Tim Burton Returns To Animation
By Alex Russelalex.russel@animationschoolreview.com
Animation School Review Columnist
Stop–motion animation isn't taught much in animation schools anymore. Instead, most animation jobs and schools require computer animation skills. That didn't stop Hollywood director Tim Burton from returning to this classic art form. His latest stop–motion feature is "The Corpse Bride", released in theaters in the fall of 2005.
Today's film audiences are used to the hurtling speeds of action movies and state–of–the–art computer animation. So it's quite a gamble for any movie studio to invest in the rather stately, but by some measures, antiquated method of stop–motion animation.
Tim Burton Turns to Stop–Motion Animation
Tim Burton created the cult favorite "The Nightmare Before Christmas" in 1993, which went on to make $40 million at the box office and now sells consistently well on DVD. Many animation fans consider that film a classic.According to the Los Angeles Times, Warner Bros.' "Corpse Bride", was a huge time commitment for Burton and his inner circle, who were also busy readying the summer hit "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."
Atypical Animation Jobs
Production took over three years because stop–motion animation is so challenging – each of the puppets must be carefully moved between frames, a process that taxes the patience and goodwill of everyone involved (but one of the best – if rarest – animation jobs to be had nonetheless).Like so much of Tim Burton's work, "Corpse Bride" is a classic tale with a dark twist. It's a love triangle, except that one of the leads happens to be dead, which proves a bit of an inconvenience. Johnny Depp provides the voice for Victor, the timid hero whose puppet bears a strong resemblance to Depp, and Helena Bonham Carter, Burton's wife in real life, plays the passionate, love–starved title role.
Overlooked at Animation Schools?
The visual look of the film revolves around the contrast beween the rather drab world of the living and the more upbeat and stimulating world of the dead. This inversion of expectations is classic Tim Burton playfulness.Though animation schools may not teach stop–motion technique except as a quick historical exercise, many animators appreciate Tim Burton's filmmaking because he takes us back to the basics. Stop–motion animators can't rely on technology to impress the audience. It's good old–fashioned storytelling and artisanship that seduces the audience with stop–motion animation.
Sources
Los Angles TimesAbout the Author
Alex Russel is a freelance writer living in Brooklyn, NY. Since graduating from Syracuse University he has worked at many different media companies in fields as diverse as film, TV, advertising, and journalism. He holds a dual bachelor's degree in English and History.Posted on October 25, 2005 at 12:44 PM
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