Esteva - Reflective Blog

   Through the development of this course we have watched a total of eleven movies and read one book of the publicly acclaimed director, writer and cartoonist Tim Burton. Since the course started we have studied the different elements and aspects that characterize the various films and how to analyze them.

     Within the aspects of a film that we learned how to analyze is the story line and how each movie is divided by and introduction, the moment of climax or the conflict and the resolution to said conflict. Knowing this helps one realize what are the truly important points of every movie and what the director wants you to give more attention to.

     Another thing that we practiced a lot though the course was the use of mise en scene. This term, in movies, refers to how all the visual elements of stage production are placed. Practicing the analyze of the elements in frames of the different Tim Burton movies has made me understand more clearly why directors do what they do while filming the movie. For instance, if the choose to portray any character with the camera looking up at him or her, is because they intend to give said subject certain power or sense of greatness. Because of mise en scene I am now able to understand more clearly what the director is trying to say to the audience.

     Between what was studied in the course we also had what is known as biographical criticism, or the links between certain way of art and his or her creator. In most of the Tim Burton films watched during class this is a very present aspect. As we learned through our book, Gothic Fantasy, Tim Burton went through a rough childhood. His family and friends never accepted him, so most of the time he was obligated to be by himself and feel like a total outcast. As we have seen in his movies many of the main characters have the same characteristics he had as a child. For example, since a young age Bruce Wayne was alone an misunderstood, which led him to find something he could do to entertain himself, so he created Batman. Tim Burton also as a lonely person found refugee in his art. His way of escaping reality was his drawings, writing and later in life his movies.

     Edward Scissorhands also represents how Tim Burton felt during a long period of time. Alone, even though at some point he had many people surrounding him. These two mentioned characters are also an example of an artist’s expression. For Tim Burton, he created someone he could relate to and feel close to.

    During this course I also realized something that every person should know. Even though you already decided what you want to be in life and already know what you have to do in order to achieve it, it is also important to go slightly out of your path and stop to learn about different things. Because, although it may not benefit you in your goal but it will certainly change the way of how you see life and what life gives you.