Video Interview: Burton on Art, "Dark Shadows," "Superman Lives"

The Wrap conducted an extensive interview with Tim Burton. The filmmaker discussed a myriad of subjects, including the origins of his artwork, why Dark Shadows will not be in 3D, and the failed Superman Lives project.

The video below features some of the interview, which was fully transcribed below:



Can you talk about the creature series, the untitled animation series, the number series; some of the more unfamiliar portions of the show?

A lot of these things came at a time when I was a student or working at Disney when I wasn’t really an animator, I just sort of had a lot of free time. There’s a period in my life when I wasn’t very social, and that’s how I spent my time, drawing and thinking of things, and it helped me. I think I was quite a depressed character at a certain point in life. This was kind of a catharsis for me, as a way to kind of explore and just get feelings out into the open nonverbally but just by doing things.

Is that something you commonly do to relax, just sit down and draw?

Yeah, it is. It’s a bit kind of like a Zen thing for me. It was a way for me to communicate with myself in a weird way, in a way to kind of explore things that I couldn’t quite intellectualize or verbalize. I found drawing was a way of finding a certain reality for me and exploring things. So yeah, it’s still important even if I’m busy doing other things.

When you were at Cal Arts, you felt you weren’t a good "life-drawer," but you had a revelation while sitting and drawing over at the Farmer’s Market.

I’ll never forget, it was like a mind-expanding moment. I was sitting at Farmer’s Market and we were there on a class trip, sketching. I was frustrated, and I just said, “Fuck it. I can’t do this so I’m just going to draw.” And at that moment, it just changed for me. Not that my drawings got any better, but it just did something that I truly felt like my mind expanded. It was like taking some kind of drug and it just did something. I’ll never forget it.

A character from “The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy,” Stain Boy is said to have come out of your experience trying to get “Superman” made at Warner Bros. How does he reflect that experience and can you talk about the struggles between Jon Peters, you and the studio?

Any filmmaker that’s had that happen will tell you, it’s kind of a scarring. You don’t forget it. It’s kind of the worst thing that can happen to you because, as an artist you get excited -- your whole energy is based on your passion for doing something. And then when you’re going on and on and on, and that’s sort of taken away, it’s quite traumatic because you put your passion into it. If you didn’t care, you’d just move on. It’s happened a couple of times. It seems to happen more and more with people. You know, it’s a lot of money; it’s a big responsibility. And movies are a gamble. There’s no such thing as a sure thing. I’m always amazed that certain studio executives don’t realize that. I guess there’s some things that are a bit more sure than others, but at the same time, you got to rely on the filmmaker. I’ve always been grateful when the studios understand, "Well, you’re the one making it, we should support you." I’ve always had this image of like, "Okay, you’re the star athlete,’ and right before the race, they beat the shit out of you then say, “Okay, now go win the race.” It doesn’t make any sense.

I know you’re in the first week of “Dark Shadows.” How do you usually ease the cast and crew into a production?

It’s been hard to kind of come here because I’m just starting, and it’s a weird tone and it’s a lot of actors and, you know, we’re not starting with the simple stuff; we're sort of getting right in there. You like to kind of sneak up on it a little bit, but this one we just kind of slammed right into it.

It’s based on a soap opera. Will it have that soapy quality?

Yes, I don’t know. I’m early into it because it’s a funny tone, and that’s part of what the vibe of the show is, and there’s something about it that we want to get. But when you look at it, it’s pretty bad. I’m hoping that it will be -- it’s early days, let’s put it -- I’m very intrigued by the tone. It’s a real ethereal tone we’re trying to go for and I don’t know yet.

Can you talk about your first meeting with Johnny Depp and how your relationship has evolved over the years? I understand you used to have to fight to get him in movies, and now people are begging you to put him in movies.

It’s true, I mean I just had an immediate connection with him. I didn’t know him, but he just felt right for “Edward Scissorhands.” We’re friends and colleagues, and we’ve always taken the tack of not working together just to work together. It’s got to be the right part, the right movie, all of that sort of thing. There’s a good sort of non-communicative communication, you know. Because especially back then I was not a good verbal communicator, and he’s a bit similar, but there’s more of a psychic kind of connection, I would say, that sort of has remained. I like actors, too, that like to change, become different things. Those are the kinds of actors I find fun and exhilarating to work with.

Will “Dark Shadows” be in 3D?

I have no plans for that. I loved doing "Alice" in 3D. “Frankeweenie,” gonna do that in 3D. There’s people like, "Everything’s gonna be in 3D," or "I hate 3D!" I think people should have a choice. I don’t think it should be forced on anybody. At the same time, it’s great, some of it. It’s like "Yes or no!? 3D! Yes or no?!" It’s like, well, you know, come on, whatever, some yes, some no.

Twitter-Made Stainboy Story Complete

Tim Burton's recent Stainboy story experiment -- in which fans contributed to the writing of the short story via Twitter -- is now complete. Check out the entire story on the official website.

Help Burton Write Story on Twitter

Tim Burton is making a unique appearance on the Internet. The filmmaker working on a project called Cadavre Exquis, which encourages people to help write a story involving his original character, Stainboy, via Twitter.

Burton wrote the first line: “Stainboy, using his obvious expertise, was called in to investigate mysterious glowing goo on the gallery floor ...”

Only the best lines will be selected, but you can give it a shot and contribute to the writing project at burtonstory.com.

Glenn Shadix, 1952-2010

Tragic news: actor and Tim Burton collaborator Glenn Shadix passed away. He was 58 years old, and died in his home in Alabama. Here is the information from his official website:

"It is with great sadness and pain that the family of William G. “Glenn Shadix” Scott announces his passing this morning.

A memorial service will be held at Lakeside Baptist Church, 2865 Old Rocky Ridge Road, Birmingham, on Saturday, September 11th at 2 p.m.

The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made in Glenn’s name to the Theatre Department of the Alabama School of Fine Arts, 1800 8th Avenue, Birmingham, AL 35203."


Glenn Shadix is best known for his role as the pompous interior decorator in Tim Burton's 1988 film, Beetlejuice. He also appeared in Burton's Planet of the Apes in 2001, supplied his voice for the Mayor in The Nightmare Before Christmas, and lent his voice to the early flash animation series The World of Stainboy, created by Tim Burton in 2000.