Adolescence has won rave reviews from viewers and even prompted Jeremy Clarkson to question how a “impossible” scene was filmed – but now Netflix has revealed all
Netflix’s real-time drama, Adolescence, has left fans and even Jeremy Clarkson stunned with its groundbreaking filming techniques and seemingly “impossible” scenes.
However, the streaming giant has now revealed the secret behind a technically impressive chase scene that spans an entire city in one continuous shot.
The show, featuring Stephen Graham and Brad Pitt behind the camera, centres around 13-year-old Jamie Miller, accused of murdering a classmate. A show-stopping seamless scene unfolds in episode two, where the camera follows a school pupil, transforms into a car chase, and eventually arrives at a crime scene.
This breathtaking one-shot sequence prompted Top Gear and Grand Tour star Clarkson to express his awe on X.com: “Adolescence. The camera at the end of show 2. How on earth did they do that? It’s impossible. I’ve been in the business for 30 years and I cannot work it out.”
Netflix has now lifted the curtain on the magic behind the scene, explaining to Clarkson and other bewildered fans that they cleverly attached the camera to a drone mid-scene.
On the Netflix UK and Ireland page, the streamer broke down the process: “The DOP carries the camera and follows a school pupil to the traffic lights with a wide shot as she goes at the end of the school day.
“Before she crosses the road, a team attach the camera to a drone, which then flies a distance of 0.3 miles across the site to the murder scene, where it comes down to a camera operator and team of grips who smoothly catch the camera and transition into a close shot of Stephen Graham. Easy.”
The creators were worried that the chase scene might end up looking like a video game, but using a drone helped to avoid this, reports the Mirror.
Jack Thorne, the writer, shared with Deadline: “The cinematographers thought a chase scene I had written would look like a computer game and instead I got this call from Phil who said, ‘Imagine if the cameras could fly’. So, we strapped a camera to a drone that took off over traffic lights and then suddenly you’re at the murder scene. Emotionally it kicks you in the stomach.”
Stephen Graham, who portrays Jamie’s dad Eddie, modelled the character on his own uncle. He revealed: ” I was at the football watching Liverpool with my dad, my brother, my two kids and my Uncle Eddie, who I adore.
“I looked at him down the row and knew immediately that’s what our character should be called, not just because it’s a good name but because they do have quite a lot – if not all things – in common.”
For Stephen, it was crucial that his character was relatable so viewers could put themselves in his shoes. However, he cautioned that parents will find the drama an emotional rollercoaster.
He expressed: “We could have made a drama about gangs and knife crime but that would have been a whole other story. We could have based it on a kid whose mother is an alcoholic, or whose father is a violent abuser, or maybe he’s been molested by someone outside the family.
“But I didn’t want there to be any of those issues. Instead, what I wanted the audience to be able to look at Eddie and his family and to think, ‘My God, this could be happening to us!’ And their situation is any ordinary family’s worst nightmare.”
Actor Stephen had numerous emotional scenes in the drama, leaving him exhausted. He stated: “Working class men like Eddie often try to somehow keep it together even when life deals them some savage blows because that’s what they do. But I wondered what would happen if we allowed Eddie to just finally let it all out. And I have to be honest, that sequence was totally devastating to do.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
