Why Episode 4 of “Adolescence” on Netflix Is a Stunning Achievement!

It’s THE series that has kicked off this year with a bang. From its debut, “Adolescence” has captivated subscribers not only with its compelling storyline and its commentary on the education of men and boys concerning toxic masculinity but also with its unique filming approach.

The four episodes of the British miniseries were shot in real-time and in a single continuous take, meaning the camera never stopped rolling, and there was no editing involved. This was a feat both technically and for the actors, who had no room for mistakes.

A Seasoned Team

Firstly, it’s important to recognize the talent behind “Adolescence.” On screen, Stephen Graham stars as the father of Jamie (Owen Cooper), a 13-year-old boy arrested for the stabbing death of a classmate. But Graham’s involvement goes beyond acting; he is also the co-creator of the series alongside Jack Thorne.

In the director’s chair, Graham reunites with Philip Barantini, who previously directed him in the film “The Chef,” noted for its single-shot format. Together, they decided to film each episode of the series in just one take, including sequences that were incredibly ambitious.

A Technical Challenge

For instance, the second episode, set in a high school, features hundreds of teenage extras. This episode culminates in a spectacular finale with an aerial shot from a drone that zooms into a close-up of Stephen Graham’s intense expression.

Netflix has revealed the behind-the-scenes of this emotionally powerful and technically demanding scene in a making-of featurette and here’s a snippet:

This intricate drone shot involved 320 teenagers playing students and 50 adults portraying teachers, walkers, and parents. The broadcaster explains in a detailed thread on X (formerly Twitter):

“The director of photography carries the camera and follows a student to the traffic lights in a wide shot at the end of school. Before she crosses the street, a team attaches the camera to a drone, which then flies over the crime scene for 500 meters. That’s where the camera operator and the rigging team smoothly catch the camera and move into a close-up of Stephen Graham. Easy. Well, in theory.“

Behind-the-Scenes Revealed on Twitter

Netflix fully embraces transparency and has posted a lengthy thread on X (formerly Twitter), answering many questions from subscribers.

In the thread, the streamer confirms that there were no cuts in the episodes, before revealing that each episode was filmed multiple times. The initial plan was to shoot each episode completely 10 times – once in the morning and once in the afternoon.

However, after several failed attempts, some episodes were shot far more than 10 times. It turns out that the fourth episode selected for airing was the 16th take!

Nearly Invisible Tricks

The actors rehearsed the episodes in advance with a strict choreography, ensuring that the crew was always out of frame when the camera moved.

However, the thread on X reveals that sometimes, “certain crew members had to remain in the shot“, and in those cases, “they were dressed in costumes to blend into the scene and act as extras in the shot“.

Despite the intensity and demands of this teamwork, the shooting was completed in “only” five days. This brief period is relative to the extensive rehearsals that enabled such perfect choreography!