Write about the Eff ectiveness of a Key Moment [W8]
Choose one key moment from your studied fi lm. Discuss why it is considered a key moment and how the director helps the audience to understand the importance of it.
Sample Answer (Higher Level) A key moment in Sing Street is the ‘Brown Shoes’ scene because it shows how Conor is about to take hold of his own life. The band has played most of their gig and there is a lull in the crowd because they played a slow set. Then the band starts the rhythmic riff of ‘Brown Shoes’ and all the audience runs up to them. At this point, the band are all just wearing normal clothes and Conor has gone back to basics. The low camera angle stays on Conor as he sings, ‘Who the hell are you to tell me what to do? You wear a dress and tell me not to wear brown shoes’. This is the moment Conor takes charge of his own life. He knows he will get into trouble with Brother Baxter because the words are directed at him, but he doesn’t care. The director uses music, costume and camera angles to communicate that Conor will make his own decisions from now on.
The director’s use of props in this scene also helps us to understand more about Conor’s situation. Conor produces masks of Brother Baxter for all the crowd to wear. The camera cuts to a medium shot of the crowd where Brother Baxter is surrounded by teenagers wearing masks of his face. He cannot escape and the camera follows him exiting the hall. The camera then cuts to Raphina who is making her way into the hall smiling. She has changed back into her normal clothes and there is a sense that everything is coming together at the end. Both characters are triumphant and have a future ahead of them.
