SUCCESS GOTTEN BUT STILL IN ISOLATION: A DAVID FINCHER MOVIE " THE SOCIAL NETWORK"

The Social Network, as produced by David Fincher, constructs a stylistic way of showing genius alienation from the character Mark, through its formal analysis. This analysis passes across various messages that makes up a story itself, without the character speaking. The producer did not exactly tell us who Mark Zuckerberg was, but it showed what process and obstacles he faced to come up with such tech revolution. The producer engages in the use of cinematic structures and other structures to show how different aspects of this movie should be pictured in the mind of the audience.

Also, the character of this movie and their emotions shapes our understanding of how such characters are likely to be in the movie. Fincher’s cinematographic work explores a whole lot that his audience would like to find out from. It doesn’t just give a frame of how the movie is, but a deeper story behind.

The rapid-fire editing, which also means quick cut, shows intense conversation, urgency and more emotional dialogue more of arguments between two people in the movie, this editing showed that in the social network, there was emotional disconnection, not only that but also technology speed. For instance, in the beginning of the scene, Mark and Erica were in an emotional dialogue, but there was a quick cut, that meant that the two parties were having an argument. Also, looking at the fast-paced rhythms and slow- paced rhythms, it showed how Mark was genius in whatever he was doing. For example, when he created Face mash, the rhythm in the background, even if it was non-diegetic, it still showed that there was intelligence and understanding, but for the slow -paced rhythms is when he is emotionally disconnected and lonely. This editing used by the producer was able to allow the audience to understand how Mark was a social failure.

The meaning built from juxtapositions of montage sequences; the movie was able to accomplish it in passing across message. The producer was able to use montage sequence in the flash backs and the present in the movie; despite using these short shots, it was still able to convey the message they were trying to pass across to their audience. It was able to convey a conceptual message of how Facebook was built. For instance, in the movie “the social network, during the lawsuit, when they are investigating Mark Zuckerberg [Jesse Eisenberg], there was a flash back to show the audience what they are trying to say. Using these montage sequences, we see how Mark is represented as a social failure and how far he had broken relationships worth building. For example, that of him and Eduardo Saverin, the flash backs were just given proof of why Eduardo had the right to file a lawsuit against him. Therefore, Mark was shown like young man who had a brilliant brain that was ahead of people, but a lonely heart trying to connect with people.

Fincher’s movie “the social network” is shaped in a well-structured mis-en-scene way. This structure helps the audience to understand not just the character but their emotions in the movie. He visualizes the character’s isolation, emotional coldness, alienation, through its framing, lighting, blocking, and so on.  Fincher deploys low key lighting and high contrast lighting to show how characters like Mark Zuckerberg possess coldness in his emotions. Mark is frequently shown with harsh side-lighting from his computer screens reducing him to a figure of brilliancy and isolation rather than emotion. Also, blocking and Framing of the movie in relations to character and emotions in the movie, the producer makes us understand that there is physical separation between two characters, either separated by tables or emotional distance. For instance, the argument between Erica and Mark, a table in between shows physical distance, emotionally, there is the argument between them. Or when Eduardo filed a lawsuit against his best friend Mark, there was emotional separation and also physical separation, Example is when Eduardo was never beside him but opposite, to show that there is physical separation between the two in the time duration of 43:41-43:46. Even in gatherings the movie shows how Mark Zuckerberg is always isolated in the movie, with the camera often isolating him to show his emotional detachments with people. The close-up shots on Mark show how he expresses his emotions in different scenarios, most times he is lonely. For example, when he was alone in the office while reloading the Facebook page at the ending part of the movie, it shows isolation and loneliness, even in his facial expressions.  So, Mark’s Success is often never celebrated without a cost, it is shown in a frame that depicts loneliness, emotional detachment, isolation. Even if Mark was a genius, he still faces the consequences of placing obsession over relationships. This shows even when he won the lawsuit, it did not basically end in Triumph per say, but in isolation and loneliness as seen in the scene of the time duration 1:53:47.

Fincher’s movie was done with great selection, especially using Jesse Eisenberg to represent Mark Zuckerberg. Looking at it, he represented him well facially and character wise in given back a good acting to the audience. Mark Zuckerberg [Jesse Eisenberg] could be compared to various characters, from his emotions, down to his intellect and dressing, including others. Comparing Mark to the Winklevoss Twins we see that Mark was not intimidated by height or wealth, even with his social awkwardness, he looked at them straight in the eye, 21:44, to prove that he believes in worth over privileges. We see that Mark was not all privileged like them, but he had proof to show for his creativity and intellect. Even in dressing compared to Winklevoss Twins, there is a major comparison in both, the Twins do dress in Suit, but we see Mark always dressed up in Hoodie dressing, showing more of social awkwardness. Unlike Eduardo who believes in cordial relationship, we see mark who possess cold emotions, and this made him shift important people away from his life causing to face loneliness. Comparing Mark to Erica, his ex-girlfriend, who believes in emotional connection and would not have an I don’t care attitude over other’s feelings, but Mark here is emotionally cold, so how possibly could he even spur emotional connection with another person. Comparing Him to Sean Parker, who is just in thirst for power and fame, he was just trying to use Mark, because his music platform was not able to rise to the extent Facebook was rising. While that persisted, he also had social connection with other people, that led more to where Facebook is today. All these characters can be significantly one way or the other be highly comparable with Mark. Probably because he was the protagonist and he possess more features than him. Even with that they were not destined to still have the same character either way.

In conclusion, Fincher’s precise craft was able to suggest Genius, alienation, and isolation. It shows that success and ambition comes with a cost. For example, the cost for Mark’s Success came with a cost of loosing relationships in his life. The movies also feels like a tech revolution, from the time when no Harvard students could connect to each other, to when one boy decided to create an app, where he would make it possible for Harvard to connect with each other. So, all this that Fincher was trying to encode or pass across in relations to different things, he made the audience understand the weight of each scene.