Introduction
Since people exist in society, communication and building relationships between them occupy one of the top places. This is because people need support, and with the help of others, they can also achieve significant results. However, there are sometimes situations when power and ambition can spoil relationships with others. This is precisely what happened in the film The Social Network, directed by David Fincher, about Mark Zuckerberg. This research paper aims to examine the features of Fincher’s cinematic work and consider, using the example of this picture, how the desire for power affects human relationships.
Fincher’s Distinctive Cinematic Style and Techniques
David Fincher has a unique talent for directing music and films, and his work is easily recognizable among many others. To better convey the characters’ emotions, intentions, and experiences, he employs a range of cinematic techniques. Among these are various shots, a game with lighting, sound, and motion movies. All this is done to attract the viewer’s attention to the problem raised in the proposed movie. Henceforth, a notable feature of the director’s style is the use of low-key lighting and shadowing to convey the characters’ thoughts and ideas.
The cinematic picture The Social Network is one of the director’s most famous works. This bibliographic drama recounts the emergence of the widespread global network Facebook (Morgan, 2022). It raises the question of how much can change in pursuing money and fame.
From the very beginning, in each scene, the writers and the director attempt to convey how much the character changes as the action in the film progresses. The film’s story tells how a young Mark Zuckerberg, with a talent for computers, created a unique social network that makes it easier for people to communicate with one another. Gradually, the brainchild of the main protagonist becomes known to the whole world, and fame and money come to him, which are also significant to him.
Symbolism of Lighting and Costume in Character Transformation
For more exasperating situations, where the reader’s attention should be focused on the characters’ replicas, low-key lighting is used. In general, the transformation of characters can come as a great surprise to anyone. This is due to the understanding that the young man has been completely captured by the power that has taken hold of him.
In terms of costumes, the clothing that characters wear plays a specific role in the narrative. Throughout the movie, changes in the character’s appearance are evident, conveyed through the use of costumes. They appear more well-groomed and wear more expensive brands as they age and accumulate more wealth and influence.
Another feature that helps to reveal the main protagonist better is that he navigates everything that happens in the film. The voiceover begins with the story that Mark is a closed and not particularly social young man who can be described as a cold individual. After inventing his online platform, which rallied many people, the director used both long shots and medium shots to convey the characters’ mood. The story of Mark Zuckerberg in this work is used to convey how power affects a person and their environment.
Power and Ambition as Central Themes
Moreover, the film is an excellent representative of the skillful and masterful transmission of the power dynamics in the characters, which significantly affects their relationships with others. In solid and strong relationships, power is always distributed equally, which makes the viewer question the truthfulness of friends’ intentions. Ultimately, everything boils down to everyone wanting to have a particular benefit. Ambition drives people to move forward, fueling the desire to achieve something more than what they already have. Having power affects how individuals perceive themselves and their relationships with others.
Thus, as in The Social Network, it can be easily argued that power can have a significantly negative impact on a person and their relationships with others. To a large extent, this is due to the desire to control people, and events that occur in life can lead to psychological changes (Sivashankar et al., 2020), which in turn affect their perception of information from their surroundings. In addition, a greater focus is redirected to a person’s individual values; they cease to care about what is happening. Moreover, an interesting aspect is that gaining power can entail socially unacceptable behaviors, such as displaying poor table manners.
Visual Composition and the Use of Shot Dynamics
Thus, from the beginning of the film, the author uses a point-of-view shot to represent the concept of power in the film. With his help, the focus shifts to the main protagonist, who will undergo the most incredible transformation. As mentioned, clothing also has a significant role in building relationships between the film’s characters. Hence, Mark Zuckerberg, at the beginning of the film, appears in a light suit, against which the others seem so good. In addition, the dark, restrained lighting, contrasting with Zuckerberg’s brighter clothes, instantly sets a precedent for a negative scene and foreshadows their separation, with Zuckerberg being at the forefront of this.
After a few minutes, the film uses cross-cutting to Mark’s face to convey the inexplicability of his emotions about the question of his companions. Moreover, the entire film was shot in orange-brown tones, which significantly enhances the appeal of the apartment. Throughout the movie, the shots transition from close-ups to medium shots, and the mise-en-scène of individuals in the background becomes more prominent.
Emotional Depth through Music and Cinematic Detail
Because The Social Network is a documentary, there is no need to use extreme or unique sound effects. Also of interest is the change in color to a colder tone towards the end of the film. It determines the disintegration of human relations due to the desire to gain power and profit from the company. Moreover, it can also symbolize the growth of Zuckerberg and his friends, both physically and psychologically.
A close eye-shot conveys the emotional state of the protagonist and the people around him. Its use will help to look deeper into the character’s soul to understand his thoughts and experiences. The musical accompaniment in the cinematic picture also does not stand out compared to other similar works. It does not rush to the fore; it smoothly and beautifully fits into what is happening, further contributing to a more rapid disclosure of the characters.
Conclusion
Thus, we can conclude that the film The Social Network, directed by David Fincher, is an excellent work. It skillfully conveyed the essence of human relations and how power can spoil them. Moreover, costumes, dialogues, music, and shots greatly facilitated the perception and improved the characters’ involvement.
Reference
Morgan, C. (2022). 20 facts you might not know about The Social Network. Yardbarker. Web.
Sivashankar, N., Jackson, S. E., & Degener, R. M. (2020). Centering the margins: Investigating relationships, power, and culture through critical peritextual analysis. Children’s Literature in Education, 51(4), 480-501. Web.