Anaylisis of opening two minutes of The Book Thief

How is the genre introduced?
-Everything is very calm and showing the setting, the time period and the characters, setting it up to be a drama as we get general knowledge of the situation first, then the little boy dies and this creates a rise in the film, making it a drama.

How are characters represented?
-We are introduced to a sinister mysterious character that we can't see that leaves open a lot of questions and makes the audience think.

-The main girl is sat in the light of the train window, making her stand out from the rest of the people on the train. She's singing, which could be comforting her self which is very childlike. She seems vulnerable because she isn't sat right next to her mother, she leaves a space in-between them.


-She is shown to the left of the frame, and next to her is the window showing how alone she is.


How is the mood/style introduced?
-We can tell that this could be an upsetting film because of the music.
-Everyone on the train looks fed up or ill- people are being forced to be put in situations.

-The style shows everything how it is, for example the people on the train,but also shows everything in a dream state, making the audience question a lot of things.






Describe mise en scene?
-At the beginning its very cloudy and dark which is quite unsettling.

-The white snow then stands out to the audience after being in the dark. The main colours are black and white which contrast against each other, making everything on the screen stand out, and it also suggests that in the era this was set everything was what it is, you couldn't fight against what you had to do.
-On the train it is dark and all the colours are really dull and boring showing little money and depression.

How is the narrative set up?
-We hear everything from the narrators point of view, and we travel along with him and the audience feel as if they are being taken on a journey and have no control over what's going to happen.

What order are the inter titles?
-20th century fox
-Fox 2000 Pictures presents- black screen
-A Sunswept Entertainment production- black screen


How is sound used?
-Soft non diegetic music of a piano- sad music.
-Narration over the top of the music of a soothing but still sinister kind of voice.
-More upbeat music created by string instruments to match the movement of the train.
-Ambient diegetic sound of the train on the tracks moving.
-There's no sound when she realises her brother is in danger, then suspense music is played-non diegetic- creating a feeling of uncertainty and panic.
-Diegetic sound of the mother screaming and the whistle of the train are blended together in one.

What camera shots are used and to what effect?
-Long shot of the clouds-makes the audience focus on the narration and puts them in a dream state like mind.

Ariel shot of the location that's going be shown
- following a train- been taken on a journey.
Mid shot of the main girl, focusing on her facial expressions and when she turns to her mother and brother we can still see her upset body language.

Camera movement?
-Soaring through the sky smoothly, it's quite unsettling and makes the audience feel like their going on a journey.
-Camera moves around the train showing both sides, and it puts the audience in a perspective that they are  looking for something.
-On the train the camera tracks forwards and pans from left to right very slowly as if we are examining the people on the train.

What can you take from this opening and use in 
your film?
-At one point there is a transition from the smoke into the train, I would like to use a creative transition like this so that the scenes link into each other nicely and create a smooth effect.