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Production Designer Spotlight
Wes AndersonWhat If Metropolis
Brad Lee King
Wes Anderson
A Brief History
Wesley Wales Anderson was born on May 1, 1969, in Houston, Texas, Born the middle child of three brothers. Of his two brothers, his younger brother Eric is a writer and artist who's paintings have featured in several of Wes'
films.
His first ventures into filmmaking were with his father's Super 8 camera, which he used to make silent films with
starring his brothers and friends, originally aiming to become a writer like his younger brother would become.
After graduating from St. John's School in 1987 he went on to attend the University of Texas to study Philosophy while working part time as a cinema projectionist, while there he
would go on to meet a recurring collaborator Owen Wilson.
Common Themes and
Practices
Among the films that Anderson has
produced since he started his professional
film career in 1996 with the film Bottle
Rocket, there are a series of recurring
elements that have are now commonplace
and tropes that fans of his expect to see in
future releases.
These can include...
Recurring Cast
There has always been a select group of
performers that repeatedly appear in
Anderson's pictures, from his near constant
partnership with actor Owen Wilson, to his
constant work with Bill Murray since his
second feature Rushmore (1998)
Soundtracks
Anderson's films are well known for their
mix of 60's and 70's pop music where one
band will normally fill the majority of a
single films soundtrack.
These score choices normally co-inside with
the melancholy vibe of his films.
Colour Palette
Another trope of his films is the use of a
limited colour palette throughout the
picture. Once he has decided upon the
overall look and atmosphere of the film, he
will normally stick to that palette and colours
that are similar.
And Finally...
Symmetry
The most well known visual theme Anderson has become known for, and the main reason for me
choosing him, his near obsessive use of symmetry in his sets and shots in films.
Clearly inspired by Kubrick's work in films like The Shining and 2001, this practice has become common place in all off Anderson's recent films.
The reason this is relevant to me, is because my What If Metropolis artist Charley Day, used
symmetry to a similarly frequent amount in his work.