Adolescence is one of Netflix’s biggest ever hits. The first episode drew 6.45 million viewers in its debut week while the second episode charted 5.9 million viewers. It has been praised for its raw, heart-wrenching, and deeply relevant story and breakout performance from first-time actor Owen Cooper, who plays Jamie Miller, a British teenager who is arrested on suspicion of murder.
Stephen Graham has also garnered a wealth of acclaim for his rendition as the distraught father. Exploring toxic masculinity and the world of incel culture, Adolescence has sparked deeper conversations in society, with the show even being championed to be shown in schools. Outside this more pressing matter, the next biggest thing everyone is talking about is how the series was filmed. So, let’s break down the genius on the one-take shot.
What Is the One-Take Shot?
The one-take shot, otherwise known as the “oner”, is a stylistic choice for filming that can be traced back decades. The mission behind the single take shot is usually to add tension to a scene or simply to make the audience feel like they are right there alongside the characters. The one-take shot first became popular in 1948 with Alfred Hitchcock‘s crime thriller, Rope. While many filmmakers at the time had tried to create the illusion that a single take shot had been filmed, they typically relied on tricks to make it play out this way, whereas Hitchcock carried out the feat properly, leading many to believe the whole film was shot in one continuous take.
The typical length of a one-take shot ranges from 5-15 minutes. A lot goes into the shot. Everything has to be intricately rehearsed, because one small error means the shot has to start all over again. So, it’s easy to see why this filming style is so highly thought of in TV and film. What’s even more impressive than a one-take shot is a single take film or TV show. Adolescence falls into this category. Each episode of the four-part series was filmed in one continuous shot with no cuts, no edits or tricks, and no breaks whatsoever. While this has been done before with films like Russian Ark, and Victoria, it is Adolescence that is taking the spotlight right now due to its perfect execution and the fact that it was done for a total of 228 minutes, a record-breaking achievement.
How Adolescence Took This Stylistic Choice to the Next Level
As mentioned, the runtime alone makes Adolescence‘s one-take shot style beyond impressive. However, perhaps the biggest achievement is the fact that this project was Owen Cooper’s first ever acting role. Starring in a Netflix series would surely be a daunting task for any first-time actor, particularly in a leading role. Yet, Cooper had a bigger hurdle to overcome in the fact that every single moment needed to be perfect or the take would be ruined. Despite working under this immense pressure, he delivered a tour-de-force performance that has been praised across the whole world.
Adolescence is a show that jumps from emotion to emotion, all of which is captured in a real-time narrative. This meant that characters had to switch from varying moods within minutes or even seconds, something actors typically film in different takes and sometimes on completely different days. In essence, this makes the series feel like a stage play caught on camera, which takes us to the technical aspects of the show. When the police break down the door of the Miller household and cart Jamie off for questioning, the camera tracks every movement as a documentary would. Yet, there is no stumbling or out of focus moments. The entire scene is captured beautifully, like a well-shot, Hollywood level movie. From here, the tone is set and each episode plays out the same exact way.
Adolescence was shot chronologically, a rare filming tactic in film and TV. This added a layer of authenticity to the series as viewers got to see the characters unravel in front of them, particularly Jamie who protests his innocence from the outset. To prepare for such a gruelling schedule, the cast and crew rehearsed before each take. Owen Cooper went into the project mostly blind, and instead opted to rehearse on set with Stephen Graham. When speaking with Teen Vogue, Cooper shed some light on the process. He explained how to push him into method acting, Graham told him: “You’re never going to see your mum again. You’re never going to see your dad again. You’re never going to see your friends again.” Cooper played these words in his head over and over whilst filming the series. In terms of the technical aspect of the show, the shots were rehearsed “like a dance”, there was no shot list, and the camera was passed back and forth seamlessly between only two camera operators.
This Isn’t the First Time Stephen Graham Has Been in a Project That Uses This Style of Filming
Adolescence was directed by Philip Barantini, a name you may not have heard of until this series burst onto the scene. After two decades in front of the camera, starring in acclaimed TV shows like The Bill, Band of Brothers, and Chernobyl, the Liverpudlian talent has now transcended to a career behind the lens. Although he doesn’t have many directorial credits to his name as of yet, his work as director for 2021’s Boiling Point truly honed his skills for Adolescence.
Boiling Point saw Stephen Graham take on the lead role of Andy Jones, the head chef of a prestigious London restaurant who strives to wrangle his team together on the busiest night of the year in which a harsh critic is expected to attend. The film was shot in one continuous take, elevating the tension to the point where it feels like a thriller. This BAFTA-nominated film paved the way for a TV series of the same name and cultivated a dynamic partnership between Graham and Barantini that would be further built upon in Adolescence.
Read Next: 5 Best One-Shot Takes In Movies & TV Shows
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