"Why'd They Write This In Letters Cut Out Of A Magazine?" An Investigation Into The Impact That Graphic Props' Meta-Language Has Upon Narrative In Wes Anderson's Films.

Having just completed my final piece of coursework for my Graphic and Communication Design degree at the University of Leeds, I wanted to thank everyone who helped make it happen. My essay was on the role of graphic objects in Wes Anderson’s motion pictures: from ransom letters to dog tags, each filmic prop enhances storytelling and world-building. Graphic design in film is a topic rarely discussed in academia. As with any material culture, graphic props deserve to be analysed in depth. Anderson, as an auteur, exhibits the broadest appreciation of graphic arts within his films, and is therefore the perfect subject for analysis. It could not have been done, however, without the help of some fantastic people. Firstly, thank you to my dissertation supervisor Catherine Stones for overseeing all my revisions. Secondly, Mark Pollard and Erica Dorn for patiently answering bizarre questions from me in their Instagram DMs! They have worked first-hand as graphic designers in Anderson’s films and provided invaluable BTS knowledge of their design processes. Finally, Frances Bennett who has worked on a few of my favourite films such as Emma, Troy, and Shakespeare in Love, and has kindly given me invaluable information on the industry that provided the foundation for my research. Thank you to all of the above for your enormous support! #graphicdesignforfilm