A Bittersweet Life

I set apart an afternoon for this homework. I was quite excited to do it. This is how it all went down:

1. Pop DVD into my computer, finger ready at the PrtScn key
2. Begin watching film Put subtitles on, try again
3. Watch opening scene
4. End up watching the whole film
5. Film ends
6. Go back to opening scene and begin copying each shot of the sequence
7. Check online for software with which to make this arduous and testing task easier
8. Have no luck in doing so
9. Pause, Alt+PrtScn, Paint, Ctrl+V, Select, Highlight, Ctrl+X, New, Ctrl+V, Save, Play...
10. Repeat step nine 61 times.
11. Midnight

Needless to say, I underestimated quite how frustratingly 'crashy' computers can be under pressure. Will annotate each of these tomorrow. For now I'd just like to get them all uploaded and have a nice relaxing aneurysm in peace.
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 1. Here we go! After several other names are presented to us in this font and format, our voiceover begins and we see the writer/director/brainchild/dreamweaver fade into a shot of trees brushing from side to side in the wind...

2. These trees continue to sway as we slowly move from an almost black & white into vibrant colour and slightly windier weather

3. Over this, we are told of an ancient proverb. A disciple asks his master whether it is the wind or the leaves that flow. The master tells him it is neither, but instead the heart and the mind.

 4. From here, we cut to footprints against a marble floor.

Cinematographer Kim Ji-yong uses this film to seemingly develop a trademark visual style, marked by a clean and immaculate set with a flourish of red to seperate it from simply looking intentionally bland.

The camera tilts up the mans body while following him walk, yet we only for a split second see the side of his face.

5. With this shot we are introduced to our protangonist, Kim Sun-woo.

The camera moves towards Sun-woo and mimics the movement of the man walking towards him, who soon comes into shot behind him and goes right up to the table



6. The camera moves out from behind a blind to show us the two men conversing, as though we are viewing a private conversation. If I had remembered to put the subtitles on, I wouldn't have to explain what they were talking about.

 

The consierge asks for the dining man's assistance in disposing some unwelcome guests who are refusing to leave. We instantly get an indication of the man's style: he cooly and non-chalantly says he'll be right there and the man leaves him to finish his food.

7. mmmmmm.

8. We see Sun-woo take one bite out of his pudding and then quietly leave his table and set off to dispose of the trouble like a total badass.

9. The camera pans around the bar area while our character approaches. This shot best illustrates director Kim Joo Woon's style, with long shots at a steady pace, as though we are moving alongside Sun-woo.

As he walks along the white strip on the floor, he indicates a dirty area to a nearby cleaner, who immediately stops what she is doing in order to clean that spot instead. Something as little as this tells us enough about Sun-woo, and also confirms him as a man of authority.

Coupling this with his attire and suave yet pressing walk, we already know that whatever it is this man has been tasked to deal with, it is almost certain he will be able to do so without losing his cool.

10. The next shot detailing Sun-woo's movement through the hotel begins walking down a corridor before he appears at the other end walking towards us. This shot makes it appear as though we are passing him by on his travels.

11. Next we see him pass by another person and see the other man watch Sun-woo as he barely bats an eyelid back.

12. In the next shot of his travels, Sun-woo walks past an open door and seeing some movement, pauses for a moment to check out whether there is anything suspicious he should be aware of. This again hints at his role in the hotel and certainly the film.

It is also interesting to note that when the man in the shot before is watching him he pays him little interest, but here where the man in the distance cannot see him, he takes a moment to pause. This preference to stay voyeuristic is important as it makes him a much more expected spy later in the film.

14. As Sun-woo makes his trek, there is a significant decline in clenliness at the hotel. Compare the set of marble tiles with a red focus where we began with the brick walls and dank looking hall we see him walk through now.

15. This sequence has been edited together so that we cut directly from Sun-woo opening a door into him already walking in the new room. This is known as ellipsis, and gives his walk a gritty, unreal quality.

 In a continuation of the same shot, Sun-woo continues until he is stood in the door of a room of several relaxed men watching TV. He does not say or do anything until one of the men notices him.

When one does spot Sun-woo is watching them, he immediately springs to his seat and begins to get dressed, alerting the others to do the same. A fourth man also sits up and sheepishly looks over at Sun-woo who beckons him to get up. During all this, he stands there without saying a word.

 

The opening scene continues a futher two minutes and features a fantastic fight scene which completely contrasts the long shots it begins with, almost doubling the amount of shots in the same timeframe. That this flowing sequence is done with only a handful of tracking shots, yet lasts just over 2 minutes shows us how a lot of information about a character and setting can be displayed to an audience without the need for dialogue. 

Which is pretty comforting considering what we have planned for our opening sequence. Hooray!