Happy Halloween from the Tim Burton Collective News blog!
Video from KJ92508.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
No "Beetlejuice 2" Without Burton's Blessing
Entertainment Weekly spoke with David Katzenberg and Seth Grahame-Smith, the heads of KatzSmith productions, to learn more about their various upcoming plans and projects. Included in were two possible projects that may involve Tim Burton -- emphasis on "possible" and "may." The first was a possible sequel to Beetlejuice.
David Katzenberg: We’re not remaking Beetlejuice. People have been very angry about that.
Seth Grahame-Smith: When Warner Bros. came to us about it, we said the only way we’d do it if we got Tim [Burton’s] blessing and involvement, and we got that, and the star of the movie has to be Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice, and it’s a true continuation 26 years later. Not just throwing him in as a cameo going, “Hey, it’s me. I endorse this movie.” We’re not there yet [with Keaton] because we don’t have a film to present to him.
The second film discussed was a possible stop-motion animated feature, Night of the Living. The idea is still only a concept, but the duo are considering pitching it to Tim Burton. The story concerns a community of monsters whose peaceful lives are turned around when they are invaded by humans.
Seth Grahame-Smith: Night of the Living is all of the topes of horror movies, but turned on their head from the monster’s point-of-view.
Again, however, Night of the Living does not yet have Burton attached to it.
Seth Grahame-Smith wrote the screenplays for two future Burton films, Dark Shadows and the Burton-produced Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. David Katzenberg is the son of Jeffrey Katzenberg, founder and head of DreamWorks Animation.
Image Credit: Noel Vasquez/Getty Images
Alice Cooper's "Dark Shadows" Cameo Confirmed
Alice Cooper poses in his "Welcome to My Nightmare" maze at Universal Studios Hollywood's annual Halloween Horror Nights attraction in Los Angeles. (David Sprague / Universal Studios Hollywood)
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Alice Cooper has confirmed that he will have a cameo in the forthcoming Dark Shadows movie.
In an article by the Los Angeles Times, Cooper described his experience on the set and told the writer about his role in the film. “They should take that set and make it a haunted house next year,” Cooper said of the Pinewood Studios constructs that include a sprawling gothic mansion and a harbor city complete with pier and boats floating in an artificial ocean.
Cooper plays himself in the film, which is set in 1972 – Johnny Depp’s character, the recently revived vampire Barnabas Collins, hires the rock star to play a private ball at his seaside home in Maine.
“He’s a guy you have to watch when he’s up on the stage and the songs are just classic,” Depp said last month about Cooper, who, wearing his trademark makeup, plays “No More Mr. Nice Guy” in the film. (His collaboration with Depp went beyond the confine of Pinewood — the actor brought his guitar along to perform with the rock star and his band during a London gig.)
Cooper said he also found in Burton a simpatico soul.
“Rock and horror and comedy work together, that’s something I’ve known a long time and people like Rob Zombie know, and Burton knows that too,” Cooper said. “Sometimes the comedy is disguised a little bit, it’s dark, but it is there. You can’t do horror and rock with a punchline in a way. There’s the absurd stuff and there’s just that delivery of the ’Oh!’ moment that is like a punchline. I just saw Final Destination 5 and I was laughing so hard. I mean, it was Wile E. Coyote, all these elaborate things leading up to this moment of impact... there’s something like that in our shows, too. Hitchcock would do it too. There’s the setup, the misdirect and then the delivery. Tim Burton knows it so well. He’s one of a kind. He’s a kindred spirit.”
Video: Danny Elfman on "Dark Shadows" Score
In the last few weeks, while the film has been shooting in the UK, Danny Elfman has been experimenting with some of the musical elements for his score for the adaptation of Dark Shadows.
MTV News asked the composer about his work so far on the project.
"It’s still very early, they’re not even done shooting. I just sent them some stuff so they can play with it while they’re editing," Elfman said about his progress on Shadows at the premiere of Real Steel, the score for which he also composed. "I think it’s just going to be fun. You can tell from Johnny Depp’s hairstyle right off the bat, it’s like, ‘Oh wow, that’s different.’ It’s [set in] the ‘70s, it’s going to be fun."
"I think this will be a little wilder than 'Edward Scissorhands,' but I don’t know. I really don’t know what to expect until it’s done."
Elfman also said that he and Burton had discussed the use of a smaller-scale orchestra, perhaps to emulate the music for the original TV series and classic motion pictures involving vampires and other gothic monsters. Elfman did something similar for his iconic music for The Nightmare Before Christmas. But Elfman stated that nothing has been set in stone yet.
"I think we might keep it small. That was Tim’s first thought to make it very small, but having said that maybe we’ll make it big. Things can change between now and then."
FearNet also asked Elfman if the film's score would include the theme from the original television series.
"We had this discussion with Batman," said Elfman, "[about] whether we wanted to incorporate the TV theme. And Tim said, ‘No, don't do that.' And on Planet of the Apes, once again, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; that was a big one – "Do we incorporate it in?" "No." So I'm just guessing that he's gonna say no again, that he's gonna want to develop his own language and dialogue for this."
"Having said that," Elfman laughed, "who knows? You may just hear a theramin!"
MTV News asked the composer about his work so far on the project.
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"It’s still very early, they’re not even done shooting. I just sent them some stuff so they can play with it while they’re editing," Elfman said about his progress on Shadows at the premiere of Real Steel, the score for which he also composed. "I think it’s just going to be fun. You can tell from Johnny Depp’s hairstyle right off the bat, it’s like, ‘Oh wow, that’s different.’ It’s [set in] the ‘70s, it’s going to be fun."
"I think this will be a little wilder than 'Edward Scissorhands,' but I don’t know. I really don’t know what to expect until it’s done."
Elfman also said that he and Burton had discussed the use of a smaller-scale orchestra, perhaps to emulate the music for the original TV series and classic motion pictures involving vampires and other gothic monsters. Elfman did something similar for his iconic music for The Nightmare Before Christmas. But Elfman stated that nothing has been set in stone yet.
"I think we might keep it small. That was Tim’s first thought to make it very small, but having said that maybe we’ll make it big. Things can change between now and then."
FearNet also asked Elfman if the film's score would include the theme from the original television series.
"We had this discussion with Batman," said Elfman, "[about] whether we wanted to incorporate the TV theme. And Tim said, ‘No, don't do that.' And on Planet of the Apes, once again, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; that was a big one – "Do we incorporate it in?" "No." So I'm just guessing that he's gonna say no again, that he's gonna want to develop his own language and dialogue for this."
"Having said that," Elfman laughed, "who knows? You may just hear a theramin!"
First Look at "Frankenweenie"
Entertainment Weekly provides the very first official look at Frankenweenie, in glorious black and white!
In the article, Tim Burton also spoke fondly of a childhood dog, and how it might have influenced his original short film and its new feature-length update.
“It’s such an unconditional relationship,” Burton recalls. “A lot of kids have that experience – I certainly had that experience with a first pet. You’ll probably never have it again in your life in that way, it’s so pure and memorable.”
“His name was Pepe — we lived in a Spanish neighborhood,” Burton recalls. “Our dog had this thing called distemper, and wasn’t supposed to live more than a couple of years. He lived much longer than that, which kind of fed into this Frankenstein mythology as well.”
What kind of dog was Pepe? “It was a mix, kind of a mutt, with a bit of terrier, and a bit of something else,” Burton says. “I don’t know what it was. It was kind of a mixture.”
Sparky, the main character of the film, may look a bit freakish once he gets his stitches, but the story is more simple and heartfelt than outlandishly macabre. “It just tries to keep that idea of a very, simple pure relationship,” Burton says. What’s more pure than the story of a kid and his first pet?
“Mix that with the Frankenstein myth,” Burton adds with a chuckle, “and it causes problems.” But the big beating heart in the story (apart from the re-animated one inside Frankenweenie’s chest) is the sad fact that we all outlive those four-legged pals from our childhood, and goodbye can be a painful thing. The idea of bringing a lost friend back to life? “It has its good side and repercussions,” Burton says. “Ultimately, we try to go with the slightly more positive aspects of keeping that [boy-and-his-dog] relationship going.”
In the article, Tim Burton also spoke fondly of a childhood dog, and how it might have influenced his original short film and its new feature-length update.
“It’s such an unconditional relationship,” Burton recalls. “A lot of kids have that experience – I certainly had that experience with a first pet. You’ll probably never have it again in your life in that way, it’s so pure and memorable.”
“His name was Pepe — we lived in a Spanish neighborhood,” Burton recalls. “Our dog had this thing called distemper, and wasn’t supposed to live more than a couple of years. He lived much longer than that, which kind of fed into this Frankenstein mythology as well.”
What kind of dog was Pepe? “It was a mix, kind of a mutt, with a bit of terrier, and a bit of something else,” Burton says. “I don’t know what it was. It was kind of a mixture.”
Sparky, the main character of the film, may look a bit freakish once he gets his stitches, but the story is more simple and heartfelt than outlandishly macabre. “It just tries to keep that idea of a very, simple pure relationship,” Burton says. What’s more pure than the story of a kid and his first pet?
“Mix that with the Frankenstein myth,” Burton adds with a chuckle, “and it causes problems.” But the big beating heart in the story (apart from the re-animated one inside Frankenweenie’s chest) is the sad fact that we all outlive those four-legged pals from our childhood, and goodbye can be a painful thing. The idea of bringing a lost friend back to life? “It has its good side and repercussions,” Burton says. “Ultimately, we try to go with the slightly more positive aspects of keeping that [boy-and-his-dog] relationship going.”
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Thanksgiving Parade to Feature Burton Balloon
Next month, on November 24th, Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in New York City will feature a specially commissioned balloon designed by Tim Burton, writes Dave Itzkoff of The New York Times.
“It’s such a surprise to be asked, and it was great,” Mr. Burton said in a telephone interview from London. “It’s such a surreal thing that you don’t even believe what you’re hearing. Somebody’s trying to play a joke on you or something. It had that kind of feeling.”
Burton even wrote an origin for this character, named B. Boy. B. was created, Frankenstein’s monster-style, from the leftover balloons used in children’s parties at the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. Forbidden from playing with other children because of his jagged teeth and crazy-quilt stitching, B. retreated to a basement lair, where he obsesses over Albert Lamorisse’s film “The Red Balloon” and dreams that he, too, will be able to fly someday.
“There’s always been something about balloons,” Mr. Burton said, by way of explaining his B. Boy character. “You see them deflated and you see them floating. There’s something quite beautiful and tragic and sad and buoyant and happy, all at the same time.”
Mr. Burton’s sketches of his B. Boy character, as seen from various angles.
“Maybe we’re stepping into the dark side here,” said Amy Kule, the parade’s executive producer, “but Tim’s balloon, although gothic, is really fun in spirit, and nobody should be worried that it’s going to be scary or should be part of a nighttime parade rather than a daytime parade. We’re pretty cognizant about what we put in the air, and this balloon deserves to be up there with all the others.”
Burton didn't think his style was particularly transgressive, either. “I’ve always felt like my stuff was never that weird or subversive, but that’s just me thinking that,” he said. “For me, it’s pretty natural. Maybe for others, it might not be so much.”
But will Burton appear at the parade itself on November 24th?
“I’ll probably be hiding somewhere, in a building,” he said. “That’s why I’m not an actor – I’m more a stay-behind-the-camera kind of a person. My marching-band days are over. I did that way back when, and I was pretty bad at it then, so leave it to the experts.”
You can read a bit more about the making of the balloon at the original article.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Video: Depp on Vampire Inspirations
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During an interview with MTV News to promote The Rum Diary, Johnny Depp talked about his inspirations from classic vampire films that he used to craft his version of the character Barnabas Collins in Dark Shadows.
"The memory that I have of watching the show as a kid, Jonathan Frid and what he did with that character was the main inspiration, for sure," he said of the actor who originated the role of Barnabas. "But also the idea of, over the years, these vampire movies have come out and vampire TV shows and stuff like that, and you go, 'Well, nobody looks like a vampire, man. What happened?'
"I adored Dracula, still do. I adored [everyone] from Bela Lugosi to Christopher Lee. I adore Nosferatu, [played by] Max Schreck. I adore all those wonderful sort-of horror films. And it was an opportunity really, an opportunity to sort of go into what really doesn't exist [onscreen] so much anymore, which is classic monster makeup and a classic monster character," Depp explained. "So that was really the inspiration Tim and I talked about."
Christopher Lee will reportedly appear in Dark Shadows, which will be released May 11, 2012.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Two New "Dark Shadows" Photos
Helen O'Hara of Empire Online reports from the set of Dark Shadows, and brought back two new photos of the director and his cast making the new film.
Screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith discusses the time period in which the film is set: "Tim and Johnny took a long time explaining exactly why it had to be 1972. 1969 was too early and 1973 was too late. 1972 is right at the time when the hippie movement and all its peace and love is dying out and being replaced by this me-me-me generation in the '70s who are all about showing their wealth and having everything."
Tim Burton with Michelle Pfeiffer (playing Elizabeth Collins Stoddard) and Jonny Lee Miller (playing Roger Collins).
Producer Richard D. Zanuck also talked about why the film will not be made or released in 3D: "We discussed this quite a bit. We didn't want to be categorised as another 3D extravaganza, because this isn't. We have action sequences, but mostly it's interaction between characters, and that's where the humour and the story come from."
You can learn more about the film in the new issue of Empire, which will be available in stores in the UK this Thursday.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Photo: Two New "Frankenweenie" Characters Revealed
(Click on the image to see it in full size.)
Flickr user Steven Kuhn has uploaded an image from the Tim Burton exhibition at LACMA in Los Angeles. The photo shows two stop-motion puppets of two new characters in Frankenweenie, "Edgar" and "Weird Girl." Like the rest of the animated cast, both characters have been directly designed by Tim Burton. Catherine O'Hara (Beetlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas) will provide the voices for both characters.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
First Official "Dark Shadows" Image Released
(Click the image for an enlarged version.)
Entertainment Weekly has provided the first official image from Dark Shadows. The shot was staged by Tim Burton himself early in production.
The cast in the image, from left to right: Dr. Julia Hoffman (Helena Bonham Carter), Carolyn Stoddard (Chloë Moretz), Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green), David Collins (Gulliver McGrath), Victoria Winters (Bella Heathcote), Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp), Mrs. Johnson (Ray Shirley), Willie Loomis (Jackie Earle Haley), Roger Collins (Jonny Lee Miller), and Elizabeth Collins Stoddard (Michelle Pfeiffer).
Read the article to hear more about the characters' backgrounds from Entertainment Weekly and screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Burton Remembers "A Clockwork Orange"
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Stanley Kubrick's classic, and still magnificent and disturbing, film, A Clockwork Orange. Tim Burton spoke with Gina McIntyre of the Los Angeles Times and recalled his memory of seeing that unforgettable film 40 years ago.
"It looms quite large," Burton said. "I remember I saw that movie at a drive-in on one of the first dates I ever had. It was a double bill of Clockwork Orange and Deliverance. My girlfriend got drunk, and I remember watching Clockwork Orange and her throwing up the backseat while I just sat there and watched the movie."
"I have a very strong memory of that," Burton said. "I’ll never forget it."
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Photos: Depp, Burton Shooting "Dark Shadows"
Photos have surfaced of Johnny Depp and Tim Burton shooting Dark Shadows on location in Devon, UK. The photographs were taken on September 13th.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
"Dexter's" Hall May Star in "Big Fish" Musical
Deadline reports that Michael C. Hall, star of TV's Dexter, is in negotiations to possibly play the lead role of Edward Bloom in the Broadway musical production of Big Fish. The part was originally considered for Hugh Jackman, according to the producers of the show.
Hall is no stranger to the stage. He has previously starred in productions of Cabaret and Chicago.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
"Beetlejuice" Sequel Coming, and Another Stop-Motion Film?
Deadline reports that a Beetlejuice sequel will likely come into existence at some point. KatzSmith Productions partners David Katzenberg and Seth Grahame-Smith (author of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, as well as the screenwriter for the film versions of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Tim Burton's Dark Shadows) have just signed a two-year first-look feature producing deal at Warner Bros., and one of their first projects will be a sequel to the 1988 comedy. Grahame-Smith will likely write the script for the sequel. No word on a projected release date as of yet.
Other projects that may be included in the deal are We Three Kings (an adaptation of Grahame-Smith's next revisionist novel about what the Three Wise Men were really up to on Christmas Eve), Bryantology (about a man who invents a religion based around himself as a tax loophole) and, most interestingly, Night of the Living, a stop-motion animated comedy about a town of monsters who find themselves besieged by an invasion of living humans, which Tim Burton himself might be producing with KatzSmith.
Other projects that may be included in the deal are We Three Kings (an adaptation of Grahame-Smith's next revisionist novel about what the Three Wise Men were really up to on Christmas Eve), Bryantology (about a man who invents a religion based around himself as a tax loophole) and, most interestingly, Night of the Living, a stop-motion animated comedy about a town of monsters who find themselves besieged by an invasion of living humans, which Tim Burton himself might be producing with KatzSmith.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Video Interviews: Producers on "Frankenweenie"
ClevverMovies spoke with Frankenweenie producers Allison Abbate and Don Hahn at the Disney D23 Expo. The two animation veterans discussed why revamping Burton's 1984 original live-action short film into a feature-length stop-motion animation is relevant to the storyline, what new ideas screenwriter John August is bringing to the project, and much more:
About.com has another video interview with Abbate and Hahn. In this video, the producers talk about how people (especially children) have responded to the black and white format of the animated film, why the film will be in 3-D, and more.
A small amount of footage of the animated film was shown to the D23 audience. While that footage has not been leaked, the response has been very positive. The Hollywood Reporter exclaimed that Frankenweenie "could be the coolest Tim Burton movie since the 1990s, maybe even since A Nightmare Before Christmas."
About.com has another video interview with Abbate and Hahn. In this video, the producers talk about how people (especially children) have responded to the black and white format of the animated film, why the film will be in 3-D, and more.
A small amount of footage of the animated film was shown to the D23 audience. While that footage has not been leaked, the response has been very positive. The Hollywood Reporter exclaimed that Frankenweenie "could be the coolest Tim Burton movie since the 1990s, maybe even since A Nightmare Before Christmas."
Sunday, August 21, 2011
"Frankenweenie" Logo Revealed
The official logo for Tim Burton's stop-motion Frankenweenie was revealed this weekend at the Disney D23 Expo.
Click here to view a massive high-resolution version.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Original Cast to Appear in "Dark Shadows"
Dread Central reports that the Comic-Con panel for the cult television soap series, Dark Shadows, had some interesting bits of information about the forthcoming feature film adaptation. Hermes Press hosted a Dark Shadows panel with Lara Parker (who played "Angelique" in the TV show), Kathryn Leigh Scott ("Maggie Evans" and "Josette du Pres"), and Jim Pierson (consulting producer for the new Dark Shadows film).
Parker and Scott were extremely excited to share the news that they, along with both David Selby ("Quentin Collins") and Jonathan Frid (the leading vampire "Barnabas Collins") spent three days at Pinewood Studios during the filming of Tim Burton's upcoming Dark Shadows movie. The former cast members also spoke very highly of Johnny Depp, star of the new film and a longtime fan of the original TV series, who greatly admired the four actors being on set. The icing on the cake was Depp telling Frid in person, "None of this would be here if it wasn't for you."
Scott went on the clarify that the new film will not be concerned with being a straight homage for hardcore fans, but "so inclusive", and she believes Burton's vision is not reverential, just "a damn good movie." She and Parker also mentioned how Michelle Pfieffer and Helena Bonham Carter had become hooked on the series. Originally Bonham Carter wanted to play Angelique but now loves being Dr. Julia Hoffman - she's "eating it up!"
Jim Pierson officially confirmed that Danny Elfman will be the composer of the film's score. While the score will be original, Pierson stated that Elfman may also incorporate musical elements of Bob Cobert's original TV theme.
Parker and Scott were extremely excited to share the news that they, along with both David Selby ("Quentin Collins") and Jonathan Frid (the leading vampire "Barnabas Collins") spent three days at Pinewood Studios during the filming of Tim Burton's upcoming Dark Shadows movie. The former cast members also spoke very highly of Johnny Depp, star of the new film and a longtime fan of the original TV series, who greatly admired the four actors being on set. The icing on the cake was Depp telling Frid in person, "None of this would be here if it wasn't for you."
Scott went on the clarify that the new film will not be concerned with being a straight homage for hardcore fans, but "so inclusive", and she believes Burton's vision is not reverential, just "a damn good movie." She and Parker also mentioned how Michelle Pfieffer and Helena Bonham Carter had become hooked on the series. Originally Bonham Carter wanted to play Angelique but now loves being Dr. Julia Hoffman - she's "eating it up!"
Jim Pierson officially confirmed that Danny Elfman will be the composer of the film's score. While the score will be original, Pierson stated that Elfman may also incorporate musical elements of Bob Cobert's original TV theme.
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
"Dark Shadows" Set Revealed
MovieWeb.com has revealed the very first glimpse of the production of Dark Shadows. Filming began in May, and it looks like work is nearly finished on the exterior of the Collinwood Manor, situated in the Bourne Wood, U.K.
Thursday, June 09, 2011
"BIg Fish": The Musical
The New York Times' Art Beat reports that Big Fish will be adapted into a Broadway musical, possibly by Spring 2012.
Susan Stroman, the Tony award winning director and choreographer of "The Producers," will direct. The musical also has Andrew Lippa ("The Addams Family") writing the music and lyrics and John August is writing the book for the show. August also wrote the screenplay for the 2003 Tim Burton film.
Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen, who produced Burton's film adaptation of Daniel Wallace's novel, will also be producing the Broadway musical.
“John August and Andrew Lippa have taken inspiration from Daniel Wallace’s book and Tim Burton’s movie and completely re-imagined this ambitious story for the stage,” Mr. Jinks said in a statement. Added Mr. Cohen: “Susan Stroman has the artistic vision and talent to bring this tale of reconciliation between a father and son to the stage.”
Cast members and the design team will be announced later.
Susan Stroman, the Tony award winning director and choreographer of "The Producers," will direct. The musical also has Andrew Lippa ("The Addams Family") writing the music and lyrics and John August is writing the book for the show. August also wrote the screenplay for the 2003 Tim Burton film.
Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen, who produced Burton's film adaptation of Daniel Wallace's novel, will also be producing the Broadway musical.
“John August and Andrew Lippa have taken inspiration from Daniel Wallace’s book and Tim Burton’s movie and completely re-imagined this ambitious story for the stage,” Mr. Jinks said in a statement. Added Mr. Cohen: “Susan Stroman has the artistic vision and talent to bring this tale of reconciliation between a father and son to the stage.”
Cast members and the design team will be announced later.
Saturday, June 04, 2011
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.
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.
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