1. Tim Burton Essay

2. Thesis Statement
Topic + Claim + Universal Idea + Direction (order may be changed)
Topic = Subject of your essay, for literary analysis, it’s the __author and title______
Claim = strong _____verb__________
Universal Idea = the abstract idea (can’t touch this!), for literary analysis, it’s the ___theme__________
Direction = the __evidence from the text you will be using______

3. Thesis: Example Topic - In his movies, Tim Burton
Claim (verb) - celebrates
Universal Idea – social outcasts possess unconventional beauty
Direction – 3 cinematic techniques
Direction 1 – low-key lighting (or lighting)
Direction 2 - low-angle framing (or framing)
Direction 3 - and flashbacks

4. Put it all together now…
In his movies, Tim Burton celebrates the fact that social outcasts possess unconventional beauty through his use of low-key lighting, low-angle framing, and flashbacks.

5. Write your own thesis…
Choose three cinematic techniques that Tim Burton uses to develop the narrative of his film. Write an essay that analyzes how Tim Burton uses these techniques across films to convey a theme.
What theme do you want to write about? You can use any of the ones we’ve discussed throughout our viewings, or you can choose a different one.
You need to select three cinematic techniques to create your thesis statement.
Topic + Claim + Universal Idea + Direction

6. Helpful Hints Your thesis statement is basic and bland. That’s ok.
Should be ONE sentence.
If you are adding anything more than the 4 parts of a thesis statement and a few filler words, you’re doing it wrong.
The extra information and interesting commentary will be added in your introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

7. Highlight and label the parts of your thesis statement.
Number the cinematic techniques (#1, #2, #3)
If you have extra fluff, take it out. (I’m not kidding)
Talk to me if you’re not sure.