How Does Tim Burton Use Cinematic Techniques

Over the years, director Tim Burton has filmed many movies such as Edward Scissorhands, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Corpse Bride which use a variety of different cinematic techniques to create Burtons own style. Burton has always been known to portray a film which makes a viewer feel uncomfortable and strange. After directing for over 30 years, his filming experiences have morphed him into a well-known Hollywood star. His movies have won about 20 awards for his performance as a director. Ultimately, in many of his films, he creates a powerful use of Camera Movement, Lighting and Music/Sound which makes the audiences emotions twist and alter throughout the story.

Out of the many cinematic techniques Tim Burton has used, his

use of Camera Movement has stood apart from the others. For instance, in the film Corpse Bride as Victor is repeating his vows, going deeper and deeper through the woods, the space around him becomes darker with only the shady moonlight shining upon his face. The audience can then evaluate if something will happen to Victor in this moment. He unknowingly places the ring on the Corpse Brides fragile finger as she arose from the dead. The camera zooms in on her aged, decaying body and face to portray that she has been nonliving for many years. Victors face becomes tensed and his eyes widen out of fear as the Corpse Bride stands

above him showing her empowerment towards him.

This scene is where the whole plot begins to fit into place, therefore, the camera movement being used creates the effect on the audience to make them feel scared for Victor as he stands face to face with a disgusting, aged corpse. Compared to a long shot or a close-up, the use of a zoom and low angle supports the idea that the Bride is highly important and valuable within the scene. If a long shot was used, the emotions that Burton was attempting to portray, may not have been understood by the audience correctly. Thus, the use of a low angle and zoom on the Bride allows the audience to be more involved and engaged in the

situation.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, another film directed by Tim Burton, also creates a compelling use of Camera Movement throughout the movie to give the audience a better understanding. As Mr. Wonka reveals his gigantic chocolate factory for the first time to the children, a Boom/Crane is used to show all of the beautiful and marvelous candy being made. The moment the door is pushed open, the audience is overwhelmed with something they have never been revealed to before. Prior to this scene, Wonka's factory has not been open to the public in many years, thus a dramatic entrance is essential to allow the audience to be blown away by the breathtaking sight. The camera using a Boom/Crane involves all of the key points that Burton intentionally planted in the scene to create an angelic effect and allow the viewer to be involved.

Not only are Corpse Bride and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the only films that apply Camera Movement, but also the film Edward Scissorhands represents this cinematic technique.

After Edward is rescued from his mysterious castle on the steep hill, Peg and him drive through the town to Peg's house. While they are driving, dolly/tracking is used to show all of Edwards enthusiastic actions and expressions. It is noticeable that he is very thrilled to be a part of the town finally after being alone in the castle up above. When Edward becomes overly excited, he moves around, but this startles Peg because of his razor sharp scissors flying in front of her face. Edward quickly retreats his hand back to his body out of embarrassment although, he continues looking around and enjoying the new sights around

him.

Dolly/tracking is very helpful in this scene; it allows the audience to see all of Edwards expressions in his new "home" and makes us understand him better as a person.

As well as using Camera Movement, Burton also involves Lighting into many of his films; lighting can impact the audiences thoughts on the characters, setting, and plot. Mr. Wonka, in the film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, is exceedingly peculiar and awkward to the families that enter into his factory. At moments when Wonka acts more strange than usual, Burton adds lowkey lighting to create suspense and have the audience be creeped out by him. In the movie, when Mr. Wonka and the Oompaloompas take their "guests" through the chocolate river, the lighting becomes darker and lights begin to flicker various colors. As the boat moves quicker and quicker, speeding up by the second, the lighting on all of the characters flashes and shows their worried facial expressions. When the boat eventually begins to slow down, side lighting is faced on Wonka, showing his little smirk of enjoyment as everyone else is startled by the ride. If regular lighting was used in this scene, the same effect would not have been created. The use of different colors and flashing showed that it was supposed to be extreme and intense. Burton knew that using this type of lighting would make the audience intrigued to what would occur next.

Lighting is involved in various Tim Burton films and many others as well. The impact it creates on the overall scene can be tremendous. In the film Edward Scissorhands, as Edward is finally released from Jim's secured home, he is shouted at to put up his hands, which he does. As he steps forward, around him it is very dark but, the spotlight shines directly on him which draws the attention of the audience.. Although there are many people surrounding him, it makes him seem isolated and portrays him as a criminal. Without the use of this particular technique of lighting, Edward might have been shown incorrectly to the viewer, but with using the spotlight, we were given the effect that he was in trouble and was drawing much attention to himself. The audience may feel sympathetic towards Edward because they know the backstory of the situation and the trouble he has gotten himself into. The spotlight makes it

known to the characters in the movie that he was the only intruder in the home, but the viewers would know that he is not and would feel upset for Edward.

As well as the other films Edward Scissorhands and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the film Corpse Bride strongly uses lighting to give emotion and effect. In the scene as Victor stumbles through the eerie woods repeating his vows, the darkness begins to over power him. As the moonlight is shining dimly upon his face, the audience can infer that something interesting will occur soon. The darkness around him can make the viewers uncomfortable and frightened because Victor is not paying attention to where he is going. Also, the dim moonlight that’s acts as his only light source portrays that the setting is sinister and threatening to Victor. This deep dark lighting compared to an angelic high key lighting would not fit into the plot of what is to occur. The lighting used effortlessly displays the problems he is going to soon face and the suspense that is supposed to be felt.

Last of all, Tim Burton incorporates an impactful use of Music/Sound in almost every one of his films. Particularly, in Corpse Bride is Music/Sound used to make the audiences emotions differentiate. As Victor unknowingly places his wedding ring on the Corpse Brides bony finger, the music is soft and soothing. Moments after, her corpse begins to reawaken and escape from her grave. While this is happening, the music becomes more powerful over time and shows that Victor is absolutely terrified of her. The sound of a soft violin opens up the scene, but as time continues, the sound of various violins are involved and begin to play more aggressive and intense. Along with the violins, a piano is forcefully playing. Eventually the voices of an angelic opera are involved to make the situation more sinister. Without all of these sounds going on at once, the scene would have not been very intense. The violins in particular make the scene very uncomfortable and frightening. Burton individually used these instruments to have the audience feel different emotions throughout the whole scene, making it intriguing and important.

Another powerful use of Music/Sound is used in the film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Throughout the film, many sounds are used to give the audience emotion. When all of the children and

parents roam freely in Wonka's chocolate factory, they each move to different locations to do different things. The camera eventually moves to all of the characters to see what they are each doing. In almost all of the shots, a squishy, wet sound is used multiple times when they are eating, walking, chewing, etc. This sound shows how disgusting and gross the people are. Although most of them are either rich or stuck up, their personalities are very obnoxious which is portrayed with the use of the squishy sound. The sound makes a viewer feel awkward and strange and that makes an impact of what they think of the character. If the sound was not used then a viewer may not have felt an emotion for a character that Burton intended them to.

The last film that strongly involves Music/Sound is Edward Scissorhands. Since this movie revolves itself around Edward who is very different from the others, the choice of music and sound had to precisely fit into the story. In the beginning, Burton portrays the neighborhood as if it is flawless so later on, the audience will see the contrast when Edward arrives. When Peg visiting every home selling Avon, the birds are cheerfully chirping loudly while her steps click from her heels. These noises represent how carefree and radiant Peg is and that automatically portrays how she is from the beginning. If the birds chirping and the heel clicks were not used, a viewer may not comprehend the fact that the town is perfect at first. The small details that Burton includes can alter how a person will feel towards the scene and the setting.

Tim Burton has come a long way in the film business. He has learned to incorporate many powerful cinematic techniques that portray his own strange style throughout his films. Out of the various techniques used, Camera Movement, Lighting, and Music/Sound have impacted his movies the most. the films Edward Scissorhands, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Corpse Bride broadly give a strong sense of effect. Without the use of all of these techniques, a movie would lack all of the important key points and it would not be interesting to the audience. Therefore, the use of cinematic techniques is necessary to pull a movie together; incorporating Camera Movement, Lighting, and Music/Sound makes the film more interesting, entertaining, and enjoyable for the audience viewing it.