Profiles

When John Boyne's book 'Boy in the Striped Pyjamas', fell into Mark Herman's lap, he was amazed to find the film-rights hadn't already been snapped up.

Mark explains how he came by this wonderful book: "In the summer of 2005 I was sent a copy of the book before it was published. There was very good word on the book and I was a little surprised the film rights hadn’t been snapped up. I think the reason for that is the subject matter, it’s quite a hard sell really.

"But I felt that if a studio could read a screenplay rather than the book they might see it as very special. So I took the risk of buying the film rights which gave me the autonomy to write a couple of drafts of the script. I wrote three drafts and took the third to Miramax, who thought let’s back this film."

The story centres around an eight year old German boy called Bruno in wartime Berlin. His Dad is in the German army and when he is promoted the family have to move from their home in Berlin to the countryside. Bruno doesn't have any friends and he's told not to wander too far from the house. He finds a fence and behind the fence is another little boy his own age and they form a friendship.

Although essentially a children's book, Mark thinks it's not your usual family film.

"It's tricky with this book because it was aimed at kids and I never quite understood that. You’ve got to be a certain age to understand the irony of what the innocent Bruno is going through. So there are some kids in the audience who have still been too young. I think at 12, you’re fine you’ve learnt enough anyway. It’s not a kids film, but it is a family film but not in the 'Harry Potter' sense."

Mark went to the National Film and Television School with ideas of becoming an animator. But, on seeing fellow student Nick Park's work he decided against it!

Instead, he turned his attentions to live-action and spent two years at the BBC as a screenwriter.

His first foray into the world of the feature film was with 'Blame in on the Bellboy' which he wrote and directed in 1992.

After that came, what is considered to be, his most successful film to date. 'Brassed Off' released in 1996, tells the story of a brass band in a redundant mining town and stars Ewan McGregor and Tara Fitzgerald. Mark wasn't afraid to get right to the heart of the dying mining community, mixing comedy and tragedy to great effect.

This was closely followed by 'Little Voice' set in Scarborough starring Jane Horrocks, Brenda Blethyn, Michael Caine and Ewan McGregor. 'LV' of the title is a fragile, meek girl who barely speaks but can belt out incredible impersonations of her father's favourite vocalists including Judy Garland and Shirley Bassey. She's bullied into appearing on stage by a domineering mother and an aged, failing theatrical agent with disastrous consequences.

'Purely Belter' was released in 2000 and is about two new recruits to the 'toon army' and their desperation to raise the cash for a season ticket to see their beloved Newcastle Utd FC.

Romantic comedy, 'Hope Springs' appeared in 2002 and starred Colin Firth as a British artist who flees to Vermont in the USA to mend a broken heart.

Autumn 2008 sees the release of his latest film 'Boy in the Striped Pyjamas' but is it a must see film?

"Absolutely – not just because I’m the director – other people have said it. It says so on the poster too!"