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Symbolism in tim burtons movies
Tim burton's cinematic techniques essay
Tim burton's style in film
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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 …show more content…
For example, in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) Burton implements dim lighting during meaningful moments and bright lighting during more vibrant moments. This effectively conveys the tone set for the scene and maintains a clear balance in the scene. This helps the audience clearly understand the scene’s characteristics and its meaning to the film. Similarly, in Edward Scissorhands (1990) Burton utilizes lighting to set contrast between the characters. The superficial town is set in a bright, sunny setting, however, the lives the characters lead are quite the opposite of bright. These individuals spend their free time judging others and have no individuality whatsoever. Furthermore, Edward, one of the only characters who is kindhearted, is portrayed in dull, dark lighting. The lighting contrasts with his sweet personality to emphasize who is accepted and who is not. This contrast helps the audience understand the contradicting worlds of Edward and the frivolous town. In addition, in Big Eyes (2014) Burton implements lighting to show the slow transition of Margaret Keane’s life. The lighting depicts the dulling of her life as she faces troubles in her life. The use of lighting here helps the audience see the clear transition in Margaret Keane's life and clearly understand the conflict in her life. Similarly, Burton utilizes lighting in his films …show more content…
For example, in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) many scenes cut back and forth during conversation. Long shots are used during important scenes. High angle shots and low angle shots are used to portray inferiority and superiority. Also, truck is used to follow the contestants in the factory. Similarly, in Edward Scissorhands (1990) black and white images during the opening scenes, and long shots are used to emphasize important conversations. Also, movement is very transitioned in the beginning, but gets choppier as the end nears. Zoom is also used to emphasize expressions and truck is used when Edward walks or runs. In addition, in Big Eyes (2014) the camera focuses on characters and their expressions. Also, Truck is used when Margaret walks down the streets of San Francisco. When artwork is being shown, the eyes are emphasized, then the reactions are depicted. High angle shots are used to depict Margaret's inferiority to Walter ,whereas, low angle shots are used to to depict Walter’s superiority to Margaret. In all these films, camera movements and shots are used to distance the audience or bring them closer to the characters of the film. Also, camera movements and shots can be used to emphasize a character’s position, status, rank, etc…This helps the audience understand the character and their role
It hints of danger when Peg sees a man standing in a dark corner of the room looking like it was a bad guy, so Peg got scared when she first saw him standing there. It also made the audience have a scary feeling. Tim also uses low-key lighting in the movie Bettlejuice, there was a moment when Adam and Barbra made this secret door inside their attic and it had a low-key lighting effect, so it made it look like it was dangerous because it was a mysterious door. Now I have listed some examples when Tim Burton uses low-key lighting in his
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.
The director Tim Burton uses colors to create a happy mood during the scenes in the movie Edward Scissorhands. He portrays the neighborhood and all the people that live there in bright pastel colors which gives off a happy feeling. These bright colors give off the impression that everything is picture-perfect and everyone is content. The whole neighborhood is unchanging and routine. Throughout the movie Burton shows the men have left for work at the same time every day and everything is a lively color. When Edward arrives, he is dressed in all black and is
Tim Burton once said, “Anybody with artistic ambitions is always trying to reconnect with the way they saw things as a child.” He values various cinematic techniques such as lighting, sound, and camera angles conceive mood, tone, and fantasy in his movies. If he wanted a happy scene, he would make the lighting and music more upbeat, on the other hand, for a dark, gloomy scene, he would have dreary and obscure music. I will further explain how he creates his own world.
One way the filmmakers did this is with the on location shots of rubble in many scenes. The characters in these shots are carefully placed to make the rubble stand out behind them. Lighting is carefully placed to illuminate the rubble and make it stand out. However, the carefully planned cinematography also plays into the overall meaning of the film and not just how it looks. The lighting, for example, influences our feelings for certain characters. Susan Wallner is always filmed in light. This is a drastic difference from how we see Hans Mertens. Hans is usually filmed with low light and is very dim. This helps show that Susan is optimistic, while Hans is pessimistic. Another way lighting is used in this film is to create shadows. Shadows are very prevalent in the last sequence of the film. Hans has confronted Bruckner and as the camera cuts back and forth to each of them we see Hans shadow keeps growing bigger and bigger behind Bruckner. We can interpret that as the shadowing is growing bigger so his Bruckner’s fear, because the dialogue coming from Bruckner is getting faster and we can also hear the fear. There are many times in the film where close ups are used to make the storyline more dramatic. One scene that comes to mind that makes use of quick cuts and close ups is in the end of the film: Susan ran in, stopping Hans from killing Bruckner. At this point we
Lighting and color are used to prove the distinction between individuals. In Edward Scissorhands, low key lighting was used to show the illusion of Edward being in isolation. Through this isolation, Edward did not know his place in society. Isolation created Edward to be displayed as a misfit compared to the rest of society. Burton conveys the fact Edward is a misfit by creating a sense of eeriness which shows he is darker coloring while the rest of society seems brighter. To try to fit into society, Edward tried to satisfy everyone’s desires. However through this trial, he could not help but being himself even if that caused society to frown upon him. Even though society frowned
Tim Burton, in Edward Scissorhands, uses high key and low key lighting. For example, Peg’s town is flooded with high key lighting in order to make the outside seem joyful and peaceful. The outside may look cheery and bring, but most of the people living there were not the most pleasant people. The women gossip and create rumors; the men are rude and conceited. He used low key lighting in order to make the audience feel anxious about the upcoming events. An example would be when Peg walked up to the top floor of the mansion and noticed that someone was sitting in the corner. Edward’s shadow may have given him a frightening appearance, as he is a ‘man’ with scissors for hands. But Edward was a kind and caring gentleman. In conclusion, he used reverse lighting to add an irreplaceable, distinctive quality to his movies.
The sharp gleam of light slicing through the air as it reflects from an array of smooth blades. A whiplash of a tail and the shimmer of iridescent scales before it slither into the murky waters. A bony hand threading delicate buttons onto a little doll’s eyes. Hundreds of dark, macabre, bittersweet chocolate wrapped with shiny and thin foil paper. These are the distinctive representative objects showing Tim Burton’s dark style. He is a Hollywood outsider-director who grew up under the influences of darkness. Tim Burton, the director of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Big Fish, and Edward Scissorhands, and various other movies, uses exaggeration in cinematic techniques and repetitive themes to show his unique and avant-garde style.
“One person's craziness is another person's reality.” –Tim Burton. A well respected director Tim Burton has always been known for the ability to send a strong universal message. In one of his most widespread movie, Edward Scissor Hands he reveals his true potential as a filmmaker to show how society can treat an outsider. Edward Scissor Hands Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and many more of his creations, Tim Burton uses lighting, and camera movements to depict a unique gothic cinematic experience. The appearance of a person is only an illusion, the inside is the truth of someone.
On a sunny day in a small neighborhood, a lady is trying to sell cosmetics. She can’t seem to get anyone to buy anything from her. After going from house to house in her neighborhood, she gets an idea to go to the mansion on the hill. When she reaches the mansion, she knocks on the door but gets no answer, so she let herself in. After going around the house for a bit, she ends up in what looks like the attic and finds Edward, from Edward Scissorhands, in the corner. When he sees her, he slowly walks towards her and comes from the shadows. When the saleslady, Peg, sees him, she gets frightened and tries to leave but Edward stops her. Ghoulish and awkward situations like this happen often in director Tim Burton’s work. His films
” … 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)
Director Tim Burton has directed many films. He started out working at Disney, but shortly after he decided to make his own films. He split away from Disney because they wouldn’t let him add the scariness and darkness he has in his films. After he left he created many great films and also developed his own style. He uses many cinematic techniques in his films for example he uses close-up camera angles on symbolic items, he uses music to show foreshadowing, and he uses lighting and color to show mood
Tim Burton has always had a unique style throughout his movies. This could be due to many things in his life, such as his love of fairy tales and his fondness of Edgar Allen Poe, who is known for his dark poems and stories. But one thing that stands out in all of his movies is his use of stylistic techniques. Specifically sound, camera angles, and editing techniques. These techniques can be heavily seen in all of his movies, particularly in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Big Fish. Overall, Tim Burton uses sound, camera angles, and editing techniques to create and control the mood of the scenes in his movies.
Tim Burton is an icon in the filmmaking industry. His childhood has very much affected his style and the way he uses his cinematic techniques. His first shorts film, Vincent, depicts some of the different themes of his childhood experiences. He considered himself an outcast and this could possibly be the reason for his distinct style. He uses cinematic techniques like low key lighting that contain vivid colors and nondiegetic noises to contrast the character’s traits and to communicate the message of staying unique and always acting like yourself.
For example we start off the film on a face and only a face. This leads us to believe they are the main character which is a very effective technique. Also one of many extreme close ups used is on the hand. The hand is a very important part of the story and is expressed this way clearly by having it be the only thing on the screen. This is a great way to convey something of importance and show that it has meaning.