Beetlejuice 2 Cinematographer Teases Lots of In-Camera Effects

There have been a lot of advances in visual effects since the first Beetlejuice landed in theaters, and while those effects could make any number of sequences imaginable, cinematographer on Beetlejuice 2 Haris Zambarloukos recently confirmed that director Tim Burton aims to capture as many effects in-camera as possible. While the special effects in the original movie helped amplify the more whimsical elements of the story, many fans know that the most compelling components were the characters and the cast's performances, so while that film accomplished a number of ambitious effects, the sequel will likely lean into the talented cast once again. Beetlejuice 2 doesn't currently have a release date.

"We certainly are shooting things in-camera and for real. That's part of the charm," Zambarloukos shared with Collider. "I mean, [Tim Burton is] a great filmmaker in that respect. He's both a visionary and a very classical filmmaker at the same time. We did a lot of that on Haunting in Venice as well. What you see in the film is very much in-camera. So, yes, I think I enjoyed that aspect of the filmmaking of these last two films I've made. I think I've enjoyed immensely that reliance on practical techniques. I think you get a very, very different kind of performance out of actors when things are done in-camera, and I think you get a very different audience reaction out of in-camera effects. Those things, for example, are far more important than whether something is digital or analog. It's the authenticity of the experience, I think, that is often kind of the most impactful aspect in filmmaking."

He added, "When I see something that's done on green screen, it, it's let's just say it takes me out and when it looks like someone's standing in an actual building, you know, on and because the sets that you guys built for haunting are, you know, they're great and it just adds so much."

Throughout his career, Burton has pushed the limits of the fantastical and whimsical, but he similarly shared that he wants to channel the spirit of the first movie with his approach to this follow-up.

"Honestly, I don't really know, because I am really not that good at talking or speaking or trying to sell something, so to speak. Looking back, it's a very, very strange journey that I can't quite explain," Burton shared with Independent about thriving in Hollywood. "That's why it is hard for me to watch the movies afterwards, because I still feel the emotional whatever of it. I don't get a release from that. But I do enjoy all the people I've worked with. On this last one, Beetlejuice 2, I really enjoyed it. I tried to strip everything and go back to the basics of working with good people and actors and puppets. It was kind of like going back to why I liked making movies."  

Stay tuned for updates on Beetlejuice 2.

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