David Fincher is an American film director known for films like The Social Network and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. He started making movies at age 8 and worked in television commercials and music videos before becoming a successful director. Fincher is known for his fluid camera work, use of shadows and silhouettes, and color temperature changes to set atmospheres. His music video for "Suit & Tie" by Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z features the artists in a recording studio and performances that highlight their musical styles through camera work and scene elements.

1. DAVIDDAV IFF FIINNCHCERHER
28th August,1962

2. WHO IS
HE?
• David Fincher who born in Denver, Colorado. He is an American film director, film
producer, and music video director.
• He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director for films The Curious Case
of Benjamin Button(2008)and The Social Network(2010). In addition he won the Golden
Globe Award for the best director and the BAFTA Award for Best Direction for, The Social
Network. The most current film he has done is, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo(2011).
• When Fincher was two years old, the family moved to San Angelo, California. And he
moved again as a teenager to Ashland, Oregon where he graduated from Ashland High
School
• Inspired by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), he started to make movies when
he was only eight years old with an 8mm camera

3. HIS WORK
• When he was 18 years old he went to work for John Korty at ‘Korty Films’ in Mill
Valley
• Also he worked at, Industrial Light and Magic from 1981-1983
• After that Fincher went on to direct TV Commercials and Music Videos after being
signed with, N. Lee Lacy in Hollywood
• He then went on to find, Propaganda in 1987 with other directors
• TV commercials he has done have been for companies such as:
Converse,Pepsi,Coca-Cola and Chanel
• As a film director he has achieved huge successes with, Se7en(1995),Fight Club
(1999) and Panic Room (2002)
• The music videos he has directed for have been for world wide known artists such
as : Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Aerosmith and Billy Idol
• More recently he directed the video for Justin Timberlake’s and Jay-Z’s
collaboration, Suit & Tie

4. MUSIC VIDEOS
MADONNA - VOGUE
AEROSMITH –
JAMIE’S GOT A GUN
The Rolling Stones – Love
is strong
Justin Timberlake Ft.
Jay-Z– Suit & Tie

5. Signature style
• Fluid tracking camera – this can access anywhere in the set of a music video or film set, a digital age
phenomenon in camera movement
• Silhouettes - he has characters are seen in the shadows so you cannot make out their faces(Brad
Pitt in ‘Fight Club’)
• Stationary shot – an unfocused background with a character walking into focus is a convention that
is shown frequently in Fincher’s work
TRADEMARK IN MUSIC VIDEOS
• Fincher’s films often have low-key lighting with green or blue tinted colour temperatures
• He often uses these different colour temperatures to create depth and dimension within
his films, this creates an atmosphere for the narrative
• Fincher’s most recent blockbuster film, ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ this shows his
trademark style through the changes of colour temperature between present day in
Sweden and the flashbacks
SWEDEN FLASHBACK

6. ANALYSIS OF SUIT & TIE
At the start of the video a wide shot is shown of
Justin Timberlake and a girl in the background and
him looking at her showing the notion of looking in
the video and that the viewer appealing to men
should be looking as well. Also in the yet again
another wide shot in the beginning of the video
shows Justin and 2 others practising dancing in front
of the mirror this abides the stereotypical thought of
a Pop genre music video that dancing should be
included.
Moreover another wide shot is shown of both artist,
Justin and Jay-Z sitting in an apartment relaxing. The
use of props on the table are alcoholic beverage
bottles and also Jay-Z is holding a wine glass,
juxtaposing Justin holding a bowl with food in it. This
is reference to the viewers knowledge of the two
artist that jay-Z raps and in the rap genre it is mostly
about drink and drugs which is shown here by
Fincher. Also the relationship between the visuals
and the music compliment each other, there is a slow
beat with the slow long take shown of the two
artists creating a calm and relaxed scene.

7. When the real song starts to the play
with the more fast tempo and Pop sound,
Justin takes to the stage and begins to
dance which is yet again a code and
convention of the Pop genre. Also the
music playing is shown in the band
behind in playing which are out of focus
in the shadows . The style of the video
being in black and white also amplifies an
old fashioned feel/scene and the mise en
scene out the outfits worn by Timberlake.
The spotlight is open Justin when even his face is not in the video this highlights him as the main man
and the most importance person to be seen and heard, this is also supported y the audience and the
band being blacked out from the use of no lighting. In addition the mid shot of Timberlake singing and
dancing with his backing dancers is focusing on him showing the viewer who he is and again the
dancing in the video.

8. After the first chorus being performed on the
stage it cuts to a music recording studio, this
shows the intertextual reference, which shows the
recoding of the song in the studio and that he
makes his own music but it also keeps with the
them of the music video by it also being in black
and white.
The close up of Timberlake preforming on the stage
is creating a sex appeal for his female fans for him to
looked at. In addition the wide shot and mid shot of
him performing on stage shows a relationship
between the lyrics and visuals, ‘as long as I got my
suit and tie’. Justin is also dressed in a suit and tie
outfit connecting the two together but also the
theme and era that the music video is set in.

9. The beat of the music changes, the beat
slows down and the bass increases
when Jay-Z appears in the music video.
This is showing his personality and
genre of music, which is ‘Rap’ the genre
characteristics are first shown from the
use of mise en scene. Jay-Z is holding a
whisky glass while rapping and is
wearing sunglasses which amplifies the
rap genre of being cool and drinking.
However it also fits in with the old style
of the whole video.
Moreover when Jay-Z is shown the
images of women shown in skimpy
outfits and dancing erotically are
included in the video. Fincher has tried
to make them be desired in a sexual
way, 'voyeurism’ which also a genre
characteristics stereotypically found in
the genre of ‘Rap’ videos.
In the last part of the video the music is just playing
with Justin dancing along to it in water with bright
lights behind him. This amplifies that he is a
massive pop artist know for his dancing and singing
career.