Tim Burton is only afraid of one thing: artificial intelligence

Tim Burton, whose imagination has spawned many dark and mysterious worlds, has candidly admitted that artificial intelligence causes him anxiety. The director, known for his unusual characters and atmospheric films, shared his fears at the opening of an exhibition «The World of Tim Burton» in London to coincide with Halloween.

Artificial Intelligence and Burton’s work

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Burton said he was appalled by a website that used AI to combine his drawings with Disney characters. “It really disturbed me,” he told reporters. “It wasn’t something intellectual – it was an internal, gut feeling. I was looking at these works and thinking, «Some of them are pretty good» … But it gave me a weird sense of dread.”

So I was looking at these works and thinking, «Some of them are pretty good» but it gave me a weird sense of dread.

He said AI is likely unstoppable: “As soon as it becomes possible, people will do it.” However, when asked if he would use the technology in his art, he responded with a smile: “Take over the world?”, he joked.

He said.

Career and analog art

The exhibition clearly shows Burton staying true to his analog roots. As a child in the 1960s, he began drawing in his home in California, using paints and colored pencils. “I wasn’t a particularly talkative child, and drawing became a way of expressing myself,” the director recalls.

And drawing became a way of expressing himself.

Despite his success in movies, his idea-making process always begins with a pencil sketch. The exhibit features more than 600 items, including props, costumes and sketches, showing the evolution of Burton’s ideas from first drafts to full-fledged films such as «Edward Scissorhands», «Batman» and «The Nightmare Before Christmas».

Here are some of the best examples of Burton’s work.

London exhibition

The London exhibition is the final leg of a ten-year tour that has traveled to 14 cities and 11 countries. For this exhibit, 90 new objects were added, including early drawings and curious finds from Burton’s archives. One interesting exhibit was a sign for garbage trucks, which Burton drew as a teenager and which won a competition in his hometown of Burbank.

A sign for garbage trucks, which Burton drew as a teenager and which won a competition in his hometown of Burbank.

In addition, the exhibit includes a reconstruction of Burton’s studio, including his favorite tools and a cup depicting «The Curse of Frankenstein» full of pencils.

Many of the hundreds of items on display include iconic costumes from his films, such as the claws of Edward Scissorhands and the black latex costume Catwoman worn by Michelle Pfeiffer in «Batman». According to exhibition curator Maria McLintock, it was difficult to synthesize such a diverse career for Burton in one exhibit, but it was a “fun challenge.”

According to the exhibition’s curator.

Burton’s Legacy

Burton is one of Hollywood’s greatest directors today, whose uniquely gothic aesthetic even spawned the term “Burtonesque”. Even so, he still feels like an outsider. “The feeling of being an outsider never goes away,” he says. Burton also noted that each of his pictures has been a challenging experience, leaving emotional scars.

He also said that each one of his films has been a challenge, leaving emotional scars.

His work has always reflected an empathy for outcasts and monsters, which makes his movies truly emotional. “Even if they’re dark, there’s always hope in them,” McLintock added. “And that hope makes the audience want to stay in that darkness.”

And that hope makes the audience want to stay in that darkness.