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Effective Methods for Shooting Long Takes
The art of the long take has fascinated filmmakers and audiences alike for its ability to create immersive experiences that push the boundaries of storytelling and technical precision. In this blog post, we explore the various aspects of shooting long takes, from planning and execution to creative applications in different genres. We’ll delve into shot listing, camera movements, and angles, as well as highlight some of the most iconic long takes in cinematic history. Join us as we unlock the secrets behind these mesmerizing cinematic feats and inspire your own creative vision.
The Long Take
Steps to build the long take shot
Creating a long take requires meticulous planning and creativity. The initial step is scripting each movement to ensure that the camera flows seamlessly with the actors and environment. Collaboration between the director, cinematographer, and choreographer becomes integral in synchronizing the complex process. Rehearsals are crucial, allowing each participant to familiarize themselves with the choreographed sequence and make adjustments for timing and coordination.
Equipment choice is equally important; steady rigs like the Steadicam are often preferred for their flexibility and stability. The next step is to map out technical constraints, such as lighting continuity and managing stamina for actors and crew. With a well-organized framework in place, the magic of the long take can unfold, capturing the narrative in its cohesive succession of events.
Long take Film definition
What is a long take?
A long take, often referred to as a ‘oner,’ is a single, uninterrupted film technique that extends for an implausibly long duration. Unlike quick-cut sequences, a long take immerses viewers into the scene, elevating the intensity and realism by ensuring an unbroken spectator perspective. This technique challenges conventional storytelling, demanding precise choreography and timing.
The impact of a long take lies in its ability to anchor the viewer into the narrative, maintaining a layer of tension and anticipation usually absent from conventional scenes. Exemplified by its streamlined depiction of complex, continuous action, a long take can embody an entire story arc within a momentary breath of fresh cinema.
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Implementing the long take
Different ways to use a long take
Long takes can be implemented across multiple genres to serve various storytelling purposes. In dramas, they might capture the subtle nuances of a character’s emotion or a dynamically unfolding conversation. In horror, the prolonged suspense heightens tension, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats.
For action films, a long take can inject real-time excitement into high-octane scenes, making them more engaging and visceral. Even in musicals, long takes can accompany elaborate dance numbers, mirroring the choreography’s fluidity and energy. The versatility of a long take makes it an attractive technique for filmmakers looking to break conventional cinematic confines.
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How to shot list
Planning your shots
Making a comprehensive shot list is imperative for effectively executing a long take. Start by identifying key narrative beats you want to highlight within the sequence. Mapping out each beat provides an understanding of how much time and space each moment needs.
Visualizing camera placements and movements is the next step. Consider the trajectory of the camera and the performance space available, as these will influence the shot structure. Integrate the timing for lighting and sound cues to ensure no disruptions occur in the finished take. The end goal is a clear and flexible shot list that accommodates creativity while respecting logistical limitations.
Creative camera movements & angles
A long take to set up an entire movie
The opening scene of a movie can be a perfect opportunity for a long take to establish narrative tone and environment. With strategic camera movements, you guide the audience through introductory elements of plot and setting without a single cut breaking their immersion.
Creative angles play a crucial role in these setups. Whether utilizing a bird’s-eye view or intimate close-ups, the camera needs to act as the viewer’s eyes, adapting to the story’s immediate demands. The sequence becomes a living storyboard, where atmosphere, pace, and plot entwine to captivate from the get-go.
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CAMERA SHOT SIZES
Get Inspired. Explore More Shots.
Understanding different shot sizes is crucial in long take planning. Each shot size offers a unique perspective, helping the audience derive specific details or emotions from the scene. Familiarity with shot types such as close-ups, medium shots, and wide shots, allows for dynamic storytelling within a single take.
Variations in shot sizes enable directors to shift focus smoothly, highlight important story elements, and maintain visual interest throughout the duration of the long take. Balancing these factors can result in a visually compelling and narratively cohesive final product.
CLOSE UP SHOTS
EXTREME CLOSE UP
ECU
Extreme close-ups delve into the minutiae of an object or subject, revealing details that are otherwise overlooked. This shot size is effective in emphasizing critical narrative points or conveying a character’s internal state.
When integrated into a long take, ECUs can punctuate an emotional peak or reveal an essential plot device, seamlessly transitioning back to the broader scene without breaking narrative flow.
CLOSE UP
CU
Close-ups focus on the face or a specific part of the subject, drawing the viewer’s attention to expressions, emotions, or intricate actions. CUs are useful in heightening drama or providing introspective insight into a character’s mindset.
Utilizing CUs within long takes requires precision, ensuring the camera remains a neutral observer while capturing intimate moments essential to plot progression or character development.
MEDIUM CLOSE UP
MCU
Medium close-ups capture a subject from the chest up, offering a blend of environment and personal detail. MCUs are practical in dialogue scenes, balancing between character focus and background context.
A medium close-up within a long take can emphasize interaction dynamics, allowing characters to interplay visibly and emotionally without losing sight of the surrounding atmosphere.
MEDIUM SHOTS
MEDIUM SHOT
MS
The medium shot traditionally frames the subject from the waist up, providing a context-rich view that includes gestures and interactions with props or characters in the background.
In long takes, the MS serves as a narrative medium, connecting intimate character portrayals with the wider environmental or situational context, crucial for scenes incorporating multiple focal points.
COWBOY SHOT
CS
The cowboy shot, framing from mid-thigh to head, takes its name from classic Westerns, often used to highlight action or draw attention to items like weapons in a character’s belt.
This shot size can add a theatrical element to a long take, capturing power dynamics and enabling storytelling through character stances and visually connecting the audience with the subtext or themes of a scene.
MEDIUM FULL SHOT
MFS
Medium full shots reveal subjects from below the knees up, ideal for scenes requiring detailed visibility of actions or interactions among characters.
In a long take, MFS can seamlessly bridge action-oriented sequences with character-driven arcs, maintaining continuity while emphasizing both character expression and physicality within the scene.
WIDE SHOTS
FULL SHOT
FS
The full shot includes the entire subject from head to toe, often used to introduce a character and their context within the environment.
For a long take, the full shot provides a stable structure, anchoring the action within the broader setting, allowing space for movement, choreography, and interaction within a connected frame.
WIDE SHOT
WS / LS
Wide shots or long shots demonstrate the scope of the setting, capturing a character in relation to their surroundings, essential for establishing geography and spatial relations within a scene.
In a long take, WSs serve as a profound narrative tool, transitioning between different action layers and offering scope for exploratory or expansive storytelling perspectives.
EXTREME WIDE SHOT
EWS / ELS
Extreme wide shots capture vast landscapes, often utilized to emphasize a subject’s scale or impact within the expanse of the environment they inhabit.
When part of a long take, EWSs create visual grandeur, absorbing the audience into the scene’s entirety, laying the groundwork for immersive storytelling that taps into exploration and scale.
Creative examples
Entire films built from long takes?
Films like “Birdman” and “1917” have taken the craft to new heights, where directors use seamless editing and intricate choreography to weave these long takes into the fabric of their narrative.
By emulating a continuous shot, these movies blur the lines between real-time action and scripted performance, achieving a profound connection with their audiences through a fluid, uninterrupted visual voyage.
The best long take
The best long takes in movie history
Iconic long takes remain etched in cinematic history, from the legendary beach landing in Orson Welles’ “Touch of Evil” to the tense Copacabana shot in Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas.”
These scenes exemplify mastery in staging and execution, demonstrating how long takes can heighten suspense, character development, and thematic expression with breathtaking precision and artistry.
Action films
The long take in action movies
Action films are particularly suited to benefit from the long take’s trademark tension and dynamism. Extended takes in movies like “Oldboy” and “Atomic Blonde” thrust the viewer headlong into the chaos.
These sequences captivate with relentless energy and visceral engagement, showcasing stamina, coordination, and inventive filmmaking techniques that transcend conventional action choreography boundaries.
Animation takes
An animated long take
Animated films, though liberated from the physical-world constraints of live-action, utilize long takes to powerful effect, bridging animated environments with immersive spectacle.
Animations like “Spirited Away” utilize sweeping camera movements and interconnected sequences to take audiences on mesmerizing journeys that rival real-time long takes in emotional depth and transformative experience.
The long take
The best long takes of all time?
Some long takes transcend single sequences, leaving a mark for their innovation and emotional resonance. Their uninterrupted nature invites audiences to experience storyscapes as they naturally unfold.
Whether in film debuts or experimental cinema, the best long takes command a delicate blend of creativity, technical mastery, and narrative foresight, endowing each frame with life often missed in their segmented counterparts.
CAMERA SHOT SIZES
Get Inspired. Explore More Shots.
When perfecting any kind of cinematic work, examining other shot sizes encourages stylistic experimentation. Embracing this tool and its variations allow filmmakers to harness audience attention and enhance the dimension of storytelling.
While each shot introduces a nuanced cinematic language, together they craft multifaceted narratives, breathing warmth, depth, and clarity back into the art of visual storytelling.
CLOSE UP SHOTS
EXTREME CLOSE UP
ECU
Extreme close-ups delve into the minutiae of an object or subject, revealing details that are otherwise overlooked. This shot size is effective in emphasizing critical narrative points or conveying a character’s internal state.
When integrated into a long take, ECUs can punctuate an emotional peak or reveal an essential plot device, seamlessly transitioning back to the broader scene without breaking narrative flow.
CLOSE UP
CU
Close-ups focus on the face or a specific part of the subject, drawing the viewer’s attention to expressions, emotions, or intricate actions. CUs are useful in heightening drama or providing introspective insight into a character’s mindset.
Utilizing CUs within long takes requires precision, ensuring the camera remains a neutral observer while capturing intimate moments essential to plot progression or character development.
MEDIUM CLOSE UP
MCU
Medium close-ups capture a subject from the chest up, offering a blend of environment and personal detail. MCUs are practical in dialogue scenes, balancing between character focus and background context.
A medium close-up within a long take can emphasize interaction dynamics, allowing characters to interplay visibly and emotionally without losing sight of the surrounding atmosphere.
MEDIUM SHOTS
MEDIUM SHOT
MS
The medium shot traditionally frames the subject from the waist up, providing a context-rich view that includes gestures and interactions with props or characters in the background.
In long takes, the MS serves as a narrative medium, connecting intimate character portrayals with the wider environmental or situational context, crucial for scenes incorporating multiple focal points.
COWBOY SHOT
CS
The cowboy shot, framing from mid-thigh to head, takes its name from classic Westerns, often used to highlight action or draw attention to items like weapons in a character’s belt.
This shot size can add a theatrical element to a long take, capturing power dynamics and enabling storytelling through character stances and visually connecting the audience with the subtext or themes of a scene.
MEDIUM FULL SHOT
MFS
Medium full shots reveal subjects from below the knees up, ideal for scenes requiring detailed visibility of actions or interactions among characters.
In a long take, MFS can seamlessly bridge action-oriented sequences with character-driven arcs, maintaining continuity while emphasizing both character expression and physicality within the scene.
WIDE SHOTS
FULL SHOT
FS
The full shot includes the entire subject from head to toe, often used to introduce a character and their context within the environment.
For a long take, the full shot provides a stable structure, anchoring the action within the broader setting, allowing space for movement, choreography, and interaction within a connected frame.
WIDE SHOT
WS / LS
Wide shots or long shots demonstrate the scope of the setting, capturing a character in relation to their surroundings, essential for establishing geography and spatial relations within a scene.
In a long take, WSs serve as a profound narrative tool, transitioning between different action layers and offering scope for exploratory or expansive storytelling perspectives.
EXTREME WIDE SHOT
EWS / ELS
Extreme wide shots capture vast landscapes, often utilized to emphasize a subject’s scale or impact within the expanse of the environment they inhabit.
When part of a long take, EWSs create visual grandeur, absorbing the audience into the scene’s entirety, laying the groundwork for immersive storytelling that taps into exploration and scale.
Up Next
How the Steadicam changed movies
The Steadicam, invented by Garrett Brown, revolutionized the way long takes and other dynamic shots could be achieved. By enabling smooth and fluid motion while maintaining camera stability, it emboldened filmmakers to push boundaries in storytelling and scene execution.
From iconic sequences in “Rocky” to the jaw-dropping visuals in “The Shining,” the Steadicam has underscored the potential of what uninterrupted movement might communicate, continuously reshaping the language of film.
Showcase your vision with elegant shot lists and storyboards.
To achieve cinematic excellence, directors, cinematographers, and editors need a coherent strategy for visual planning. Shot lists and storyboards serve as essential tools, mapping out each scene for logistical efficiency and creative exploration.
With a custom-tailored framework for your project, these planning methods facilitate communication across production teams, ensuring the creative intent is realized with precision, ultimately elevating the art and narrative impact of your long takes.
| Topic | Key Points |
|---|---|
| The Long Take | Steps to implement long takes include scripting, collaboration, equipment choice, and rehearsals to ensure seamless execution. |
| Long take Film definition | A long take is a continuous shot that enhances immersion and tension by maintaining a spectator perspective without cuts. |
| Implementing the long take | Long takes suit different genres, from dramas to action films, providing a unique storytelling dimension to each. |
| How to shot list | Planning involves outlining narrative beats and mapping camera placements with attention to lighting and sound. |
| Creative camera movements & angles | Long takes set up movies by optimizing camera movements and angles to engage audiences from the beginning. |
| Camera Shot Sizes | Different shot sizes, such as ECU, CU, MS, WS, and EWS, offer varied perspectives crucial for storytelling. |
| Creative examples | Films like “Birdman” and “1917” exemplify long takes in cinema by using sophisticated choreography and editing. |
| The best long take | Iconic long takes in movies like “Touch of Evil” and “Goodfellas” showcase meticulous artistry and technique. |
| Action films | Long takes in action films offer high-energy, immersive sequences that redefine traditional choreography. |
| Up Next | The Steadicam’s invention enhanced long take capabilities through smooth and stable camera motion. |
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