Above: Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) in his classic outfit.

Wes Anderson is well known for his strong visual style. The principles of Mise en Scene are strongly at work in every shot in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

Most notably, film’s colour scheme is crucial in creating the look and feel of each shot. Primary colours reign supreme: the red of the crew’s beanie’s the blue of their uniforms, and Anderson’s trademark yellow constantly present. By placing repeating colours throughout the frame, Anderson creates a sense of harmony within each shot’s colour scheme. Where these colours are absent, is it done to great effect, such as the all-white colour scheme of Hennessey and his crew, emphasizing the difference between the two teams.

The film’s staging recalls strongly traditional theatre and classic Hollywood films like Casablanca. Characters are arranged carefully in the shot; framed by other characters and the environment. The characters are often arranged in a stage-like formation – facing the audience. Moreover, the acting is frequently stylized and humorously dramatic, especially noted in the way the actors interact with each other. The shot of the Zissou team in special operation mode all jumping one by one over the tennis net is one that stands out. This style of acting further communicates the film’s quirky, humorous genre.

Anderson also manipulates space in framing his shots. Subjects are frequently placed centrally to the shot, framed within symmetrical set design. Similarly, characters are also placed at opposing ends of the shot to create balance within the frame.

Stage craft is further echoed in the camera movements. Anderson frequently pans horizontally across the screen. Often, the action happens on a flat plane – the camera follows the actors as they traverse horizontally along the screen with the camera. The sets are designed to allow for this, especially in the cut out set of Zissou’s boat.