For those not familiar with the Truman Show, please look it up now. Thank you.
It begins when people sign up with an application form. They complete it, and from then matters are out of their hands.
They are analysed, their lives researched and profiles made. They are judged on whether they are
suitable or not.
If they are judged not suitable, nothing more happens. If they are judged suitable, it becomes more interesting...
Cameras are hidden about their home. Satelites are trained on them at all times. Hired goons come to their friends and present them with their tasks. They, somehow, contrive to make the candidate move to a specific village.
Meanwhile, this is all being broadcasted on national TV. The candidates TV has been modified, of course, so that they do not see this. All mentions of the name of the village on TV are censored so that candidates do not realise what is happening.
Once they have moved into the village, all other people there are either themselves candidates or trained actors. There are cameras everywhere.
Once they have settled in (several months at least), they are introduced to a terrifying village tradition. Once a month, the village votes on one member of the village to execute.
The candidate is horrified, but the actors do a great job in convincing the candidate to stay.
The votes are completely fake, and the choice is completely down to the TV audience, who vote for whoever they want to see 'executed'.
The votes are announced, the victim is led to their fate, which is arranged in a way that is easy to fake (thrown off a cliff, drowned etc.)
Once out of sight, they are immediately led into a room full of screaming fans, and a future of mental problems and sadness.