The Long One-Take

OK Go does it again!
Brilliant!



I'm a fan of the long one-take. Often times it can take me out of a scene because I recognize them - and I recognize that I like them. But then I just get filled with so much emotion for whatever is happening in the scene I can hardly handle myself. They inspire me, and I find that they often engross others as well.

I think this is probably why OK Go got away with a tarp as a background in a badly lit gym with non-spectacular treadmills in the music video that made them famous - ADD LINK HERE

Here's one of my ALL TIME favorite fight scenes. (And I'll admit I've only barely seen the movie - and I still can't get over the tension in the scene - I had a problem in college with falling asleep in the middle of movies, it was weird.)
One versus many and they don't even pull out the classic ninja badguy fight strategy of "One-at-a-Time". This is one bad mother-shut-yo-mouth with a hammer, working his way through a hallway crowded with toughs.



The world got shook up with this one. A pretty normal guy has to escort the first baby in almost 30 years through a grim firefight in the not-too-distant-dystopian-future. Even with blood splatter hitting the screen at one point - I never caught on that this was one take. Probably the best choreography with the most and biggest actions happening on screen. This involves a whole wall blowing out and a lot of haunting facial expressions.

Never mind, can't find the shot anywhere, Universal had it removed from YouTube. But if you've seen Children of Men, then you know what I'm talking about.

Here's a classic one that's actually references another classic opening shot. It's from The Player, and another of my favorites - but how could it not be when it's 8 minutes long - that's almost an entire can of film!



And here's the shot that the studio exec was referencing, from A Touch of Evil



And just because you need one that's EXTRA CRAZY, leave it to Thailand to knock your socks off with a long take where our hero faces an entire building of badguys while running up a spiral staircase. You can feel this guy's intensity and determination even though some of the fighting is a little contrived. It's the real beauty of the Long One-Take.



They used to call them "Tracking Shots" but you can see the difference in OK Go and in Touch of Evil. We don't have to keep them on the dolly and tracks anymore. Though I guess it still does "track" someone. Now the GlideCam gives us the ability to "float anywhere" and make up for any timing miscues.

Where are your favorite One Long Take Shots?