Tim Burton – Stop Motion Animation

Tim Burton created many of his films from stop motion animation.  I was not quite aware of what stop motion animation was until I decided to this blog on Tim Burton, but now I find it quite fascinating.  I feel like it gives a production a little more character and artistic feel.  I like that about Stop motion.  It is time consuming, but it is amazing to create.  In the following paragraphs, I have found some ways to better explain exactly what Stop Motion Animation is, and some information about some of Burton’s films that were created by using stop motion animation.  I hope you enjoy!

“Basically, stop motion animation consists of 15 to 20 frames per second. If frame is a new term to you, think of your camera. One click creates one digital image or frame. An artist will pose his subject, take 15 to 20 photographs in the exact same spot, and then move the subject ever so slightly before taking the next set of 15 to 20 photos.  This is repeated over and over until the project is completed. When all this is put together it can literally create magic. A closed hand can open to contain something different entirely, people can disappear into walls, inanimate objects can move on their own, etc. The technology is only limited by your imagination.  The great thing about working with stop motion animation is that the creator can work at his or her own pace, and the projects can be as simple or complex as the creator desires. Projects can incorporate sound with simple microphones or be expanded to include images, video, and even music. The animation can simply feature props already in your library, like books, or be an elaborate project with clay or other moldable materials.”
(Vandenbroek, 2011)

One of Burtons Stop Motion Animation films is a beautiful film by the name of Corpse Bride.  Below, I have a quote from a book titled, Bringing The Dead To Life: Animation and the Horrific.  It explains a bit about the plot of Corpse Bride and the use of stop motion animation.  The quote states:

“The central thrust of the narrative is that the corpse bride, Emily, was murdered on the eve of her wedding by her fiancé, and although falling in love with Victor, sacrifices herself to enable him to attain the love she was denied. Crucial to the look of the film is the use of stop-motion animation, a form of filmmaking with its horror ancestry closely linked to the 1930s’ version of King Kong, and which relies on manipulating puppets by small increments between each shot. Although reviews such as Peter Whittle’s in the Sunday Times referred to it as an “old-fashioned” technique,2 the project was also noted for its technical innovations, including sophisticated mechanics within the puppets to enable subtle facial expressions and movements, and the application of much smaller digital cameras to get closer to the figures. The characters therefore register as inanimate puppets, but take on a more expressive, life-like form.”
(Allen, 2010)

I found a really good website that had a lot of information that came from Tim Burton himself.  It is just a page that consists of Tim Burton talking about how he feels about animation and why he enjoys stop motion animation so much.  I hope you find it as interesting as I did!

“There is an energy with stop-motion that you can’t even describe.  It’s got to do with giving things life, and I guess that’s why I wanted to get into animation originally.  To give life to something that doesn’t have it is cool, and even more so in three dimensions, because, at least for me, it feels even more real.
The Characters that were designed for Nightmare Before Christmas had the added burden of not having eyeballs.  The first rule of animation is: Eyes for Expression.  But a lot of characters either don’t have any eyes, or their eyes are sewn shut.  I thought if we could give life to these characters that have no eyes, it would be great.  So, after drawing all those foxes with their wet drippy eyes at Disney, there was a little subversion in having these characters with no eyes.  It was funny to think of a character that had these big black holes and to try to make that work.  It’s a funky old art form, stop motion, and even though new technology was used at times in Nightmare, basically it’s artists doing it and painting sets and making things.  There’s something very gratifying about that, something I love and never want to forget.  It’s the handmade aspect of things, part of an energy that you can’t explain.  You can sense it when you see the concentration of the animators as they move the figures, there’s an energy that’s captured.  It’s like when you look at a Van Gogh painting.  I remember the first time I saw one in reality.  You’ve seen them in books, but the energy that’s captured on the canvas is incredible, and I think that’s something that nobody talks about because it’s not something literal.”
(Tim Burton Talking)

I think this quote is the favorite that I found that is actually from the mouth of Burton himself.  I think his mind is so creative, and I find a weird sort of comfort in his words here.  I find him to be so real, and so honest.  That is why he is a good director to me.

Work Cited:

Allen, S. (2010). Bringing the Dead to Life: Animation and the Horrific. At The Interface / Probing The Boundaries, 6187-107.

Tim Burton Talking About Animation. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://minadream.com/timburton/Animation.htm

Vandenbroek, A. (2011). Creating Library Magic with Stop Motion Animation. Library Media Connection, 29(5), 44-47.