How 1917 Was Filmed To Look Like One Shot

Those who have seen the movie 1917 were impressed by its realism. That may be because it was filmed to appear as one long continuous shot. Director Sam Mendes recalls the reaction editor Lee Smith had to the outlandish idea.

“I laughed hysterically,” Smith said. “Sam actually had it on the cover page of the script that it should look like a single shot. And as I was reading it, I kept thinking to myself, ‘I have no idea how this is going to work.’ Whenever I read a script, the film plays out in my head in conventional coverage–and I had to keep reminding myself that even though there will of course be edits, you’re not supposed to see them.”

It works, as the movie won a Golden Globe for Best Drama, and is a favorite for Best Picture at the Oscars. Jason Kottke said the technique was a bit distracting for him, because he tended to look for the edits. So just watch this video about how they did it, then go see the movie and let yourself get lost in the action.