the truman show (1998) some things we need to understand before we go ahead the truman show is both...
TRANSCRIPT
The Truman Show (1998)
Some things we need to understand before we go ahead
The Truman Show is both a movie AND a reality TV show. So when we watch we are actually watching two (2) things at the same time.
Therefore, some of the settings that we see, some of the camera shots we see, some of the characters we see and some of the stories (plots) are from the movie, and some are from the reality TV show. We will discuss and work out which is which
There are a number of different storylines (plots) within the movie and the reality TV show. Again, we will also discuss and work out which is which
The Truman Show (1998)Mise en sceneThis French expression is used to refer to the ‘look’ of the
film, particularly the sets and locations in which the action takes place, the costumes and other objects on view (props), the use of colour and lighting and the specific shot types and framing being deployed.
We are going to look at some of
these. We are also going to look at
the characters and the plots
(storylines) within the film and the
reality TV show
The Truman Show (1998)
1.Sets (locations)
• The Truman Show is unusual in that it is not only dominated by ‘sets’ – both internal and external – but that these are so stylised, meaning they have been deliberately made a particular way
• Many films use ‘real’ locations to give a feeling of ‘authenticity’, or at least use sets that reflect real cities or other spaces
• The Truman Show does the reverse. It provides viewers with visual spaces that are all put together to make the ideal world, like Disneyland
The Truman Show (1998)
The actual town used in the film is Seaside, a 90 acre planned community in northwest Florida USA, created in 1980. Comprised of over 300 cottages, it is used by all-year-round residents and guests on vacation.
Seaside features its own local post office, art galleries, antique shops, boutiques, bookshops and restaurants all within walking distance of each house.
The residents of the community all agree to a specific building code to create the ‘storybook’ cottages they live in, and each of Seaside’s streets leads to the ocean.
The Truman Show (1998)
Question:
What are the two (2) main settings for the Reality TV show called ‘The
Truman Show?’
The Truman Show (1998)
• The two main sets within the reality TV show ‘The Truman Show” are:
• The major set, and dominant ‘space’ of the film is ‘Seahaven’, a town of wide, tree-lined streets, cute houses, brand new office buildings and shops
• Interiors are the same – homely, luxurious, with cheery colours and all the fittings – like what you would find in a housing display village
• Seahaven is an example of what
people see as the “All-American
dream” of a perfect small town
The Truman Show (1998)
The only real alternative set to Seahaven is the Lunar Room (Christof's space high above the Seahaven sound stage, behind the ‘moon’ that hangs in the Seahaven sky)
This is designed in a ‘heaven’-like way – all bright light and airiness – to show Christof's “God-like” power over the show
The Truman Show (1998)
Question:
What are the main settings for the film called ‘The Truman Show?’
The Truman Show (1998)The main sets within the actual film ‘The Truman
Show” are:1. The Truman bar where we see people watching the
reality TV show called “The Truman Show”2. The parking garage where the two uniformed men
work and are watching the reality TV show called “The Truman Show”
3. The lounge room of the elderly ladies who are sitting and watching the reality TV show called “The Truman Show”
4. The kitchen area of the family from Japan who are sitting at a table and watching the reality TV show called “The Truman Show”
5. The bathroom of the man who is laying in the bathtub and watching the reality TV show called “The Truman Show”
Are there any others???
The Truman Show (1998)These particular settings are what you call ‘cutaway’
scenes showing the show’s audience in what is supposed to be the real world – but you don’t see much of them because the reality TV show called “The Truman Show” is the main focus
The Truman Show (1998)One very different ‘real’ setting is Sylvia’s apartment,
which is full of lifelike clutter, its walls plastered with ‘Save Truman’ posters and other expected items you would have in a ‘real’ home
The people who made the film “The Truman Show” have deliberately shown the ‘real’ world settings in in strong contrast (difference) to the bland prettiness of Seahaven, trying to reinforce the words of Christof when he says that the real world is disorderly and uncontrolled
The Truman Show (1998)2. Camera shots/angles
Question:
• How is Truman filmed in the reality TV show called “The Truman Show”
The Truman Show (1998)2. Camera shots/angles• Truman’s every move is captured by over 5000
surveillance type cameras. The director of the film, Peter Weir, wanted to show that Truman was being filmed in the reality TV show under surveillance and enable us, the viewer of the film, to be able to work out when we are observing the ‘fake’ world of Seahaven as opposed to the real world.
• What different camera shots did you see???
The Truman Show (1998)• We see a lot of different types of views and shots of Truman
and the township of Seahaven. Some examples are:
The use of wide angle lenses to make the viewer feel that what they are watching is real
unusual camera angles (not used in dramatic filming)shooting through oval or circular ‘masks’ giving the
impression that these hidden cameras are built into various parts of the landscape
special ‘cameras’ hidden in more mobile and surprising places (in a ring which Truman wears, another in his wife Meryl’s necklace and the ‘buoy cam’ bobbing along the surface of the water ready to capture Truman should he venture offshore)
The Truman Show (1998)
• Remember these??:
The Truman Show (1998)One of the very interesting things about the camera work
in the reality TV show called “The Truman Show” as well as the film is that we, the audience, never see the camera. We are always looking from behind the camera towards Truman or whatever else is being filmed. This works well in portraying the world of the production crew and television audience of ‘The Truman Show’ as it gives us the feeling that we are watching a ‘real’ world.
Review:1) The Truman Show is both a __________ and a
__________.
2) The two main sets of the reality TV show are _______ and _________.
3) Three main sets of the film are ________ , ________ and ___________.
4) The point of a wide-angle shot is ____________________.
5) Two special or unusual camera locations in the reality TV show are ___________ and _______________.