Isle of Dogs

Graphic prop design by Annie Atkins, 2018

Isle of Dogs, directed by Wes Anderson, presented one of the most technically demanding challenges of Atkins' career. As a stop motion animated film, every single graphic element had to be designed and built at a miniature scale, from newspapers and food packaging to maps, dog tags, and political campaign posters.

Unlike live action films where props can be handled and adjusted on set, stop motion requires everything to be precisely crafted in advance. Atkins and her team designed entire worlds of printed material that would appear on screen for only a fraction of a second, yet each piece was made with the same level of care and detail as if it were a full size prop.

The film is set in a fictional Japanese city, which meant Atkins also had to research and incorporate authentic Japanese typography, calligraphy, and visual culture into her designs. Much of the graphic work in the film takes the forefront of the story, functioning as a storytelling device that guides the viewer through the world Wes Anderson created.