David Fincher

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David Fincher

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  • [single frame insert] His movies often features several single frames that flash on the screen in the middle of a scene (Fight Club (1999)).
  • Fluid tracking camera which can access anywhere. A digital age innovation in camera movement pioneered by David Fincher andKevin Tod Haug along with BUF Paris (perhaps inspired by earlier developments ofMax Ophüls andStanley Kubrick).
  • [Silhouettes] Frequently has characters in the shadows where you cannot make out their face (Kevin Spacey inSebun (1995), The Killer inZodiac (2007), andBrad Pitt inFight Club (1999)).
  • His films often end in a suicide, either attempted or successful
  • His films often have low-key lighting with green or blue tinted color temperature.
  • Turned down the offer to directCatch Me If You Can (2002), opting to doPanic Room (2002) instead.
  • Turned down the offer to direct8mm (1999), opting to doFight Club (1999) instead.
  • Like one of his main influences Stanley Kubrick, he demands a high number of takes for each scene in attempt to familiarize the cast with the film sets and dialogue as well as deconstructing their carefully constructed performances in favor of a more genuine performance.
  • It was the 1969 feature film,Asu ni mukatte ute! (1969) that inspired him to pursue acareer in cinema.
  • While growing up in Marin County, one of his neighbors wasGeorge Lucas. He later worked on the special effects crew ofSutâ wôzu/Jedai no fukushuu (1983), produced and written by Lucas.
  • I don't know how much movies should entertain. To me, I'm alwaysinterested in movies that scar. The thing I love aboutJaws (1975) is thefact that I've never gone swimming in the ocean again.
  • I don't want to tell you how to do your job, but somebody has to.
  • Directing ain't about drawing a neat little picture and showing it tothe cameraman. I didn't want to go to film school. I didn't know whatthe point was. The fact is, you don't know what directing is until thesun is setting and you've got to get five shots and you're only goingto get two.
  • People will say, "There are a million ways to shoot a scene", but Idon't think so. I think there're two, maybe. And the other one iswrong.
  • As a director, film is about how you dole out the information so thatthe audience stays with you when they're supposed to stay with you,behind you when they're supposed to stay behind you, and ahead of youwhen they're supposed to stay ahead of you.

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