Last summer, we welcomed Warp Films and the Adolescence crew to campus, where they transformed Studio 005 into the central set for the now widely acclaimed British drama, Adolescence.

Filmed entirely in one continuous take, the production demanded precise planning and coordination - especially when it came to set design and location layout. Every movement of the actors, camera, and crew had to be carefully choreographed to flow seamlessly from scene to scene without a single cut.

Production Designer, Adam Tomlinson gives us more insight into what it takes to design a set for a one-take production.

How did you approach the layout of the set within Production Park to ensure the action could flow seamlessly without breaks?

When we first looked at Production Park, our first challenge was to see if we could fit both our Police station set and Adolescence unit within the space. It took quite a bit of working out, but we managed to fit them both in. It was tight but we got them in!

Were there any innovative or unconventional design solutions you employed to make the one-take format feasible?

We usually build floating walls into sets which allow cameras more access and more creativity to get the required shots.  We didn't do of this for Adolescence, it was considered, but it was decided that it might not work for the one shot.  It could've been too noisy or a distraction for cast, so instead we made some of the rooms slightly bigger, as the camera can always make them look and feel smaller.

How did you ensure that the set felt dynamic and engaging while maintaining the technical needs of a one-take shot?

The one thing that a set has to always achieve is that it has to feel real, it has to convince the audience that you are in a real environment. So, to make the set feel dynamic we used our normal approach to any set... detail! Every set needs details, so that when an artist walks on for the first time - whether that be a police station, a home or a pub! It has to be detailed and lived in to make sure that the dynamic and cinematic elements come across.

Do you think the constraints of the on-take format helped you to push creative boundaries?

We had to think outside of the box for various scenes. There was lots of working out how to achieve things. Allowing 5 days for director and cast rehearsal and then 5 days director/cast/full crew rehearsals, gave us time to come up with many creative ways to ensure the look of the show.

 All departments worked incredibly well with each other on this project. Without all dept's working as one, this process would've been so much harder to achieve. Having people around you that you trust, all pushing for the same result is crucial. Boundaries were pushed for all involved, but between us, we all we were able to create an incredible piece of work.

Read more about Production Park's involvement in the production of Adolescence here.

Photo credits: Adam Tomlinson