TECHNIQUE ONER
C hances are you have seen a oner. TV shows have frequently been turning to them in recent years. The Bear , True Detective , Mr Robot and Daredevil have all employed the technique for certain scenes or episodes, while Netflix’s Adolescence went further, capturing all four of its episodes as single takes. Seth Rogen’s loving send-up of the film business, The Studio , even pokes fun at the trick (while also deploying it across several episodes). So, what’s behind this recent rise in oners, and is the trend here to stay? ORIGINS OF THE ONER Oners are long, uninterrupted camera shots that capture a scene – or in some cases a whole episode or film – in its entirety. Some are static long takes that simply let the action unfold, as in Steve McQueen’s 2008 movie Hunger, which features a 17-minute uninterrupted shot. Others are far more complex, such as the famous four-minute opening shot of Orson Welles’ 1958 film Touch of Evil , one of the technique’s most notable uses. © NETFLIX
TECHNIQUE
MASTERING THE ONER
From Atonement to Adolescence, the oner has become one of film and TV’s most discussed techniques. Powerful storytelling tool or overhyped gimmick? Seamus McGarvey, ASC, BSC, ISC and Matt Lewis discuss…
WORDS OLIVER WEBB
18
DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
Powered by FlippingBook