The Truman Show Cinematography



The Truman show presents multiple layers of reality to audiences, camera placement and movement is important throughout the film in conveying we are always watching and following Truman.
There is a zoom shot used in the very beginning of the scene as Truman says "Good afternoon, good evening and good night", the zoom in moves closer towards Truman, giving audiences a clearer view of his expression and actions. It also shows importance to what he is saying, and as we find out later in the film it is one of his trademark expressions, it also highlights audiences are watching Truman twenty four hours a day, "in case I don't see ya" is ironic because audiences can see Truman wherever he goes, spying on his every move. When the dalmatian runs up to Truman, there is a canted/low angle shot which gives audiences a good angle of Truman's rigid body and clutching his brief case, showing he is very frightened of dogs. This is also another example of an unconventional shot, the camera has been placed out of view behind a bush which infers we are spying on Truman. 
Following this, there is an ariel shot of the town Truman lives in, all the houses are white, very similar and pristine which suggests the picture perfect town is almost unrealistic and constructed. We see the spotlight fall from the sky using both an ariel shot and a close up of the glass smashing when it hits the floor. Truman then picks up the spotlight and there is another close up of the label on it, 'Sirius (9 Canon Major)', Sirius is the brightest star visible at night which hints to the spotlight being used as a fake star and the world in which Truman lives being man made and a set.
Repetitive camera placement is used throughout the film to hint that cameras have been deliberately placed to watch Truman, like in his car radio, which responds to Truman and explains why the spotlight fell out the sky, supporting the idea Christof states later on in the film 'we accept the reality of the world with which we are presented...' which is why Truman does not question this. Similarly, there is a lot of unconventional camera placement which suggests we are spying on Truman, camera movement following Truman as he walks down the street like our eyes following him and a vignette around him to show he always the focus of the scene.
In the last scene Truman is speaking to two men, one of which pushes him up against a billboard which is advertising Kaiser chicken, in this shot the advertisement takes up a third of the screen which is another hint that Truman lives in a TV show.


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