The next step is step 4 in my research method which is gathering Inspiration.

Step 4: Gathering Inspiration from Various Sources

Expand my research beyond my specific field to gain a better creative insight:

• Look at art forms like photography, fine art, architecture, or animation for design inspiration.
• Study designers or artists in different industries who tackle visual challenges in unique ways.
• Explore historical design movements or modern trends to see how different approaches could inform my work.

Photography & Fine Art

• William Eggleston – Known for his rich, warm colour palettes and naturalistic compositions, Eggleston captures the beauty in everyday life. His work often features mundane subjects, gas stations, suburban homes, quiet streets, but his use of Kodachrome film, deep reds, faded yellows, and soft blues creates a timeless, nostalgic quality. Studying his colour choices and framing techniques can inspire your own cinematography, especially in capturing sunlit roads, washed-out landscapes, and natural textures.

• Impressionist Painters – Claude Monet & Soft Light – Impressionist paintings, particularly Monet’s, are hazy, dreamlike, and light-filled, evoking memory and emotion rather than realism. Monet’s ability to capture fleeting moments—morning light on water, the glow of a sunset—parallels the soft, golden-hour lighting in Call Me by Your Name. This approach can inspire how you treat natural light in your film, embracing overexposure, slight blur, and warm pastels to create a painterly, nostalgic feel.

Architecture & Design

• Vintage Signage, Old Road Signs, and Weathered Textures – The Isle of Wight has an inherently nostalgic aesthetic, and incorporating aged typography, sun-faded road signs, rusted metal, or peeling paint can visually reinforce the passage of time. Films like Her and Call Me by Your Name subtly integrate worn, lived-in spaces to heighten their sense of memory. You could look at old British petrol station signs, seaside café boards, or 70s-era shop lettering as inspiration for framing shots or adding graphic elements to your film.

Historical & Modern Trends

• Retro Colour Palettes from 70s-90s Cinema – Older films shot on Kodak or Fujifilm stock have a signature look, with soft grain, slightly faded reds and yellows, and deep contrast in shadows. Movies from the 1970s (e.g. Days of Heaven) and 1990s (e.g., Before Sunrise) have warm, sunlit exteriors that feel rich yet natural. Researching colour grading inspired by film stock can help you recreate this look digitally.

Days of Heaven 1970’s

Before Sunrise 1990’s

References.

US Ends (n.d.) Vintage Highway Sign Photos. Available at: https://www.usends.com/blog/vintage-highway-sign-photos