Fincher's+Chart

that your director would be known for || Example || Film || How can you emulate this in your film? || -Tends to use wide shots. -There are several dollies, pans and tilts but almost no instances of shaky camera work. - slightly claustrophobic vibe. || When Nicholas Van Orton rolls up to his estate only to see a body lying on the floor. While this occurs, the only noticeable change on screen, is the movement of the actors. The wide angle is able to encompass most of his movements and the the beautiful low key lighting. || The Game || Use a wide angle lens when possible, and a tripod for most shots. Tilts and pans help for when Roger is moving. ||
 * || Techniques & Iconic Examples
 * Cinematography || - shots are usually still and not moving.
 * Editing || - There are less cuts during scenes in order to let them play out slightly longer than usual. Flashbacks are used occasionally. || Almost the whole movie is one giant flashback that eventually catches up to the present.

Nicholas Van Orton enters his hotel room after is has been ransacked. The editor lets Nicholas slowly walk forward in several long shots, surveying the room for trouble. || Fight Club

The Game || I can make almost the whole video a flashforward/flashback? Especially if the video is mostly a hallucination. || -White fluorescent lighting || Det. Mills enters the gluttony room with is face noticeably obscured by the darkness. The only source of light? His flashlight.
 * Lighting || -Lighting is very low key, often uses single but strong source. Lighting typically in a Fincher's films are harsh/direct and cast many shadows on the actor's faces.

During the fight club scenes in the basement, the only source of light is the unflattering fluorescent ceiling light. Everybody in the scene has dark shadows obscuring their faces; they look menacing. || Se7en

Fight Club || Use unflattering top down lighting to create the unflattering shadows on the main character's face when in the subway station. Roger must be lit in a way that suggests he is a bit twisted, because he is. || -Background "filler" sound is never loud, at many instances, scenes are almost completely quiet except for the sound of the character's voice and actions. With the relatively quiet background and the foreboding music, this sound design creates a well suited but tense atmosphere for Fincher's thrillers. || Nicholas is watching the test movie at CRS. The only sound is not the projector but the foreboding music.
 * Sound || -Minimalist, foreboding music.

When Jack is threatening his employer with passive aggressive anger, his threats become scarier with the menacing sounds of the low music. || The Game

Fight Club || When Roger becomes progressively hallucinatory, the audio should become quieter and quieter. That way it seems more foreboding. || -Desaturated Colors, Every prop and room are all passive colors that sort of blend into each other. -Green/blue color grading -There are many instances where scenes take place in run down areas, e.g furniture is split and other objects are grimy. -Props always appear to be weathered and used as well. Places of safety or familiar territory in the film appears much cleaner and neater. || Everything, the walls, windows, tables in the gluttony room looks like its had a nice layer of dirt and slime applied.
 * Mise-en-scene || Mis en scene are all used to create a atmosphere fitting for a film with a dark story.

The paper mill house is very broken down. There is water flooding the basement and dripping down the walls. The walls are almost collpasing and there is trash strewn everywhere. || Se7en

Fight Club || I can throw a bunch of garbage around the subway station to make it look decrepit. (soda bottles everywhere, old newspapers on the chair)

Color grade the film a slightly sickly green color (i.e The Matrix style)

Roger can wear worn down shoes, in addition to slightly worn down clothes. ||
 * Performance || Characters are never outright happy. They often seem to have cynical dispositions due to the rather reserved way they act, hesitant but confident. Characters never seem to smile and seem disturbed due to some kind of trauma. || Det. Somerset is apathetic to almost everything. That's why he acts somewhat awkwardly with Mill's wife, someone who opens to Somerset for comfort, but Somerset is uncomfortable in doing so.

Jack talks in a monotonous narration. As the counterpart to Tyler Durden, he is not excited easily and does not show much emotion due to his insomnia. || Se7en

Fight Club || I'll tell my actor to look angry the whole duration of the video. He should be after all, considering all he wants is a quiet place to read. || Main Character: Roger

Roger wants to find a quiet place to read while he waits for his train. However, it is incredibly problematic because of the people and the various machines. He enters the subway station but the train hasn't arrived. So he decides to take a moment to read. However the first time he tries it, he does it against the wall right beside him. It becomes apparent that it's way too uncomfortable to just prop himself against the wall. He decides to move over to the bench to the side. His watch beeps and Roger takes note, before reaching into his bag. A wall of noise comes crashing into the station, as the opposite subway train arrives into the station. Roger gets reaches the bench, distracted by the noise. He takes out his Lord of the Rings book instead of his medication, distracted by the noise. He tries to read again, but there are more various noises from the subway station. He gets angrier as this progresses. His watch beeps again, but the sound is drowned out by the noise. Suddenly, the Lord of the Rings ring pops into view on the bench beside him. Intrigued, he puts the ring on, only to notice that almost the entire subway station is now devoid of people. Success! It's just as well, the subway has just arrived in the station. He gets on, but what little people are on the train are strangely quiet, despite how animated they are in their actions. His watch beeps again. This time he remembers, he forgot his medication. He pops it in and begins to read. Unfortunately, his perfect reading environment is now unraveling. More and more people appear on the subway. They also get progressively louder. Roger doubles over in pain, and when he comes to, he's back on the bench. He has been hallucinating the whole time.