David Fincheris a hugely accomplished filmmaker with two Oscar nominations to his name as well as a slew of iconic movies and shows likeFight Club,ZodiacandMindhunteron Netflix, just to name a few. But, if you only know one thing about Fincher’s shooting style, I’m willing to bet it’s that he has a propensity for doinga lotof takes.
For example, while onCollider Ladies Night,Carrie Coonrevisited her experienceworking with Fincher onGone Girland highlighted the value of having the opportunity to film scenes so many times over. “What I discovered about David is that he’s a perfectionist and I’m a perfectionist and it was my first film, so if you want me to do 70 takes, that’s all the more time I get to practice! And try to do better.” Turns out, Fincher’sMankstar,Amanda Seyfried, came to appreciate that same thing.
While on an upcoming episode ofCollider Connected, I asked Seyfried whichMankscene required the most takes. She laughed and said, “I mean, they’re all about the same,” before adding, “No, we ended up reshooting a scene so that’s probably the one. Four days and four days, I think, so eight days.” The scene Seyfried is referring to isMarion Davies’ introduction, the scene on the pyre.
Seyfried went on to emphasize the value of being able to revisit that moment, especially at the end of the production schedule:
“It’s beautiful. Here’s why I love that scene more than any other scene, [it] is because we got to reshoot it and I am so much better in it and was so much more comfortable. Because that was the first real scene I shot and then we shot it at the end and even though I was pregnant and feeling cold and a little ill, it was amazing. I was like, ‘Thank god we got to do this again.” I get to find more and make it better and make it make more sense, and we were comfortable.”
While I’m sure Seyfried was still quite good in the scene the first time around, there’s no denying that that moment is a mighty strong introduction for her character, immediately solidifying Marion’s connection to Mank, her own commanding presence and a keen sense of awareness despite the public perception of her. It’s a powerful intro for a character who makes a huge impression on Mank’s journey throughout the film, while experiencing a significant arc of her own. Seyfried could and should have a very busy awards season ahead of her for what she accomplished in this one.
It’s also well worth noting that additional photography is very common on major Hollywood productions, and an opportunity that Fincher often uses to his advantage. In fact, some of your favorite scenes from Fincher’s films might be the result of additional photography, like the pivotal conversation betweenJake Gyllenhaalas Robert Graysmith andClea DuVallas Linda del Buono inZodiac.
If you’d like to hear more about Seyfried’s experience makingMankwith Oldman and Fincher, stay tuned, because we’ll have Seyfried’s full Collider Connected interview for you tomorrow!
