Film FAQ — 

David Lynch: The Virtual Life

 (by filmmaker Matan Tal)

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1) What is this film about — in one sentence?

 

In my own words, David Lynch: The Virtual Life is about the funny world of David Lynch — and his history of having fun online, his digital persona. ​

 

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2) What genre is this film (and how would you describe its form)?

 

This film is clearly a desktop documentary. 

 

It’s made out of many, many clips that already exist online, and I mash them together to create an overall picture that’s greater than the sum of its parts — a portrait made out of fragments. 

 

So yes: desktop documentary, but also (in my view) an essay film in the way it builds meaning through montage and voice.

 

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3) Why did you make this film?

 

I made this film because I was curious during Covid. 

 

Specifically, I was curious about the nature of the art and content David Lynch was posting online, and I wanted to understand something very specific:

 

How does a filmmaker use the online world to reach his audience — and how does he interact with them? 

 

When I was making David Lynch: The Virtual Life, that curiosity wasn’t theoretical. It was obsessive. I felt like the internet wasn’t just “promotion” for him — it was part of the artwork. ​

 

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4) What is the central idea or question the film explores?

 

The central idea of the film, in my view, is this:

 

What are the different elements that — when you put them together — create David Lynch’s online persona? 

 

As a filmmaker, I’m not trying to reduce him into a neat definition. I’m trying to build the puzzle.

 

And for me, the editing is what makes that puzzle visible:

 

different clips, different tones, different repetitions — and suddenly an identity appears. 

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5) What should the viewer pay attention to while watching?

 

The viewer will inevitably notice the humor and ridiculousness of some of the cuts and edits. 

 

And I want to say this clearly, because it’s part of my philosophy as a filmmaker:

 

This film is not meant to be taken too seriously — but not in a self-derogatory way. 

 

It was a joy to make.

 

And in my experience, taking a persona too literally — taking it with too much self-importance — is a dangerous outlook. 

 

So while watching, pay attention to the joy, the play, the absurdity — because that’s not decoration. That is the portrait. ​

 

 

6) What is your approach to editing in this film?

 

This film is basically a montage of many, many clips — plus a few things I shot myself. 

 

My approach to editing was simple and obsessive:

 

cut pieces together until a larger image appears. 

 

When I was making David Lynch: The Virtual Life, I thought of it like building a puzzle:

 

• each clip is a piece

• each repetition is a clue

• each cut creates a new relationship

• and slowly, the “online Lynch” becomes visible 

 

That’s the whole method: different pieces → one face. ​

 

 

7) How did you approach sound and voice (music / voiceover / silence) in this film?

 

In this film, my approach to sound and voice was about rhythm. 

 

Just like the editing is rhythm.

 

It’s the rhythm of:

 

• how shots collide

• how the spoken word lands

• the rhythm of how David Lynch speaks

• the rhythm of his online clips

• and even the rhythm of how I speak 

 

In my experience as a filmmaker, rhythm is what makes montage feel alive — and here rhythm is basically the entire film. ​

 

 

8) How much of the film is scripted vs discovered during the process?

 

Because this is found-footage / ready-made material, the film was discovered during the process. 

 

I had a lot of material.

 

I wrote the narration.

 

I played with the footage.

 

And the film was born out of that play. 

 

So if you’re asking “was it planned?” — in my view, it was planned like a jazz piece is planned:

 

you know the instrument, you know the mood, you know the obsession…

but you discover the actual music while you’re doing it. ​

 

 

9) What makes this film “experimental” (if it is) — and why did you choose that?

 

David Lynch is often referred to as an experimental filmmaker.

 

So for me, it only felt right to use an experimental approach too. 

 

Creating a film out of recreated / found material is already experimental.

 

And on top of that:

 

• it’s a desktop documentary

• it’s an essay film

• it’s montage-driven

• it’s built out of internet fragments 

 

So yes — in my experience, it’s experimental by nature. ​

 

 

10) What films, artists, or influences shaped this work (directly or indirectly)?

 

The influence is direct:

 

David Lynch shaped the film by being who he is. 

 

But he also shaped it through his online behavior — the repetitive nature of his weather reports, and other videos he uploaded. 

 

That repetition inspired me to ask:

 

What stands behind what he’s doing?

 

And that curiosity shaped the film as much as the footage did. 

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11) Who is this film for — and what kind of viewer will connect with it most?

 

I would say this film is for people who love David Lynch’s world — especially the ones who love his online world. 

 

From the people who knew him from the days of DavidLynch.com, to the people who discovered him through the more recent weather reports and YouTube channel — this film is for them. 

 

And beyond Lynch fans, in my view it’s also for anyone interested in this modern phenomenon:

 

the online persona that artists inevitably produce. 

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12) Where can I watch the film, and how can I contact you for screenings or programming?

 

The film is available for free on YouTube (and elsewhere online) — and also on my website. 

 

And if you’re interested in a screening, or you want me to join for a Q&A and discuss the film with a larger audience:

 

feel free to contact me.