Jeremy Clarkson was impressed when an Adolescence actor confirmed a scene – which the TV presenter branded “impossible” – was filmed in just one take.
The broadcaster was perplexed at how a scene at the end of episode two was filmed, considering it has been widely reported each episode of the drama was made in just one continuous shot. Mr Clarkson, 64, referred to the conclusion of the second episode, which saw a chase scene, which at one point was filmed through a window.
He said on X, which was known as Twitter: “Adolescence. The camera at the end of [episode] 2. How on earth did they do that? It’s impossible.” Someone who claimed to appear on the show as an actor replied: “Hey Jeremy. Actor that worked on the show. It was indeed attached VERY carefully to a powerful drone. They only got the take in the bag on the final day.”
It left the former Top Gear host impressed. He replied: “Well congrats to you all. Masterful television.” More than 1,000 people liked Mr Clarkson’s reply, posted on the social media site earlier this month when Adolescence took Netflix by storm.
Bella Roberts, who also worked on the show, made a TikTok about how the scene worked. Bella said: “I’m going to let you into a secret. The glass isn’t real. I’m sorry to break the reality here. But basically how they did it was the window wasn’t there when they filmed that shot.
“The camera goes through the empty panel, and someone is there on the other side to grab it. There is also a crash mat there on the other side of the window in case the actor fell. Which was also painted out… They just VFX’d the window back in.”
Other eagle-eyed fans pointed out how they spotted a camera operator moments after. Viewers have loved finding out the behind-the-scenes intel on how they were able to do so successfully. Now it’s been revealed that a camera operator can be seen at the end of the second episode in an aerial shot.
A TikTok user, @itsjustttjoy, took to her page to explain, after highlighting that reporters sat down with creators to spill the beans on it all. She explains: “You can see a camera operator in episode two.
“So when Ashley Walters leaves the car they had a team coming up behind Matthew the cinematographer who clipped the camera to a drone. They then flew that drone over the town and in the meantime Matthew the cinematographer legged into a van, drove to the end scene where we see Stephen Graham.
“He catches the drone with two other people, disconnects it and starts walking towards Stephen’s face. Are you insane? He had to literally be a split second accurate, if not the whole thing wouldn’t have worked.”
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