having the camera at a high angle. In The Nightmare Before Christmas, the bats that are singing in the beginning of the film are shot from a low angle. Being shot from a low angle makes them look menacing and intimidating. Also, In Alice in Wonderland, the camera angles show what the character might be feeling. For example, when Alice falls into the rabbit hole that led her to Underland, the camera was shooting at a high angle, which made Alice seem vulnerable and trapped. Tim Burton may have a strange way of putting his movies together, but he does a terrific job at using different cinematic techniques to distinguish his films from
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.
Lighting is one of the most important cinematic technique Burton use to create different types of mood. He uses couple types of lighting such as high key lighting, low key lighting and also the side lighting in order to create positive emotion, negative emotion and contrast between brightness and darkness. For example in “Edward Scissorhands” he uses high key lighting in town where everyone lives to emphasize happiness or positive atmosphere. In contrast, Edward’s house where he used to
High angles and low angles are often used to show either authority or importance. In Edward Scissorhands, a low angle was used on Kim as she was spinning around in the snow Edward created by shaving an ice sculpture. The low angle showed how she felt superior and great euphoria. This moment is when she realized how much Edward was unique and important to her. Also in Edward Scissorhands, a high angle of the garden in Edward’s mansion was used to show how small Peg was compared to it. The garden was big and elegant making Peg seem small and insignificant as she walked. Moving on to Big Fish, there was a low angle of William speaking to his father while he is laying sick in the bed. This shows how he holds the authority as of now. Will finally has the upper hand over his father and the low angle is used to reflect this. To contrast, a high angle was used on Edward while he is laying in the bed to show how he has to look up at his son because of his sickness. This intended effect was used to show how the parent doesn’t always have the upper hand in some situations. Camera angles are an important technique Burton uses, but so is
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.
Tim Burton, a director of numerous successful films, takes you through many stories of unique characters. Although, despite their differences, one still could point out similarities throughout each movie. This is caused by Tim Burton’s cinematic style. This specific style is influenced by his favorite childhood author, Dr. Seuss. Tim Burton uses lighting, camera movements, and editing to build a suspenseful but also calming mood all at once. Burton attempts to convey the contrasting message of darkness mixed within innocence throughout each of his 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.
Although many of Tim Burton’s main characters are considered “unusual”, he still finds a way for them to fit it. Born on August 25, 1958 in the city of Burbank, California, Timothy “Tim” Walter Burton is an American film director, producer, artist, writer and animator. He has directed over 40 films throughout his career, many of which came from partnering up with other directors and actors such as Johnny Depp, Danny Elfman, Helena Bonham Carter, etc. Burton used many cinematic techniques in “Edward Scissorhands”, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, and “Big Fish” such as non-diegetic sound, a variety of camera angles, and different lighting to portray a better understanding of emotions and moods shown. Tim Burton uses cinematic techniques to engage the audience in every scene.
Overall, Burton’s creative style is clearly seen in his films Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice. It is most clearly seen through his use of dramatic music and low key lighting. The dramatic music helps to set the mood and the low key lighting creates suspense and leaves the audience asking questions. Through the use of these 2 cinematic techniques, Burton is able to fascinate his audience with mysterious and exciting stories, and that is what makes him a great and unique
Timothy Walter Burton , most commonly referred to as Tim Burton is an American who makes films , animations , and writes . He is often thought of for creating visually conspicuous films that are part fantasy and part horrific comedy . Some examples of films he has created are Big Fish , Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , and Edward Scissorhands . Audiences can truly understand Burton’s style through his use of cinematic techniques such as : lighting , sound , and shots/framing . Lighting helps viewers that watch Burton’s films see what is happening .
Tim Burton uses camera angles not only to show what is happening in scenes, but also to help set a mood. Tim Burton uses all of the camera angles in this film. “As she begins the tale we see Edward, like Batman, watching over the town from a lonely point high above.” In this scene Edward is seen looking over the town from his castle. A low angle is used to give the audience a powerless feeling and in doing so gives Edward a big brother feeling. “There's a lovely scene where Edward is touring his new home for the first time and falls in love with Peg's daughter, Kim, after only seeing her photo.” In the scene, Edward picks up a photo of Kim and falls in love. They use an eye level camera angle to show Edward’s face full of emotions and adds
In many of Tim Burton’s works, he uses many different cinematic elements to create an emotional effect in the film. It could be something as complicated as the way the shot was taken, or the lighting, to something as simple as the music or sound effects. It seems like almost everything in Burton’s films has a hidden meaning. Burton’s creative background of growing up painting and drawing, and his time at CalArts had a chance to shine in his films, and he definitely used his talents to their full extent. In Burton’s films, he uses the magic of editing, camera position and many, many other factors to set the mood of the story he is telling.
Tim Burton's style can show the character's emotion, for example, in the movie Edward Scissorhands, when Ed first saw Kim in one of the pictures, Ed had a huge smile in his face, making him happy because he thinks that Kim looks beautiful. The audience thinks that's loving and it that it's kind-hearted. Another time Tim uses a close-up is in the movie Corpse Bride, he uses the close-up when a man was running away from a monster that was chasing him in a dark and scary forest. While the man was running there was always a close-up on his face to show his expression of the ghost girl that was chasing him. Now I
Burton uses close-up camera angles to show significant items in his film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Tim Burton uses a close-up camera angle when Charlie finds the golden ticket to show how it is significant to the story. The golden ticket is significant because it is like his ticket to a new and better life. In Edward Scissorhands there is a close-up of the hands his inventor was going to give him which is very significant to the story because if his inventor finished him and
You probably have heard of the Tim Burton films, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Edward Scissorhands. So, you might know something about Tim Burton’s directing style. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is about an indigent boy named, Charlie that finds a golden ticket, that allows him to take a tour to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. In Edward Scissorhands, a woman named Peg meets Edward, someone who isn’t a real human, but looks very humanoid, this is however apart from his hands being scissors, and she takes him home with her. Tim Burton’s style of directing is very evident in both movies, and some cinematic techniques he uses are non-diegetic sound, flashbacks, and low-key lighting.