The Truman Show - Image
Uploaded by cainen on Mar 15, 2002
“Discuss the use of and creation of images in The Truman Show. Refer specifically to three key scenes. Pay particular attention to the filming techniques used in these scenes.”
The Truman Show is a film that relies heavily on the use of evocative images. To create these images, the director, Peter Weir uses a number of techniques. The major techniques used throughout the film include camera angles, framing, shot types, camera movement, the style of music and costuming, and sequencing. Combining two or more of these techniques enables Weir to create emotive images.
In the second scene, when we see Truman leaving his house for the first time in the film, a number of the above-mentioned techniques can be seen. As Truman leaves his house he says to his neighbour in a corny style, “In case I don’t see you, good afternoon, good evening and good night.” While he says this he has a cheesy, almost fake smile on his face. This gives the impression to viewers as if it is almost scripted. Also when Truman leaves his house we see his conservative costuming. His outfit is nostalgic of the fifties. This particular sequence is filmed from a middle distance shot. By using this shot, the director is able to show us Truman’s surroundings. We see the perfectly mowed lawns, white picket fences, pastel-coloured houses and the bright blue sky. The image created is idyllic and almost too perfect, showing that his whole world is artificial.
As Truman approaches his car in scene two a large object comes crashing onto the middle of Truman’s street. The sound that comes from the object is a contrast to the atmosphere already created. As the object is falling through the sky there is an extreme high angle of Seahaven. When Truman picks it up and looks to the sky a low camera angle is used showing us the clear blue sky again and giving the sense that Truman is small and insignificant. Once in his car we see Truman from a hidden camera. It is made obvious that Truman is unaware of it because the shot is framed by a circle of black and across the image we can see the dials of the radio. While driving along we hear the radio announcers saying that a plane has been dropping parts onto Seahaven and that it is nothing to worry about. The director of...