You'll be watching a movie or a TV show and at some point it hits you–the camera has not cut to a new shot in a really long time. Whenever a director wants to display their mastery, the tool they inevitably reach for is the long-take. From early days of cinema to present day, each generation of directors is trying to outdo the last. Here's everything you need to know about the evolution of the one-r.
Director: Joe Pickard
Editor: Matthew Colby
Creative Producer: Tyrice Hester
Line Producer: Romeeka Powell
Associate Producer: Amy Haskour
Production Manager: Andressa Pelachi
Production Coordinator: Elizabeth Hymes
Writer: Joe Pickard, Paul Gulyas
Researcher: Paul Gulyas
Post Production Supervisor: Christian Olguin
Post Production Coordinator: Rachel Kim
Assistant Editor: Justin Symonds
Director: Joe Pickard
Editor: Matthew Colby
Creative Producer: Tyrice Hester
Line Producer: Romeeka Powell
Associate Producer: Amy Haskour
Production Manager: Andressa Pelachi
Production Coordinator: Elizabeth Hymes
Writer: Joe Pickard, Paul Gulyas
Researcher: Paul Gulyas
Post Production Supervisor: Christian Olguin
Post Production Coordinator: Rachel Kim
Assistant Editor: Justin Symonds
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00Whenever a director wants to display their mastery of the form and wow the audience with
00:06a visually stunning feat, inevitably the tool they reach for in their proverbial tool belt
00:11is the long take, aka the one-er.
00:14You'll be watching a movie or maybe a TV show and at some point it hits you.
00:19The camera has not cut to a new shot in a really long time.
00:24With each generation of directors trying to outdo the last, the evolution of the one-er
00:28is a story of creativity and ambition.
00:32In this video, we'll break down the legendary one-er and how it evolved from the early days
00:36of cinema all the way to present day.
00:39Let's dive in.
00:40The history of the long take is inextricably linked with the history of cinema itself,
00:48as the earliest films were simply cameras set up and rolled continuously for the entire
00:52length of the reel.
00:54Films like 1903's The Great Train Robbery consisted of 14 unbroken shots with little
00:59to no camera movement.
01:01And while it showcased early experiments with staging and blocking, this really wouldn't
01:05qualify for our modern understanding of what a one-er is.
01:12To build our criteria for what makes a successful one-er, let's use the example that comes
01:17to most people's minds, Martin Scorsese's Copacabana scene from Goodfellas.
01:23And most obviously, the shot needs to go on for a long time.
01:28And that needs to be longer than the conventional editing pace of the film.
01:32Whereas the average shot length throughout Goodfellas is closer to 6.8 seconds, this
01:36shot lasts for a breathless three minutes.
01:39Next, there needs to be some kind of camera movement.
01:42A stationary camera on a tripod shooting the same angle in the same place would not typically
01:48be considered a one-er.
01:49Here, Scorsese and his cinematographer set the bar for what can even be achieved with
01:53a steady cam fluidly moving from the line outside, through the back door, and into the
01:59club.
02:00Third, the actors themselves should be involved in some sort of blocking or choreography.
02:04The more elaborate and meticulously planned out, the better.
02:07More often than not, this blocking extends to other departments, including camera, lighting,
02:12set deck, props, or special effects.
02:14And finally, fluidity is a must.
02:17The audience should perceive the one-er as a single take existing in real time, though
02:22it can include cleverly hidden cuts as long as they don't mess with the flow.
02:26Put all these together and the end result is a continuous sequence that wows the audience,
02:31just like it wows Karen in this scene, drawing us deeper into the narrative and the world
02:36of the film.
02:45And now, ladies and gentlemen, let's head back to the 30s.
02:48In the great movie studios, complicated traveling cameras swing into action.
02:53Marvels of precision and ingenuity.
02:56You probably didn't expect to have a special effects-driven one-er this early on, but 1931's
03:00Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde's transformation scene is innovative for multiple reasons.
03:06Its use of a long take, two minutes in this case, to display a seamless, horrifying metamorphosis
03:11is incredible.
03:12The transformation was achieved through a clever combination of makeup applied in contrasting
03:17colors and a series of colored filters on the camera lens, which allowed the makeup
03:22to gradually appear and disappear.
03:24On black and white film, this doesn't appear as different colors, but as shadows and facial
03:29deformations.
03:31There is no cut here.
03:33The spinning camera allows the filmmakers to layer one shot over the other in a fever
03:38dream montage.
03:40It truly amazed audiences as they witnessed the transformation in real time and demonstrated
03:48the potential of long takes to amplify dramatic intensity, VFX involved or not.
03:54The long one-take dance sequence of Pick Yourself Up in 1936's Swing Time showcased seamless
04:01integration of choreography.
04:05Though there are two cutaways to a man's reaction, Fred Astaire and Marjorie Reynolds
04:09performed the entire dance sequence in one long take, capturing the magic of Astaire's
04:15intricate footwork and the fluid chemistry between the performers without the distraction
04:19of cuts.
04:21This allowed the audience to fully appreciate the athleticism and artistry of the dance,
04:26something future musicals would embrace and build upon.
04:32Horror movies are often the place for innovative long takes as they heighten the realism of
04:37the moment.
04:38This tradition started all the way back in 1927 with Abel Gantz's Napoleon, a film
04:43that pioneered new ways of moving the camera that are still used today.
04:48In 1944, Laurence Olivier brought us this long, unbroken take of a full cavalry charge
04:54in the Battle of Agincourt in his movie Henry V, demonstrating how continuous action can
05:00heighten the grandeur of large-scale battles.
05:03It required careful choreography of both horses and actors, as well as precise camera movements
05:09to maintain focus.
05:10The long take emphasized the scope and scale of the scene, creating a sense of realism
05:15that was rare in war sequences of this era.
05:18Smash cut to 1948, Alfred Hitchcock attempted something no other director had done to date.
05:25With Rope, he wanted to create the illusion of a single, continuous shot for the entire
05:30film.
05:31The actual film consists of 10 long takes, but the cuts were crafted to be invisible.
05:35He used techniques such as the body wipe to mask when the camera did cut, and it had to
05:41often, as film reels of the time could only hold about 10 minutes of film.
05:45The camera would move into a dark object, like this character's jacket.
05:49Hitchcock would then cut, and resume from the same place in the next shot, permanently
05:53adding this tool to the director's toolkit for future runners.
05:59What makes Gene Kelly's song and dance number in Singing in the Rain so stirring is that
06:04it's actually made up of a series of 5 runners, each over 30 seconds in length.
06:08This allows the audience to fully immerse themselves in Kelly's impressive performance.
06:12It's a dance between Kelly and the camera.
06:15What makes it more remarkable is that everything on set had to be operated manually, as there
06:20were no remote controls at the time.
06:22Panning or tilting the camera, pushing in for close-ups of Gene's smiling face, tracking
06:27his dance, even adjusting the lighting to make the rain more apparent, and even the
06:31rain itself.
06:33All of this was done by hand, thus requiring a massive crew.
06:37Since the sequence was actually shot during the day, two blocks of outdoor sets had to
06:41be draped with tarps to create enough darkness so that the rain could be backlit and seen
06:46clearly on screen.
06:47Cue the musical montage.
07:17Max Ophel's The Earrings of Madame Day is often cited by directors like Paul Thomas
07:31Anderson and Stanley Kubrick as having had a direct influence on them.
07:37Particularly, it's Ophel's use of camera movement in long fluid shots like this one.
07:43Notice the camera tracks with the gaze of the character, connecting the audience to
07:47her internal thoughts.
07:48It feels as though the camera is lovingly looking about this opulent set, which required
07:53meticulous planning and lots of lighting.
07:57This 8-minute unbroken shot in Sidney Lumet's 12 Angry Men at first blush appears uncomplicated.
08:04The continuous take sees the characters enter the jury deliberation room, move around, converse
08:10casually, and eventually take their seats.
08:16But despite its seemingly simple execution, the sequence required a crane and half a day
08:21to set up.
08:23Each character at some point gets his own medium shot.
08:26To do this, the dolly's base was adjusted to 13 different positions around the compact
08:31set, while the camera was boomed through 11 positions horizontally and 8 vertically.
08:37Cinematographer Boris Kaufman spent 7 hours setting up the lighting for this shot.
08:42This made the blocking and movement of the actors crucial.
08:46What appears spontaneous was actually the result of precise coordination to ensure the
08:51actors hit their marks.
08:531958 brought us one of the most celebrated oners in cinematic history, Orson Welles'
08:59opening shot from his film Touch of Evil.
09:03It began with a close-up of someone placing a time bomb in the trunk of a car, and over
09:07the next 3 plus minutes blends wide shots, medium shots, and close-ups using a crane-mounted
09:14camera.
09:15The unbroken shot shifts focus across several different characters, bringing us high above
09:19buildings and streetlights, then taking us in close for dialogue.
09:26This oner creates a palpable sense of anticipation and tension as the audience waits for the
09:31bomb to detonate.
09:33The explosion itself finally brings us the first cut of the film.
09:37The Battle of Agincourt oner from Henry V walked so that this D-Day invasion oner from
09:45the longest day could run.
09:47And they do run quite a bit.
09:49In this unbroken aerial shot, we follow soldiers as they dodge bullets and explosions.
09:54This quite possibly is the first oner to include an aerial shot from a helicopter.
10:00This is due to the work of French camera operator Roger Monterrand, who, upon being
10:05hired on the longest day, designed the first camera stabilizer.
10:09This innovative device used springs to cushion the camera, effectively dampening vibrations
10:14caused by the chopper.
10:15From there, they just had to make sure the camera was pointing in the right direction.
10:19But on the ground, the orchestration of a large-scale battle with numerous extras, special
10:23effects, and moving parts required intense precision, and would inspire many future directors
10:29staging large-scale battles in their films, like Spielberg and Mendes.
10:34Not to be outdone in this Cold War movie arms race, the Soviet Union staged this truly insane
10:40helicopter shot in 1966's War and Peace with over 12,000 extras.
10:47At least something good came out of the Cold War.
10:49In Weekend by Jean-Luc Godard, we get the infamous car crash scene which has become
10:55a landmark moment in the history of the oner.
10:57A lateral tracking shot moves slowly along a rural road, capturing an endless chaotic
11:03traffic jam filled with wrecked cars and distressed drivers.
11:07The shot covers a whopping three-quarters of a mile and lasts over seven minutes.
11:12The camera's slow movement creates an unsettling, almost hypnotic effect that undulates between
11:17comedy and tragedy, leading up to the car wreck that started it all.
11:22And that brings us to the 70s.
11:32Well then, my faithful drugs.
11:35Sometimes, the long take isn't about intricate movements and highly choreographed performances,
11:41it's about stillness.
11:42Like a living picture, this long take at the start of Clockwork Orange is designed to showcase
11:47a dystopian world, to let you steep in it while slowly dollying out.
11:52This measured shot is played in contrast to the rest of the film, and as Alex says,
11:57gets us ready for a bit of the old ultraviolence.
12:03In 1975's The Passenger, we have a seven minute oner that captures the final moments
12:08of its protagonist, played by Jack Nicholson.
12:11It begins in his hotel room, looking out through steel bars onto a dusty street.
12:17The camera then seems to glide through the bars in an almost impossible movement.
12:22This was accomplished with a clever trick prop by director Michael Antonioni.
12:26The camera rail extends one meter outside the window, allowing the camera to smoothly
12:31transition outdoors.
12:33To avoid seeing the window grill, a subtle zoom reframes the shot, and the grill silently
12:38opens as the camera moves out.
12:40Once outside, the camera was transferred from the rail to a cable suspended from a high
12:45crane.
12:46A telescopic WESCAM camera was used, which absorbs shocks and ensures a seamless transition
12:52without visible jerks on screen.
12:54This intricate setup enabled continuous movement throughout the entire shot.
12:59Then there's this shot from All the President's Men, which is notable for its ability to create
13:03tension and realism through simplicity.
13:08The continuous six minute take pushes in on Redford.
13:12The simplicity allows the audience to experience the same incremental realizations as Woodward.
13:17If nothing else, this shot proves that the long take can be effective in quiet, intimate
13:26scenes, just as it is in grand, dynamic ones.
13:30Richard Donner famously used The Wanner to help sell the narrative of how Superman quickly
13:35changes into Clark Kent and vice versa.
13:38We begin with Superman flying off Lois Lane's balcony, and then without any cuts, he returns
13:43as Clark Kent seconds later to Lois' apartment door.
13:48Perhaps the MVP of this Wanner is the wardrobe department, showcasing their precision in
13:52executing this transformation flawlessly in real time, without the aid of cuts or digital
13:58effects.
14:01One of the most iconic Wanners was also one of the first to use a Steadicam, invented by
14:05cameraman Garrett Brown in 1975.
14:08The Steadicam is a camera stabilization system that allows for smooth, handheld-style shots
14:13without the shakiness of actual handheld filming.
14:16In Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, we follow little Danny Torrance on his tricycle through
14:20the maze-like hallways of the Overlook Hotel, the Steadicam gliding smoothly behind him.
14:26Due to the lack of cuts, there's a building sense of dread and anticipation as Danny explores.
14:31The Steadicam revolutionized how filmmakers approach movement within confined spaces,
14:36inspiring its use in films like Goodfellas and Birdman.
14:41Belatar's 1982 TV adaptation of Macbeth made the bold decision to tell the entire story
14:47in just two continuous shots.
14:49The first shot, lasting five minutes, sets up the story.
14:53The second shot is a 57-minute take, where the story unfolds in real time before the
14:59viewer's eyes, and mirrors the form of a theatrical stage production.
15:03Tarr showed how directors could use the long take to create a unique cinematic language,
15:08emphasizing atmosphere and narrative flow over conventional editing.
15:14The year is 1984, and Ghostbusters brings us a rare example of a long take in a blockbuster comedy.
15:21Generic, see I can get 600 tablets of that for the same price as 300 of a name brand.
15:26That makes good financial sense, good advice.
15:28Director Ivan Reitman let Rick Moranis' performance shine, allowing his ad-libs and
15:33physical comedy to take the spotlight.
15:35Giving this whole thing as a promotional expense, that's why I invited clients instead of friends.
15:39You having a good time, Mark?
15:40The camera fluidly tracks him moving through the crowded space of the party without cutting
15:44until the reveal of this terror dog in the closet.
15:49Apologies for the jump scare.
15:53Incorporating a burning structure was the ambitious addition to the wonder by Soviet
15:58director Andrei Tarkovsky.
16:00He did this on a lesser scale in his earlier film Mirror in 1975 with a smaller structure
16:06and a shorter shot, though still around a minute long.
16:09However, this long shot in his film The Sacrifice clocks in at over six minutes and sees an
16:16entire building consumed by flames.
16:18It required careful planning as it all had to be executed perfectly in a single take
16:23due to the practical constraints of setting a house on fire.
16:26However, it ultimately took two takes.
16:29The camera jammed on the first take, ruining the footage.
16:32A costly reconstruction of the house was built in two weeks and Tarkovsky tried again, this
16:37time with a backup camera rolling for safety.
16:39The result is this impressive unbroken shot that enhances the visceral impact of the destruction
16:46of this home.
16:47By the 90s, the wonder was truly an established film trope.
16:53The movie The Player opens with an impressive eight minute long continuous shot that weaves
16:58us through the chaotic backlot of a movie studio.
17:01Robert Altman creates a meta-comedy that is all about the making of movies, so he put
17:07those filmmaking techniques on open display here.
17:10In a little self-aware wink to moviegoers and long-shot lovers alike,
17:22one character even explicitly references the Touch of Evil opening runner we covered earlier
17:28at the beginning of the scene and then five minutes later in this impossibly long take
17:32returns to frame to talk about
17:41If you want to prove a performer's incredible talent, there's no better way than to sustain
17:48their performance in a long take.
17:53It shouldn't come as a shock then that long takes have been used since the inception
17:58of martial arts films.
17:59Cue the Kung Fu montage.
18:10Hong Kong-based director John Woo's Hard Boiled showcases an action-packed wonder that's
18:35not exactly Kung Fu, but rather Gun Fu.
18:39It's a tightly choreographed display of destruction involving shattered glass, explosion,
18:44and lots and lots of gunfire.
18:47Three minutes of it.
18:48Instead of cutting, Woo actually plays with his signature slow motion, using it to emphasize
18:53key beats throughout.
18:55Perhaps the most impressive feat of this wonder is how the production team was able to reset
19:00and transform this hospital set within 30 seconds during an elevator ride.
19:05It makes it appear as a new floor for the characters to continue their rampage, all
19:09without cutting.
19:16The long shot of Vincent and Jules walking through an apartment building's hallways
19:20in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction is an instance of a wonder so seamless and engaging
19:25that most viewers never even realize the camera didn't cut for almost three minutes.
19:36The riding and iconic performances take center stage and as a result draw the audience's
19:41attention, immersing them in this uninterrupted flow.
19:47Then we have Kathryn Bigelow's Strange Days, which brought us our first notable POV wonder.
19:54Over the course of the shot, several cameras are utilized, one of which was designed specifically
19:59for the film in the year leading up to production.
20:02As Bigelow explained, it was a lightweight, stripped-down ARRI still compatible with all
20:07the prime lenses.
20:09Combining this with a helmet-integrated display unit, which allowed her to put the camera
20:13where the actor's actual head would be.
20:17Also notable, this shot features a 16-foot jump between two buildings by a stunt performer
20:23without a safety harness, which took two years to coordinate.
20:27To put these various cameras together, they use hidden cuts that mask the camera switches.
20:32For example, this jump was filmed using a helmet cam, while this run up the staircase
20:38used a steadicam, but it all flows together seamlessly and makes for an incredibly memorable
20:43action sequence.
20:46In an homage to the infamous Copa shot in Goodfellas, Doug Liman's Swingers features
20:51a tracking shot in which the characters skip the line to get into a nightclub, taking them
20:56through the employee entrance and the kitchen.
20:58Much like the original, they move between drastically different lighting setups.
21:02To maintain proper exposure in a single take, cinematographers use a follow-focus system
21:07on the aperture, like they would use on the focus ring.
21:12Adjusting the aperture smoothly as the camera moves between dark exteriors, bright kitchens,
21:17and ambient club interiors allows for this transition without spikes in brightness.
21:29P.T. Anderson employs the one-er a few times in his film Boogie Nights, but this one at
21:34a pool party in the 1970s San Fernando Valley is unique in that it may be the only one-er
21:41that actually submerges the camera in the water and out again in a continuous shot.
21:46We meet various characters around the party, eventually following one into the pool, capturing
21:51a glimpse of swimmers beneath the surface, making us truly feel like voyeurs.
21:57In our research, we didn't turn up any, but let us know if you know of other underwater
22:01one-ers.
22:02With long takes consistently growing in length, it was only a matter of time before filmmakers
22:07set out to redo and one-up what Hitchcock did with Rope some 50 years earlier.
22:12Cue the montage of one-take movies.
22:15These whole-film one-ers vary in length, scope, genre, and budget, but all represent the most
22:21impressive feat a one-er can accomplish, telling an entire story beginning, middle, and end
22:26in one long take.
22:28These films also exemplify the diverse potential of the one-er, using unbroken takes to enhance
22:34tension, immerse audiences in action, or explore emotional depths.
22:39But perhaps the most consequential and innovative film to do it was the one that came before
22:44them all in 2002, Russian Ark.
22:48This nine-minute ballroom scene in Russian Ark would be impressive on its own.
22:52It features an elaborate waltz, with the choreography of both the dancers and the camera as main
22:56meticulously timed.
22:58It involves hundreds of extras, including a full orchestra.
23:06But knowing this is just one small slice out of a full 87-minute-long one-take feature
23:11film is truly mind-blowing, especially if you consider its 2,000 extras in total and
23:17three full orchestras.
23:20All of this was made possible by the proliferation of digital cameras used in filmmaking.
23:26The entire movie was filmed in uncompressed HD video using a Sony HDW-F900, with footage
23:32stored on hard disk capable of holding 100 minutes, which was carried behind the cameraman
23:37as he moved from scene to scene.
23:41Here we have a one-er from Brian De Palma's Snake Eyes.
23:44We follow Nicolas Cage as Detective Rick Santoro extorting money from a drug dealer.
23:51It starts as a casual conversation quickly shifts into a frenzied chase down an escalator
23:57and around corners.
23:58De Palma utilizes dynamic camera movements with Dutch angles as Rick catches the drug
24:03dealer and takes his money.
24:05We then follow Rick once more as he gives the money to the guy he was talking to at
24:09the start, creating nice bookends for this long take.
24:15Except that's not the end at all.
24:18This take continues on for another five minutes.
24:23Though not the longest of long takes, this one-er from Steven Spielberg's Saving Private
24:27Ryan is impressive in its scope, capturing what many called the most authentic-feeling
24:32World War II battle committed to film.
24:34Spielberg's use of a handheld camera and unsteady movement mimics a soldier's perspective,
24:41heightening the sense of disorientation and chaos.
24:44The integration of practical effects from smoke, fire, and bullets made it all the more
24:49real.
24:52The take ends with the camera moving outside a second-story window to oversee all of the
24:57destruction.
24:58It was on the tip of everyone's tongue.
25:01Tyler and I just gave it a name.
25:04David Fincher uses a one-er to immerse viewers in the gritty world of Fight Club as Tyler
25:09Durden and the narrator lead the audience into a seedy bar.
25:13The long take allows the audience to absorb this atmosphere naturally, the camera panning
25:18across the full bar and its patrons.
25:20Fincher's precise directing style and dedication to detail is a perfect pairing with the exacting
25:26needs of a one-er.
25:27We'll circle back to that in a bit.
25:32Now we arrive at the 21st century.
25:35Director Mike Figgis set out to do something new and innovative.
25:39His entire 97-minute long film was shot with four lightweight digital cameras running simultaneously
25:45and the whole thing is a single take.
25:48It follows four real-time narratives using split-screen, dialing up and down the audio
25:53to help the viewers focus.
25:56The actors and crew performed live for the entire duration of the film, which requires
26:01an amazing effort of coordination.
26:04M. Night Shyamalan's Unbreakable is filled with over 30 one-take scenes, many of which
26:09go on for multiple minutes.
26:11Shyamalan often uses long takes to focus on characters in dialogue-heavy or emotionally
26:16charged scenes.
26:18Like in the film's opening, which also happens to be the longest of the movie.
26:22The camera shoots from the seats, in front of the protagonist David and a woman he's
26:27just met, panning back and forth as each actor delivers their dialogue.
26:31The unbroken take builds suspense as the train hurtles towards the fatal crash that
26:36will ultimately set David on his journey.
26:43Sometimes a one-er is born out of necessity.
26:46What do you mean?
26:47This cathedral scene in 2001's A Knight's Tale was concocted because the filmmakers
26:51only had permission to film in the location for one night.
26:56Do badly.
26:57Lose.
26:58Losing proves nothing, except that I'm a loser.
27:00The scene is over three minutes, with the camera tracking the character's movements
27:04as they argue.
27:05By doing it in a single take, they minimize the time that would have been wasted in setting
27:08up for multiple shots.
27:10Really?
27:11Shh, woman.
27:12Shh.
27:13Do not shh me and spare him, now be gone!
27:16Okay, back to Fincher.
27:17This long take in Panic Room is notable for its seamless blending of CGI and live-action
27:22footage.
27:23The shot moves around a home as people outside are seen trying to break in, establishing
27:28the geography of the house where most of the story takes place.
27:32The camera appears to glide through walls, floors, and tight spaces a camera could never
27:37actually fit through, like a keyhole and a coffee pot handle.
27:41Historically, shots like this would have been achieved through intricate set constructions
27:44with removable walls or other set elements.
27:47But Fincher's digital approach, which was relatively new at the time, allowed for a
27:51level of movement and fluidity that was previously impossible.
27:56One of the most celebrated action-oners is this corridor fight from Park Chan-wook's
28:01Oldboy.
28:02Over two minutes, a single uncut lateral tracking shot spans the entire length of the corridor,
28:08reminiscent of a side-scrolling video game, as protagonist Oh Daesu fights off innumerable
28:14enemies.
28:15Watching the fight in real-time, viewers can feel the raw, unfiltered intensity.
28:20The scene is made to look gritty and grounded, with characters stumbling and struggling and
28:25showing their fatigue.
28:27This unpolished approach to the fight adds to the realism and makes the scene stand out
28:31from choreographed martial arts films.
28:33This one scene alone would go on to influence action properties like Netflix's Daredevil,
28:38The Raid 2, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
28:41But while we're covering great action movies, in Kill Bill Vol. 1, Quentin Tarantino gives
28:47us a one-er that was so intense to execute, it's rumored that steadicam operator Larry
28:52McConkie, who also did the one for Goodfellas, passed out due to exhaustion.
28:57Watching it, it's easy to see why.
28:59The single shot includes extreme close-ups, wide shots, Dutch angles, and an overhead
29:05shot that removes the ceiling to give us a bird's-eye view of the characters in the
29:09venue.
29:10It has multiple lighting changes, including one that allows us to see through a screen
29:15where the bride character removes her jacket.
29:18After six hours of rehearsal and 17 takes, it's no wonder McConkie was feeling the fatigue.
29:27The two one-ers in Edgar Wright's Shaun of the Dead show us how we are all zombies in
29:31our mundane daily routines.
29:34In the first of the two, we follow Shaun, walking through his neighborhood oblivious
29:38to his surroundings, highlighting his repetitive, unremarkable life.
29:42Later, the same route is revisited after the zombie outbreak.
29:46The long take mirrors the earlier one, but now features subtle and increasingly absurd
29:51zombie-related details.
29:53Shaun's obliviousness creates comedic tension as he fails to notice the drastic changes.
30:00Long takes in horror often serve to build suspense and create a sense of unease, like
30:04in The Shining.
30:05Wright flips this stereotype, using these one-ers to highlight absurdity with comedic
30:10timing.
30:14The Day After Tomorrow brought us what, at the time, was the longest continuous all-CGI
30:19shot in a film.
30:20The shot was produced by digitally scanning miniature iceberg models, crafted from sculpted
30:25styrofoam, and goes on for 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
30:30Rendering the 10-15 layers, which included subsurface scattering to make the ice translucent,
30:35took two and a half to three hours, per frame, on dual-processor Intel Xeons with 6 gigabytes
30:41of RAM.
30:42This sounds quite impressive, but it's actually less processing power than you'd have today
30:46in this smartphone in your pocket.
30:49Unlike live-action long takes where physical camera movements and staging are major challenges,
30:54this entirely CGI one-er from The Polar Express showcases the freedom afforded by a fully
31:00digital environment.
31:01Robert Zemeckis created a shot that would be impossible to achieve practically, which
31:06takes the audience on a thrilling ride as the camera stays with this golden ticket flying
31:10outside the train, swept up by a pack of wolves, then a soaring bald eagle, and finally
31:16returning to the train, all beautifully executed with computer graphics.
31:22Legendary martial artist Tony Jaa and his stunt team push the boundaries of what is
31:26physically possible in a single take with this Thai film, Tom Yum Goon, or as it's
31:32known in the US, The Protector.
31:34In this one-er, Tony demonstrates the full range of his abilities as he dispatches endless
31:39waves of gangsters, flips and climbs up walls, smashes chairs and banisters, and throws multiple
31:45people off of balconies.
31:46By the end, we see how truly exhausted he is, and it's made all the more realistic
31:51by the fact that the camera has followed him for the entire time without cutting.
31:57If you are a long take enthusiast, then you knew this one was coming.
32:01Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men contains multiple iconic one-ers, but perhaps the most
32:06famous and innovative of all is the Battle of Bexhill sequence.
32:11We follow Clive Owen's character as he strives to stay alive amidst a chaotic battle.
32:16The sequence utilizes hundreds of extras, pyrotechnics, and practical effects.
32:21In one notable moment, a blood squib goes off close to the camera, splattering it for
32:25the remainder of the shot.
32:26This actually gives it a raw, almost documentary-like feel, heightening the realism and immersing
32:31us in the action.
32:32Cuaron had 14 days to shoot this sequence, but spent the first 12 rehearsing.
32:37Each time they did another take, it took five hours to reset, making it a race against the
32:42clock before they lost daylight.
32:44The result is a six-minute long, visceral scene that appears as one continuous shot.
32:50Though, it actually does contain several cleverly hidden cuts digitally stitched together.
32:59The Dunkirk beach one-er in Atonement clocks in at just over five minutes long, and is
33:04a remarkable feat of complexity.
33:06The scene involves hundreds of extras, vehicles, horses, and historical props.
33:11As the tracking shot brings us through a crowded beach evacuation, we're shown many vignettes,
33:17like soldiers singing and horses running by.
33:22The camera travels about a quarter mile over the course of the shot, which would have been
33:26too much for a steadicam operator, especially walking backwards.
33:29In actuality, they use an electric car and rickshaw to carry the operator along, seamlessly
33:34transitioning from seated to walking and back again.
33:40Cloverfield is the first found-footage style film to employ a truly complex and unique
33:44one-er.
33:45The handheld, shaky, chaotic style simulates someone documenting the events of a disaster.
33:52Compared to other one-ers, it feels less about showcasing the technical prowess of director
33:56Matt Reeves, and more about creating an immersive experience that mimics the perspective of
34:01a character caught in a terrifying moment.
34:03There are some truly disorienting beats, where the camera shakes, simulating how any of us
34:07might film a shocking moment on our phone.
34:12If you want a masterclass on how to hide the cut in a one-er, look no further than Terminator
34:17Salvation.
34:18This long take is actually comprised of a series of expertly masked hookup shots that
34:23follow Christian Bale's character from a battlefield, into a helicopter, and back to
34:28the battlefield after taking the audience through a chaotic crash.
34:34The first cut is here, where the camera whip pans.
34:37The editor retains the blurred landscape in the pan, which makes it feel all of a single
34:42place.
34:43However, we are actually in an entirely different location, a parking lot in Albuquerque Studios.
34:48Another quick cut here.
34:52The next cut is when the camera pushes inside the chopper, leaving the parking lot, and
34:56now we are on a soundstage, surrounded by about 60 feet of blue screen.
35:01Next, the transition here, when the chopper crashes, and Bale is swapped for a stuntman.
35:07Another masked cut when the chopper finally stops rolling, and they have digitally put
35:11Bale's face onto the stuntman.
35:14And finally, back onto the battlefield.
35:17If you didn't know what to look for, you would easily miss it, and that's the point.
35:24With the rise of YouTube, it was only a matter of time before the wonder found its way there.
35:28In 2009, a viral music video for OK Go's Here It Goes Again featured intricate treadmill
35:35choreography filmed in a single unbroken take.
35:38Though there is no camera movement, it's still a feat of creativity and skill that
35:41is a complete viral spectacle.
35:44Treadmill takes were now a part of social media, a way to prove your authenticity and
35:48hard work.
35:50But we can't talk about music video wonders without mentioning Spike Jonze and Michelle
35:54Gondry.
35:55Jonze notably used the wonder for Weezer's Undone, the Sweater Song, using a steadicam
36:00while capturing the band performing to a sped up version of the song so that when it played
36:04back it was at normal speed.
36:06This creates the illusion that the band is actually playing in slow motion, and his video
36:10for California by Wax is iconic for featuring a man running while on fire in one continuous
36:16shot.
36:17Gondry utilizes the wonder in his single take 7 minute video for Protection by Massive Attack,
36:23with the camera moving in and out of an apartment building to observe its tenants, and his video
36:28for Sugarwater showcases a single take played backwards and forwards at the same time.
36:34Truly mind-bending stuff.
36:42The wonder even found its way into the world of commercial advertising.
36:46Though by nature commercials won't reach the impressive lengths some feature film wonders
36:50boast, the Old Spice commercial, The Man Your Man Could Smell Like, features elaborate moving
36:56set pieces, special effects, and precise timing gelling into a true visual feast.
37:03Also, it's pretty funny.
37:08With 2011's The Adventures of Tintin, Steven Spielberg brought us an all CGI wonder notable
37:14for its use of performance capture technology and virtual cinematography that allowed him
37:19to create something impossible to accomplish with live action.
37:23The high octane chase through the Moroccan town leads Tintin, Snowy, and antagonists
37:27across rooftops, streets, and rivers in a visually complex, ever-changing environment.
37:33By using performance capture to direct actors' performance, and overlaying them with meticulously
37:38animated environments, Spielberg pushed the boundaries of what animated wonders could be.
37:46Though not the longest of wonders, this take of James Bond entering a casino in Macau is
37:51notable for a few reasons.
37:53First, it's a fantastic use of lighting.
37:56Director Roger Deakins used practical lighting and digital enhancements to craft an ethereal
38:00glow, at one point turning Bond into a silhouette, perhaps a reference to the iconic gun barrel
38:06opener of nearly all James Bond films.
38:09You gamble?
38:10I like a little flutter now and then.
38:13Also, atypical for the Bond franchise and action movies in general, this wonder here
38:18is not used for a highly kinetic action sequence.
38:21Instead, it serves as an almost meditative pause that contrasts with the film's otherwise
38:26dynamic pace.
38:28The 13-minute-long opening scene of Alfonso Cuarón's Gravity required extensive digital
38:33compositing and virtual cinematography to simulate the weightlessness of space.
38:38It makes use of an LED light box for controlled lighting on actors as the color temperature
38:43changes multiple times throughout.
38:46The shot also involved the creation of a robotic camera rig called Iris, which enabled the
38:51camera to effectively float around the actors.
38:55With its program-precise moves, it was able to replicate how astronauts move in space.
39:01The entirety of Alejandro González Iñárritu's Birdman is made to appear as if it is one
39:08long two-hour shot.
39:10While not truly a single-take film, the seamless editing and camera choreography create a flowing
39:15unbroken narrative.
39:17Emmanuel Lubezki, the cinematographer, used Steadicam, wire rigs, and handheld techniques
39:22to follow characters through complex spaces, transitioning smoothly between scenes.
39:30Digital effects were subtly used to stitch shots together, making transitions invisible
39:35to the audience.
39:37According to Lubezki, most shots lasted approximately 10 minutes, with the longest extending to
39:42around 15.
39:44They were able to achieve this with extensive rehearsals, crafting a proxy set in Los Angeles,
39:50reassembling the St. James Theater where the film takes place, and elaborately blocking
39:54out each shot.
40:02Around the early 2000s, the TV landscape changed.
40:05Prestige TV budgets inflated, and with that came many stars, crews, and techniques traditionally
40:11reserved for the big screen.
40:13With more money and talent, and a hunger to break boundaries, the one-er inevitably landed
40:17on the small screen.
40:21Director Cary Fukunaga executed this six-minute-long take in the much-lauded Season 1, Episode
40:264 of True Detective.
40:31The production team positioned makeup artists in nearby houses, ready to dash out and apply
40:35makeup to injured characters' heads when needed.
40:40Assistant directors were stationed throughout the neighborhood, coordinating extras who
40:44had specific lines to yell and paths to follow.
40:48Special effects technicians added to the chaos by hurling foam bricks and firing dummy rounds,
40:52while stunt coordinators worked with the drivers to ensure precise timing for the vehicles.
40:57The first three takes were botched, but the fourth was a success, making television history.
41:05While the original take clocked in at seven minutes, director Matthew Vaughn ultimately
41:08decided to break the epic church fight scene in Kingsman the Secret Service into three
41:13shorter shots.
41:15Utilizing hyper-stylized action inspired by comic books, the exaggerated speed ramps,
41:20quick pans, and whip-like camera movements mimicked the sensation of reading action-packed
41:25comic panels.
41:27The camera remains tightly focused on Colin Firth, emphasizing his transition from suave
41:32spy to uncontrollable killing machine, all while synchronized to the music of Leonard
41:37Skinner's Freebirds.
41:42There was no stitching together in post for this four-and-a-half-minute long take of a
41:46two-round boxing match in 2015's Creed.
41:49The match plays out in real time, and the camera bobs and weaves as though it's a third
41:53fighter in the ring.
41:56Unlike typical sports film techniques that rely on rapid cuts and close-ups to convey
42:01intensity, the long take in Creed captures the perspective from one fighter to another,
42:07building to an intense and satisfying climax.
42:12Spectre starts on a grand scale with a Dia de los Muertos parade in Mexico City, and
42:18eventually hones in on an intimate moment between Bond and a female companion, and then
42:23it moves us back into a larger set piece once more.
42:26It accomplishes this with cleverly hidden cuts.
42:29Let me show you how.
42:30The opening shot of the parade was captured using a technocrane, starting with a wide
42:35establishing view, lowering the crane, and pushing in to track the actors.
42:40A seamless transition occurs as Bond and the woman enter a hotel, which is actually located
42:45on a different street.
42:46At this point, a steadicam takes over, following the actors through the lobby and into the
42:51elevator.
42:52The hotel room itself was a set constructed at Pinewood Studios in the UK.
42:58Where are you going?
43:01I want to be alone.
43:03As Bond exits through a window and runs along the roof's ledge, the technocrane takes
43:07the camera once more.
43:09A massive support scaffold spanning the entire block and rising three stories high was constructed
43:13to hold the technocrane's track.
43:15It all looks like one shot, but it was only made possible through modern editing.
43:21I don't care what anyone says, Hardcore Henry is an impressive feat of filmmaking.
43:26It's one of the first full-length feature films shot entirely in a first-person point
43:30of view, using head-mounted GoPro cameras attached to stunt performers.
43:34As though that weren't remarkable enough, the film smartly stitches together multiple
43:38long takes to give the illusion of one single unbroken shot.
43:43Since the film was shot with wearable cameras, the choreography had to be meticulously tailored
43:47to keep the action fluid and cohesive, from parkour sequences to gunfights to hand-to-hand
43:53combat.
43:54The POV shots combined with long takes feels like an homage to first-person shooter games,
44:00mimicking the uninterrupted gameplay experience and bridging the gap between film and interactive
44:05media.
44:13Inspired by Cary Fukunaga's long shot in True Detective, the creators of It's Always Sunny
44:18in Philadelphia took their own long shot to television in Season 10, Episode 4, Charlie
44:23Work.
44:24According to director Matt Schachman, the challenge of the 10-minute shot lay in merging
44:29various locations, such as the real exterior of the pub in downtown LA and the set interiors
44:36at Fox, with many of those set interiors not being directly connected.
44:40The bathroom, main pub, back office, and keg room sets were redesigned to flow into one
44:46another, with certain locations, like the alley, filmed on-location to maintain their
44:50authenticity.
44:51The transitions relied on hiding cuts by panning past walls or using green screen.
44:56The shot garnered critical acclaim and proved that the wonderer could even find a home in
45:00the half-hour sitcom.
45:08The A Lovely Night dance number in La La Land is an homage to the golden era of Hollywood
45:14musicals with a modern twist.
45:16While older musicals were often limited by the technology available at the time, dynamic
45:20camera movements were challenging due to the weight of the equipment.
45:23The use of a crane and lighter equipment allowed the camera movements in La La Land to match
45:27the dance with 27 different marks for the crane to hit throughout the number.
45:31This ultimately achieved the playful dynamics cinematographer Linus Sangren wanted.
45:36The long take allows for smooth transitions between varying angles, making the sequence
45:41feel intricate and continuous.
45:48Baby Driver's two-and-a-half-minute wonder is unique for its seamless integration of
45:52action and music.
45:54In it, Baby walks through a bustling city to retrieve some coffee from a coffee shop,
45:59all to the tune of Bob and Earl's Harlem Shuffle.
46:02As he sort of dance walks, we see the sights and sounds of the city landscape are all choreographed
46:07song, blurring the line between diegetic music and non-diegetic sound.
46:14The graffiti he passes syncs to the lyrics just at the moment he walks by, and later
46:20change to match different lyrics when he walks by again.
46:23The buttons pressed at the ATM he passes sound off to the beat of the song.
46:32He walks by a brass instrument store just in time to mimic playing horns along with
46:36the song.
46:37All of this had to be meticulously timed out and placed at appropriate marks to hit the
46:42beats.
46:43It was rehearsed twice and shot 28 times, and the 21st take ultimately was the one that
46:49made the cut.
46:51Stuntman-turned-director David Leitch crafted this 10-minute-long unbroken sequence for
46:58Atomic Blonde.
47:00Seven of those 10 minutes revolve around a highly choreographed fight scene in the
47:04confines of a stairwell.
47:06Charlize Theron, as Lorraine Brodden, visibly tires, struggles, and sustains injuries, enhancing
47:13the realism of this brutal combat.
47:16They even seamlessly body swap Charlize for her stunt double in several instances.
47:22Like here, when she falls down the stairs, or here, when she crashes into some breakaway
47:26cabinets.
47:27The scene employs the use of cuts through whip pans, body movements, and moments of
47:31disorientation.
47:32And to achieve this, had an editor on set to confirm everything lined up.
47:38And Gommelie Diaries' climactic 11-minute-long take follows a chaotic village festival that
47:43erupts into violence.
47:45Filmed with a trolley camera, it's remarkable for its scale, involving a crowd of over a
47:50thousand people, multiple simultaneous events, and shifts in focus between different groups
47:55of characters.
47:57Because the scene was only able to be rehearsed before any of the extras arrived, the sequence
48:02exudes an improvisational energy, with characters and extras moving in unpredictable ways.
48:08You see the stuff I like about you isn't the stuff on the outside.
48:12Though not directed by Michel Gondry, this one-er from his executive-produced show Kidding
48:18is an homage to his practical effects and DIY-style visuals.
48:22In this scene, guest star Rikki Lindholm transforms her life after watching an episode
48:26of Mr. Pickle's Puppet Time.
48:28In a single take that spans five years of her life, viewers witness her renovating her
48:33apartment, exercising, hosting friends, and celebrating her fresh start.
48:38Behind the scenes, the Kidding crew repeatedly transform the set in real time, while the
48:43camera pointed elsewhere still rolling.
48:45The take required 50 crew members and a specially designed set with flipping walls.
48:54In Game Night, we're given a one-er that follows a Fabergé egg in a high-stakes game
48:59of hot potato.
49:01Our main protagonists are trying to steal the egg from a mansion, throwing, dropping,
49:06and rolling it to one another as bad guys narrowly miss them.
49:10Parts of this sequence were shot on a gimbal, and some on a cable camera, like when we followed
49:15the egg here soaring across the balconies, giving this one-er the feel of a wild roller
49:20coaster ride.
49:21Egg itself was actually CGI in instances where it's flying through the air or when it had
49:26to be dropped or smashed to avoid causing harm to the actors.
49:31And with the potential of a missed bobbled catch messing up the take.
49:38Although technically made up of multiple long tracking shots, Sam Mendes' 1917 is edited
49:44to appear as if the entire film unfolds in one continuous take.
49:49What results is one of the most immersive war films of all time.
49:53Each individual sequence was technically complex and involved intense choreography of extras,
49:58lighting, explosions, and actors needing to hit their exact marks to maintain the flow.
50:04This couldn't have been done without the use of lightweight cameras, able to be attached
50:08to wires, drones, and other equipment.
50:10At times the cinematography team had to move the camera from a shoulder rig to a wire rig
50:15in a single shot without cutting, making portability key to the film's success.
50:20The camera was also equipped with stabilizers, enabling the operator to smoothly track and
50:24move it along the planned paths.
50:25The crew created mini set models and used flags and poles to map out the path.
50:30They then spent four months rehearsing to measure the distance for each scene and ensure
50:34the camera and actors were in sync.
50:37Based on these rehearsals, more than 5,200 feet of trenches were constructed, determined
50:42by the length of the dialogue and the movement of the actors and camera.
50:51Knowing they couldn't out-borne or out-bond a classic car sequence on their limited budget,
50:55Extraction director Sam Hargrave realized he could make his scene distinct by employing
51:00the one-er, placing viewers directly in the heart of the action and creating a real-time
51:05experience.
51:06The shot ended up being 12 minutes long and includes a car chase, a foot chase, a second
51:11car chase, gun fights, knife fights, hand-to-hand combat, and explosions.
51:16Hargrave, a former stunt coordinator for Marvel, pushed the boundaries of camera operation
51:21by personally handling some of the shots.
51:23He strapped himself to the hood of a car with a handheld camera and even secured himself
51:28to a rope to film a moment where two characters plunge off a balcony.
51:32The sequence serves as a standout moment in the film, elevating it above many contemporary
51:37action movies in terms of technical achievement.
51:40It's hard to make a show about a restaurant, kitchen, feel as intense as a war film, but
51:52if you're going to do it, a one-er is the way to go.
52:02Season 1, episode 7 of The Bear, titled Review, contains an 18-minute unbroken shot of the
52:09escalating chaos of the restaurant's lunch rush in real-time.
52:12It is remarkable for the tightly choreographed movement of the kitchen staff.
52:23The camera team had to closely watch four rehearsals by the actors and elaborately plan
52:27how to work around them.
52:33The uninterrupted shot underscores the unraveling
52:40dynamic of the main characters as the pressure of the day exposes fractures in their relationship.
52:47The absence of cuts leaves no escape for the raw emotional confrontations.
52:52The second season of Severance opens with a one-er through a maze of liminal office
52:58hallways.
52:59What appears as an unbroken shot, director Ben Stiller said it was actually split up
53:03into ten parts and filmed over the course of four or five months as different pieces
53:08of the set became ready.
53:10The shot begins with a zolly move, also called a dolly zoom, zooming out while the camera
53:14pushes in, creating a compression effect that squishes Adam Scott's face.
53:19From there, the camera was attached to a piece of equipment called a bolt arm, allowing them
53:23to coordinate precise moments, even circling Scott 360 degrees.
53:28Because the bolt arm can't be stopped once programmed, Stiller said the shot required
53:32numerous safety checks and was rehearsed with Scott many, many times to avoid an accident.
53:38While running through the twisting and winding corridors, the camera was attached to what
53:42Stiller called a pogo stick gimbal, a lightweight camera on a stick that a cameraman can hold
53:47while running full speed.
53:48At one point, Scott even runs on a treadmill on a green screen stage with no set whatsoever.
53:54The ten shots were stitched together digitally by the VFX team, making it all seem like one
53:59long take.
54:00According to Stiller and Scott, the team responsible for the shot had their own little wrap party
54:04when it was completed.
54:06And that's a wrap for us as well.
54:08So why do we care?
54:09It's beautiful.
54:10Ultimately, Wanners are the place where a director and the entire team can bring all
54:15their filmmaking chops to bear.
54:17It's the peak of coordination, technical achievement, planning, practice, and control.
54:23When done correctly and in the right moment, it can shock and wow an audience and also
54:27draw them deeper into the narrative.
54:29But beyond all that, it's the closest modern filmmaking gets to being real.
54:34Wanners and long takes are more like crafted plays that require everyone to be on their
54:39A-game or risk ruining the shot.
54:43So of course it isn't the end.
54:45Future directors will continue to evolve the form and push the long take to new heights
54:49and of course, new lengths.