Annecy Animation Festival 2024: Wes Anderson Masterclass
by Tito W. James
At the 2024 Annecy Animation Festival Wes Anderson was honored with special screenings Fantastic Mr. Fox and Isle of Dogs. The iconic auteur director took part in a lengthy masterclass that focused on the incorporation of animation into his filmography.
Anderson enjoyed animation from an early age but never considered it as a filmmaker until Fantastic Mr. Fox. Anderson approached making his first stop-motion feature no differently than if he were making a live-action film. This caused both friction and inspiration within the animation team. After making Fantastic Mr. Fox, Anderson incorporated the storyboarding techniques into his next live-action films, which help solidify the precise symmetrical aesthetic he’s known for.
When asked about his signature style Anderson equated his visual approach to be as unique as one’s own handwriting. It’s not something he overthinks, his style just comes naturally in line with what he personally likes. He enjoys the hand-crafted quality of stop-motion animation and practical effects– even if it sacrifices “realism.”
The world-building within Wes Anderson’s films can range from invented sea-life as seen in The Life Aquatic to the many compartmentalized layers of Trash Island from Isle of Dogs. The goal is to give the audience a special feeling of wonder and discovery. Anderson’s films are not to everyone’s taste– his own elementary-school-aged daughter thought The French Dispatch was one of the “most boring films ever made.” However, she also thought Asteroid City was “the second best movie” she’d ever seen. Wes Anderson’s films have charmed and befuddled children and adult alike!
Anderson expressed interest in doing another stop-motion animated film because he had such a positive experience working on Isle of Dogs. Judging by the packed house of animation students and fans from all over the world, there’s a hungry audience who can’t wait to see another animated Wes Anderson film.
