Moments

'What can be shown should never be said, good writing should allow you to show how people are feeling rather than having to say it.' 

Memorable moments are very important when filmmaking as they are what the audience will take away with them and use to define a film. When you ask someone about a film that they have enjoyed, they will usually describe a moment that they remember as being exciting or significant to the story. Moments can be anything from fast paced action to a sentimental conversation, as long as they show the audience something important and it is key to the storyline then it can be referred to as a moment. When I think about moments from films and television, ones that have significance are usually events that make me feel something because I then associate the moment with an emotion. This helps to engage you as a viewer, also allowing you to feel empathy and understand what the characters themselves may be feeling in the situation. Good moments in film/television have to have all of the correct elements in order to work and be successful. The characters and what they're saying must be believable so that it seems sincere and what is happening in the situation should also have an aspect of realism to an extent. Other aspects such as a fitting location and accompanying music can add to the situation to make it as memorable as possible. 

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - Gas-chamber scene

A particular moment from a film that I remember is the gas chamber scene at the end of 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.' This is a very well known ending scene from a powerful and shocking film which is why it is so prominent and memorable for me and many others. The film is set in World War 2 Germany in a concentration camp. Bruno is son to the SS Commander at the camp. The main storyline focusses on the friendship between Bruno and one of the Jewish boys at the camp - Shmuel. Bruno is a naive boy, sheltered by his family from the cruel reality of goings on in the camp. The scene I have chosen as being the most memorable moment shows Bruno and Shmuel being ushered into one of the gas chambers for a 'shower' where they are actually gassed and killed along with hundreds of other Jewish people.

Prior to this, Bruno has dressed himself in the garments that the inmates are given as a way of getting him into the camp to be with his friend. This disguises him from the SS members so they cannot recognise him and they think that he is just one of the Jews. This is an immediate tell for the audience that it is likely something will go wrong for the main character Bruno. Suspension is built up through this scene as his family discover that he is missing, his mother starts asking people if they have seen him and discovers his clothes outside the gates to the camp. As she realises where Bruno is and what might happen to him, she begins to panic. This is turn creates a sense of urgency and tension for the audience. As we find out that Bruno and Shmuel are being taken into the gas chamber, it becomes a bit of a chase as we want to know if they will be saved or not. The scene finalises with an SS member pouring the toxic gas into the chamber covering the inmates. There is confusion and commotion among them before the shot switches to a wide shot of the gas chamber door, allowing the audience to understand and imagine what is happening inside. This shows the harsh reality of what happened in the gas chambers without having to show it visually.
I think this scene is particularly powerful because of the way it is shot. I think it creates a good sense of realism without being too overbearing and allows the audience to take in what is happening. Drama and suspension is created from the moment where we see his family realise that their son is missing, right through until we see their reaction to the incident whilst they are running around in an attempt to save him and after realising that it is too late to do anything. This is most prominent when we see his mother loudly crying in the rain outside the gates holding his soaked clothes in her hands.

As an audience when we see a character is in such obvious pain and despair, it in turn makes us imagine what it would be like to be in that situation allowing us to feel empathy for them. There is also a very memorable shot of Bruno's father when he suddenly realises that the killing of the innocent Jews - something he never gave much thought to, has so much meaning when it happens to his family thus making him understand why it was so wrong in the first place. As an ending, I think this scene is the ideal shocking moment making it memorable as it highlights the reality of concentration camps during the war and the devastation it caused for so many people.