Hey, we’re Andrew and Dan, two boys from Parramatta High in Year 9. This is our response to whale rider.
The impact of scene 16
The last scene in the film, scene 16 is important in solving and understanding the film. Scene 16 brings all the members of the community together, heals broken bonds and leads a few people to realize that they need to change.
Film techniques are also important in this scene because they emphasize and help to explain what is happening. These techniques are camera shots and angles and the soundtrack.
In the scene leading to scene 16, Koro discovers that he was wrong and that Pai is the future leader. This was the last hurdle to overcome in bringing the community together.
Scene 16
At the beginning of the scene, the boat, which Porourangi (Pai’s father) had been building for 12 years, is finally lowered onto the beach. However, the boat spent much of the 12 years, sitting on the hill after Porourangi left the community. When the boat is being lowered onto the beach, a long shot is used to show how big the boat is and a low angle shot is used to show the importance and the significance of the boat. The boat represents the community being united together and working together.
The boat is then dragged slowly into the sea by people who were arguing just a few days before. Again, this is the community working together and being strong. Close-ups are used on the faces of the people to show their effort and their pride. Behind the boat, most of the women and a few men are doing the traditional singing and dancing in their sort of haka. A symbol of power, strength and unity, the haka also includes Hemi’s father who got out of gaol just a little while ago. Hemi watches his father with pride and he is happy that he can finally spend some time with his dad. Close-ups are used both on Hemi’s face and the people doing the haka to show their emotions.
When the boat finally reaches the sea, the people pushing it jumped in and start rowing into the distance, which we guess is a ritual and an association with the ‘whale-rider’. A high-angle shot and a long shot are used to show the insignificance of the boat against the power of the sea. In the middle of the boat, are Koro and Pai, the two most powerful members of the community, sitting together and being friends again. Low-angle shots are used on their faces to show their power. It is because of Pai, after all, that the community has come together.
On the shore, Porourangi’s girlfriend is finally accepted into the community even though she is pregnant with the baby and is new to the community.
Back on the sea, Pai’s voiceover repeats a part of what she tried to say at the school performance. Now, Pai’s confident and happy and Koro has solved all his problems. A happy ending like no other.
The soundtrack in scene 16 consists of 3 things:
1. The voices of the people doing the haka and the people who are rowing on the boat to keep the rowing at an even pace with the ‘heave’.
2. The natural sounds not added in by people, like the hum of the sea and the sound of the oars cutting through the water.
3. Pai’s voiceover at the end. Notice that there is no talking between individuals in scene 16. The idea is represented mostly with imagery.
