Tim Burton Film Techniques

Tim Burton has enthralled the people of today with his movies such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Edward Scissorhands, and Big Fish. By just looking at one scene in any of Burton's films, one can see that Burton makes films more than just a film. Burton not only makes the movies thought provoking and interesting, but he connects the strangest of things into real life. In these weird and amazing worlds Burton's films create, Tim Burton uses shots and framing, lighting, and camera angles to prove that life is different in every new spark, and one shouldn't put out that spark.

To begin, Burton uses shots and framing to create a feeling of mystery and suspense. One way he obtains this feeling of suspense and allusion is when in Edward Scissorhands,
A scene in Edward Scissorhands perfectly demonstrates Burton's use of low key lighting. In Edward's flashback of the inventor making cookies -when the inventor realizes he wants to make Edward- the factory is draped in low key lighting. This is a contradiction to the warm, friendly inventor. In this dark and gloomy setting there is joy and happy memories. Solidifying the fact that not everything is as it appears, this low key lighting confirms that everyone is not alike. Diving into a film, in the beginning of Big Fish, the son is working in a bright white office surrounded by paperwork. Clearly this is where the son works, and the high key lighting amplifies that this job is the most boring of boring jobs. Burton is trying to show that a predictable life is not going to make you happy. The son, in this shot, is showing that the world overcame him, and now the son has killed the beautiful spark inside of him. Burton's use of high key lighting in this scene shows that following the stream is not going to be an enjoyable one. The way to go is to go against the current and be your own