Epic Creativity from Tim Burton & Disney: #Frankenweenie

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.

Tim Burton is the Master of Epic Creativity

Ok, now I know that Tim Burton movies are a little different, and they’re not everyone’s cup of tea. But for us – they are some of our most-loved family movies. From my childhood favorite that’s been upgraded to 3D – The Nightmare Before Christmas, to me and Abby’s favorite story to watch together on a rainy day – Coraline – Tim Burton makes the most unique, interesting, and totally imaginative films you’ll watch as a family. Love them. So – it’s no surprise that I’m pretty darn excited to hear about the new one coming out this fall – Frankenweenie!

About Frankenweenie from Tim Burton

A stop-motion animated film, “Frankenweenie” was filmed in black and white and then rendered in 3D. The talented voice cast includes: Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Martin Landau, Charlie Tahan, Atticus Shaffer, Robert Capron, Conchata Ferrell and Winona Ryder. Presented by Disney, “Frankenweenie” is directed by Tim Burton, and releases in U.S. theaters on October 5, 2012.

Fun Frankenweenie Facts:

“Frankenweenie” is the first animated film that Tim Burton has directed for Disney.
When Tim Burton originally conceived the idea for “Frankenweenie,” he envisioned it as a full-length, stop-motion animated film. Due to budget constraints, he instead directed it as a live-action short, released in 1984.
Over 200 puppets and sets were created for the film; there were 17 Victors and 12 Sparkys. Since each animator worked independently on different scenes, multiples were needed. They also needed backup in case a puppet required repair.
Incredibly talented artists were able to take Tim Burton’s original drawings and sculpt them into three-dimensional sculptures, which were then cast in a combination of silicone and latex. Their costumes are all sewn with miniature stitches to keep in scale. Wigs are made for them from real human hair and then applied strand by strand so that the puppets have a more realistic hairline. Inside each puppet there is a metal armature, which acts like a skeleton and gives the animator the ability to move the puppets and act out the scenes with incredible subtlety and finesse.
The sets for the film were built on tabletops. The vast majority of the miniature props for the sets were made by hand and hand-painted and detailed.

Mark your calendar: Frankenweenie releases in U.S. theaters on October 5, 2012!

Follow Frankenweenie on Facebook, and check out Disney Pictures on Twitter for updates on other fun new family flicks! The best movies come from Disney – watch for the new animated film featuring a princess as the main hero {so cool!} – Disney*Pixar’s Brave releases soon too!