The long take is just what it sounds like. It’s a take that is longer than most because it is nonstop and continual. Many factors of the film or show might change in that one take but the point is that the camera is on a certain subject the entire time and does not fade away or cut to a different scene. The long take used to be a lot shorter since it required the camera being held in one position or being moved continually throughout the take, but digital cameras have now made it so that those shots can last a great deal longer.
Here are some long takes to give you an idea of what it’s all about.
5.Staircase fight – The Protector
This is kind of similar to The Raid, but Tony Jaa basically goes up multiple flights of stairs in search of his lost elephant, and is extremely brutal to anyone and everyone that stands in his way. He’s knocking guys down, breaking bones, throwing them over the ledge, anything and everything to move forward. Just imagine how hard the camera crew must have been working to keep this shot rolling the entire time.
4. Entering the Restaurant – Goodfellas
This doesn’t seem like it would be too hard in comparison aside from getting the people that Henry and Karen interact with out of the way in time to keep the shot going. It’s kind a nice tour through the facility to see just how Henry liked to enter the joint. It seemed a little convoluted but apparently it was done out of respect since he was such an important figure.
3. Drinking contest – Raiders of the Lost Ark
Come on, don’t challenge anyone to a drinking contest until you’ve seen them drink. Even then don’t do it unless you know you could polish off a bottle on your own. Take note how the shot closes in, then pans left, then back to center, then right, but never fades or cuts away. That’s a long take back in the days when they were still a little tougher to do.
2. Hit by debris – Gravity
This is where digital filming comes in because obviously this kind of thing would need to be controlled in a studio and, more obviously Clooney and Bullock did not go to space. But the filming that’s done for this scene is so well played out that you might actually feel your heart racing as you see Bullock getting whipped around the ship again and again. The look of terror on her face might be a little more real than you understand.
1. Jon Snow vs. Bolton army – Game of Thrones
Ah yes, the Battle of the Bastards. This was such an epic fight that it was hard to believe anything could top it. But of course something is going to this coming Sunday, right? This long take is just amazing as Jon is obviously the focus but what is going on around him is so chaotic that you actually lose sight of him a couple of times.
The long take is an impressive and very useful tactic in a film or TV show since it forces you to pay attention.
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