The Truman Show

Setting - Seahaven

A dome in the LA Hills - a perfectly designed and created universe especially for Truman. The town is seen as utopia (an imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect) with buildings being symmetrical, often pastel in colour and in perfect conditions.

Costuming - Christof - What is he wearing?

Black and grey clothing, beret, glasses. Simple and artistic clothing showing him as an artist.

Dialogue - Truman: "Who are you?" Christof: "I'm the creator"

By describing himself as the Creator Christof is showing that he made Truman and the world he lives in but doesn't necessarily show that he cares about Truman.

Cross-cutting - shows action occurring at the same time in two different locations - Bridge scene - Truman and the Audience

Cross cuts between Truman and the people watching the show. We are given an insight into the lives of the audience and see them making bets about what will happen to him. This shows us that the audience have de-humanised him - his life is nothing but a gae and entertainment for them.

Costuming - Truman in the beginning

Often wears stripes - represents a "virtual prison" Pink pajamas - innocence suits and briefcase - showing men are the bread winners making them the "perfect" husband Bright clothing - clown like - links to his playful personality Polo shirts - slightly fancy and youthful

Costuming - Meryl - What does she wear?

Perfect hair, bright costuming, dresses, perfect make-up - even when going to bed - blonde hair, blue eyes, nice figure .

Cross-cutting Bridge scene - Lunar Room and Truman

Reminder of how controlled Truman's life is, to be careful who we trust and that Christof has the ultimate control over Truman's life

Dialogue - "Look at that Sunset Truman, it's perfect. That's the big guy, what a paint box he's got."

Represents Christof as the "big guy" - a biblical illusion - referring to him as god-like. Shows that he can control the world because he created it.

Props - Family Photo Album, Truman shown in a clown costume behinds bars

Shown to remind Truman how happy his life is at a stage when he is beginning to question his existence. The bars represent Truman being locked up in a virtual prison under media control his whole life. The clown suit shows Truman's personality and represents stupid and immature behaviour.

Costuming - Christof - Why is he wearing this?

Shows emotionless, professionalism. Beret shows creativeness, he is a painter, the creator of Truman's world. Glasses show intelligence compared to Truman who is often seen as "goofy".

Bird's eye view: In a scene where Truman is walking across the street. We are shown Truman and almost the whole of Seahaven.

Shows how small he is compared to the world he lives in. Reminds us that wherever he goes he is followed by the cameras. Shows the perfection of the houses in Seahaven, they are all symmetrical.

Night Cam - When Christof is watching Truman Sleep

Shows the lack of privacy Truman has in his life. Even while he is sleeping he is being watched. It also shows that Christof actually cares for Truman. Stroking the image of Truman sleeping shows Christof has a fatherly tenderness towards Truman.

Costuming - Meryl - Why does she wear what she does?

Stepford Wives (brainwashed, controlled, immaculate women - from the film/novel The Stepford Wives) clone. The perfect 1950s wife. This shows how fake Meryl is. It also shows the media's obsession with looking perfect. The nurses uniform she wears is a contradiction . Nurses are meant to be seen as good people because they save lives. Meryl on the other hand is ruining one.

Props - Posters "Travelers Beware"

The media aims to control absolutely every aspect of your life. This represents the control Christof and the show has over Truman - they are using fear to exploit and control him.

Setting - Truman's basement

The place where Truman feels the most at home. He keeps a trunk with all the important things from his past. He hides this from Meryl but is obviously unaware that the whole world can see what he keeps in there and how this affects him.

Vignette Shots - Shots with dark framing around the edges

These shots give immediate insight into Truman's life. It shows how he is unaware of his surroundings and 100% controlled. These shots are from cameras placed in Truman's everyday life eg: His ring, a necklace Meryl wears and the neighbour's rubbish bin.

Dialogue - Truman speaking to himself in the mirror pretending to be a mountain climber "If I die before I reach the summit, you will use me as an alternative source of food. Eeeewwww, gross."

This is one of the scenes where we see Truman being himself. We see that when he is by himself he is childlike and spontaneous. He shows his innocence and his personality by acting out comical scenes in his bathroom.

Grainy, blurry cameras with bars

This shows (and reminds) us that Truman is a prisoner inside a world controlled by Christof.

Dialogue - "And in case I don't see ya, Good Afternoon, Good Evening and Good Night!"

This shows his "perfect" suburban life. This line is repeated 3 times in the film. At the beginning of the film Truman says this to his neighbours to be friendly. The second time he says it when he is beginning to be suspicious of his life. At the end of the film he repeats the line again before he leaves the show to mock Christof and the life that has been built for him.

Dialogue - "We've become bored with watching actors giving us phoney emotions...There's nothing fake about Truman himself"

This shows how society (or at least the audience in the film) is nosey, voyeristic and obsessed with television. In this speech Christof is justifying his cruelness.

Dialogue - "Increase the wind." "Cue the sun"

This shows that Christof is able to control every aspect of Truman's life. Control over the atmosphere in Seahaven represents the control Christof has over everything, even possibly Truman's death.

Dialogue - "There's no more deceit out there than in the world I created for you. The same lies, same deceit"

This shows the media's (in TTS and in real life) obsessions with the perfect world. In this speech Christof is justifying his creation.

High Angle Shots - when Meryl is speaking to Truman on the lawn

This shows the power balance in Truman's life. Meryl is the driving force in Truman's life so Truman is shown looking weak compared to those around him are controlling him.

Character positioning - lawn scene and Meryl on the stairs looking down at Truman.

To show that the people around him are in control of his life. They are made to look bigger.

Dialogue - "Maybe I'm losing my mind, but it's like the whole world revolves around me somehow"

Truman's realisation that there is something suspicious happening in his life. This is an example of dramatic irony as Seahaven does indeed revolve around him.

Costuming - Truman towards the end

Wearing black often - shows he is professional Wearing a sailor's outfit in the final scene - "master of the sea" he is finally taking control of his own life.