Bridge of Spies

Graphic prop design by Annie Atkins, 2015

Bridge of Spies, directed by Steven Spielberg, presented a unique challenge for Atkins: every prop had to be historically accurate to the Cold War era. Unlike the fictional world of The Grand Budapest Hotel, this film was based on a true story, meaning every document, sign, and piece of printed material had to feel genuinely period correct.

The majority of the signage in the film was handmade by Atkins and her team. One particularly memorable detail appears in an early train station scene, where a sign reading "Walk, do not run" appears just moments before the characters break into a chase. It is a small detail that most viewers would never consciously notice, but it demonstrates how graphic design can function as a storytelling device rather than just background decoration.

Atkins has spoken about how working on a historically grounded film like Bridge of Spies required deep research into the visual language of the period, from typography and printing techniques to the kinds of paper and ink that would have been available at the time.