Continuity mistake: Troy's tan changes between scenes (and even between shots) throughout the movie. He starts off with no tan, then throughout the movie his tan changes in shade. In the final scene, "All For One," he is back to having little to no tan.
Continuity mistake: When Sharpay is practicing golf, the position of the golf balls changes between shots during the scene.
Continuity mistake: During the "What Time Is It" dance routine in the cafeteria, in two close-ups of Gabriella and Troy, a couple of Gabriella's middle buttons are open on her white blouse, but are buttoned up in the wideshots. (00:04:45)
Continuity mistake: Having just arrived at Lava Springs, Fulton hands Sharpay the first of the talent show fliers for her to autograph, but in the close-up as she initials it there is more than one under her hand. (00:11:40)
Continuity mistake: After exiting the helicopter, when Mr. Evans is walking towards his family in the shot facing him, his golf club is in his left hand and swung over his left shoulder. Next close-up from behind, his club is in his right hand and over his right shoulder. (00:34:25)
Continuity mistake: When Mr. Evans shows up in the helicopter, its blades are still spinning at a fast clip when he exits in the close-up. Problem is, the blades are not creating the distinct whirling shadow (nor is there any wind caused by the blades) on the surface of the red chopper, that we see in the two wideshots. (00:34:10)
Continuity mistake: During the song 'Fabulous', by the swimming pool, Sharpay's shoes disappear, then reappear.
Other mistake: During the baseball game, Ryan's team was in the field first meaning they were the home team. After Chad scored giving his team the lead, Ryan's team should have batted again since, according to baseball rules, home team bats last.
Continuity mistake: At Lava Springs, when Fulton hands Sharpay the marker (to autograph the talent show fliers) it is capless, but in the close-up as she signs her initials the pink cap is on the marker, but then it vanishes again. (00:11:35)
Continuity mistake: When Chad and Troy show up to caddy for the Evans family, the positions of Ryan and his mother, as well as the golf club bags, change depending on camera angle. The shadows they all cast also repeatedly change.
Continuity mistake: In the L.S. kitchen, when Fulton gives Troy the suit and tie, the hanger's metal swivel hook changes direction between the three shots.
Continuity mistake: During Sharpay's version of "You Are the Music In Me" after she tosses her red jacket atop the piano it moves from front to side, again and again, during the song. (01:12:25)
Audio problem: During 'You Are The Music In Me', when Troy lifts Gabriella off the piano, Gabriella mouths the words 'Oh yeah' then three seconds later her voice is heard without her lips moving.
Visible crew/equipment: After arriving at Lava Springs, when Sharpay signs her initials on the last two fliers in the wideshot, the reflection of the camera and crewmember are reflected on the surface of the Star Dazzle trophy, right beside Ryan's (blue shirt) reflection on its right. (00:11:45)
Continuity mistake: When Sharpay, Ryan and the three Sharpettes sit on their chaise lounges before "Fabulous" there are three large umbrellas behind them and a table with Sharpay's imported ice tea on it. It all disappears during the song; additionally, their large brightly colored bags and magazines move as well. (00:13:40)
Deliberate mistake: After Sharpay falls into the pool, when Gabriella dives in it is an obvious stunt double for the actress. (00:16:40)
Continuity mistake: In Ms. Darbus's classroom, when "school's out" is written on the board, the handwriting differs from shot to shot. (00:02:10)
Continuity mistake: During 'Work It Out', when Troy is finished tapping on the gold cookie tray Gabriella places it on the bottom shelf of the large prep cart. That tray repeatedly goes from right-side up to upside-down in the following shots. (00:23:15)
Continuity mistake: During 'Work It Out', Gabriella grabs the large gold cookie tray from the side rolling cart and turns with it (couple of shots after she clinks the glasses), but next shot she grabs that gold tray from the bottom shelf of the large prep cart. What's particularly funny about that second shot is the fact that the gold tray was never on that prep cart's bottom shelf until later on in the scene, after Troy taps on it. (00:23:10)
Continuity mistake: During I don't dance after the dance with the bats and then Chad's group comes in they throw or do something to the bats the next shot they are gone and then you don't see the bats for some time and then after some time they come back BUT there are not enough bats for the team.
Answer: It's a Musical. Instruments that aren't shown are always playing like this in these types of movies.