In October, we got our first look at stills from Tim Burton’s 1950’s style black-and-white stop-motion film, Frankenweenie. Burton describes the story as a “simple, pure relationship” between a boy and his beloved dog. So how exactly is 3 Mills Studios in London bringing life to this macabre tale?
A set visit with the artists at 3 Mills by ShockTillYouDrop revealed a set of supporting characters familiar to the horror genre and fascinating modern techniques for shooting for black and white.
Producer Allison Abate talks about making young Victor’s friends:
“It’s been fun making these kids. What would Boris Karloff in ‘The Mummy’ actually be like at 11 years old? What is Igor like as a 12 year old kid?”
Considering that the titular star of the film is Sparky, the resurrected dog, the size and detail of the sets and all of the other characters were scaled up appropriately. Art Director Tim Browning compares the scale of Frankenweenie to another Burton stop-motion film, Corpse Bride:
“[Sparky’s] one of the principal characters and in real life he would be sort of bull terrier sized. He needs to be manageable… Our adult puppets are about 50 cm high (almost 20 inches tall) whereas on ‘Corpse Bride’ they were more like 25 to 30 (about 10 to 12 inches).”
Frankenweenie will be a black-and-white film, but color does find its way into the production. Browning explains:
“Back in the old days, set painting was geared towards black and white photography and it became a whole new challenge when color came in. We’re re-creating techniques from the ’40s and ’50s that this film is homaging.”
One of Victor’s friends is a girl called “Weird Girl.” Burton had a rather specific request of her room of Browning and the art department:
“Tim said that even though the set is black and white, he wanted it to look pink.”
The film is set in a California suburb between 1965 and 1975. The challenge for 3 Mills was to “push generic and boring to such an extreme that it becomes interesting.”
I must say that the creativity and ingenuity of stop-motion animation is both old-school and innovative at the same time. Frankenweenie sounds like it will deliver a playfully Burton-esque story while showcasing the craft and skill of the artists behind the film.
Synopsis:
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. 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. 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.
Frankenweenie, directed by Tim Burton is slated to hit theaters on October 5th, 2012 and stars Winona Ryder, Martin Landau, Martin Short, and Catherine O’Hara.
