Do You Have 99 Takes?
The opening scene of The Social Network, David Fincher’s 2010 film on the early days of Facebook, was filmed 99 times.
As a viewer, you see a single version (or compilation from multiple takes) that makes Fincher, lead actor Jesse Eisenberg, supporting actress Rooney Mara, and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin look creative, smart, and pitch perfect.
You’re not seeing all 99 takes.
You’re not seeing the dozens or hundreds of times Sorkin wrote and rewrote those lines.
What you’re seeing is not reality.
It’s the one time out of 99 they got each and every line just right. And that only comes after years, sometimes decades, of perfecting their craft. You’re seeing the hands of the editors, producers, stylists, and so many more, visible and invisible.
