Netflix’s Adolescence is a four-part mini-series, and each episode (40-60 minutes long) is filmed in a single uninterrupted take. Shooting an entire episode as an extended “oner” is the kind of challenge that can either unravel completely or result in something uniquely immersive. Adolescence took that risk – each episode was shot in one continuous take, with no cuts and a whole lot of preparation behind the scenes. So how did they do it? What were the technical challenges – and why does it matter? Let’s have a look. Let’s start with the story. We follow Jamie Miller (wonderfully performed by Owen Cooper), a 13-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of murdering a classmate. Episode one opens with a police raid on his home and unfolds in real-time, from officers breaking down the door, marching up the stairs, and moving past his family to Jamie’s arrest and interrogation at the police station. The camera never stops moving – every line, transition, and interaction is precisely choreographed. Even if the coming-of-age plot didn’t initially hook me, the way it was filmed did. I’m not usually a binge-watcher, but I watched all four episodes of Adolescence in one go. It took a minute for me to get into the story, but I couldn’t look away – the filming technique was a story in its own right. In episode two, for example, I suddenly found myself looking down on the action from above. Had I missed something? A drone shot? How do you do...
Published By: CineD - 4 days ago