Director Wes Anderson has always been distinguished for his visual artistry, detail-rich sets, and storybook-like imagery. From the whimsical, campy feel of Moonrise Kingdom to the carefully crafted sets and miniatures in The Grand Budapest Hotel, Anderson’s movies are visual masterpieces.

The design-conscious filmmaker has some practices in common with successful mobile user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) designers. Professional designers can learn to improve their apps by studying the director’s techniques and implementing such practices within their creative processes. Here are five key tips:

1. Pay attention to detail.

Anderson has been called the “most meticulous filmmaker alive.” That attention to detail is evident in his set design, color palettes, and typography. For The Grand Budapest Hotel, the director brought on graphic designer Annie Atkins who designed every artifact in the movie displaying type. To emulate an authentic feel for the film, Atkins used a real 1930s typewriter to create all the typewritten documents.

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For designers, attention to detail conveys a love for the end product. The tiniest specifics, like carefully placed elements and close examination of each pixel, allow the user to be completely immersed in the app experience. Equally, the level of detail shown in The Grand Budapest Hotel is what allows the audience to be immersed into an entirely different world. Designers who build captivating detail-filled apps can create an emotional connection with the end-user, one that truly engages the user and encourages brand loyalty.

2. Composition and symmetry matter.

One of the visual hallmarks of a Wes Anderson film is its symmetry. Korean filmmaker Kogonada expertly illustrates this by placing a centered white line atop numerous shots from Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Royal Tenenbaums, and other Wes Anderson films. This collection of scenes showcases the director’s talent for perfectly arranging disparate elements:

Like Anderson, mobile designers aim to build well-balanced compositional layouts and create visual order. Using grid structures helps achieve structural balance, and brings attention to visual cues and calls-to-action, so the user can quickly find desired content and be subconsciously pleased with the app’s overall look and feel.

3. Research guides the content.

Anderson conducts research with set designers in an iterative, creative process that allegedly starts with Google scouting to try and find striking locations. Every place he and his team visited for Moonrise Kingdom, whether online or in person, was an influence on the final design. The director even inserts photographs into his scripts for visual reference.