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Evaluation Final Draft

A2 Film Studies evaluation

 https://youtu.be/nM435B9-iSs

In this evaluation I aim to critically analyse and assess how my creative investigation and planning helped me to create a short film using the style of my chosen director Tim Burton and how my analysis of his style and films influenced my work and aided in my final creation of a short film. Will analyse how my work uses key micro concepts to portray the bigger meaning behind my film and if this has worked in the way I initially intended and if my past work has influenced my final piece.

Firstly, my initial aim of my second-year work was to create a short film totalling no more than 5 minutes based on a body of work by a specific director. I chose to study Tim Burton as his body of work spans over a relatively long time thus meaning I was able to study his different cinematic ‘phases’ from his earlier stop motion pieces to his most recent more whimsical live action pieces. I chose to study three of his most well-known pieces of live action work – Sleepy Hollow (1999), Alice in Wonderland (2010) and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016). these pieces heavily influenced my final productions overall style and narrative, taking it in a direction I wasn’t initially planning on taking it, which I will discuss further in my evaluation on my work.

My final film follows the story of two young girls with juxtaposing personalities as they journey to create an astrological phenomenon they’ve named the twenty one lights, due to Lunas (right) ability to control the stars and Desiray’s (left) ability to control light the two decide to disregard the word of those who have been keeping them hidden from the real world and show them the beauty of the world without the distraction of the busting town they live within. The influence of my storyline comes from my third focal film, much like the characters from Miss Peregrines my two protagonists have odd abilities that set them aside from the general population, I chose to do this as in many burton films the characters have odd personality traits that makes the film interesting to the audience. Both my characters portray different personality traits I associate myself with, Luna being introverted and quiet but stubborn to her views while Desiray is extroverted and quirky, aiding in me being able to put a personal touch on the films while broadening the relatability with an audience, something which I was able to link to my second year studies in auteurship, as a key element in arguing someone’s status as an auteur is them being able to present personal touches within their films. As such I set about doing so with my characters and for me projecting versions of myself onto my protagonists in a way that connected me with them separately but brought them together visually created a deeper relationship with my film. This was my base work for my film, creating a narrative and then character development, letting the rest of my films themes fall into place as I went, as with most of my work.

Once the basis of my film had been determined I began to create my film, taking longer than expected (starting late October through till early February) in order to get the aesthetic of my locations right to match that of my vision and tie I with my focal films. I wanted my short film to have a base feel of the Burtonesque visuals to tie in with my aims but also putting a twist on it with personal vision on the aesthetic I wanted for the film, to create something that is less of an imitation and more of a burton inspired piece of work.

Cinematically my film follows key elements within Burton films, for example the use of wooded areas and graveyards. Wooded areas are present in all three of my films, large trees mostly without leaves, usually rather crocked, one large tree being the primary area in which the protagonists engage with, as such in my film most of the scenes include trees with the final scene having the two of them in front of a tree. 

I also explored the use of colour in my film, something which I also did within my first year work, I used blues and reds to highlight the surrealist elements Burton uses within his film with green to make the contrast more subtle, colours which are often presented in Burtons films, as he uses colour to represent emotions within sutuations and characters, blue/white representing purity and sadness, portrayed on the protagonists (especially the females) and colourful contrasts on that of the protagonists acquaintances. though generically protagonists include blacks, i decided to use less black in my film, leaving that with the shoes and the jacket of Luna. 

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Evaluation First Draft

A2 Film Studies evaluation

 In this evaluation I aim to critically analyse and assess how my creative investigation and planning helped me to create a short film using the style of my chosen director Tim Burton and how my analysis of his style and films influenced my work and aided in my final creation of a short film. Will analyse how my work uses key micro concepts to portray the bigger meaning behind my film and if this has worked in the way I initially intended and if my past work has influenced my final piece.

Firstly, my initial aim of my second-year work was to create a short film totalling no more than 5 minutes based on a body of work by a specific director. I chose to study Tim Burton as his body of work spans over a relatively long time thus meaning I was able to study his different cinematic ‘phases’ from his earlier stop motion pieces to his most recent more whimsical live action pieces. I chose to study three of his most well-known pieces of live action work – Sleepy Hollow (1999), Alice in Wonderland (2010) and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016). these pieces heavily influenced my final productions overall style and narrative, taking it in a direction I wasn’t initially planning on taking it, which I will discuss further in my evaluation on my work.

My final film follows the story of two young girls with juxtaposing personalities as they journey to create an astrological phenomenon they’ve named the twenty one lights, due to Lunas (right) ability to control the stars and Desiray’s (left) ability to control light the two decide to disregard the word of those who have been keeping them hidden from the real world and show them the beauty of the world without the distraction of the busting town they live within. The influence of my storyline comes from my third focal film, much like the characters from Miss Peregrines my two protagonists have odd abilities that set them aside from the general population, I chose to do this as in many burton films the characters have odd personality traits that makes the film interesting to the audience. Both my characters portray different personality traits I associate myself with, Luna being introverted and quiet but stubborn to her views while Desiray is extroverted and quirky, aiding in me being able to put a personal touch on the films while broadening the relatability with an audience, something which I was able to link to my second year studies in auteurship, as a key element in arguing someone’s status as an auteur is them being able to present personal touches within their films. As such I set about doing so with my characters and for me projecting versions of myself onto my protagonists in a way that connected me with them separately but brought them together visually created a deeper relationship with my film. This was my base work for my film, creating a narrative and then character development, letting the rest of my films themes fall into place as I went, as with most of my work.

Once the basis of my film had been determined I began to create my film, taking longer than expected (starting late October through till early February) in order to get the aesthetic of my locations right to match that of my vision and tie I with my focal films. I wanted my short film to have a base feel of the Burtonesque visuals to tie in with my aims but also putting a twist on it with personal vision on the aesthetic I wanted for the film, to create something that is less of an imitation and more of a burton inspired piece of work.

Cinematically my film follows key elements within Burton films, for example the use of wooded areas and graveyards. Wooded areas are present in all three of my films, large trees mostly without leaves, usually rather crocked, one large tree being the primary area in which the protagonists engage with, as such in my film most of the scenes include trees with the final scene having the two of them in front of a tree. I also explored the use of colour in my film, something which I also did within my first year work, I used blues and reds to highlight the surrealist elements burton uses within his film with green to make the contrast more subtle. 

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Final Edit

https://youtu.be/nM435B9-iSs

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This is the First Edit of my short film

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G. shooting and Editing Schedule

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F ( D ). Final Costume Design

Luna:

For Luna’s final costume I decided upon using white and black, I did this to further add to her personality.

Desiray:

I decided upon using bright reds for Desirays costume, again like Luna I’ve done so to highlight their personalities.

Why:

I did this to highlight the differences between then and to better link them to the characters of Tim Burton of whom the film is based.

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F ( c ). Behind the Scenes and Costume Design

final makeup look for Fred (Luna)

final makeup look for Jess (Desiray)

costumes and behind the scenes:

full costume for both characters: 

the reasoning for choosing the costumes is because i wanted to do a modern take burtons traditional clothing, i chose blue for Desiray because burtons characters usually have blonde hair and blue clothing and as such i wanted to do a modern take. Luna is wearing green because i wanted a colour that wasn't too bright but was contrasting with my other characters. 

How this links to my focal films:

(see post F(a) and F(b) for details) 

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F (b). Headshots and Makeup Initial Ideas

For my initial makeup ideas i wanted to base the ideas upon that of Emma from Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children (for Desiray’s character) and The Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland (for Luna’s character). 

I teamed up with a good friend and makeup / special effects artist Helena Foster (@sfx_by_lil on Instagram for more photos of the process) to come up with some initial ideas for makeup. 

Jess’s initial ideas for the character Desiray. Based from the makeup of Emma Bloom from Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children and the creative process. 

Freds initial ideas for the character Luna. Based from the makeup of The Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland

How the makeup links to my investigation: 

the makeup on both my protagonists is similar to that of the protagonists in my focal films, thus i will be trying to create a modern variation on the original style burton uses in his films. 

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F (a). Casting - Headshots And Screen Tests

Casting, Leading Roles:

Jessica (Jess) Shepherd. Cast as Desiray 

I chose to cast Jess as my first protagonist because she has a likeness to the main characters in my focal films,

Alice in Wonderland (2010), Miss Peregrine’s Hone for Peculiar Children (2016) and Sleepy Hollow (1999).

she is petite and pale, much like the three female protagonists, something which will work well when it comes to makeup and costume design and hope to explore in more detail in my costume design section with the help of my makeup artist and the input of my two actresses. 

Freddie (Fred) Langler. Cast as Luna

I chose to cast Fred as my second protagonist because her personality fits the character i will portray her as, she has a personality likeness to The Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland (2010) as well as the nature of Olive from Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children (2016). This was something important i was looking for when casting as my actor being able to easily and fluently portray certain emotions and characteristics is very important to the end product.  

I feel that both Jess and Fred will work well when filming and working on set because they are not only good at acting but we all know each other very well so it will be easy to understand how they work and we can get things done quicker on set. 

My Dream Cast:

desiray: Evanna Lynch 

if i could have my dream cast i would have Evanna Lynch play desiray as she is able to portray the quirky character style i was looking for, her hair is naturally blonde and her blue eyes match the character profile i was looking at.

Luna: Alyson Hannigan

if i could have anyone play Luna it would be alyson Hannigan because she fits the character profile i was looking for, as well as this is a good actress and i feel she would be able to portray the protagonist well.  

How my Actors link to my investigation:

Both my characters mirror that of the protagonists in my focal films. Desiray being pale and blonde, much like Emma, Alice and Katrina. Luna being bright and Ginger, like olive and the mad hatter, as such i hope to be able to portray these characters effectively.

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E (a). RECCE Report (Including Risk Assessments)

Location Report: Location one: food store

This location is a small corner shop style store on spring bank. I have chosen this location specifically because it fits the look I was going for. Its small and isn’t too cluttered but also has different levels and corners so that it won’t be one continuous shot. 

Risks of this area:

There are minimal risks of this area as it is indoors however there is a slight risk of items falling off shelving and causing a trip hazard or falling onto a member of the team, thus all shelving will be checked to make sure there isn’t any lose items at risk of falling, as well as that I will make sure the team are careful during filming to not bump unto anything.

 As well as this there is a slight risk that some areas of floor may be wet so I will make sure to have all the floor dry before filing begins.Lastly due to it being an open store during my time of filming, I will need to ensure no one is present during my filming times to ensure that there is no noise pollution and people aren’t in my film who don’t wish to be.

 Location two: Graveyard

This location is a large graveyard with varying ages of gravestones as well as a long large winding road and trees. I have chosen this location because it fits the aesthetic I was looking for then trying to create a Burtonesque film, I will be filming during late autumn in the evening in order to create a feeling of uncertainty as well as a level of familiarity with the woodland scenes in my focal films.

Risks of this area:

This area is fully open to the elements and other members of the public so I must be careful when filming as to not disrupt anyone there.I will need to be cautious of the road as there are risks of cars and holes in the road as well as items on the road which could be a hazard during my long scene of my protagonists will be riding skateboards and I will also be riding on a bike so to avoid any hazards I will check the area for possible risks before filming begins.

 Location three: field

This location is a small field with three trees surrounded by an urban area. I have chosen to film here because it is off a main road and in a relatively quiet area next to where I live so I can control the small fire I need to create in my short film.

Risks of this area:

The only real risks in this area are noise pollution and items in the grass. To minimise the risks, I will be filming at night and I will thoroughly check the area for dangerous items before filming begins. 

how these locations link to my investigation: 

in terms of my locations, i chose to film in areas i am familiar with and i think will fit with my chosen aesthetic. 

My first location is filmed in a shop, much like the beginning of one of my films (Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children (2016)). i chose to do this as it will help establish the narrative of my short film through dialogue. 

My second location is a shot of the two protagonists riding through a graveyard. the use of a graveyard in the early light of the evening creates an eery feel, something which Burton creates in his films and i hope to mirror in mine. 

My third location is of my protagonists walking through a dimly lit forest, again this mirrors scenes in my three focal films. i hope to be able to create an uncomfortable feeling for the viewer through the use of light in this scene, something which burton does in his films. 

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D. Script

Opening scene: intro to lucky ones by lights played above the wyke credit and title screen.

First scene: Music cuts to a diegetic song being played in the background of a small rustic corner shop. The two protagonists are turning one of the isles.

Luna: yeah but like erm *she stutters, furrowing her eyebrows slightly in confusion*

Desiray: yeah but like what? *she looks to Luna confusingly, gesturing to continue*

Luna: well, I guess you could say so, yes *she looks away, pondering, while examining items on the shelves*

(They turn the corner of the isle)

Des: well it’s settled then! *she waves her arms up slightly in relief*

(There is a moment of silence, both walk towards the cashier who seems to have been eyeing them since their arrival)

*the both give each other a look before placing the items back and quickly leaving the shop, becoming aware that their conversation was being tapped into*

The screen cuts to black and the music from the shop becomes instrumental and non diegetic.

Scene two: the scene opens with the two walking though a graveyard while the non diegetic soundtrack can be heard above. (This scene will be in slow motion when edited)

(Both characters are walking, laughing and dancing in beat with the song being played above (though it is meant to be non diegetic) for the instrumental chorus of the song, one then proceeds to grab the other and drag them towards the forest.

The scene cuts to the next and the soundtrack fades to the general diegeses of the location

Scene three: both protagonists are sitting in a clearing of the forest rolling a cig, it is dark by this time to they use their phones as lights, one is humming (the same tune as the song played in the shop) while the other finishes off rolling.

Des: hurry up with that *she says while nudging Lunas shoulder with hers*

Lun: give us a second then, Jesus *she scoffs slightly while looking slightly disgustedly at des*

*des grabs at the shirt on Lunas shoulder and pulls her up, exaggerating slightly*

Lun: aight fuck sake I said one second *she pulls desirays hand from her shoulder and brushes it*

Des: sorry we just don’t have much time to waste do we *she gestures her head upwards to the sky* look

*they both look up and then at each other* *luna begins walking*

Des: got a lighter

Lun: no fuck off, “harness the light” *she says mockingly, raising brother her hands*

Des: yeah well-

Lun: don’t start *she gives her a look*

(They both walk in silence, Luna dragging her feet slightly and kicking rocks)

Lun: *pulls a lighter from her pocket and lights her cig before reluctantly adding it over*

Des: *giving her a look before grabbing the lighter* rude *lights cig and hands it back*

(Another more comfortable moment of silence follows)

Lun: so *pause* what’s the, eh, plan then?

Des: so, we find somewhere good to set up camp and then when the sky clears, so like, at around 12, I’ll get turn the cities power off and you-

Lun: “make the stars dance”?

Des: *nodding*

Lun: *repeating what des just said under her breath, quickly* okay, but, how do I make them “dance”?

Des: *shrugs* I dunno, I’m not the one that controls them

Lun: *looks up and sighs slightly before taking another drag of her cig*

(After a short pause desiray lets out a small whimper as she realises that her phone has died, meaning only one light, controlled by Luna remains)

*the turn to face each other des looking nervous*

Lun: are you scared *she says mockingly while holding the light under her chin*

Luna turns the light of and the screen cuts to black once again.

Scene three: the scene opens with the pair in the same position as before and the light gets turned back on

Lun: boo! *she laughs taking the light from her chin*

Des: *pushing her shoulder* I’m not scared Of those stupid stories

Lun: oh yeah? What’s that

Des: what’s what!? *she says nervously, looking around anxiously*

Lun: *laughs* see *laughs again*

(There is a silence as they both giggle and continue to roast marshmallows over the fire)

(One by one the steet lights flicker out and the place becomes darker)

Des: you ready *she shoots lun a grin, putter her hand on her shoulder*

Lun: *looking up* ready *she says confidently*

(The both sit up and pull the masks back over their races and get up)

The screen cuts to black and the soundtrack begins to play, signifying the end of the film.

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C. Storyboard

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B. Synopsis

Two girls venture from their comfort zones to reveal their peculiarities to the a small town in the south of England.

100 Word Synopsis: 

Two Girls with peculiar powers are forced to manage in a world where life is mediocre. Luna and Desiray decide to show the unsuspecting people of a small  town in the south of England that there is more to the world than what they believe. On Friday the 13th the two leave home in search for a moment to reveal the true extent of their powers to the people of Kentwood. 

Synopsis (in depth camera shot focus and key moments):

The opening scene begins with the leite motif (lights – lucky ones) playing over the opening credits, the leite motif continues as the film begins - we see an overhead shot of Luna grabbing a leaflet from the store counter (diegetic sound of her grabbing the leaflet can be heard). The screen shows up the title of the short film then the leite motif stops playing non diegeticly, the screen momentarily goes black as we see a cut to the establishing shot of the store while the leite motif can be faintly heard over the radio. A medium close up follows the two around a corner of the shelving in the junk food isle of the store as the two discuss the leaflet (Desiray paying little attention), Desiray gesturing for them to remove their masks as they look odd, extreme close ups can be seen following the eyes of the two as they look over the leaflet and the shelving. The two grab crisps and sweets (close ups can be seen of them grabbing the food) continuing to discuss and argue slightly over the leaflet. A long shot can be seen of them turning the last corner which follows them down the path to the till. A POV shot from the shop keeper can be seen as they lay the food down followed by a medium long shot from the end of the counter to show both the shop keeper and the protagonists. The three discuss the leaflet and how the shop keeper thinks it’s ‘bullshit’ (various extreme close ups of facial expressions and the leaflet as well as medium long shots occur during the scene), unimpressed by the shop keeper’s accusations on the validity of the leaflet, Desiray makes the radio play static. The three stare at the radio for a moment before both Luna and Desiray look at each other, grab their stuff, put back on their masks and dash out of the store on their skateboards.

The leite motif makes a non-diegetic re occurrence over an almost continuous panned full body long shot of the two riding through a graveyard, leaves blowing and wind making their hair flow behind them, Luna leans down on her skateboard and Desiray looks down at her, removing her mask and smiling, Luna does the same.The scene cuts to them walking into a wooded section just out of the graveyard (blue undertones and soft lighting can be seen as well as the two holding a torch) the two talking about nonsense, one of the flashlights goes out leaving them with only one (in Lunas hands) Luna jokes of Desiray’s fear of the dark before leaning in (close up) and holding the flashlight to her chin and turning it off to leave only the faint outline of their faces visible.

The scene changes to them in the exact same position, Luna switching the light on and going ‘boo’ revealing them in a new location (with a camp and bonfire set up). An extreme long shot shows the camp and the leite motif again playing on a little radio they brought, the two are sitting on a log by the fire, Luna tinkering with the flashlight while Desiray roast marshmallows by the fire. Luna jokes asking whether the leaflet is true or not and Desiray gives an unimpressed look shrugging her heard to look at Luna, the lights begin to flicker and the radio goes static before we see the two in a medium close up, Desiray saying ‘guess we will have to find out’. The two put on their masks and get up before the screen cuts to black signifying the end of the film.

Locations and film notes: 

Setting: 

The film will take place in a small made up town in the south of England called Kentwood. 

Protagonist notes:

Luna:

background: an 18 year old Female who grew up in the lower-class area of the small town of Kentwood with her heavily religious parents Julie and James. at a young age her parents knew she would be a peculiar child due their long line of recessive genes however they did not enjoy the idea of it. At the age of 18 she decided to leave to find others like her at a cost of her family unity. 

Desiray:

background: a 17 year old female who moved from the upperclass area in London with her parents to have a more secluded life after causing chaos in her old town by destroying the power lines after being informed of her grandad’s death. her mother and father Olive and Jonathan try to hide the powers of their daughter by reinventing themselves and moving to a new location.  

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A. Initial Ideas

For my short film i hope to use themes and ideas from my three focal films: Alice in Wonderland (2010), Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children (2016) and Sleepy hollow (1999).

In my short film i will incorporate themes which Tim Burton uses in his films, themes such as: loneliness and the theme of the heroic loner, female protagonists and their ability to be independent, peculiarity’s and how though they are different they are still valid and finally the Gothic fairytale fantasy world he creates in all of his films.

initial ideas for my short film: 

Twenty One Lights 

My film will be based in October time (Halloween) and will start with two protagonists (both female who are polar opposites. The main protagonist will be very introverted, pale skinned with minimal makeup as though she has had a constant lack of sleep, very blonde hair that is cut to just above her collar bones and styled to a natural wave, she is wearing a pale blue dress that falls just above where her black boots, upon entering the shop she is wearing a skull mask and carrying a skateboard and a black backpack. the other is more extroverted, her skin will be equally as pale however she is wearing bright eye shadow and lipstick, her hair is a bright red colour cut to a short blunt bob with a fringe, she is wearing an over sized green jumper and a short green tartan skirt and a pair of black boots, upon entering the shop she is wearing a green alien mask and carrying skateboard and a red backpack) entering a small convince store, grabbing a leaflet from the counter as they walk past. the camera follows them as they grab items of the shelf and discuss the contents of the leaflet, upon arriving at the counter the red haired protagonist grabs a lolly and kneels down while the other stands awkwardly waiting to pay, the shop keeper asks about the leaflet to which the protagonist becomes uncomfortable and the other tells her what to say, the radio becomes static and the two rush off. the scene cuts to the two riding though a graveyard, non dietetic music playing above them, they continue to ride along, removing their masks half way though the scene. the scene cuts to them walking though a darkly lit autumn forest (torches to light the way) they speak about the leaflet once more before one of the lights break, scaring the other, with one light left the red hair protagonist holds hit to her chin before turning it off. the scene cuts to the same position but now they have set up camp (a small fire, a sheet hung from two trees, fairly lights and a radio) the two are roasting marshmallows and ‘waiting’ the lights flicker, the wind picks up and the radio goes static before they look at each other, nervous, they laugh and grab their masks. the scene cuts to black as they are getting up. 

character profiles

Protagonist One: 

Desiray (Dez-a-ray) (a play on the word disarray much like the mind of the individual, and a name my mother was once going to call me) 

the heroic loner in Burton terms. she is very introverted, pale skinned with minimal makeup as though she has had a constant lack of sleep, very blonde hair that is cut to just above her collar bones and styled to a natural wave, she is wearing a pale blue dress that falls just above where her black boots. she has a black backpack and a skateboard. 

this character is based of the protagonists in my three focal films. All three have blonde wavy hair pale clear skin, a look of slight tiredness and two out of the are wearing a blue dress. 

Much like typical Burton films, the protagonists have something peculiar about them. In the case of my first protagonist, Desiray, her peculiarity is hr power to control power (electricity etc). though not fully evident in my short film, clues to her peculiarity will be evident. In scenes in which we see lights flickering and radios becoming static.

Protagonist Two:  

Luna (Lu-na) (linked to her ability to control the solar system) 

The mad one in Burton terms. Contrasting to the protagonist Luna is very extraverted due to her lack of caring what others think. She is pale skinned but with bright makeup (one that resembles the red queen and the mad hatter from Alice in wonderland) bright red hair that has been cut to the same length as protagonist one, though she also has a fringe. She is wearing a green outfit (either a green t-shirt and green jeans or a green jumper and a green tartan skirt, both with black boots) she has a red backpack and a skateboard. 

this character is based off the heroic loners companion in alice in wonderland and Miss peregrines. the mad hatter and Olive. However she will have some faint traits of the red queen due to her extroverted personality (thus the use of red hair rather than ginger)

Much like typical Burton films the protagonists have something peculiar about them. in the case of my second protagonist, Luna, her peculiarity is the the power to control the solar system. Though not fully evident in my short film, clues to peculiarity are evident. in scenes where they are talking about the leaflet and the ‘obscure sightings’ and in the title of the film itself. 

How this links to my Director study and my focal films

My study on tim burton and his work has helped me to establish certain traits in his work. Not only a gothic element but the elements of childlike whimsy and dreamlike fairytales. Burtons work reflects himself and the characters he creates contain an element of his own personality and as such, each character, though in a surreal environment, reflect real topical and often taboo subjects, making them have a personal relation to the audience. 

in my short film i hope to incorporate these elements above, while adding my own personal touch i hope to reflect elements of my focal films in order to create my take on a Burton film. 

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U. Creative Investigation - Final Draft

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T (b). Creative Investigation - First Draft Feedback

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T (a). Creative Investigation - First Draft

Can the modern director Tim Burton be classified as an Auteur?

Candidate number: 8835

Laura Poffenroth

Creative investigation

In my creative investigation I intend to explore the theory of authorship and how it can define a director into a specific category or genre.  I will focus my study upon the themes directors use to help an audience distinguish their films from others and if this is enough to grant them the title of an auteur. My subtopics will be based on Andrew Sarris’ criteria (including style and themes in arguing for and collaborations to argue against). Two important sources that inspired my choice of study are: Tim Burton (Antoine De Baecque, 2011) which gives an insight into how Tim Burton creates his unique style and the creative process behind his art. Breaking Down The Cinematic Style of Tim Burton (2017) which looks at how Burtons cinematic style create a uniquely similar fantasy world for his viewers. In turn these will aid in helping argue the auteur status and the key elements needed to hold such a status. The three focal films I will use to underpin my study will be Sleepy Hollow (1999). Which will give a view of his older work and how it will differ from his recent work. Alice in Wonderland (2010). Which will give a view of how his style has evolved to create something distinguishably ‘Burtonesque’ and lastly Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children (2016) to compare how Burtons film style has changed from the first of my films to his most recent.

Aims

The aim of my project is to ultimately answer the question:

Is auteurship still relevant and can the modern director Tim Burton be considered as an auteur.

Specifics in my investigation:

∙ Does Tim Burtons unique style help in arguing the case for auteurship

∙ Do the themes in Tim Burtons films help to combat the taboo of modern day issues

∙ Do Tim Burtons collaborations/influences argue the case against his true auteurship

References list

Primary:

Sleepy Hollow (Burton, 1999)

Alice in Wonderland (Burton, 2010)

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016)

Secondary:

Burton on Burton

Does Tim Burton’s unique style help in arguing the case for auteurship?

Tim burton has a very distinguishable style when it comes to modern cinema, with most avid fans and cinema goers alike being able to recognise his work with ease. His style alone holds high regards in the Hollywood film industry due to uniquely gothic twist on classic fairytales and personal creations, but can this alone be enough to suggest he is a worthy contender in the on going debate of auteurism, or does it simply add to the debate against the argument that style is only a small tick on the list of criteria many believe must be met in order to become a true auteur, modern directors continue to break the mould and experiment with new ideas in order to make them stand out from the crowd, most notably Tim burton, for he is able to  create his own themes in order to open up new possibilities with the style and cinematography of his creations, brining new life to the world of Hollywood.

Francois Truffaut, said to be the founder of the auteurship argument, stated that the directors must be able to take a piece of work and make it their own “an expression of his own personality” and in the case Tim Burton he makes a film his own through his use of visuals. This is especially evident in the three focal films I have studied.

Sleepy Hollow (1999) is based from a short story by American author Washington Irving. Tim Burton uses the original story as a base for his creation and crafts into something which many believe is one of his most iconic pieces of live action, taking a total of $30,060,467 (USA) on the opening weekend of its release on the 21 November 1999. Stylistically burtons adaptation of the original story mirrors the original visions of the themes in ‘the legend of sleepy hollow’, due to his ability to create the gothic themes Cinematically pleasant to the viewer eye whilst incorporating stronger undertones of gruesomeness without compromising the visual appeal.

Alice in Wonderland (2010) again is an adaptation for a book by Charles Lutwidge. Again burton uses the book as a base to create something of his own idea and in the case of the films adaptation in 2010, Burton puts a twist on the tale by creating almost a follow on from the original where by Alice is older and revisits underland. The film subtly incorporates the original themes but using them to create a stronger follow on narrative for the film visually. Burton re invents his traditional gothic themes to add a sense of whimsy and fantasy to the film, something which aids in putting across the story effectively. The use of dark backdrops with bright areas of colour draw the eye across the entire scene, the dark adding that touch of gloom that is signature to burton's style.

Lastly miss peregrine's home for peculiar children (2016) brought out a new and less evident style for burton, though it still includes hints of his gothic style as evident throughout his prior films. Burton again takes inspiration from a book to fuel his plot line while changing aspects to fit with his personal visions. The film brought out a new element of gothic like fairytale which uses less drastic visuals while still holding the effect which burton effortlessly creates in all his films. The use of natural lighting in most of the scenes adds an extra sense of realism to the film despite its fictional narrative, however, much to burton's signature, the natural lighting often appears drab or clouded, creating the underlying gothic themes of the film but to relay back to the point that his style is less evident, many of the scenes taking place within the vicinity of the home remains bright and often cloud free, adding a feeling of positivity.

Each film takes inspiration from an already established book and adds a twist of burtonesque nature, key to the success of burton this style aids making him recognisable in the industry and validates Truffaut's statement claiming that a director must be able to make a piece his own in order to be considered an auteur, however it is not only the ability to make a film unique to burton but his way of showcasing his style consistently and evidently throughout all of his films.

Burton incorporates many visual tools in order to create a specific effect, one which is unique to his cinematic appearance, key to arguing the case for auteurism, as in auteurship it is important for the person wishing to claim such a title to be able to put their stamp on their work, as such many agree that certain aspects of film, such as locations or elements of mise en scene are known to be seen within most (if not all) films directors have created. The the case of Tim Burton, not only does he have his highly distinguishable ‘burtonesque’ style, he also uses re occurring themes and props in his films to create memorable visuals that an audience will subconsciously pick up and often associate with a Burton film. Woodlands being a key example of this, in many of Burton's films we see trees or a wooded area make many an appearance, in Sleepy hollow trees play a key part in the narrative of the film and thus make a regular appearance, in Alice in wonderland trees play a significant part in the plot of the film and in Miss peregrine's home for peculiar children trees are seen in many key scenes. Though they are prominent and regular, we begin to notice a pattern in the way in which trees are portrayed in each burton film. We often see them in a slightly more unusual manner to what we would whiteness in real life, the woodland often being covered by a fog like mist, many spindly trees that the tops of a often un shown (often to create the illusion that they are very tall) and few larger trees that tower over the people below, which seem to bend to a side. Most commonly we see the trees during a season in which they don’t have many leaves, a common theme burton represents in most films, the element of darkness added by burton's gothic enhancements the trees set the perfect backdrop of many key scenes in his films. We are often able to distinguish a scene burton has directed by the location in which it is taking place, which, frequently seems to be placed near a wooded area, the characteristics of which make for an easily recognisable feature in his films and something which could ultimately be one of the signatures that make burton unique and could help conclude his eligibility as an auteur.

A second common theme that runs throughout burton's films is the use of colour. Burton often uses contrasting variations of colour and light to emphasise aspects of mise en scene. Burton uses light and dark visuals to make a point about a certain mood of the scene being played out on screen, incorporating his traits of gothic themes. In Alice in wonderland burton uses minimal colour in the opening section before Alice falls down the rabbit hole, these colours consist of primarily light blues, beige and white with greens and greys coming from the surrounding areas the scenes take place. These colours are a common occurrence in burton films, being seen in a number of his films, however blue tones seem to be a more regular appearance. When watching a burton film we begin to notice a common occurrence, that being the location but more specifically the colour grids of these locations. In most (if not all) of his older films the colour blue is used to create a gothic and eerie forest of city, he does so in order to emphasise the dark mood of the locations as well as creating a slightly off colour for the sky, one which is darker than usual. To juxtapose these gothic colours burton often uses bright visuals in his mise en scene, using bright flowers or pieces of furniture to create a surreal feel to the place, again something which is a common occurrence in burton films. Alice in wonderland and miss peregrines being good examples of this, both films have gloomy locations and contrasting bright locations, such as the gardens that appear through each film. Burton does these to create the surreal world the films are taking place in, adding a sense of fairytale like wonder with the maturity of gothic like themes and aesthetic. These recurring themes are something that makes burton work so recognisable and could help to argue his eligibility in the case for auteurism.

To conclude I feel that burtons style could aid in arguing that he must be considered an auteur as it is unique to his work, something which other directors often try to mimic but achieving minimal results. Burtons films are consistent and use re occurring themes such as gothic aesthetic, colour contrasts and mise en scene to create the specific feel that is typical of burton, putting his own stamp established pieces of literature to create something which not only compliments the original piece of work but compliments his character, a trait in directors that Truffaut said was crucial to arguing someone as an auteur. As such I believe that if style was the only factor in arguing his case as an auteur, burton would be considered to be a true auteur of his films due to his ability to adapt a piece of work and put his own unique stamp on it.

Do the themes in Tim Burton's films help to combat the taboo of modern day issues

Burton often represents specific characters and specific themes in his films, consistently using similar themes to help portray a film in the way he in visioned. He uses character development in order to express himself and the issues he feels important, though not expressed explicitly. Burton creates the impression of whimsy and childlike wonder in his films without compromising these themes which tend to run throughout all of his films.

Once pointed out in an article explaining burton's characters, they all tend to not only follow the same stylistic pattern (as pointed out in the previous section of burton's style) but they also have the same sort of personality, one which expresses specific issues silently but evidently. Burton often represents himself in his characters, as a way of personifying his personal issues and feelings, burton was said to have grown up as a rather lonely child (an outcast so to speak) and the evidence of that is clear in his films. Heroic loners and outsiders are common themes in Burton films, usually being male and somewhat lonesome these characters tend to represent that piece of himself he coped with growing up. In terms of this linking to modern day issues, many of the younger generation have felt outcast from society for their differences, leading them to live a solitary life, one which they perceive to have no meaning. In regards to Burton he has used his past experiences to create a world where the outcasts of society have something which makes them unique, fuelling their passion into what they believe in, as burton has with his passion for film. Creating for those who watch a burton film a realistic and relatable character and as such making his past a driving force to help those who deal with the same issues feel less alone.

As mentioned before, burton portrays certain character themes that combat modern day taboos, one of which being himself inspired theme of the heroic loner. Narratively these protagonists are represented as somewhat secluded from society, keeping to themselves and forming their own beliefs and values based on how the choose to experience life occurring around them. These ‘heroic loners’ more often than not incredibly content with their lives, not seeking companionship or validation from society, more often than not these protagonists seek only to peruse their goals and aspirations, much like burton himself.

Alice in wonderland (2010) is a good example of a heroic loner so to speak. Alice has been ‘haunted’ by a dream of wonderland from her childhood, evidently this appears to be true when the white rabbit visits her once more during a planned wedding proposal to the rather unfitting Hamish. Alice must decide upon choosing the path those have chosen for her and following her own intuition, ultimately during her time in underland her true passion came to light, flowing in the footsteps of her late father and ultimately, during the ending scene she declines the proposal and sets up a proposition to travel to uncharted lands. This in  itself represents the idea of the heroic loner rather fittingly, Alice although must save underland also chooses to pursue her passion rather than settling for a mediocre life, something which is overlooked in traditional films, heroic loners often being depicted as in need of a connection rather than a passion, something which in real life is also expected, the heroic loner must be seeking companionship and to life the expected life and to go outside of the boundaries of familiarity is looked down upon, as one must conform to how society expects, thinking and acting as you wish rather than what others wish for you is rarely tolerated and as such Burtons expression of such a taboo issue raises the argument that those who wish to break the mould should be able to do so without having backlash from society, purely based on the brainwashing of traditional depictions of a heroic loner and their undying need for companionship, when more often than not the real life ‘heroic loner’ seeks purely for their own accomplishments.

this leads onto my next point, Burton represents numerous versions of the same character in his films, more often than not they follow the same pattern consisting of a single protagonist battling their beliefs and morals to find their purpose. more often than not these protagonists are represented as female. strong female leadership is prominent in Burton films, alice in wonderland (2010), Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016) and Sleepy Hollow (1999) all have representations of strong female leadership in their storyline. More recently in the public eye the ‘taboo’ of strong independent female leadership has been brought to light and spoken about more openly due to the current uprising of female driven causes such as Time’s up (being vocalised by many actors and actresses, appearing at award shows and making headlines across the globe) causing a vast amount of people to rethink  their views on women in film and consider the idea of female leadership and the the equal treatment of women both in their cinematic portrayal and the general workforce, however in the past the taboo of females going against social standards has caused a bit of a grey area between film and the public as many felt women should still have the fairytale scenario (fall in love, settle down, have a family) whereas burton, though incorporated themes of romance, didn’t make it at the forefront of his plot, but rather a subplot to help make the story have a more detailed significance.

The representation of strong female characters in Burton’s films sets him apart from other directors, making his role in hollywood all the more important. Films such as Alice in Wonderland (2010) are the perfect example of this, not only is Alice (the protagonist) a strong female character but the roles of the white and red queen are also portrayed as female. the use of these female characters reinforces burton’s unique ideas towards film and his portrayal of the story, each one of the these focal female characters represent different characteristics of female leadership - Alice is a rebellious young adult seeking a purpose, the white queen represents the innocence of femininity and the red queen represents the result of missguadence and mistreatment. each of these characters help in vocalising how different females can hold the roles of leadership uniquely, each combating the taboo of their characteristics.

as said alice is rebellious, seeking a purpose not provided by her family, she does not seek the traditional values and ideas upheld by her family and those around her but rather the validation of her own propose, her own directions, she chooses not to follow a crowd or a path set out for her but to instead create her own, even if in the end it leads to the same ultimate end goal, she feels the need to personally dictate how her story will be told. this kind of behaviour is uncommon for a female character, a female who is so personally driven to own goals is needed however in the film industry as it sets a standard for women watching, giving them the reassurance that they too fulfill the purpose they personally would like to achieve, rather than feeling as though the must conform to the traditional standards.

the white queen offers an alternative to this, she is depicted as the innocence within the chaos, as their will always be a need for this in a film as many enjoy seeing it. innocence and femininity often are parallel to one another (a common link within society) and as much as this goes against the previous statement about the need to break the mould, more often than not for the younger viewers a ‘princess’ like figure adds the whimsey to the story and adds a key plotline to build the films profile. the white queen however still holds up to burton’s standards of grotesque (when she makes the potions or certain actions) and in doing so this adds to the argument that females will never be wholly innocent, the will all have their oddities that make them who they are, making the viewers aware of this in subtle actions done by the white queen to aid to the argument.

lastly the red queen, a difficult character to justify as more than the villain in the plot, however when looking more in depth about her character we begin to unveil certain characteristics that have lead to her becoming who she is. though not explored until the later film ‘Through the Looking Glass’ where The red queen's past is unveiled fully and we are able to understand how she became who she is today, during the film it is unveiled that though she is the older sister, due to her parents disliking of her the crown has handed to the red queen, in addition due to her ‘abnormally large head’ she feels more comfortable surrounding herself with people who possess the same oddities. this shows how the effects of her upbringing and her constant comparison to her golden sister have caused her to become more sinister, craving the control and love from her peers she never possessed as a child. it is a prime example of how societies constant comparison of females to one another can cause many to become cold hearted and craving the things they lacked or where compared to as a child. Burton’s incorporation of this character is extremely important in arguing that females are missguided and mistreated by society's standards and yet the subject remains taboo due to them believing that despite the constant comparison they should remain innocent and loving towards everything, when for the majority this is not the case.  

to conclude i believe that tim burton does combat the taboo of modern day issues effectively through his own unique  style and as such this helps in arguing that tim burton can be considered an auteur as not only does he have his unique style but he also is able to add his own themes to well established art and as such adds to his credibility.

Do Tim Burton’s collaborations/influences argue the case against his true auteurship

tim burton had a very influential early start to his career, working with big names under company orders burton produced some of his best and worst work. during his career he has worked alongside many big names in both their acting field and in the production field, but did this lead to burton becoming his own established director or did this fuel his creativity and as a result are his ideas merely other peoples?

in his early career Burton has said that he worked as an illustrator for disney, designing characters and creating script ideas, this could argue against his credibility as a true auteur as we know disney are one large team working together and bouncing ideas to create a final product, however, burton admitted that during his time there he spent more time creating his own ideas for his own films than doing work for disney due to his inability to draw characters as cute and cuddly and they came out more like they had be ran over by a truck, it was evident that burton was not cut out to work for disney as an animator/illustrator as his style of work was too unique, however he worked with them to create his own films at a later date. meaning that though burton worked in a heavily influential environment he could not create what disney were looking for due to his heavily gothic personal

style, drawing up a point that even when working in such a place, his individuality caused him to rethink his plans and work more on his own work than that of others and continued to work with his own style  and thus can still be considered as an auteur.

while working for disney burton created a number of films however it wasn't until he left that he was able to fully put his ideas into practice. Burton is seen to recruit a number of the same actors and actresses, most notably Johnny Depp and helena Bonham Carter as well as hiring mostly the same crew. many argue that those closely and frequently involved in a films production and creation must have a say or at least an input into the creative process behind the film. each member of staff has their own contributions towards the film and thus holds their own status as a possible auteur, a collaborative effort goes into how the film turns out and without each members input the film cannot be made, however does this conclude that Burton cannot be considered an auteur due to the vast number of those involved in the creative process? well looking at it from a perspective where burton sits and directs the film and lets the others do the ‘dirty work’ no but when we consider the vast amount of input burton has into every single aspect we can still see the argument from both perspectives. on the one hand burton lays down the ideas and the crew and actors make it happen while adding touches of their ideas and personalities to the scenes whereas on the other hand burton works with these creators to put forward his vision on a film he has created, showing them what he wants to see happen, how it should be acted out and filmed etc and thus it is still his vision and his input that is creating the film overall.

looking at this in more depth one theory that suggests auteurship theory is in fact collaborative, rather than a single director holding the title of auteur everyone involved in the process has the opportunity to be titled as an auteur. in the case of Burton and his crew, as said before he uses relatively the same cast and crew in his films, suggesting that they are able to put across his vision effectively whilst also adding elements burton approves of. with this we can conclude that burton’s role as a director not only incorporates the traditional elements but also the ability to shift and change his work to incorporate the views of those he trusts and as such they appear in numerous films of his creation.

in terms of influences burton takes a lot of his influence from German expressionism, it is evident in all of his films. Burton incorporates themes of movement and landscape typically represented gothicly in his art, however when comparing this to the themes of german expressionism there is no denying that burton was influenced by such work. using this in relation to arguing his credibility as an auteur influences alone can’t fully determine his status, but the links and influences of not only german expressionism but traditional films of the 70s and the likes of Dr seuss suggest that his inspiration cannot be comprised only from his imagination.

arguing his case for his status as an auteur is can be difficult due to the statements above, however though burton has had influences from many parties his work continues to break the mould and provide a unique twist on the traditional film we see in the 21st century, and as such burton could be considered an auteur due to his ability to adapt and create new and exciting content time and time again, regardless of the influences. many say those involved must play a part in how the films is but burton’s work constantly provides something unique, and after all everyone must have influences to create their own ideas, this does not mean their own work is less personal, unless someone outrightly copies sections of art or a theme without using it to create something uniquely theirs, then ultimately the idea is still theirs. influences and input come from all places no matter what you surround yourself with and as such every piece of work will have elements of the creators interest, no idea is a sole persons idea, however they can become something (and in burtons case it does) truly unique.

in regards to the last statement we can conclude that burton can still be classed as an auteur due to his creative ability and unique style, though many will argue that auteurism can be collaborative, and in many ways it is, burton's work provides the exclusive gothic taste that many are influenced by, and as such burton is less of an influenced director but more an influencer, a trait those arguing are needed (the likes of truffaut agreeing) to be in the running to become a true auteur.

Conclusion

In conclusion i believe that burton as a director can be considered a true auteur as his ability to create a personal and unique take on both traditional and new content while working with other artists and inspirations sets him apart and above those who settle to simply copy that of past artists. My analysis of burton's style concludes that he has used his gothic whimsey to his advantage and gained a formidable reputation in hollywood, as such many aspire to create such an aesthetic, challenging the argument against auteurism. Burton’s ability to take taboo subjects and portray them while continuing his reoccuring themes suggests that he is not only in tune with his personal side but the side of his viewers, wanting to provide them with the hero like figure that one may not expect but truly needs. Lastly Burton’s influences and collaborations, though aid in counter arguing my claim he is an auteur, they do provide a new light on those he works with and how those influences have aided in making him the influencer we have grown to love during his film career. so to conclude, from my findings and research i do believe burton is a tue modern day auteur, one which is unique and prominent in 21st century hollywood.