Sorkin: Directing Gaps Are Hard To Learn

Aaron Sorkin stated on Monday that he is concerned about his ability to learn the visual aspects of filmmaking. The comment came during an interview at the Newport Beach Film Festival, where he received the Maverick Director Award for The Social Reckoning.

The film, released nationwide by Sony on October 9, has grossed $15 million worldwide. It opened with a $40 million budget. Critics have responded with mixed reviews, with the film currently holding a 54 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. These figures contrast sharply with the commercial success of Sorkin’s 2010 film, The Social Network, which David Fincher directed.

The Social Reckoning focuses on Facebook’s internal knowledge of its harmful effects. Mikey Madison plays the whistleblower who informs a journalist, portrayed by Jeremy Allen White. Jeremy Strong takes on the role of Mark Zuckerberg. Sorkin wrote the screenplay for this new project, just as he did for the earlier film about the company's founding.

Sorkin explained that Fincher was his first choice to direct. However, Fincher has an exclusive deal with Netflix, while Sony owned the rights to this new film. Sorkin said he would prefer Fincher to direct everything, but circumstances required him to step behind the camera.

The 65-year-old screenwriter has been writing for 35 years. His credits include A Few Good Men, The American President, and The Trial of the Chicago 7. He has also directed four films, including Molly's Game and Being the Ricardos. He acknowledged that the learning curve for directing was steeper than he anticipated, specifically regarding camera usage.

Sorkin described his reaction to the film's performance by comparing it to football coaches after a loss. He said he feels that the elements for a win were present but did not come together. He believes he has been doing some things right and hopes to put it all together in the future.

He noted that he has no visual sensibility, a realization that surprised him. He said he was taken aback by how little of the science of filmmaking he had absorbed. He emphasized that while he is not done wanting to work with other directors, he has learned from the process of directing his own films.

Sorkin also discussed the state of mid-range budget movies. He said that of his 11 films, only A Few Good Men would likely be a feature film today. He suggested the others would need to be streaming projects. He also mentioned a new Lincoln Center revival of A Few Good Men, which he is rewriting for the stage.