While I am by no means a film buff, I do spend a good portion of my free time watching shows on Netflix. Most recently, I have been binging the new Korean dark comedy series Vincenzo.

Episode 4 was released the night before our first studio lesson, and I knew upon reading the prompt for this reflection that I would be writing about its opening scene.

For a little bit of context, Vincenzo (Song Joong-Ki) had discovered that Yoo-Chan (Yoo Jae-Myung) was secretly in contact with a researcher who had gone into hiding. Known to us only as “RDU-90,” the researcher had been attacked and was desperately phoning Yoo-Chan—presumably for help.

The scene begins with a wide shot that shows the 2 men sitting together in a pub. Our view is quickly obscured by a white vehicle that drives into frame, and only in hindsight did I notice the clever construction of this shot, which serves as a foreboding of the events to come.

This shot prompted me to think deeper about establishing shots and I would love to try something similar this semester. Thus far, the films I have made have typically opened with some kind of a wide shot. While this serves to inform the viewer of the location, Vincenzo has taught me that the opening shot has the potential to be so much more.

At 00:24, we cut to another wide shot that directs our attention to the full-length glass windows surrounding the pub. We notice the bright lights of a truck as it barrels around the corner before unexpectedly crashing through the building.

While it does break the 180-degree rule—as many of the shots in Vincenzo tend to do—I felt that it was a great transition that pieced together the overall scene beautifully. I especially liked how long the shot was held before the truck made impact. Even now, as I rewind the scene for the umpteenth time, I expect the truck to complete its turn around the corner. I am made to believe that it is nothing more than a part of the background.

To me, this really highlights the importance of good shot construction: a point that has been strongly emphasised in our studio. This shot makes me reflect on what it means to become a more deliberate filmmaker, and I look forward to working on this over the course of the semester.

While Vincenzo has undoubtedly opened my eyes to the wonders of good camerawork, it has also inspired me to think about the power of editing.

At 02:53, we see Vincenzo laying face-up on the soft white sheets of a hospital gurney. The shot fades ever so slowly and reveals a contrasting shot of Yoo-Chun—face-down against the cold hard metal of a mortuary trolley.

I felt that the intensity of the moment was greatly enhanced by the use of this particular fade. Without any words, the edit tells us that Vincenzo is alive and Yoo-Chun is dead.

This was the thing that provoked me into writing this reflection.

I have always disliked fades. I cannot find the words to explain why exactly this is, but this edit really made me question my personal aversion towards them. Moving forward, I will try to keep an open-mind and think more laterally about editing.

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References

Netflix 2021, ‘Vincenzo S1:E4 “Episode 4″’, Streaming Video, 28 February, Netflix, South Korea, Viewed 17 March 2021, <Link Here>

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