“Adolescence” is a British limited series on Netflix that became the 3rd most-watched Netflix show ever with a total of 124 million views since its March premiere. The first episode of “Adolescence” broke records by becoming the first streaming show to top weekly ratings in the United Kingdom, with a record-breaking 6.45 million viewers according to BBC News.
The story follows a family as they face the accusation that their 13-year-old son, Jamie, murdered a female classmate. Critics have discussed the show’s major theme of masculinity which grips its viewers. The writers and directors approach this theme with honesty, displaying various portrayals of masculinity through different characters.
The series is comprised of four episodes each about an hour long. Its episodes span over 13 months with each episode focused specifically in one setting: Episode 1 – the arrest, Episode 2 – school, Episode 3 – time with Jamie and Episode 4 – time with the family. The directors and actors stressed the importance of accuracy and reality in the show because they knew it was going to touch a lot of people. Hence the decision to use the filming process of the one-shot. They wanted the audience to feel like it could be happening to them.
Matthew Lewis, Director of Photography for “Adolescence”, explains how the filming process worked.
“One camera moving through space, that there were no cuts, and wherever was shot was the episode,” Lewis said.
After months of practice, there was one week where the actors and crew got 10 chances, two a day at shooting the one-take episodes. The two chances per day are because of how long and continuous the episode is as well as the lighting needed for the time of the day for the episode. Episode 1 was captured on the second take, Episode 2 was captured on the thirteenth take, Episode 3 took eleven tries and Episode 4 was captured on the sixteenth take.
Katie Cockrell, the film studies teacher at Spartanburg High School, recently watched “Adolescence” and thought the show’s depiction of emotional depth and exploration of complex themes such as identity, growth and societal pressures was handled with great sensitivity and insight.
“I was surprised to learn that such an ambitious technique was undertaken for a Netflix show. This approach involves filming the entire episode in a single, uninterrupted shot, which is incredibly challenging from both a technical and artistic standpoint. It requires precise choreography, seamless coordination among the cast and crew, and an extraordinary level of preparation,” Cockrell said. “I actually watched the Making of Documentary on YouTube in addition to the show to see exactly what went into making this work, and I would highly recommend it. I believe the result of this technique is a heightened sense of realism and immediacy, drawing the audience into the unfolding drama.”
Cockrell’s film studies classes explore one-shot filming in depth discussing its historical significance, notable examples in cinema and the technical and creative challenges. Her students analyze how the technique can enhance storytelling through a continuous flow of action and a sense of real-time progression. This technique makes the viewers feel as if they are experiencing the action and lack thereof with the characters.
Juliette Leopard (9) encourages everyone to watch “Adolescence” because she finds it so interesting to watch.
“I really loved this show and how it showed life that teenagers now have to deal with. The continuous one shot made the show seem more real because it felt like you were really there, watching from the sidelines,” Leopard said.
