David Fincher

David Fincher was born in 1962 in Denver, Colorado, and was raised in California. When he was 18 he went to work for John Korty at Korty Films and later on went to work at ILM (Industrial Light and Magic) from 1981 - 1983. Fincher left ILM to direct TV commercials and music videos after signing with N. Lee Lacy in Hollywood. He went on to found Propaganda, a video-production company, in 1987 with fellow directors Dominic Sena, Greg Gold and Nigel Dick. Fincher's directed TV commercials for companies such as Nike, Coca-Cola, Budweiser, Heinekin, Pepsi, Levi's, Converse, AT & T, and Chanel. He's also directed music videos for Madonna, Sting, The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Aerosmith, George Michael, Iggy Pop, The Wallflowers, Billy Idol, Stevie Winwood, The Motels and, most recently, A Perfect Circle.

Trade Marks/Techniques

• Single Frame Insert. An example of this technique is in the 1999 film fight club. Single farmed images of the character Tyler Durden flash in the middle of the film reel.In depth analysis of this technique used in fight club made me think that splicing the image into the film reel showed how the narrators (Edward Norton) alter ego Tyler Durden begins to emerge more and more into his life and how Tyler starts to take over.
• Silhouettes. technique used frequently by hiding characters in the shadows as to not give away their identity (Kevin Spacey in Se7en (1995) Brad Pitt in Fight Club (1999) and John Carroll Lynch in Zodiac(2007))
• Fincher often uses attempted or successful suicide to end his films in a dark and disturbing manner.
• the use of low-key lighting with green or blue tinted colour temperature.
• Wide shots.
• Frequently use of actors such as Brad Pitt in Se7en (1995), Fight Club (1999), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008).
• Downbeat endings in contrast with the suicide endings
• A seemingly insignificant technique Fincher uses is showing the credits as a slide show (Fight Club, Zodiac, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) or in Se7en where the credits scroll downwards rather than the traditional upwards.