One thing I find interesting about filmmakers is that the more they direct,

the more they can express themselves in the smallest details of a scene.

--What is it you want?

A lot of people think directors are distinguished by how they shoot the big set pieces, the crazy oners, the really stylish stuff.

And yeah, these are the shots that get copied, and they do give you a strong indication of someone's vision.

But sooner or later, every filmmaker goes back to scenes like this:

Two people in a room talking. Just about the least cinematic thing there is.

And it's scenes like this that tell you what they really care about.

If I didn't need a medical officer, I would let you within light years of this operation.

--I'm eternally grateful. --Keep your sarcasm to yourself.

And David Fincher? He cares about information.

Unlike many filmmakers,who try to avoid exposition, sometimes Fincher does nothing but.

--The salt balance has to be just right,

so the best fat for making soap comes from humans.

--Wait, what is this place? --A liposuction clinic.

In his world, drama happens when a character learns a new piece of information.

--Just down in the basement.

How does it fit with everything they already know?

--Not many people have basements in California.

And how do they react to learning a little bit more of the truth?

--I do.

Fincher's style is an extension of this idea and it's interesting to hear him describe his process.

They know you can do anything, so the question is:

What DON'T you do, not what do you do.

So, what does David Fincher NOT do?

For one thing, handheld. Fincher is a locked-down put-it-on-a-tripod filmmaker.

He hates handheld and does it maybe once per film.

Dragon Tattoo has two scenes, while Zodiac has one,

and The Social Network has only this shot.

Se7en has the most handheld of any Fincher film: five scenes.

-- Phone. Phone. Phone? Phone?

But even when he uses it, notice how he designs around it.

The camerawork on the detectives is shaky, while John Doe,

who has all the power in the scene, is shot on a tripod, rock-solid.

--WHAT'S IN THE BOOOOOX? --Not till you give me the gun.

--WHAT'S IN THE FUCKING BOX! --Give me the gun.

--He just told you.

Another thing Fincher avoids is the sense of a human being operating the camera.

At a time when many filmmakers are deliberately adding camera shake

or mistakes to their shots to make it seem like there was a person there,

Fincher is doing the opposite.

--I just love the idea of omniscience the camera goes over here perfectly,

and it goes over there kinda perfectly

and it doesn't have any personality to it, it's very much like

what's happening was doomed to happen.

Sometimes you can't tell whether a shot was human-controlled, motion-controlled or CGI.

The final effect is ominous, like something out of the Overlook Hotel.

He also doesn't cut to a close-up unless he needs to.

Even though Fincher's close-ups and inserts are really distinctive,

he rarely cuts in because... --Every time you go to a close-up...

... the audience knows: "Look at this, this is important." You have to be very, very

cautious and careful about when you choose to do it.

In any given scene, he'll only go to the close-up for one or two moments.

And the more he's directed, the less often he's done it.

--You'd have made a great Secretary of State.

These moments gain power precisely because he withholds the shot elsewhere.

And lastly, he never moves the camera if he can help it.

--I wanted to present, in as wide a frame,

and in as unloaded a situation as possible,

as much of a kinda simple proscenium way,

this is what's going on, this is what this guy sees.

--You don't pay attention. --What is this?

So consider all these restrictions he gives himself.

No handheld, no human operating, no unnecessary close-ups, no unmotivated camera moves.

Now let's give him a scene of just people talking. Can he make it cinematic?

--Killer put a bucket beneath him, kept on serving.

Coroner said this could have gone on for more than 12 hours.

Oh yeah. Talking isn't cinematic but drama is.

This scene is about three people, one standing, two sitting.

The first thing Fincher does is bring us over here to listen to these two.

Just from shot sizes we can tell this is more important to Somerset than to the chief, but neither will budge.

When the detective tries to drop the case... --I'd like to be reassigned.

... we shift to a different angle of the chief and of Somerset.

This is our clue that Mills is trying to work his way in.

But Somerset, who's looking nowhere near the eyeline, ignores him.

When the younger detective cuts in: --Hey man, you know, I'm right here,

--you can say that shit to my face.

We go back to this angle, with Somerset finally facing him.

This puts the chief in a tough spot, and he has to put his foot down.

--Give it to me. --No I'm putting you on something else.

This is the only close-up of the chief in this scene and Fincher saves it for the moment Mills gets totally dismissed.

So even without sound, you understand the purpose of this scene.

Fincher has taken your eyes and brought them here to see this drama,

here to see this one, and then here for the final shutdown.

Three characters, three relationships, all staged for the camera to see.

--I'm sorry, old buddy.

The next time these characters are together, look how far away Mills is sitting.

But once Somerset starts to explain his theory:

--Gluttony, greed

Fincher brings us over here to show them looking at each other in the same frame.

Even though they don't work together for another 10 minutes,

it's here that they begin to respect each other.

You can actually watch Se7en and see the progression of this relationship

in any shot that has the two of them together,

ending with this one. THAT is good directing.

And as Fincher has gotten older, he's actually gotten more subtle.

For instance, now he's really good at using emptiness in the frame.

So he'll cut to a chair with no one in it.

--Eduardo was the president of the Harvard Investors Association and he was also my best friend.

or an empty space for an absent husband.

--That's too bad, we're gonna talk about this.

And when is it gonna be finished?

He'll build an entire scene to a moment when someone looks into the lens, happy.

--I'm very glad to be here, thank you for having me.

or terrified. --Take care of yourself, Sam.

And he'll show us the inside of someone's fridge.

It's true that Fincher has a reputation for being uncompromising, shooting 50 or 60 or 99 takes of a scene.

--Double rainbow? Oh my God, what does it mean?

At the same time, it's great to watch someone who's actually good at their job.

Someone who can show the power relationship change with a single cut.

--Kill the phones.

Someone who's willing to let this moment play in full...

... or just let us watch the characters walk from point A to point B.

Even if you don't like Fincher, this is someof the best craft in directing right now and it is absolutely worth studying.

--I'm not the Zodiac, and if I was, I certainly wouldn't tell you.

And if you do like him, here is what he thinks of you.

--I think people are perverts.

I've maintained that, that's been..

that's the foundation of my career.

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