preview

Tim Burton Cinematic Techniques Essay

Decent Essays

Director Tim Burton is well known for his movies that feature a twisted world or gloomy atmosphere. An audience is likely disturbed or fascinated after watching Burton’s films. When looking closely at his movies, one can pick out a few distinct cinematic techniques that create these effects. These are his uses of non-diegetic music, low key lighting, and close up shots. Together, across all films, Burton astounds watchers and creatively uses these techniques to create a great film. The use of non-diegetic music, or music that an audience can hear but a character cannot, is prevalent in Tim Burton’s films. In the movie Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, plot is foreshadowed with ominous and foreboding music as the viewers see Wonka’s chocolate. It can be inferred simply from the music that the chocolate will be very important, but not necessarily a good element. Contrasting that, Big Fish uses non-diegetic music to make a conversation between father and son seem extremely emotional and high-spirited. This creates an empathetic bond between the characters and audience members that helps the story move along. Non-diegetic music is one of the greatest techniques to support a film, and its job is done …show more content…

Lowkey lighting, a form of lighting the character or scene with heavy shadows and a dark atmosphere, is notably used effectively in movies Charlie and The Chocolate Factory and Edward Scissorhands. While inside of the chocolate factory, heavy shadows are cast across Willy Wonka’s face and his instruments for making chocolate. This creates a frightening mood around the man and what he may do to the touring children, overall creating suspense and drama. In Edward Scissorhands, Edward’s castle is cast in heavy darkness and gloom, making the setting seem cut off from the world and surreal, meant to give the audience chills. Lowkey lighting gives Burton’s films an important and eerie atmosphere that support the

Get Access