David Leo Fincher was born on August 28, 1962, in Colorado, United States. He grew up in Marin County, California. Before reaching his twenties, he moved to Oregon, where he completed his high school education. Strongly influenced by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Fincher picked up a camera at the age of eight and began experimenting with filmmaking at an early age.

In 1980, David Leo Fincher found employment at Industrial Light & Magic, where he became part of the visual effects team for Return of the Jedi. He worked at the company until 1984. After leaving Industrial Light & Magic, he directed the documentary The Beat of the Live Drum. He then moved into commercial filmmaking, directing advertisements for major brands such as Nike, Pepsi, Converse, and Levi’s. During this period, Fincher realized that music videos provided a more experimental and creative platform.

He went on to direct music videos for internationally renowned artists including Madonna, George Michael, Aerosmith, Paula Abdul, The Rolling Stones, Nine Inch Nails, and A Perfect Circle. Like many music video directors of his generation, Fincher eventually transitioned into feature filmmaking.

David Leo Fincher made his feature film directorial debut with Alien 3 in 1992, which at the time was considered one of the most expensive first films ever made. The experience proved difficult, as conflicts with 20th Century Fox over an unfinished script and production decisions turned the project into a challenging ordeal. Although the film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects, it failed to gain strong approval from critics and audiences. Disillusioned, Fincher temporarily returned to commercials and music videos, winning a Grammy Award for The Rolling Stones’ “Love Is Strong.”

Fincher regained momentum with Se7en, a film centered on two detectives pursuing a serial killer inspired by the seven deadly sins. The film grossed over 300 million dollars worldwide and firmly established him among internationally acclaimed directors. He followed this success with the dark thriller The Game in 1997.

In 1999, David Leo Fincher directed Fight Club, adapted from the novel by Chuck Palahniuk. Although the film initially disappointed at the American box office and drew mixed reactions, it later achieved cult status and critical acclaim. In 2002, he directed the thriller Panic Room, which performed well commercially but did not receive the same level of praise as Fight Club, Se7en, or The Game.

Regarded as one of contemporary cinema’s most captivating visual stylists, David Leo Fincher has consistently demonstrated an ability to explore the darker dimensions of modern life with precision and aesthetic control. Having known from childhood that he would become a filmmaker, he continues to work on large-scale film projects. At this stage of his career, he is preparing films such as Zodiac and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, scheduled for release in 2007 and 2008 respectively.

Source: Biyografiler.com