There's something so unique about Wes Anderson's films that it's hard to imagine anyone else replicating them. But believe it or not, there's a new trend happening on TikTok that embodies the director's signature style in just a few seconds — and you can join the trend, too. Whether you're an aspiring filmmaker or just want to pay homage to the director, here are some tips to help you get Wes Anderson on TikTok so you can look like you're in your favorite movies life as a character.
From the composition of each shot to the way the film is edited, Wes Anderson's works have always had a specific, aesthetic look that makes them stand out from the rest. The color grading, set design, costumes, and whimsical approach all seemed unique, or at least they did until TikToker @avawillyums ended the fantasy for good. On April 8, the creator released a video that romanticizes a boring train ride like in an Anderson movie, and the result is everything you'd expect: fast editing, symmetrical shots, playful music, and quirkiness costumes. It only takes 24 seconds. Since the video went viral, the hashtag #wesandersontrend has been viewed more than 10.7 million times and the OG TikTok has received more than 2.3 million likes.
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It didn't take long for the eerily accurate video to inspire other fans to try their own wacky filmmaking trends, like the one creator @keithafadi made while having lunch with his wife.
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Luckily, you don't have to be a movie fanatic to edit your life like Wes Anderson, because these tips on how to replicate the director's work with your phone and basic editing software are all you need.
The first tip comes from @thewanderingcass, who suggests steering clear of the "TikTok pan" when participating in this trend. According to the creator, TikTok panning essentially just pans from one thing to another, which adds "visual interest to things that aren't visually interesting." Conversely, one of Wes Anderson's signature style choices is his ability to create interest through stillness, which means you need to keep the camera as still as possible to replicate his style. In other words, if you want to "pan" from one thing to another, you're better off inserting two separate shots of your subject rather than including them in the same shot.
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If you don’t know the editing process, don’t worry because @tipsforcreators has got you covered. The account gives an in-depth look at the length of clips when making a Wes Anderson-style TikTok, and even gives you an idea of what the editing process might look like when making a video using CapCut. If the video is still too complex to understand, you can simply import the footage into your account's Wes Anderson CapCut template, which you can access here.
A title card explaining what you're doing is a sign of this trend (no matter how mundane the task at hand), so don't forget to include it at the beginning of your video. You'll also want to add timestamps to events to make the experience more realistic to the movie.
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Another must-have feature in Wes Anderson movies is fantastic color grading, which you can achieve with CapCut by following this video created by @tipsforcreators that shows you which filters to use and The contrast and saturation levels to emulate.
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Finally, TikToker @esno.art recommends incorporating lines into your compositions to emphasize the symmetry of the shot, and rotating the camera 90 or 180 degrees when editing. "Never shoot at an angle, instead point your camera directly at your subject so all lines are straight," shares a Wes Anderson enthusiast in this video.
Other suggestions from creators included using music by Anderson's frequent collaborator Alexandre Desplat (most chose the "Obituary" audio from The French Express to complete their videos) And avoid any "shaky handheld shots." Architecture, landscaping or interiors with "warm and earthy tones" are crucial, and don't forget about clothes and items with a "vintage look".
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If you've been on Tumblr, you've probably retweeted screenshots from movies like Moonrise Kingdom , The Tenenbaums , and The Grand Budapest Hotel . Now you can make your life feel like a movie with these Wes Anderson-inspired editing tips in TikTok.
