Film-maker Tim Burton "exorcised demons" by basing movie characters on his own childhood enemies. The director found it therapeutic to cast clueless jocks in Beetlejuice becuase it reminded him of his own school bullies. Burton says, "Filmmaking is all about exorcising certain demons. "Those guys reminded me of people I went to school with. "Taking someone who tortured you in high school helps you to stay passionate and be personal, even in projects that are big Hollywood movies. "It takes something that's unreal and anchors it in its own reality."