The Boy In The Striped Pyjama's opening scene analysis

Just before the the opening credits they show a inspirational quote about children this gives the audience the idea that the story is based on a child."childhood is measured out by sounds and smells and sights, before the dark hour of reason grows." John Betjaman. This quote gives the audience the idea that the main character maybe too adventurous for John Betjaman is very famous British author/poet and was awarded with a CBE this shows that he is very respected.is own good and will get himself into trouble.Also in the opening scene there is a very clear sound of the environment,also its clear where its set.

The credit were set on a dark red background this connotes blood, danger and death, this gives us the idea that death is involved with the story line very much.The colour then expands and shows the Nazi flag , the swastika.This tells us that the story will be based in Germany and its in the era of the 2nd world war, 1930/40's.

In the background there is non-diagetic sound of peaceful/classic music this gives the audience the impression that the story follows a wealthy family because they are connotations of that genre of music.There is also diagetic sound of children playing in the streets making plane sounds with there mouths.They only let the audience here the children , this lets the audience know that they are significant to the film.

They use a high angle long shot to show the area , from this we can see the area looks attractive and expensive. This is also gives us the idea that the main characters might be rich.The camera then follows the children pretending to planes this also shows that they are important to the story line.Because the children are pretending to be planes shows that they were brought up into an environment where they see a lot of aeroplanes which are used in the world war to drop bombs.

The next shot is servant/workers cleaning a very big house, this also tells us that the main character is rich , and from what we have seen one of the children will probably be the main character because they haven't focused very much on other people.The boy at the front of the pack seems to very well dressed , this also reflects what they have shown through the music and servants.After a few shots of cleaners they go back to the streets and show a women getting out of a car ,in a wide shot to show both the car and house, in that era cars were only for the wealthy because they were so expensive and not many could afford them.When there is shot of people cleaning glasses and cutlery they don't show there face,this tells the audience that they are un-relevant or important because they have no identity.

The next shot is soldiers demanding people to get into the back of a truck, it looks as if they could be jews because we know that it was set through the world war.You can see the contrast between the two areas really clearly because the first area looks very wealthy and the jewish area was very poor,dirty and rugid.This shows that the jews were not respected well at all in germany.The diagetic souds is barking and screaming this scares the audience and gives them an idea what the jews were put through.The non-diagetic sounds also goes quieter in that area so we can hear the diagetic sounds clearer and shows that the area isnt calm like the music.

When the camera goes back to the nicer area the music goes back to its original sound to show its more peaceful.They then show the little boys running around again but they do a close-up of one of the boys to show that he is excited and having fun, it also reassures the audience that he is the main charecter.

The boy then stops when he gets to the big house and looks confused and walks in.This tells the audience that something big is going to happen.When the boy starts talking the music stops ,this shows that he is important.When he is talking to his dad there is a high angle shot to show that the dad is important and more superior.The first name that is revealed is Bruno which is the name of the little boy , this shows that he is very important because we know the most about him.

(NOTES FROM PLANNING)