The Truman Show, directed by Peter Weir, tells the story of Truman Burbank who learns that his life has been the basis of a popular reality television show. In this clip we see Truman weather the storm that Christof used to try and stop him. Truman then breaks through the barrier of the show’s set and talks to Christof for the first time when he is on the verge of leaving. Weir shows the strength of Truman’s character and the underlying theme, if you persist you will be victorious by using vignettes, costume and exaggerated diegetic sound.
The Truman Show is an excellent film that really makes the viewers question their own concept of reality. A film technique that Weir uses is the vignette. Weir uses this technique when the storm ends and Truman’s boat is turning back up. This technique reminds the viewer of how very fake the world that Truman is living in is and how much he must persist to find the truth. It shows us how strong the character of Truman really is as he has continued to persist in this fake world, ignoring everyone else’s opinions whilst only trusting his own to find the real answers.
It also builds on the theme that you will be victorious if you persist as Truman is getting closer and closer to what is behind the camera’s vignette as he continues to persist. A second film technique that Weir experiments with is the use of costume. Weir uses this technique during the scene where Truman is escaping on the boat. Truman is wearing a jumper with self-same stripes (stripes that are the same colour as the material they are on).
The Essay on Cinematic Techniques in Film Narrative
How do movies carry us from scene to scene? The answer is in the screenplay as well as the cinematic techniques used in the film. Scriptwriters will start their script with a series of meaningful cinematic techniques. Cinematic techniques such as the act structure, choice of shot, scene transition, and camera movement, can greatly influence the structure and meaning of a film. These techniques ...
These stripes symbolize Truman’s imprisonment in this world, similar to an old-fashioned convict’s prison stripes.
Earlier in the film Truman wore very vivid stripes symbolizing his strong imprisonment within the show. In this scene his stripes are much less visible. Weir is showing the viewer that through his resilient and persistent character Truman is slowly breaking out of his prison and is getting closer to finding the truth. This use of costume also builds on the theme that persistence leads to victory as by persisting for the truth Truman is slowly breaking out of his prison, getting closer to learning the real answers.
A third film technique that Weir uses is exaggerated diegetic sound. Weir uses this technique when Truman’s boat breaks through the wall of the show. This technique has the effect of focusing the viewer’s attention on the significance of the boat breaking through the wall. This act symbolizes Truman finally breaking free after trying and trying. At this point in the film the character of Truman is fully developed and is strong enough to accept the fact that he has finally broken free.
It shows us that when faced with an unknown obstacle Truman had the courage to continue to question and eventually understand the anomaly. It also proves the theme that you will be successful if you persist as after searching for truth his whole life Truman has finally won and broken free from all of the lies and his imprisonment. This clip reinforces the theme that if you persist, you will be victorious. The Truman show makes the viewer understand the power of persistence and question the truth of his or her own life.
