Tim Burton Cinematic Techniques Essay

Throughout his career in directing, Tim Burton has been a large influence on the world of cinema. He has tested the limits and walked the fine line between too dark and too innocent with expertise. For example, he used cinematic techniques like lighting and music in one of his first prominent short films, Vincent, to portray a very dreary, troubled character. But, he also used the same techniques to make the character appear very child-like and small. Burton masterfully utilizes many different cinematic techniques such as framing, sounds, and lighting to portray many things like mood and tone in his movies, creating the perfect film. In movies that Tim Burton directs, such as Beetlejuice, the framing of the camera makes a big difference in how the audience perceives the movie. In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Burton uses framing to portray tone as well as what the characters are thinking. For instance, the scene where all of the children are

In Edward Scissorhands, he uses lighting in a way of portraying the neighborhood itself as a perfect, happy community by using bright lighting. This changes drastically when the characters are inside of the mansion, though. Inside of the mansion, the lighting is very low and shadowy, a contrast of the cheery mood, more scared and sad, sort of a feeling of abandonment. This is also foreshadowing for later as well as hinting to the audience some of Edward’s history. Another example of the way Burton uses lighting is in Beetlejuice. Before the two protagonists die, the lighting in their house was bright, setting a joyful mood. After they die and come back to their house, however, the lighting is ominous and dark, creating a mood of suspense. It is meant to make the audience feel uneasy, like something drastic changed, which it did. Though Burton does use a lot of strategic framing and light in his movies, he uses sound much