We’re pulling back the curtain of Netflix’s biggest drama of the year – Adolesence. In a show first, we’ve spoken to director Philip Barantini and Director of Photography Matt Lewis to answer your questions about the incredible cast, techincal challenges and that infamous drone shot.
Inside This Episode
How did they find Owen Cooper, the star of Adolescence?
Philip Barrentini received hundreds of audition tapes through casting director Shaheem Baig. He was particularly impressed with Owen’s natural and real performances in improvised scenarios. After five auditions, including screen tests with Stephen Graham, they knew Owen was exceptional: “This kid is, like, different level.”
How did Owen Cooper learn all his lines for such a demanding one-take performance?
Owen worked with an acting coach who helped him memorise his lines, though not to coach his acting performance. On the first day of rehearsal, when everyone else had scripts in hand, Owen put his script on the table and performed from memory. Philip described it as “mind blowing” and said Owen does “what most actors train for most of their lives, which is to be real, be natural… listen and respond naturally in the moment.”
How did they achieve the drone shot at the end of episode two of Adolescence?
The drone shot that flies over to the murder site was a last-minute addition suggested by Netflix executive Toby Bentley during the shooting week. The team had to rehearse the complex manoeuvre which involved a drone pilot on a moving vehicle and the crew catching the drone at the landing site. It came down to the final day of shooting, with high winds threatening to derail the shot, but they eventually captured it successfully.
What special camera equipment did they use for the one-take filming of Adolescence?
After extensive testing, they chose the Ronin 4D camera with its smaller gimbal and Z-axis stabilisation. This camera was small enough to pass between operators and fit through doorways. For the lens, they settled on a 32mm Cook SP3, as anything wider would show ceilings and equipment, while anything tighter would create nauseating movement: “The 32, it was always like a 35 or sort of what I was thinking.”
How did they manage the technical challenges of continuous filming throughout the school in Adolescence?
The crew had to place video receivers throughout the school, hardwired back to the director’s monitoring station, which took about two weeks to set up. For sound, they used “military grade cable” to ensure consistent transmission. The video village was sometimes disguised as a police van to be in the shot while still allowing the director to monitor the performance. As Matt Lewis said: “That in itself took about two weeks. That was the entire rehearsal of the video team.”
What was Brad Pitt’s involvement as executive producer od Adolescence?
Brad Pitt was actively involved from the beginning when Philip and Steven pitched the idea to Plan B (Pitt’s production company). Pitt attended Zoom meetings during development and provided feedback and notes on the project. Philip described him as “a hands-on producer” who was genuinely engaged with the project, though he couldn’t visit the set as he was busy with Formula 1 commitments.
Has the success of Adolescence surprised the creators?
The team knew they had made something special, particularly relevant to UK audiences because of its subject matter around knife crime, but they were surprised by the global reaction. Philip mentioned: “Did we expect what it’s actually doing? Absolutely not.” The show has exceeded all expectations, even being discussed in Parliament and Prime Minister’s Questions.
Media Mentions
Television Shows
- EastEnders – Reference to the live special episode and sound technician Pat Nunn
- Last of the Summer Wine – Mentioned as being written by Roy Clark
- Open All Hours – Mentioned as being written by Roy Clark
- Succession – Mentioned regarding Will Ferrell being in the credits
Films
- 1917 – Film by Sam Mendes referenced for its technical achievement with long takes
Hot Takes
- “He does what most actors train for most of their lives, which is to be real, be natural… and listen.”
- “Owen just came in, and he had a script. He put it on the table, and he just he just went. He just did it. It was mind blowing.”
Who’s Who
- Philip Barrentini – Director of Adolescence
- Matt Lewis – Director of Photography for Adolescence
- Owen Cooper – Young actor who starred in Adolescence
- Stephen Graham – Actor in Adolescence
- Shaheem Baig – Casting director for Adolescence
- Jack Thorne – Writer of Adolescence
- Toby Bentley – Netflix executive
- Mark Herbert – Producer from Warp Films
- Ashley Walters – Actor who reportedly messed up a take
- Brad Pitt – Executive producer through Plan B
- Will Ferrell – Mentioned regarding producer credits on Succession
- Danny DeVito – Mentioned as an example of an active producer
- Roger Deakins – Cinematographer mentioned in relation to 1917
- Sam Mendes – Director of 1917
- Roy Clark – Writer of Last of the Summer Wine and Open All Hours
Notable Numbers
- 5 auditions – Number of auditions Owen Cooper had before being cast
- 3 weeks – Length of each episode block (2 weeks rehearsal, 1 week shooting)
- 5 days – Length of each shoot week
- 2 takes per day – They would shoot each episode twice daily (morning and afternoon)
- 2 weeks – Time it took to rig the video receivers throughout the school
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