FINCHER’S CONSTRUCTION OF THE SOCIAL MODEL

 The Social Network (2010) is a biography of a young billionaire, Mark Zuckerberg, and the creation of Facebook and the following lawsuits. But aside from all this, it is more than just a biography, but rather a cinematic experience sharpened by David Fincher’s unique directional decisions. Fincher is known for his signature low colour scheme, balanced framing and good camera quality, visual effects, clean editing techniques, subtle and precise use of sound; all these signature features are recognized in the movie. Fincher also makes use of Jesse Eisenberg’s (who played Mark Zuckerberg) subtle acting to show little to no emotion, which makes it hard to know what is going on in his mind, this makes the character feel cold, distant or complicated, this deeply affect how the character Zuckerberg is seen in the movie. In this review, I’d talk about how Fincher’s filmmaking choices cause an understanding of characters and emotions.

Known for his unique editing style, rigid camera movement and framing, Fincher often creates movies that prioritize details over opinions or tends in the industry. He takes a step further through his emotionally distinct style. Through quick cuts, fast conversations, time shift between the past and present in the movie, with little or even no time for any emotional pause or reflection, this editing gives us a reflection of how Zuckerberg operates, racing to the very next moment like nothing just happened a few moments ago. An instance is the scene after Erica breaks up with him, there was very little any moment of emotion as he immediately rushes back to his hostel and starts Facemash, and he doesn’t process to think through the breakup but redirects his energy towards the coding of the Facemash. The fast pace editing is seen again during the coding, there are cuts between Zuckerberg coding, girls’ profiles, guy voting, boys reacting in the campus, the editing is in rhythm with the music played in the scene(“In Motion”) all this shows us Zuckerberg’s state of mind, focused, driven and unemotional. Asides fast-paced, sharp, quick cuts editing and all, the editing is tight and consistent, there is no shaky camera, rarely a scene full much emotion, consistent throughout the movie and even such scenes full of emotions are cut out cleanly with no focus on pain or dramatic music in use, this editing keeps us emotionally distanced just like Zuckerberg where emotions are like noise to him not to be considered. We also experience parallel editing or cross-cutting in the movie, the constant shifting between the past and present. This editing isn’t just for storytelling but to take us through the life of Zuckerberg. Through the editing, Fincher makes us feel how Zuckerberg feels and thinks.

Fincher’s style in The Social Network portrays Zuckerberg emotionally using a cold, calculated mise-en-scene. Framing, lighting and specific positioning used show his inability to connect with people around him (isolation), making people hate him in the process too. Fincher is famous for his centered framing and use this to trap Zuckerberg within, in order but alone, emphasiszing his loneliness. In most scenes of the present, Mark is often framed alone. When the lawyers speak to him during the lawsuit, he is framed in a tight shot that separates him from everyone else. Low-key lighting was used to show a warm tone, with shadow dominating scenes. offices, rooms were brightened up by artificial lights not natural light source like the sun computer screens, lamps. The dim lighting portrays the emotional distance between characters, he is surrounded by mostly machines rather than people, the light also symbolizes isolation, the Facemash coding scene is a perfect example for this mise-en-scene, Zuckerberg is lit by his laptop while coding, the environment is warm and not really much light surrounding him. Blocking or character positioning, tells how characters are positioned in a frame and Fincher places Zuckerberg at a distances away from his environment or people surrounding him, the instance where Eduardo is angry about his shares been reduced, Zuckerberg stays still at a distance, the end of the table, separated from him. All the mise-en-scene used in the movies points out how isolated Zukerberg was.

Jesse Eisenberg’s performance as Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network was a very excellent. He portrayed the character so well and made the audience drawn in. His eyeline and facial expression, vocal delivery and physicality shape a character whose power is in his emotional absence rather than presence. In the movie, Eisenberg usually avoids eye contact especially in moment of tension and he uses this as his power, rather than something he is ashamed of, while been questioned by the lawyers during the lawsuit he is often staring straight ahead or down at the table, scribbling, dismissing the lawyer and showing he is not interested in that which they are saying. Another of his excellent performances is his vocal delivery, Eisenberg speaks so fast, with confidence of what he is saying, with no emotions most times and low pitch. He speaks in a manner to be understood rather than connect. In the opening scene of the movie, he speaks so fast and intellectually, the manner, tone and attitude in which he speaks pisses Erica off and calls him an asshole. Yet again Eisenberg showed little to no emotion during his performance, if there is ever any emotion seen, it is barely noticed by the audience who have formed an impression of been an emotionless person, he shows this little emotion at the end of the movie while he refreshes Erica’s Facebook page there is a moment of hesitation, a hitch in his breath as he waits. These little expressions make the audience see him in a little light of emotions.

David Fincher’s The Social Network is more than a biography, it is the creation of an emotional restraint even in a digital age. The directing, editing, shots, music, lighting, performance all add up to make it a movie still relevant in time. Every cuts, line, shadow make us see who Mark Zuckerberg is and even experience his isolation. We are left observing a character who we might understand intellectually but not emotionally. The question is; how can we really connect if the creator himself cannot connect?