Tim Burton's, Big Fish Shows Use of Design Principles
Can design principles be seen in still shots from Tim Burton’s movie, Big Fish? I say yes.
Just like any art, filmmakers choose to set up a seen artfully. Sometimes the use of design principles is so subtle, we, the viewers, don’t even realize that every single shot has been throughly planned and executed. For example, in the scene shot where the young Edward Bloom (Ewan McGregor) first lays eyes on the young Sandra Bloom (Alison Lohman) at the Circus, he is so enchanted that time stands still. Edward has to know who she is; he can’t look away.
In this busy scene, our eye is drawn to Sandra's character, but have you ever thought about why? I have dissected the frame to show the design principles that stand out the most.
The room is completely still as Edward moves through it. In this scene Edward pushes aside a still piece of popcorn suspended in the air as he walks toward Sandra. Every detail of the scene has been perfectly designed to make the viewer feel as enchanted as Edward.
Although Sandra looks in Edward’s direction, she does not see him. Just as he draws near, Sandra walks away before he can reach her.
Sandra does walk away before Edward can reach her, but he’s determined to meet her and goes on to find out who she is and does all he can to ensure their meeting happens.
It was interesting to see how design principles are used the same way in different mediums. What stood out the most to me was the use of composition to tell a story in every single frame. I feel that implementing these design principals in my own artwork will help me create more interesting and beautiful art.
