An eerie hush settles over a quiet neighborhood in England as a teenager slips out of his house one night, unaware that a single decision of his is about to unravel his world. What begins as a reckless moment spirals into a pulse-pounding psychological exploration of the crime he committed, captured with an intimacy that never allows the audience to look away. This sense of emotional immersion is no accident; it is the heartbeat of Netflix’s Adolescence, a thriller crafted to make the viewer feel as if they are living each second alongside its characters.

At the center of this daring approach is the offering’s director, whose commitment to a single-take vision shaped how the story landed. 

Adolescence director Philip Barantini recently appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon with Ed Sheeran, where he discussed his choice to shoot the Netflix thriller in a single take. The filmmaker divulged that single-take efforts often hook viewers like no other and make them feel as if the plot is unfolding in real time, which is what he aimed to achieve for the Owen Cooper starrer. Barantini stated that he was inspired by the German film Victoria, which made him realise how gripping a one-take format can be.

Philip Barantini, notably, has collaborated with Ed Sheeran for his latest one-shot adventure. The project, titled One Shot with Ed Sheeran: A Musical Experience, fulfills the singer's longstanding dream. Barantini explained on The Tonight Show how this team-up came to be, saying he first received a voice note from producer Ben Winston but thought it was a scam. Barantini revealed he was not sure about doing another one-take project so soon, but eventually agreed because the idea felt exciting and different from what he had been doing. He added that while one-take shoots are tough, they can be incredibly powerful when they come together the right way.

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Barantini’s insistence on the magic of one-shot ventures invites a look at other works by him that embrace the same filming method.

Besides Adolescence and the latest Ed Sheeran project, Philip Barantini’s other single-take work includes Boiling Point. Released in 2021, this feature-length offering takes place inside a hectic London restaurant, following one disastrous night that keeps getting worse for the head chef. The film’s success led to a 2023 series, with each episode also shot in one continuous take. Barantini occupied the director’s chair for the initial two episodes of the four-part creation.

Philip Barantini’s focus on the one-take style at this point feels less like a risky choice and more like something he truly believes in. With Adolescence and his growing list of single-shot projects, he continues to reach for the raw, real, in-the-moment energy this method demands. And as viewers connect with that intensity, it is clear the approach is working. Barantini, on that note, is not simply polishing a trademark style; he is showing a new way to make tension and emotion hit immediately on screen.

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Are you a fan of Philip Barantini’s one-shot direction? Let us know in the comments.