Griffin: The Social Network

My preconceptions before viewing “The Social Network” (David Fincher 2010) were that it would be a highly paced, over-sexualized blockbuster with an overload of special effects, but it turned out to be none of those things. Rather, the film is an in-depth chronicle of the origins and development of Facebook, but more principally, the film is about the characters that created Facebook, fought over it, were changed by it or were destroyed in the process.

The story unfolds in Harvard dorm rooms of the co-founders, Eisenberg’s Mark Zuckerberg and Garfield’s Eduardo Saverin. These scenes make up the past tense as it were of the film, while extended deposition scenes make up the present and set up future events while exploring the conflicts set up in the dorm room days. Though the film portrays several years of events, the editing is clever and quick so the narrative never loses momentum or becomes too convoluted. Often, the film cuts back and forth between deposition scenes with aloof Zuckerberg or the haughty and stubborn Winklevoss twins and scenes where these very characters first met or are fighting, etc. So the technique of juxtaposing past and present and future events is one of the film’s key elements for establishing tension and suspense.

Another facet that lends “The Social Network” credibility is Aaron Sorkin’s adapted screenplay. As in his writing for “The West Wing”, the dialogue is quick, witty, sharp, sarcastic and comedic when necessary. The opening scene of the film is Zuckerberg and his girlfriend drinking at a college bar. Her unrequited love forms one of his key personal conflicts throughout the film, which grows into the notion that Zuckerberg is just a nerd who never had a real girlfriend and his invention of Facebook compensated for weakness he felt in himself. But the opening scene is a sprightly and sardonic exchange of words which embody Sorkin’s style and abilities. Having such a skilled writer of dialogue like Sorkin is critical for this movie because so much of it happens in boardrooms and over long wooden tables with lawyers.

Phillpott--My Avatar

My avatar is a famous writer who publishes at least six books a year. They are all bestsellers, and she is very rich from them. Her books have been published in over seventy-four languages and one hundred and twenty countries. She has dedicated her life to charitable works, and because of her popularity she has raised a lot of money for those in need.

She graduated with a degree in English with a concentration in Writing from a great university where she also graduated with honors. She published her first book a week after she graduated college and has been writing ever since. All of her friends work for her so they have great pay and work light schedules.

She travels most of the year and has houses in many different cities around the world. She is fluent in twelve different languages. She has a pilot license, and is a skydiving enthusiast. She takes life as it comes, but enjoys every minute that she can.

People aspire to be like her. She is often asked to give motivational speeches, even though she used to be nervous about speaking in public. Now she is very confident in herself and everything she does. She has been on the cover of many magazines, and has several friends in the entertainment and fashion industries.

She is engaged to be married in six months. Her fiancé supports her in everything she does. He owns his own successful company and is able to travel with her all year long.

My avatar enjoys writing her books, and is just happy that she has been successful at what she loves to do. She never loses sight of reality and is still very down-to-earth.