Co Writing: The Red Heels

When my teacher gave us the criticism that our story seemed concluded and lacked a sense of enigma, I immediately began brainstorming new ideas to enhance the narrative and leave a lasting impact.

My thoughts turned to the series "It's Okay to Not Be Okay"(2020), directed by Park Shin-woo. specifically, the opening scene of episode 2. The image of the female lead wearing red heels, stepping out of a car, and walking towards a psychiatrist hospital, has stayed with me. As she narrates the haunting tale of a little girl who wore red shoes that forced her to dance incessantly, the scene becomes unforgettable. The cinematography, dialogue, and sound design – particularly the sound of her shoes – all contributed to its lasting impact.

Inspired by this memorable scene, I wanted to incorporate red shoes into our film's opening. I envisioned adding a shot at the beginning featuring the character's red shoes, potentially setting the tone for the rest of the narrative.

To incorporate the red shoes into our film, I decided to add an opening shot of the character walking in the heels. This not only added a visually striking element but also helped to introduce an air of enigma.

Furthermore, I used the red shoes as a narrative device to connect the two main characters. By having the shoes passed on to a new character after the first girl's death, I aimed to create a sense of continuity and raise questions about the significance of the shoes and their impact on the new character.

The concept of passing down the cursed object was heavily influenced by Gore Verbinski's "The Ring" (2002). In the film, a cursed videotape is passed from person to person, ultimately leading to the viewer's demise. Similarly, in our narrative, the red heels serve as a cursed object, causing the death of whoever wears them, thus perpetuating a cycle of horror and suspense.

I changed the name of the Film from "The Reflection" to "The Red Heels". This is the link to the clip that inspired me.