The Truman Show

Discuss an idea in your studied text that caused a strong reaction or interest in you as a reader/audience.

In The Truman Show, I was interested by the way the director, Peter Weir, conveyed his opinion of the power of the media in today’s society. He used many production techniques to hold the audience’s interest, while clearly demonstrating his position on issues such as manipulation through media, the naivety of the audience, and the ethics of reality TV.

Camera angles have been used is to create a sense of unease. Because all of the cameras in Seahaven are hidden, Truman is often shown from unusual angles to remind the audience that he is being watched. When he is in his car, we see him from a low angle from the camera hidden inside his radio, then a mid shot from the camera inside his side-view mirror, which automatically adjusts itself to keep him in the shot. These unusual angles emphasise the fact that Truman is being spied on, with the purpose of making the audience feel uncomfortable. Another example is a close up through Truman’s bathroom mirror, where he secretly entertains himself, pretending to be two mountain climbers. While the audience may be taken aback that this shot, as well as many others, is so intrusive, they are the ones who stay to watch it, and