Tim Burton

The progression of the influential director's artistic process, from childhood illustrations to his refined body of work.

For the last thirty years, Tim Burton has revolutionized Hollywood's genre filmmaking. Drawing inspiration from animation and silent comedy, his distinct visual style incorporates elements of exoticism, horror, and comedy. With the skill of a graphic novelist, Burton manipulates expressionism and fantasy in his work. This volume, published to coincide with a career retrospective at The Museum of Modern Art, delves into Burton's artistic and filmmaking journey. It follows the evolution of his creative process, tracing his visual imagination from childhood drawings to his current body of work. Filled with illustrations of his works on paper, moving-image stills, concept art, puppets, storyboards, and non-film projects, this volume offers a fresh perspective on Burton and includes previously unseen pieces from his personal archive.

American filmmaker Tim Burton (born 1958) is renowned for his haunting and idiosyncratic films about eccentric outcasts, many of which have become both box office hits and cult favorites. With 16 Academy Award nominations and six wins, including for iconic works such as Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (1985), Beetle Juice (1988), and Sleepy Hollow (1999), Burton has solidified his place as a visionary in the world of cinema.