David Fincher

Born in Denver, Colorado, Fincher started as an animator at Industrial Light and Magic in 1980 and stayed until 1984(?). In 1986, he founded the video-production company Propaganda Films. He directed big-budget videos for artists such as Madonna (including "Express Yourself" and "Vogue"), George Michael, Aerosmith and the Rolling Stones (including "Love Is Strong"), as well as commercials.

Like a number of other video directors, including Julien Temple, Russell Mulcahy, and Spike Jonze, he then moved into film. His debut was Alien3 (1992), which was then the most expensive picture ever made by a first-time director, but it was a financial and critical disappointment. Despite this initial setback, Fincher's career rebounded dramatically with his next film, the disturbing thriller Se7en. It was followed by the complex, daring and controversial Fight Club, which almost immediately put Fincher in the forefront of recent post-video era. Even Fincher's more conventional work, such as The Game and Panic Room contains his distinctive dark photography with innovative uses of computer graphics.

Filmography