Tim Burton is arguably one of the most creative and innovative filmmakers that Hollywood has seen over the years. His quirky aesthetics and eccentric method of direction has given rise to a unique brand of cinema that is visually and emotionally rich in content and emotion. With films like Edward Scissorhands, Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice In Wonderland, and many more, Burton has cemented his place among the top creators in Hollywood.
The director, who will be helming a sequel to one of his most iconic films Beetlejuice, sat down to talk about his plans for the narrative. In the course of the conversation, Burton also spoke about the influence of AI and his personal experiences with the dominance of technology that is slowly taking over human effort.
Tim Burton Was Disturbed By AI Generated Copies Of His Disney Drawings
The advent of AI is a double-edged sword that has generated a lot of awe and hype while also posing a threat to human creativity and effort. Veteran filmmaker Tim Burton faced the effects of the technology first hand. The Corpse Bride director is also famous for having sketched many Disney characters as part of his collection. When he saw AI generated images of his artwork as part of a series organized by Buzzfeed, Burton was completely taken aback by what the technology came up with. While he admitted that some of sketches were very good, the filmmaker confessed that they were a definite threat to the world of animation. Speaking to The Independent, he said,
“What it does is it sucks something from you. It takes something from your soul or psyche; that is very disturbing, especially if it has to do with you. It’s like a robot taking your humanity, your soul.”
Burton went on to add that he, like any other original artist, hated to see his work cloned or imitated and AI posed a definite threat to the creative future of people in the field.
Filming Beetlejuice 2 Was Nostalgic For Tim Burton
Beetlejuice directed by Tim Burton, came out in 1988 and instantly became a cult classic for its spooky and quirky narrative. It starred Winona Ryder as goth teenager Lydia Deetz and Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice, a mischievous spirit who tries to purge Lydia and her family from their new home. Now, 25 years later, Burton is set to helm a sequel to his famous film which will feature Jenna Ortega as Lydia’s daughter and Michael Keaton reprising his role as Beetlejuice. Speaking of the experience and reuniting with his old ensemble, Burton told BFI,
“Working with these people again, and seeing them all, it was very emotional for me. Again, just going back to the old, same puppets and techniques. It goes back to the good old days.”
Burton revealed that working on the sequel allowed him to go back to the basics of filmmaking which reinforced the reasons behind why he became a director all those years ago. Unfortunately, the film was stalled with just a day and a half of filming to go, owing to the Writers Strike. At present, Beetlejuice 2 is slated to release in September, 2024.
Source: The Independent, BFI
