After years of gestation, artist-turned-director Tim Burton is finally behind the camera for his adaptation of the British soap opera Dark Shadows, which heads a mighty cast. During an interview with TheWrap he explained that they’ve already begun filming some intensive footage while also really delving into the film’s “tone.”

“It’s been hard to kind of come here because I’m just starting, and it’s a weird tone and it’s a lot of actors and, you know, we’re not starting with the simple stuff; we’re sort of getting right in there. You like to kind of sneak up on it a little bit, but this one we just kind of slammed right into it, he explains also talking a bit about the soap opera qualities. “Yes, I don’t know. I’m early into it because it’s a funny tone, and that’s part of what the vibe of the show is, and there’s something about it that we want to get. But when you look at it, it’s pretty bad. I’m hoping that it will be — it’s early days, let’s put it — I’m very intrigued by the tone. It’s a real ethereal tone we’re trying to go for and I don’t know yet.”

He also confirms that Warners pic starring Johnny Depp, Jackie Earle Haley, Bella Heathcote, Cloe Moretz, Eva Green and Michelle Pfeiffer is NOT being shot in 3-D for its May 11, 2012 release.