Truman Show - Understanding Its Cinematography
As we watch popular TV shows like The Office, House of Cards, or even Game of Thrones, you will notice that there is a lot of emphasis put into making each scene feel authentic. This is called creating an immersive setting or what filmmakers call a “scenario”.
By this, they mean to make the viewer feel as if they are in the situation being portrayed. A good example would be when Team America played the movie You're Dead! during the Champs vs. Zombies tournament. Or how about When Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2 had the boat chase?
The reason these scenes work so well is because they create an environment where the audience feels involved. They give off the sense that everything around them is natural and normal, which makes it easier to connect with the characters.
This is important for any genre film, but it is particularly true for action films. Because action movies usually occur in confined environments, having an engaging scene depends heavily on how well-designed the space is.
Interior design plays a big part in giving your movie the edge it needs to succeed. In fact, some say it is the most crucial element of cinematographic storytelling.
Definition of cinematography
When talking about cinematic style, what is needed to make an audience feel drawn in and invested in the story are strong visuals.
The way that shots are framed, how close or far away they are, the amount of detail in each shot, and whether the scenes seem natural or not contribute to this.
These components all play important roles in creating an emotional connection with the viewer.
There are several styles of cinematography depending on the genre of film being made. For example, documentary filmmakers use more neutral settings and focus more on capturing real life moments rather than establishing dramatic beats.
Other genres like action films have very quick cuts so it can be hard for the viewers to determine where one scene ends and another begins.
This method makes it look as if there was no break between two sections. It creates a sense of continuous action which many people enjoy seeing.
Examples of “Truman Show” cinematography
Many people refer to this as The Truman Show Effect, or sometimes referred to as On-Screen Consistency. This is when the camera stays in one place for an extended period of time showing nothing but the subject matter.
This was popularized by filmmaker Peter Weir with his 1997 film Adaptation. In that movie, the main character must figure out who created the fake reality he lives in.
Weir uses this concept throughout most of the movie, keeping the focus on the characters and their relationships with each other.
Including shots where only the face of the person being filmed is shown and then later you see them doing something else. A lot of these are silence, speech or action framed completely within the borders of the screen.
These types of shots can get boring so there should be some element beyond the frame that attracts your attention such as music, bright colors or interesting shapes.
Ways to be the next “Truman Show”
As we know, the main character of The Truman Show was never told that he lived in a TV show or that his life had been filmed before. He learned this information as an adult, when he realized everyone else knew about it!
That can totally happen for you too.
You could find out at any time if someone really cares about you. Make more effort into showing and proving that you care by doing things like asking how their day is going, wishing them good luck on something, etc.
Take pictures of your surroundings
As we mentioned earlier, cinematographers use several tools to make the space around you look bigger or size up their environment depending on the setting.
This is called establishing shot photography. For example, when someone goes outside for a jog, the camera is typically placed at a high altitude to show how wide and vast the area is.
The same concept applies in filming rooms or spaces. The lens can be focused higher to create that feeling of expansiveness, or it can be narrowed down to emphasize intimacy.
Use lighting to your advantage
As we've discussed, cinematographers have their own special way of working with light, but that doesn't mean you can't use it to create some interesting images!
When editing your photo, you should consider how the camera was exposed for each portion. For instance, if the nose is brighter than the rest of the face, add more light to make the face look similar in brightness. If there's too much background illumination, reduce the intensity or eliminate that light source completely.
You can also play with the color of the light by using neutral toned bulbs or ones without any hue to them. This creates darker shadows and lighter skin which looks better most times.
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Many people begin taking pictures with smart phones first, and then move up into higher quality cameras. While having a nice camera makes creating beautiful photos easier, investing in a good digital camera can do amazing things for your photography.
A good quality camera will let you achieve incredible results, even if you're new to capturing photographs. Many feature-packed models cost around $200-$300, making them affordable to almost anyone.
Use editing to your advantage
As mentioned before, timing is an important part of filming a movie or television show. This includes using different camera angles, speed, duration, and intensity of each shot. All these factors contribute to how the viewer perceives the film’s story.
Editing can be done either in-camera (done professionally) or via software like Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro. The editor cuts together pieces of footage into a narrative format to create an overall picture.
Certain shots require extra time due to length restrictions or re-shooting needed. These are usually filled with empty space that needs to be cut out and then inserted back in later. This is called “gapping.”
Gap times vary depending on what type of scene it is and who is involved, but some general guidelines exist. For example, if someone has their hands up, you probably do not need as much gap time because the hand will fill in the screen when they lower them.
Use actors to your advantage
As discussed before, screen acting is not just about having a good look; it is also about using your actors to convey a message or story. When shooting a scene, try finding ways to use the individuals involved to tell the story of the movie.
For example, in one scene there are two characters who have never seen each other before. They come from different backgrounds and cultures, so they do not speak the same language.
Their conversation does not make sense at first, but as you watch the film multiple times you understand what was going on. So instead of telling the audience what was happening through dialogue, the camera and action help describe the situation.
There were no stills taken for this scene, only handheld filming. This creates an intensity feeling because the viewer has to figure out what is happening themselves. The tight editing makes us feel like we are along for the ride with these people and that adds to the drama of the scene.
Use set design to your advantage
As mentioned before, cinematographers have many tools at their disposal to create incredible shots. One of these is setting up different backgrounds or “sets” for the scene.
Set design allows you to add more depth to the story by creating new environments or landscapes. This is very common in films where the characters are constantly traveling or moving around. By adding some background scenery, the camera does not feel confined to only show what the character is facing directly.
The best way to use this technique is to develop an understanding of how settings work as part of the overall filming process. For example, when shooting outside, there comes a time when the sun goes down. Depending on the script, the outdoor setting may be destroyed or another one can be built.