After having read about the image system in ‘The Filmmaker’s Eye’, I thought that I needed to watch Park Chan-Wook’s 2003 ‘Old Boy’ to further discover about how it is used within film. Throughout the film there is a lot of repetition used to create layers of meaning within the visuals. Images and symbols were shown repeatedly and the same composition of shots was were reoccurring. Reflection and mirrors were particular motifs that were used throughout the film. They help to develop a sense of emotional depth and symbolism. The image system in ‘Old Boy’ parallels with the narrative by demonstrating the narrative’s themes and motifs. The camera movements, shot construction and shot composition within this particular scene shown below were dramatic and engaging. I like them because they create a layer of meaning within the film that couldn’t be created by just having a good story. The camera movements interchange between slow and fast.  The rapid zoom close ups attract the eye to the character’s central to the narrative and amplifies their emotion.

When thinking about how I will incorporate the image system into my scene I would like to include certain symbols and recurring images to create the layers of meaning and depth. The image system could be used within my scene as a way of visually depicting my story rather than telling it through dialogue and narrative.

Mercado, G 2010, The Filmmaker’s Eye: Learning (and Breaking) the Rules of Cinematic Composition, Focal Press, Burlington.