Is Adolescence on Netflix shot in one take? Here's what we know 

From the first scene when the police head down to a suburban house to arrest the 13-year-old Jamie Miller to the shock of his parents, Adolescence on Netflix keeps you hooked because of the suspense and the way the whole show has been filmed. The crime drama series Adolescence is directed by Philip Barantini, who used just one take to film an entire episode.

Adolescence, released on Netflix on March 13, 2025, is one of the top shows globally on the platform. The story revolves around a 13-year-old boy who is accused of murdering his classmate. Each episode uncovers the reason behind the heinous crime. Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne create the limited series. A cinematic experience, each of the four episodes was shot in one continuous take.

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Each episode of Adolescence was shot in one take

Philip Barantini directed every episode of the show in entirety in one continuous shot. Each episode air-time ranges between 50 to 60 minutes. From camera angles, acting to stage development, the episodes are immaculate through the uninterrupted process. Barantini had previously used the same format to direct the British thriller movie Boiling Point in 2021.

The audience watches the show in real time as there are no breaks in each episode. We feel the chaos and the anxiety that the storyline builds through the continuous shot. As per Time, Barantini shared that along with cinematographer Matt Lewis, they had constructed miniature models of the sets and of the actors, followed by weeks of rehearsals before filming.

Barantini told Netflix about the process,

"Basically, that means we press record on the camera and we don’t press stop until the very end of the hour."

He continued,

"But it’s much more complicated than it sounds. It takes months of preparation and weeks of rehearsals and an incredible team of people to pull it off at every stage, from the script to the locations to the production design to where exactly the camera is going to be able to shoot and from what angle."

For the final moments of Episode 2, they used the drone to capture the chase sequence. Co-creator Thorne revealed,

‘It was an example of the technical meeting the story and finding a fusion which is actually better than anything the story had come up with on its own.’

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What is Adolescence about?

The show follows the story of a 13-year-old school boy called Jamie Miller (played by Owen Cooper) who is arrested from his home for having murdered his classmate. Detective Inspector Luke Bascombe (played by Ashley Walters) works on the investigation of the case along with clinical psychologist Briony Ariston (played by Erin Doherty).

Jamie’s family is dealing with the aftermath of the arrest, as the investigators go on to uncover several disturbing details related to the case. The gripping show addresses bigger social issues through the subject.

Watch all the four episodes of Adolescence on Netflix

Also Read: Is Adolescence based on a true story? Details explored

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