Wes Anderson is one of the most influential filmmakers of his generation. With storybook-like imagery, and highly stylized production design and cinematography he is the definition of an auteur and certainly one of my favourite filmmakers working today. His stories are as fun and interesting as his visual flair so it isn’t hard to see why he is nominated for an Academy Award this year alongside his Moonrise Kingdom co-writer, Roman Coppola for Best Original Screenplay.

While I feel I have a natural predisposition for visually bold filmmaking I’ve also fallen in love with Anderson’s aesthetic due to his wide variety of influences which uniformly affect his work. Peanuts, Orson Welles, Louis Malle, Jean-Luc Godard, Francois Truffaut, Martin Scorsese, Richard Lester, Mike Nichols, Hal Ashby, and of course, J.D. Salinger, as discussed in this great essay from The Museum of the Moving Image, penetrate his work. As a cinephile and pop culture junkie it is that kind of attention to detail in all of his films that make him stand out in the crowd. What fascinates me most I suppose is what Matt Zoller Seitz refers to as “material synecdoche—showcasing objects, locations, or articles of clothing that define whole personalities, relationships, or conflicts.” This alone cuts to the core of what production design is and why Anderson’s films are so well-designed despite being logistically ambitious and overtly in your face.

Some may not like his singular vision of a quirky universe none of us will ever know but thankfully that has never stopped him. In a cinematic landscape often overloaded with over-rated cookie-cutter films made to sedate a seemingly unaware public, Wes Anderson’s films are a welcome breath of fresh air in my books.

Without further ado, here is this months ‘Production Design Porn’:

.

BOTTLE ROCKET (1996)

.

Logline: Bottle Rocket focuses on a trio of friends and their elaborate plan to pull off a simple robbery and go on the run.

Production Designer: David Wasco | Art Director: Jerry Fleming

Set Decorator: Sandy Reynolds-Wasco

.

RUSHMORE (1998)

.

Logline: The king of Rushmore prep school is put on academic probation.

Production Designer: David Wasco | Art Director: Andrew Laws

Set Decorator: Sandy Reynolds-Wasco

.

THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (2001)

.

Logline: An estranged family of former child prodigies reunites when one of their members announces he has a terminal illness.

Production Designer: David Wasco | Art Director: Carl Sprague

Set Decorator: Sandy Reynolds-Wasco

.

THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU (2004)

.

Logline: With a plan to exact revenge on a mythical shark that killed his partner, oceanographer Steve Zissou rallies a crew that includes his estranged wife, a journalist, and a man who may or may not be his son.

Production Designer: Mark Friedberg | Art Director: Stefano Maria Ortolani 

Set Decorator: Gretchen Rau

.

THE DARJEELING LIMITED (2007)

.

Logline: One year after their father’s funeral, three brothers travel across India by train in an attempt to bond with one another.

Production Designer: Mark Friedberg | Art Director: Adam Stockhausen 

Set Decorator: Suzanne Caplan Merwanji

.

FANTASTIC MR. FOX (2009)

.

Logline: An urbane fox cannot resist returning to his farm raiding ways and then must help his community survive the farmers’ retaliation.

Production Designer: Nelson Lowry | Art Director: Francesca Berlingieri Maxwell

.

MOOONRISE KINGDOM (2012)

.

Logline: A pair of young lovers flee their New England town, which causes a local search party to fan out and find them.

Production Designer: Adam Stockhausen | Art Director: Gerald Sullivan 

Set Decorator: Kris Moran

.

Which of Wes Anderson’s films is your favourite?

.

Rose Lagace | @artdepartmental

 .

Sources: The Museum of the Moving Image, Film Grab

.

THE INTERVIEW

.

Check out this below the line interview for Paul Thomas Anderson‘s The Master with Production Designers, Jack Fisk & David Crank; Costume Designer, Mark Bridges and Editor, Leslie Jones.

.

Source: The Hot Button DP30 Series

.

THE TRAILER

.

Source: The Weinstein Company & Film Trailer Zone

.

Did you like The Master?

.

Rose Lagace | @artdepartmental

.

Tim Burton, in the early 80′s, spent a lot of time developing Trick or Treat, a still-unproduced film about a little boy who spends Halloween with monsters trying to look human for the holiday.

.

“I never really got nightmares from movies. In fact, I recall my father saying when I was three years old that I would be scared, but I never was.”

- Freaky Filmmaker Extraordinaire, Tim Burton

.

Happy Halloween! What’s your favourite scary movie?

.

Rose Lagace | @artdepartmental

.

As a new contributor to Art DepartMENTAL, I will be covering the Art department scene in Los Angeles in greater detail as the months go on. Rose and I thought it would be a good idea to start off with a little bit about myself and my work in the art department through a Q&A. So without further delay, Rose asked and I answered…

.

Which production centre do you work in? Describe what the scene there is like.

I work in Los Angeles. Currently working on a television program for TNT / Warner Brothers at the Paramount Pictures lot in Hollywood. It’s a union show and lasts almost all year, which is a blessing in this town and in these times.

The Los Angeles production scene is complex, and still saturated with people from all over the world who want to work in show business. Every day, there are union shows, non-union shows, student film projects, commercials, videos, web series, art films/projects being shot in our streets, businesses and homes. Everyone in entertainment seems to possess many tiers of activity – a personal project, a project with or for a friend/business contact, a day job, a “filler” job or temporary job and probably another incarnation or creative endeavor on top of all of this activity. The competition for work is extremely high in LA, because there are a ton of talented (and not-talented) people here and not enough well-financed projects to sufficiently hire all of these people. A lot of people matriculate to other cities to find film work, or they simply put together their own project and find financing (or use up all of their savings/trust funds).

We all comply with the hard work that production life demands: long hours, time away from family, friends and lovers, erratic work schedules, variance in pay rates, camp-like daily life in diet and work spaces, etc. There is a definite sense of “us”, the crew who lead the crew life, and “the rest”, the civilians who have jobs that have no ties to the entertainment world. The irregular timing of this lifestyle also ensures that LA is always bustling – there’s no real “dead time” anywhere. Some people are on 14 hour work days, while cohorts have the next 3 days off and can be found at the gym, at coffee shops, shopping or whatever.

What brought you to the art department?

I’m part of a generation of art department professionals that came into the craft via film work, not theater production. Many of my teachers, mentors, superiors and co-workers began in theater production, because that’s where set building is expected and began. They learned set design by turning an empty black-painted stage into a set, using flats, furniture, props, lighting, etc. Low budget and student film-making rarely have the budgets to finance set builds, but some do, and every film project needs an art department, so there are people who get into the art department and flourish.

I got into USC film school thinking I would pursue cinematography or visual effects. But I quickly realized that I had little experience with still photography, and I wasn’t a total fixer/tinker-er of machines and such – I was a painter, an illustrator and general art room nerd as a kid. When I realized that art department required a fine artist’s temperament, and should be a person who loved to decorate and create, I found my calling. I took every art department crew position I could manage while still in college and during the summer vacations. I was pretty sure that I wanted to do art department work forever. But then I also took classes at USC that let me meet agents, managers, producers and other above-the-line people, and they intrigued me too.

How did you get in?

After graduation, I took some advice from some successful USC alumni and got a job with a talent agency. This is one of the strongest recommendations I got, and one I’d pass along to anybody interested in entertainment at all – try to get a job in the mailroom of a respectable agency or management company, and move your way up to an assistant level at least. Even though it’s a completely different world, very corporate and “suit”, a good long phase in an agency as an intern, a mailroom employee and definitely as an assistant will give you the bearings and skills you need to survive the fast-paced, high pressure work environment that is Hollywood. Agency life humbles you and also stirs the embers of your ambition, if you’re doing it correctly. Also, you are forced to learn every working and important person/name out there, giving you a general but informed sense of how business is moving and where it may go.

I wasn’t that interested in the business representation of actors or directors, but I was/am interested in directors of photography, production designers, editors – crew department heads whom I felt akin to. I wanted to know how they got work. I wanted to know WHO was working, why, how they were like, what kind of money they made, what kind of projects they got attached to, all of it. I was still curious about the “suit side” of Hollywood and wanted to see how I could get along in it and with it, and still be close to production people aka “below the line talent.” At least, I could get a few important phone numbers for the next job – agents and managers have all the contacts in the business, and a good relationship with your agent or agents could segue into a good relationship with a client, which could mean your next big job.

The latter is exactly what happened to me – I became friendly with a production designer client, and when the time was right, my boss/agent let me move on and get a job in the art department with this designer client. I worked my ass off for that agent and for that client. They rewarded me for it and helped me with the Next Big Step. I went from the trenches of the agency bullpen, and straight into the production office and set life (in a different city too! I moved out of LA in a whirlwind for this new job). After that first job, I got into the IATSE 871 union in Los Angeles and began my television career as an Art Coordinator. I kept freelancing in union and non-union shows and projects. Last year, I got into the Art Directors Guild, a goal of mine I’ve had since school!

Has it been difficult?

Difficult doesn’t begin to describe this type of life and work life. You can reference the old stories about artists and entrepreneurs trying to eek out a living, trying to hold onto self-worth while no work arrives, trying to face parents and friends when no paychecks are coming in, when the dreams become muddled and are sometimes lost. Motivation to continue can be punctured by too many disappointing moments and news.

Honestly, the poor state of the economy allows “civilians” to feel the sporadic, desperate, unstable life that many artists and filmmakers experience. But if you keep trying, keep applying, keep making, the work usually arrives.

I’ve talked about this life choice with many people – film life is a marathon. You just have to keep running. You’re the one who decides to stay in or to tap out. You have to do something extraordinary to get thrown out – we all know how many crazy, insane and offensive people work in entertainment and get away with it! So if you have the stamina to keep going AND the talent to back it up – you will most likely succeed.

What kept you going?

It’s pretty simple – I love movies. I love motion pictures. I love being part of something that can tell a great story. We get to be kids and somewhat savants – we have to use our imagination and learn complex skills to execute good filmmaking and “tricks.” Succeeding through imagination and hard work is rewarding, socially and creatively speaking.

What are the differences between union and non-union worlds in LA?

Union and Non-union are different planets that use the same language. Union work, despite its shortcomings and small injustices and often lackluster product, is the way to go. Going Union means benefits, usually decent pay, and having some protection from producers/companies that can overwork and underpay crew members. Union jobs guarantee that the office kitchen is always stocked and you get paid on Thursdays. There are a lot of older people working on Union jobs, which is beneficial since you are working for and with experienced filmmakers. However, there is a lot of bickering, complaints, lack of care and disillusionment among seasoned crew members – studios and companies tend to take advantage of people, wearing down the morale and passion in many. The competition is also more traumatic because you can go from making upwards of $1200 a week with benefits when working, to nothing, if you miss the opportunity to hop onto another project. The up-and-down lifestyle can wear a person down, especially someone who has a mortgage, children, debt and other expensive, permanent hard costs.

Non-union filmmaking is the wild west. A good non-union crew understands the fundamentals of film-making, and by that I mean they know the BASICS: call sheets, meal times, sufficient and identifiable crew positions, set protocol, and hopefully the knowledge that a project needs a decent budget. You learn a lot on a non-union job and quickly recognize the innovative hardworkers. You learn how to do things the wrong way, and then the means to create a solution out of the problems. You do more than what’s expected and you can pleasantly or unpleasantly surprise yourself. Getting the job done under strenuous conditions makes you the hour’s hero and everyone gets his/her turn to shine. The creative energy tends to be high and complex because you have people who just want to create things with the little they have. That ambitious, dreamers’ energy is fantastic to participate in.

The union world is cushy and sometimes corporate. The non-union world will beat you up and give you that tough skin you’re supposed to have.

What have you learned?

Everyone serves the story. If one dares to serve the ego – the personal or collective ego – then the entire work experience can be marred and ruined. If you fail to tell the story because you are distracted by power, budget or entitlement to comforts, then you fail as a filmmaker.

Also, if the crew life is too hard for you, take a break. Or be honest and stop pursuing this line of work. There are a lot of people out there who want a chance to try to succeed in entertainment production and they shouldn’t be held back by disgruntled, ungrateful workers.

What is the best part of your job?

Every moment is about how to make something. Art department is focused on “making it real”, making tacit environments and objects that help tell a story – directors have space to navigate, cinematographers have something to film and actors have area to perform. As part of the Art department, you create the make-believe world that other people can only imagine.

Why do you love the art department?

I grew up on movies and television shows. I was always in love with the “worlds” that motion pictures could create – fantastic other-worlds, or simply a different view into someone else’s life, someone who could be living in a nearby apartment that is completely visually different from my house. Art department is in charge of manifesting these ideas. We build huge playgrounds so everyone on set and everyone who watches can believe they are somewhere else. We get the first real pass at suspending disbelief. That’s pretty magical.

.

Now my turn to ask a question: Why do you love your job?

.

Monica Sotto | @msottovoce

.

.

The production design for Prometheus surprised a lot of people when the first set stills leaked. Instead of the grungy, mechanical aesthetic of Alien, which it predates, Prometheus’ sets are clean, brightly lit, and very colourful. It’s texturing is much less heavy than Alien, and the reflective surfaces and bold, graphic palette seem a world away from the 1979 film’s muted golds, browns and creams. Ridley Scott’s influences for the look of Prometheus can be tracked back to the 1965 film Planet Of The Vampires - in fact the space suits for the Prometheus crew are taken almost verbatim from that film. Broadly speaking though, pulp sci-fi appears to be the major influence for the film’s look, mixing it’s tone and colour with updated version of the bulkheads and corridors of the original Nostromo sets. Prometheus’ prop vehicles, the RT Rovers, continue this theme.

.

.

What did you think about the design aesthetic of the Prometheus Rovers? How did you feel about Prometheus?

Matthew Clark | @mr_clark

.

All written content and Prometheus Rover images are the property of Matthew Clark and ArtDepartMENTAL.com. Please do not copy, reblog, or reuse the above content without our express written consent.

All rights reserved | Copyright 2012

.

“If you can spend your time doing the best you can doing shit- then why do it.”
– Veteran Cinematographer, Haskell Wexler

.

Thoughts?

.

Rose XO.

.

Tom Hanks hands husband and wife team, Dante Ferretti and Francesca Lo Schiavo their Oscars for Best Art Direction

.

Dante Ferretti was the only winner to thank his crew, let alone any below-the-line crew. Films get made on the backs of their crew and I was so pleased to see that Dante respects his crew enough to thank them. It was lovely to see him win his 3rd Oscar for his staggering work on Hugo which topped my list for best production design this past year. For once the Academy had it right. Below is Dante Ferretti’s acceptance speech:

.

“Thank you to the Academy for this prestigious award. A great thank you goes to the producer Graham King and Tim Headington. To all my art department. But the most of all my very special thank you to a eccezionale of director who guide us through this wonderful journey, Martin Scorsese. Thank you, thank you, thank you very much. Grazie, Martin.”
– Dante Ferretti, Production Designer

“This is for Martin and for Italy.”
– Francesca Lo Schiavo, Set Decorator

.

For a list of all the nominees and winners of the 84th Academy Awards, click here.

.

Were you happy with Hugo winning the Academy Award for Best Art Direction? Did you enjoy the Oscars?

.

Rose XO.

.

.

10) MONEYBALL

Director: Bennett Miller

.

9) MARGIN CALL

Director: J.C. Chandor

.

8 ) BEGINNERS

Director: Mike Mills

.

7) MELANCHOLIA

Director:  Lars von Trier

.

6) CAFÉ DE FLORE

Director: Jean-Marc Vallée

.

5) HUGO

Director: Martin Scorsese

.

4) SHAME

Director:  Steve McQueen

.

3) MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

Director: Woody Allen

.

2) DRIVE

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn

.

1) THE TREE OF LIFE

Director: Terrence Malick

.

Honorable Mentions: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Bridesmaids, Young Adult, Take Shelter, The Descendants, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Artist and Monsieur Lazhar

Movies I have yet to see thus didn’t make it on the list: A Separation, Margaret, Le Havre, Weekend, We Need to Talk About Kevin

Worst Film of the Year: New Year’s Eve

.

What were your favourite films of 2011?
.

Rose XO.
.

After some long and hard deliberations I have pared down what are, in my opinion, the top 10 best production designed/art directed films of 2011. In the end, given the subjectivity of film in general,  all this means is these were my design favourites. Going through the many films I had on my list I was awestruck at the diversity, styles and overall quality of so many of the films. 2011 was really a banner year for production design the way I see it. Last year, I found it easy to just do a top 5 but this year I found it impossible not to do a top 10 and I easily could have made it a top 20.

So I just want to say to everyone who worked on these films- Bravo! Sincerely, you all deserve a pat on the back and a bottle of booze on me. I have the utmost respect for you all. Those who work in the art department know how hard it is; we know these sets don’t come together like magic. It’s an intense endurance run to the finish line mustering up every skill you’ve ever learned on a whim. It’s a hard gig but thrilling if you can get it.

To all those past, present and future working in art departments all over the world to make visions come to life- I salute you. You truly make movies better and don’t let anyone tell you differently.

Cheers & Enjoy!

.

10) THE HELP

.

Production Designer: Mark Ricker | Art Director: Curt Beech | Set Decorator: Rena DeAngelo | Director: Tate Taylor | DOP: Stephen Goldblatt | Costume Designer: Sharen Davis

The Help Trailer

.

9) SHAME

.

Production Designer: Judy Becker | Art Director: Charles Kulsziski | Set Decorator: Heather Loeffler | Director: Steve McQueen | DOP: Sean Bobbitt | Costume Designer: David C. Robinson

Shame Trailer

.

8) DRIVE

.

Production Designer: Beth Mickle | Art Director: Christopher Tandon | Set Decorator: Lisa K. Sessions | Director: Nicolas Winding Refn | DOP: Newton Thomas Sigel | Costume Designer: Erin Benach

Drive Trailer

.

7) THE DESCENDANTS

.

Production Designer: Jane Ann Stewart | Art Director: T.K. Kirkpatrick | Set Decorator: Matt Callahan | Director: Alexander Payne | DOP: Phedon Papamichael | Costume Designer: Wendy Chuck

The Descendants Trailer

.

6) THE ARTIST

.

Production Designer: Laurence Bennett | Art Director: Gregory S. Hooper | Set Decorator: Austin Buchinsky & Robert Gould | Director: Michel Hazanavicius | DOP: Guillaume Schiffman | Costume Designer: Mark Bridges

The Artist Trailer

.

5) MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

.

Production Designer: Anne Seibel | Art Director: Jean-Yves Rabier | Set Decorator: Hélène Dubreuil | Director: Woody Allen | DOP: Darius Khondji & Johanne Debas | Costume Designer: Sonia Grande

Midnight in Paris Trailer

.

4) THE TREE OF LIFE

.

Production Designer: Jack Fisk | Art Director: David Crank | Set Decorator: Jeanette Scott | Director: Terrence Malick | DOP: Emmanuel Lubezki | Costume Designer: Jacqueline West

The Tree of Life Trailer

.

3) TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

.

Production Designer: Maria Djurkovic | Art Director: Tom Brown & Zsuzsa Kismarty-Lechner | Set Decorator: Tatiana MacDonald | Director: Tomas Alfredson | DOP: Hoyte Van Hoytema | Costume Designer: Jacqueline Durran

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Trailer

.

2) HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2

.

Production Designer: Stuart Craig | Art Director: Neil Lamont & Gary Tomkins | Set Decorator: Stephenie McMillan | Director: David Yates | DOP: Eduardo Serra | Costume Designer: Jany Temime

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 Trailer

.

1) HUGO

.

Production Designer: Dante Ferretti | Art Director: David Warren | Set Decorator: Francesca Lo Schiavo | Director: Martin Scorsese | DOP: Robert Richardson | Costume Designer: Sandy Powell

Hugo Trailer

.

Winning by just a hair Hugo took my top spot due to complexity of 3D, different time periods done to superb perfection as well as the overall romantic and lush look of a film in love with film.

Which were your favourites in production design this year?

.

Rose XO.

.

A meme is “an idea, behavior or style that spreads from person to person within a culture.” A meme acts as a unit for carrying cultural ideas, symbols or practices in this case being the “What People Think I Do” meme. I found it particularly interesting when I started seeing the art department taking part as I do believe people really don’t know what we do. Even major producers don’t know what we do. So I compiled 5 of the memes I felt most related to the art department below:

.

.

You can also check out this Set Designer ‘What People Think I Do’ Meme here.

.

.

.

Did you see any other ones that you liked? Luckily these memes are dead as they are getting old but what did you think of the meme?

.

Rose XO.

.