VICE, 2016
Ben Affleck, Director of Photography Jeff Cronenweth, Writer Kiva Reardon, Jesse Eisenberg, Robin Wright, and Director Tamra Davis, examine the films of David Fincher, whose mixture of craftsmanship and showmanship has created thrillers that cast a dark shadow over American cinema.
Kenny McMillan
July 13, 2023
Frame & Reference
Frame & Reference is a conversation between Cinematographers hosted by Kenny McMillan. Each episode dives into the respective DP’s current and past work, as well as what influences and inspires them. These discussions are an entertaining and informative look into the world of making films through the lens of the people who shoot them.
Join me as I chat with Eigil Bryld, a hardworking Director of Photography, and we explore his recent projects – Extrapolations, The Machine, and No Hard Feelings, which had a very quick turnaround. Listen in as we share our thoughts on the writers’ strike against studios, its difference from the COVID-19 situation, and the luxury of being able to refuse work. We also discuss how saying no has sometimes led to even better opportunities.
We go on to discuss how Eigil’s background in documentaries has shaped his work in cinema, influencing his naturalistic approach to cinematography. His journey from documentary filmmaker to cinematographer is truly fascinating, as is his work on films like Wisconsin Death Trip. Hear about his approach to shooting films and the importance of placing the camera perfectly to capture the dynamics of a scene.
Bryld (left) operates one of the two cameras during the shot of a House of Cards Season 1 scene.
Finally, we spend a good chunk of time discussing his work with iconic director David Fincher and the lessons that came with it. Eigil shares his experience on House of Cards and the techniques he used to capture the perfect shot. We also discuss his approach to lighting, the importance of quick setup and breakdown of equipment, and the dance between the camera and the actors. All this and more in our enlightening conversation with Eigil Bryld!
Eigil Bryld won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography, for the episode “Chapter 1” of House of Cards (2013).
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Patrick Tomasso. Filmmaker and Photographer.
November 2, 2022
Patrick Tomasso (YouTube)
In this video essay, we examine some of the darker work of David Fincher, and how he might be one of the greatest horror directors of our time – even though he doesn’t make horror movies. We dissect The Basement scene in Zodiac and how it might be the best and most terrifying horror short film ever made.
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Desert island movies, David Fincher, and the poetry of color.
Vincent Taylor, Senior Colorist
May 19, 2023
MixingLight.com
Eric Weidt has worked as a Colorist on impressive projects such as Mindhunter and Mank. He spent 15 years in Paris working with fashion photographers and filmmakers (developing look-up tables) and has a BA in theatre arts.
Eric has worked exclusively with director David Fincher since 2015. We delve into his relationship with the famous director and explore his process for his incredible Black & White work in the motion picture ‘Mank’. We even talk about the one film he would watch if he only had one choice (stuck on a desert island with electricity).
Eric Weidt: “I’m remastering some of his old classics right now. Like, I remastered The Social Network [in 4K], I’m in the process of remastering Panic Room, and I’m also just starting on Seven“.
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Producer: Kayla Uribe
Executive Producer: MixingLight.com
Supporting Sponsor: FilmLight
Turner Classic Movies
May 1, 2023
“My aesthetic has always been tied to the Gordon Willises of the world, the Jordan Cronenweths, the Conrad Halls, the James Wong Howes… the people who took risks.”
David Fincher
‘Seven‘ Criterion Laserdisc commentary, 1996
This May on TCM, we’re celebrating the work of groundbreaking cinematographer James Wong Howe. In this episode of Film 101, we explore how his techniques transformed cinema, the personal and professional obstacles he had to overcome, and why his work on films such as ‘He Ran All the Way’ (1951), ‘Picnic’ (1955), ‘Sweet Smell of Success’ (1957), and ‘Hud’ (1963) are celebrated to this day.
Look for these films on Watch TCM (USA)
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Daniel Netzel
April 20, 2023
Panic Room is one of David Fincher‘s unsung masterpieces, at least as far as thrillers are concerned. It was a logistical nightmare to put everything on screen, and this video essay breaks down elements of its direction, editing, and staging to understand all of the magic behind the scenes, and why it’s so good at creating tension.
Susan Swarner and Ben Blohm
April 6, 2023
Life in the Credits
Life in the Credits is an educational podcast where hosts Susan Swarner and Ben Blohm learn about the entertainment industry from the people who work in it. They discuss the guest’s career, a feature film, and play a game. For anyone who dreams of working on movies, wants to learn about film-making, or loves watching shows.
Danny González, Gaffer, joins Susan and Ben to discuss Mank, a 2020 biographical drama. Danny shares what it’s like having a career in the lighting department for movies, TV, and commercials. He discusses the process of building a lighting design for a show, the difference between lighting on a sound stage versus on location, executing a particularly difficult scene on the set of Devotion, and filming on Hawaii on the deck of Queen Anne’s Revenge from Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides during a huge storm. We also get a behind-the-scenes look into Danny’s work on the Oscar-winning film Mank. Danny plays our “Fincher’s Familiar Films” game.
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Find out about our guests and upcoming events by following us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, contribute to our Patreon, or shop at our webpage.
Life in Our Credits:
Executive Producer: Michelle Levin
Logo Art: Melissa Durkin
Music Composer and Performer: Steve Trowbridge
Quixotic Endeavors
April 7, 2023
Alan Pakula: Going for Truth encompasses the personal and professional life of Alan J. Pakula, a lauded filmmaker and extremely private man, who was unflinching in his commitment to bringing some of the most memorable movies of the last half of the 20th century to the big screen. Select cast members from his wide-ranging filmography including To Kill A Mockingbird, Klute, The Parallax View, All the President’s Men, Sophie’s Choice, Presumed Innocent, and The Pelican Brief bring Pakula to life once more; while family and friends share their memories of knowing him as an artist, a husband, and a stepfather.
“As a storyteller, Pakula always put the substance of the story ahead of his own personal style for how the story should be told. His true signature was his anonymity. This led to his responsibility for the indelible classics he created, yet he hasn’t had the proper spotlight for his efforts until now.”
Featuring: Alan Alda, Jane Alexander, Alec Baldwin, Candice Bergen, Carl Bernstein, Jeff Bridges, Tom Brokaw, James L. Brooks, Dick Cavett, Brian Dennehy, Jane Fonda, Harrison Ford, Tony Goldwyn, Dustin Hoffman, Annette Insdorf, Kevin Kline, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Matthew Modine, Alan J. Pakula, Austin Pendleton, Christopher Plummer, André Previn, Robert Redford, Steven Soderbergh, Meryl Streep, Bob Woodward.
Music by Earl Rose.
Written, Produced, and Directed by Matthew Miele.
Runtime: 1h 38min
Streaming on:
Amazon Prime Video
Google Play
Apple TV
YouTube
The American Society of Cinematographers / American Cinematographer
March 2, 2023
Cinematographer Anastas Michos, ASC, GSC speaks with American Cinematographer‘s Tara Jenkins about his nominated work on Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities – “The Autopsy” (Netflix).
Michos is nominated in the Pilot, Limited Series, or Motion Picture Made For Television category (Category sponsored by ARRI).
In 2021 AD, the futuristic megalopolis of ZERO-CITY is under martial law. When the authorities try to enforce a curfew, a gang of renegade “Blade Rollers” defy it rollerblading daredevil-style through the deserted rain-slicked streets.
For this stylistic homage to Blade Runner (Ridley Scott, 1982), director David Fincher recruited the cinematographer of the classic film, Jordan Cronenweth, ASC, one of his all-time heroes.
It was also the first collaboration between Fincher and Producer Ceán Chaffin.
Watch all the versions of the commercial and read The Fincher Analyst dossier:
The Fincher Analyst 