5 Elements that Lay the Foundation

of a Wes Anderson Film

In a 10-minute mini-documentary, Paul Waters goes through five elements that are almost always part of a Wes Anderson film and thus have become over the 2 decades the American Filmmaker has been active, part of his signature.

Wardrobe

Wes Anderson films often take wardrobe a step further than other films by keenly reflecting the characters internal personal stories on their outer being.

Overhead Shot

What differentiates the “Anderson Overhead Shot” from others overhead shot is that he takes the opportunity to establish intimacy by showing personal rituals, letter writing or any other activity that gives further insight into a character.

Font

One of the most identifiable design choices is the use of the font FUTURA across most of his films. What makes this particularly interesting is that Futura is not only used in the title, but the font is also integrated into the films.

Single Shot

Wes Anderson is sought after for his talent choreographing successfully the single shot.

Music

In Anderson’s films, the soundtrack always plays an important role in setting the tone for characters, moods, and scenes. Although the choices are eclectic, varying from India Reggae to campfire sing songs, Anderson does have a certain signature style. He often uses the music of British invasion artists and in particular the Zombie, the Kinks, and the Rolling Stones. In addition to existing music, he also utilizes the talents of contemporary writers and composers, most notably Mark Mothersbaugh and Seu Jorge.

Watch the full video below for more on each part:

Wes Anderson: A Mini Documentary from Paul Waters – BEC on Vimeo.

—

More about Wes Anderson and his work