Adolescence’s One-Shot Filmmaking Made Directors Feel “Tense and Almost Sick”

Netflix’s ‘Adolescence’ doesn’t just use one-shot filmmaking as a stylistic flourish -- it weaponises it to manipulate the cinematic format, according to a range of directors.

The series uses unbroken takes to lock audiences into characters’ perspectives -- a high-stakes gamble that demanded flawless execution from cast and crew, leaving viewers feeling the story’s visceral intensity.

The show’s unbroken takes trap viewers in real-time tension, with Poppet cinematographer Aaron Farrugia admitting he and his partner felt “almost sick” watching.

“That’s exactly the reaction they wanted,” he says.

“It places the viewer right there in the room with the characters, experiencing the story in real-time. Without cuts to shift perspective or condense time, everything unfolds in an unbroken, immersive way.”

The Netflix crime drama follows the aftermath of a 13-year-old boy’s arrest for killing his classmate, probing his family’s turmoil and the systemic issues fueling the tragedy.

Each episode’s perspective shifts between characters, from law enforcement to the accused’s parents, with the camera locking viewers into their subjective experience.

For Caviar.TV director Sasha Nathwani, the technique wasn’t just showy -- it was psychological.

“The audience gets the same perspective as the character,” explains Sasha.

“It works so effectively in ‘Adolescence’ because there’s an underlying tension in every episode, and the camera gives the audience the same perspective as the character from which the episode viewpoint is fixed.”

Most productions hedge their bets -- Aaron estimates 80% of shoots plan backup cutaways that ultimately get used. But ‘Adolescence’ was fully committed, requiring every department to hit precise marks in perfect sync.

Though the plan was to film each episode 10 times across five days, some required more takes due to restarts. After the premiere, Netflix shared which takes made the final cut: Episode one used the second take (filmed in a police station on day one), episode two used take 13 (with 370 extras), episode three used the 11th take (featuring Jamie’s therapist), and the finale used take 16.

“I’ve shot many one-shots throughout my career, and I’d say that 80% of the time, we’re asked to capture backup cutaways — just in case for the edit,” Aaron says.

“More often than not, those cutaways end up being used, which is a testament to how challenging it is to commit and execute a perfect one-shot. ‘Adolescence’ fully embraced the technique, and it paid off in creating an intense, gripping experience.”

Good Oil director Madeleine Purdy said the approach is ‘terrifying’ but ideal for performances.

“What could be better than just hitting the red button and knowing there's no turning back?” she asks.

“I have attempted a few oners, but rarely successfully. I think the technique has got to be one of the most satisfying things to watch and also to pull off that I can imagine.

“From a director's perspective, the inability to solve the problems you made on-set in the edit is absolutely terrifying. It's like being a DP [director of photography] without the ability to grade -- although I imagine worse.

“I think it would be incredible for an actor's performance – which you can see in the result of ‘Adolescence.’”

When the dizzying technique serves the story’s tension -- leaving audiences feeling, in Aaron’s words, ‘tense and almost sick’ -- that’s when the gamble pays off.

The series joins recent one-shot achievements like ‘Victoria’ (2015), and faux-one-shot films like ‘Birdman’ (2014) and ‘1917’ (2019).