Video: "TiM," a Stop-Motion Tribute to Burton

Ken Turner's TiM:

TiM from Ken Turner on Vimeo.

Animator Ken Turner has been a fan of Tim Burton's films for many years. In an ultimate tribute to the filmmaker, Turner made TiM, a short stop-motion film in the style of Mr. Burton's own short film, Vincent, which was an homage to his own childhood idol, Vincent Price. After years in the making, Turner's TiM is gathering recognition, making the rounds online and in film festivals.

I spoke with Mr. Turner to learn more about the making of his animated tribute.




When did you first come up with this project?

In 2002, I came up with the idea when I was in my second year of college at Sheridan taking art fundamental courses and was applying to get into the animation program. Every year there would be screenings of the animation graduates final year films. So I knew that if I got in that I'd have to come up with a film idea in my final year. It was one night out of the blue when I woke up and scribbled down on a scrap piece of paper something like "boy who wants to be like tim burton.....like vincent". I probably still have the piece of paper somewhere in a box. It was to be somewhat a "re-imagining" of the story of "Vincent" but for a generation who were brought up on Tim Burton films, just as Tim grew up watching Vincent Price films. I wanted it to be a auto-biography/biography type film by pulling things that I read about Tim Burton's childhood and from my own childhood. One of the first things I read was about how he convinced the other kids in the neighborhood that aliens had landed and started a war. So I tried to build a narrative around those kind of elements.




When did you begin production?

Before actually production began, I was able to work on the film in my spare time during my years prior to getting into the animation program and after. During that time I was able to work out all the character designs, the poem, the storyboards and what equipment I was going to need to film it. From September 2006 to April 2007 was when actually production of the armatures of the characters, set/prop construction and the shooting of the animation began. I was very fortunate to have a lot of friends and colleagues who were able to come in and give their time by making sets, props, costumes or animating a scene. The production of the film was done in the basement of the house I was living in during college. It was nicknamed "The Batcave" because it was very dark and not alot of natural light got in. There were spiders and spider webs on ceilings, mice would get in sometimes but I like to think it all added to the atmosphere while making the film.




Was this your first time working in the medium of stop-motion animation?

I had never worked in stop motion before but I had visited a stop motion studio in Toronto and was very inspired by that experience. I had made a traditional animated short film prior which was called "Attack of the Giant Vegetable Monsters". I believe that film was very important to make in order to get "TiM" made because I was able to see first hand all the things that needed to be done for an animated short film to get made. During school there were not a lot of stop motion films being made. They were either traditional or 3D, and stop motion wasn't taught either. So all my education was from books or films. The behind the scenes featurettes from the films of Ray Harryhausen, Tim Burton, Henry Selick were invaluable in the production of "TiM". I think now Sheridan has alot of stop-motion films coming out every year and there is even classes/facilities for students to make films at school.




How do you think Tim Burton's work have affected your films?

I believe his work has had a very meaningful impact on my films and art. I think what I get from his films is how personal they are. So that made me think about making films very differently and how cathartic they can made. "TiM" was definitely a way for me to express my thoughts about growing up but at the same time showing how much those films mean to me.



What is the future of your short film, "TiM"?

Hopefully I can keep it on the web and let have its own life online. During February 2011 it played at the New York LES (Lower East Side) Film Festival as an opening night selection and an animation night selection. I'll keep pursuing other ways for people to see it like film festivals which can always breath new life into it and let it be seen by new audiences worldwide.



You can learn more about Ken Turner and TiM in the following links:

Ken Turner's Blog
Ken Turner's Vimeo Profile
TiM Film Production Blog

Pfeiffer Returns for "Dark Shadows"?

Michelle Pfeiffer is in negotiations to reteam with Tim Burton on Dark Shadows, says the Hollywood Reporter. The actress and the director have not worked together since Batman Returns in 1992, when she played Catwoman/Selina Kyle.

Although it is not confirmed if she will be in the film, Pfeiffer would probably play Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, "the reclusive matriarch of the Collins family which runs the Maine town."

Dark Shadows is intended to begin shooting this April.


Photo Credit: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Christopher Lee Honored at BAFTAs

Helena Bonham Carter, Christopher Lee, and Tim Burton at the BAFTAs

The legendary Christopher Lee was honored at the BAFTA awards ceremony this year, receiving the Academy Fellowship. Tim Burton presented the award to the master thespian, and Lee accepted the honor with grace and humbleness. Lee has worked with Burton on Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, and Alice in Wonderland.

Here is a video of Burton's introduction and Lee's gracious acceptance speech:




Check out another video of Lee's reflecting on his numerous roles as playing bad guys and monsters over the years.

Official “Frankenweenie” Synopsis, Details

Walt Disney Studios has released an official synopsis and production notes of the forthcoming stop-motion film, Frankenweenie. Collider provides us with these details, which includes the majority of the voice-over cast, that the film will be shot in black and white and shown in 3D, and that the film has required the construction of over 200 puppets and sets.

Following is Disney's officially released information:

Genre: Comedy adventure
Rating: TBD
U.S. Release date: October 5, 2012
Voice Cast: Winona Ryder, Martin Short, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Landau, Charlie Tahan, Atticus Shaffer
Director: Tim Burton
Producers: Tim Burton, Allison Abbate
Executive Producer: Don Hahn
Screenplay by: John August
Based on an original idea by: Tim Burton
From creative genius Tim Burton (“Alice in Wonderland,” The Nightmare Before Christmas”) comes “Frankenweenie,” a heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog. After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life—with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation, but when Sparky gets out, Victor’s fellow students, teachers and the entire town all learn that getting a new “leash on life” can be monstrous.
A stop-motion animated film, “Frankenweenie” will be filmed in black and white and rendered in 3D, which will elevate the classic style to a whole new experience.
In Tim Burton’s “Frankenweenie” young Victor conducts a science experiment to bring his beloved dog Sparky back to life, only to face unintended, sometimes monstrous, consequences.

NOTES:
• When Tim Burton originally conceived the idea for “Frankenweenie,” he envisioned it as a full-length, stop-motion animated film. Due to budget constraints, he instead directed it as a live-action short, released in 1984.
• “Frankenweenie” follows in the footsteps of Tim Burton’s other stop-motion animated films “Corpse Bride” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas”—both of which were nominated for Academy Awards.
• Over 200 puppets and sets were created for the film.
• The voice cast includes four actors who worked with Burton on previous films: Winona Ryder (“Beetlejuice,” “Edward Scissorhands”), Catherine O’Hara (“Beetlejuice,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas”), Martin Short (“Mars Attacks!”) and Martin Landau (“Ed Wood,” Sleepy Hollow”).
• Several of the character names—Victor, Elsa Van Helsing, Edgar “E” Gore and Mr. Burgermeister— were inspired by classic horror films.

Robin McLeavy for Mary Todd

LatinoReview reveals that Robin McLeavy will be playing Mary Todd in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. She will be the wife of Benjamin Walker’s Abe Lincoln. In the script, McLeavy’s character is described as a “petite 20 year old brunette,” so the casting seems appropriate for this very stylized thriller featuring a historical character.

LatinoReview also states that Dominican Cooper will play Henry Sturges (Abe's mentor), and Anthony Mackie will play Abe's best friend Will.

Rick Heinrichs on "Dark Shadows"

Production designer Rick Heinrichs and Tim Burton go way, way back. Although you're certainly familiar with their collaborations on The Nightmare Before Christmas, Sleepy Hollow, and Planet of the Apes (to name a few), the two began working together as film students in the 1980s, and projects such as Hansel and Gretel and Vincent. Now, they're teaming up again for Dark Shadows.

Heinrichs spoke with Blog of Dark Shadows recently:

BLOG OF DARK SHADOWS: What are your overall feelings about becoming a part of the project; what made you say yes?

RICK HEINRICHS: I’m a fan of Tim’s movies as well a colleague and I’m delighted to be working with him again. I also love the genre of this film.

BLOG OF DARK SHADOWS: Were you a fan of the original series or the ’91 revival?

RICK HEINRICHS: I was aware of Dark Shadows growing up for the fact that a lot of kids were running home from school to watch the series in the afternoon. It seemed an odd subject to me for a soap opera. Now of course I realize the brilliance of showcasing it as a soap: the interplay of extreme emotions pouring from the different characters brought about by this courtly vampire in their midst. I also noticed that a majority of the fans seemed to be female and I wondered what was up with that. Obviously this was before I realized that the opposite sex could be romantically attracted to the doomed bad boy. Or was it bat-boy? At that time, I was looking at horror comics like Creepy and Eerie and the work of Jim Steranko and others. That’s where I first experienced the pleasure of stories that recognized the fine line between humor and horror.

BLOG OF DARK SHADOWS: Does the experience of Sleepy Hollow serve as a kind of stepping stone for this film? Of all of Tim Burton’s films, it is the one that most closely hits on the whole Dark Shadows feeling, I think.

RICK HEINRICHS: Sleepy Hollow was the story of a rational man’s journey into the irrational. We intentionally wanted Ichabod Crane’s investigation in upstate New York to have a progressively dreamlike quality ultimately leading to a nightmare. While the two movies do share certain genre aspects as well as the male lead, it’s certainly going to be a different feeling film.

BLOG OF DARK SHADOWS: Do you envision it being a challenge capturing visual elements of that show, yet updating it for the modern audience, or is it a completely different kettle of fish?

RICK HEINRICHS: It’s not a completely different kettle of fish. The reason [we're] doing Dark Shadows to a degree is to explore and relish what was great about that series and the character of Barnabas Collins, and we intend to make it a world the series’ many fans will enjoy.

Eva Green for "Dark Shadows"

Eva Green

Casting is underway for Burton's forthcoming Dark Shadows adaptation. Deadline reveals that Eva Green, well-known for her role as the "Bond girl" Vesper Lynd in 2006's Casino Royale, is negotiating to play the role of Angelique, the female lead. Angelique is the love interest of Barnabas Collins, the vampire who will be played by Johnny Depp.

In related news, Jackie Earle Haley and Bella Heathcoate are also in talks to play prominent roles in the fantasy drama. Haley will likely play Willie Loomis, and Heathcoate will likely be Victoria Winters, the young governess of the Collins estate.

Dark Shadows is intended to finally begin production this Spring.



Bella Heathcoate


Jackie Earle Haley

Benjamin Walker for "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter"

The Hollywood Reporter informs us that actor Benjamin Walker will be playing Honest Abe in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. The alternate history thriller will be produced by Tim Burton and directed by Timur Bekmambetov.

Walker has recently been working on Broadway. He has also appeared in such films as Flags of our Fathers and Kinsey.

"Alice" Gets Three Oscar Nods

Alice in Wonderland has received three nominations for the Academy Awards this year:

-Best Art Direction:
Robert Stromberg (Production Design); Karen O'Hara (Set Decoration)

"This is the third Academy Award nomination for Robert Stromberg. He was previously nominated for:

AVATAR (2009) -- Winner, Art Direction
MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD (2003) -- Nominee, Visual Effects

This is the second Academy Award nomination for Karen O'Hara. She was previously nominated for:

THE COLOR OF MONEY (1986) -- Nominee, Art Direction"


-Best Costume Design:
Colleen Atwood

"This is the ninth Academy Award nomination for Colleen Atwood. She was previously nominated for:

NINE (2009) -- Nominee, Costume Design
SWEENEY TODD THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET (2007) -- Nominee, Costume Design
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA (2005) -- Winner, Costume Design
LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS (2004) -- Nominee, Costume Design
CHICAGO (2002) -- Winner, Costume Design
SLEEPY HOLLOW (1999) -- Nominee, Costume Design
BELOVED (1998) -- Nominee, Costume Design
LITTLE WOMEN (1994) -- Nominee, Costume Design"


-Best Visual Effects:
Ken Ralston, David Schaub, Carey Villegas and Sean Phillips

This is the eighth Academy Award nomination for Ken Ralston. He was previously nominated for:
FORREST GUMP (1994) Winner, Visual Effects
DEATH BECOMES HER (1992) Winner, Visual Effects
BACK TO THE FUTURE PART II (1989) Nominee, Visual Effects
WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT (1988) Winner, Visual Effects
COCOON (1985) Winner, Visual Effects
RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983) Winner, Special Achievement Award (Visual Effects)
DRAGONSLAYER (1981) Nominee, Visual Effects

These are the first Academy Award nominations for David Schaub, Carey Villegas and Sean Phillips.


In related news, Helena Bonham Carter has been nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in The King's Speech, one of the most acclaimed films of 2010.

You can see the televised 83rd Academy Awards on Sunday, February 27th, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time on CBS.

Update: "Frankenweenie" Due Oct. 2012

The release date of the stop-motion update of Frankenweenie has been postponed. Originally, the film was to be released on March 9th, 2012. But Disney has now moved the theatrical release date of the animated feature to October 5th, 2012.

While this means waiting a few more months to see Burton's long-awaited update, it might be for the better in terms of Frankenweenie's box office success. Releasing it closer to Halloween might be better for ticket sales, especially for a stop-motion film that might even be shot in black and white.

Frankenweenie is currently in production and will be released in Disney Digital 3D.

Burton in Jerry Rees' 'Basement'

Animator and director Jerry Rees has posted some intriguing archival material onto his official website. In his "Basement" section, Rees has posted some of his collaborations with Tim Burton from the late 1970s and early 1980s in California.

Here are three photos Rees shot with Burton as his subject:






Rees also posted two live-action shorts that he co-directed with Burton.

Doctor of Doom (1979), a parody of Mexican horror films, overdubbed by Brad Bird (director of The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, and Ratatouille).




Luau (1982), featuring animation artists Joe Ranft, John Musker, Sue Kroyer, and many others.

Part 1:



Part 2:



Part 3:

Video: "Superman Lives" Costume Test Footage

Special effects artist Steve Johnson has posted a video on YouTube of some costume tests for Superman Lives:

Video Interview: Danny Elfman

ARTISTdirect has an exclusive interview with Danny Elfman. There's also a special video from Elfman in which the composer talks about his earliest film music influences (especially Bernard Herrmann), stories behind making some of his most iconic music for Tim Burton's films, some of his favorite Burton characters, and much more. Click here to watch the video!

Here is the interview:

Is your music more inspired by a film's characters or the script? What exerts a heavier influence on your musical choices?

Well, I only tried working off the script once with Beetlejuice because I had some extra time and I thought I'd get a head start. Not one note I'd written from the script survived into the movie so I learned, especially with Tim Burton's films, never to anticipate what the movie's actually going to be like. The script is always one part of what's going to make a Tim Burton movie. I wait until I have a movie to look at, and I try to look at it with as blank of a mind as I possibly can—no expectations and no preconceived notions of what it's going to be.

Do you feel like you get especially close to each character, whether it's Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas or Batman?

Yeah, in the same manner that Tim clearly gets close to certain characters in his movies, I end up gravitating exactly the same way. There's no way not to—whether it's The Penguin or Catwoman. It doesn't matter who it is! It could be The Headless Horseman in Sleepy Hollow. You just gravitate towards a certain thing, and you find that's what pulling you along. Sometimes, you don't know what it's going to be. In Big Fish, clearly I was trying to follow the trajectory of the story and the main character but thematically I kept falling back to this mermaid character that we meet in this early fantasy that becomes a theme for Helena Bonham Carter's character later. I don't know why, but I just kept getting drawn to that as a common theme which carried me through. I never know where it's going to come from. It just does what it does.

On the box set, there's a fantastic piece called "Herrmann-esque Thing," it's a worktape from Batman. Is Bernard Herrmann someone you've always looked up to?

Well, he's the reason that I got into film music. When I met Tim on Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, I was in a band. It never occurred to me to become a film composer, but I was a fan of film music since about age eleven. I owe that strictly to Bernard Herrmann. I loved his scores. I think I was about eleven-years-old when I heard the score to The Day the Earth Stood Still, and it's the first time I noticed film music and a name. I realized, "This isn't just there. Somebody actually did it." Herrmann was always my god in terms of my love of film music.

It's interesting how everything culminated on his score for Taxi Driver.

More than interesting, it's incredible. I'll never be Herrmann in my life time, but he's the model I would strive for just in terms of the use of being inventive, melody and emotional content.

Do you have particular memories about the Sleepy Hollow score?

Yeah, it was just really fun. I didn't really know exactly what I was going to do with it. Once again, the main theme of "The Headless Horseman" wasn't The Horseman's first theme that I wrote. It became "Ichabod Crane's Childhood Theme." I ended up with this theme for him as a child and it started just following him. I just learned somewhere along the way never to argue with those impulses because they're doesn't have to be rhyme or reason. Nothing has to make sense. In fact, sometimes it's better that it doesn't. I'll look back later and go, "Well, I could see psychologically how this would've fit with this." At the time, I'm not thinking that way at all. It just kept coming back. I loved The Headless Horseman. I was incredibly proud of Tim because it's the first time he did a villain that was really a villain. He had no redeeming qualities. Normally, we love Tim's villains. They're usually the characters we associate with. The Headless Horsemen just cut off heads. There was no sense like, "Oh the poor guy, look at him stumbling around his house knocking everything over because he can't see anything while he's trying to make his cereal in the morning." [Laughs] He was a monster. When he killed that family and pulled up that little kid from under the planks, I was so proud of Tim [Laughs].

Music's the perfect way to get close to those emotions. It's the language of emotion.

Well, I guess! I'm never sure what I'm exactly tapping into when I'm doing it. I think that's for other people to judge better than me. I just go with it. With Tim's movies in particular, wherever he goes, I try to go.

How similar are orchestral music and rock 'n' roll?

They may complement each other, but not writing the music. They couldn't be farther apart. The years I had being in the band, I had to unlearn everything I'd done with them and move backwards in time to when I used to be in this musical theater group. Your sense with a band is always verse, chorus, verse, bridge, chorus—like that. When you're writing orchestral music, you have to get that out of your head really quick. There are so many places to go. You don't really a verse and a chorus. You have themes. There are limitless ways to present those themes. It doesn't really help. In a weird way, I think it's almost detrimental. I was able to figure it out, mostly due to my early studying of film scores. Although I wasn't actually studying, I was in my mind studying the scores of Herrmann, Max Steiner, Franz Waxman and, of course, Nino Rota who was also a huge influence on me and really inspired the score to Pee Wee's Big Adventure.

Is there a score that really sticks out for you?

It's a hard to pick a favorite. Listening back to everything, which was a very weird experience, there were bits of different scores where I was like, "Oh, I really like that moment." If I had to pick an overall score, it might be Edward Scissorhands. Probably, if nothing else, because it was following the intensity of Batman and we were totally left to our own in this weird world. I had no model, as I never seem to have, of what type of music will fit his films. It's just a score that I still have very fond memories. It was a very simple experience working on that film with him.

"Alice" Nominated for 3 Golden Globes

Alice in Wonderland has been nominated for three Golden Globe awards:

Best Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical: Johnny Depp

Best Original Score - Motion Picture: Danny Elfman


The 68th Annual Golden Globes will be broadcast on Sunday, January 16, 2011 live on NBC Television at 5 PM PST and 8 PM EST.

Video: Tim Burton on "The Hour"

Tim Burton was on "The Hour" with George Stroumboulopoulos on CBC. You can watch the full interview on the official website of the CBC program.

Here are two excerpts, in which Burton discusses his love of monster movies, moving in with his right-wing grandma at age 10, and his return to Frankenweenie:

Depp on "Dark Shadows" Progress

In his recent interview with Vanity Fair, Johnny Depp briefly mentioned the current state of his upcoming collaboration with Tim Burton, Dark Shadows:

"That's something I want to do. The script is close now, really close, and, you know, it's just a question of myself and Tim and the writer [Seth Grahame-Smith], basically the three of us, getting together and signing off on various scenarios. But it's really gotten good. In the last three weeks, it's gotten fuckin' good."


Photograph by Annie Leibovitz. Styled by Jessica Diehl.

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.

More "Superman Lives" Artwork, Costume Tests

Special effects artist Steve Johnson has posted more photos and artwork from Tim Burton's ill-fated Superman Lives project on his Facebook profile. Here are a few samples:

"Alice in Wonderland" 3D Four-Disc Combo Pack

Alice in Wonderland will be released in a four-disc combo pack on Tuesday, December 7th. The set will include the film on Blu-ray, a copy on Blu-ray 3D (in case you have a 3D television), DVD, and a digital copy on the fourth disc, with 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and all of the same previously released supplements (although the Blu-ray 3D disc will be a bare-bones). The suggested retail price for the Alice in Wonderland combo pack will be $49.99.

Here's a sample of one of the special features, Scoring Wonderland, in which Tim Burton and Danny Elfman discuss the making of the film's music:



Here is a list of the special features, courtesy of HighDefDigest.com. Those special features shared with the DVD release include:

Finding Alice – It’s all things Alice. This featurette includes Tim Burton’s vision for the characters, differences from the book and Disney’s version of Alice and how she evolves as both a character and actor as she takes an adventure through Wonderland.

The Mad Hatter – Audiences are provided with a deeper look into the world of the Mad Hatter. Check out Johnny Depp’s early sketches, make-up, costumes and how they digitally enhanced his eyes.

Effecting Wonderland – A behind-the-scenes piece on the different technologies used to create some of the most beloved characters in the film – Stayne, Tweedledee, Tweedledum, Bandersnatch and the Red Queen.

Blu-ray exclusives will include:

The Futterwacken Dance – Futterwhat? Check out the making of the timeless dance called the Futterwacken.

The Red Queen – The creation of the Red Queen from start to finish, including early Tim Burton sketches showcasing costume designs, make-up and digital effects.

Time-Lapse: Sculpting the Red Queen – A short time-lapse piece showing Helena Bonham Carter as she gets her make-up done. A three-hour process can be watched in just a few short minutes.

The White Queen – An interview with Anne Hathaway, who plays Wonderland’s good queen, about her character’s journey throughout the process of the film.

Scoring Wonderland – Composer Danny Elfman and Tim Burton discuss the music for the movie.

Stunts of Wonderland – A featurette highlighting some of the biggest stunts in the film.

Making the Proper Size – An inside look at the visual effects process of growing and shrinking Alice. See how filmmakers used different techniques to stay true to the storyline.

Cakes of Wonderland – Take a trip to “Cake Divas” where the creators of the EAT ME cakes provide viewers with details about how they made the smallest crumb to the largest cake in scale.

Tea Party Props – Tea cups, saucers, cakes and more. Prop master Doug Harlocker gives an overview of all the props used to bring the famous tea party scene together visually.

Video: Burton on Stop-Motion, Student Film

At the TIFF Bell Lightbox, student animator Kevin Parry had a chance to show Tim Burton his latest project, The Arctic Circle. Burton then reviewed the film on stage, and discussed his appreciation of and experiences with the medium of stop-motion animation.

You can watch Parry's film here:

The Arctic Circle from Kevin Parry on Vimeo.

And you can watch Burton's reaction here:

Tim Burton on The Arctic Circle and Stop-Motion Animation from Kevin Parry on Vimeo.