Clubhouse Conversations — Adolescence

Editors’ note: In-depth coverage of cinematographer Matthew Lewis’ work on Adolescence will appear in American Cinematographer's July 2025 issue. Learn more here about how to subscribe to the industry's leading journal of motion-picture production techniques.

In this episode, cinematographer Matthew Lewis is joined by interviewer Shelly Johnson, ASC to discuss his work on Adolescence — a psychological crime-drama miniseries centered on a family in crisis and filmed entirely in single, continuous takes.

Adolescence explores the ramifications experienced by the parents and sister of Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), a 13-year-old boy who is arrested for being suspected of murdering a classmate. Lewis was well prepared for the many meticulous oners the production required, having previously shot the 2021 feature Boiling Point in a single 90-minute take in a London-restaurant kitchen.

In this interview, Lewis discusses how he approached the show's four-episode, four-shot structure to create a sense of unbroken tension; how his experience on Boiling Point helped hone his long-take storytelling skills; how he and the crew played with dynamic lighting and in-camera exposure shifts to reflect character psychology and environmental realism; the technical choreography that went into drone handoffs and gimbal-to-handheld transitions during the shoot; the importance of sensitivity toward child actors when shooting emotionally intense material, and more.

Matthew Lewis is a cinematographer whose credits include the series The Responder (2022), Boiling Point (2023) and Malpractice (2023).

Shelly Johnson, ASC is a cinematographer whose feature credits include Jurassic Park III (2001), Hidalgo (2004), The Wolfman (2010), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and Greyhound (2020).

You’ll find all episodes in our ASC Clubhouse Conversations discussion series here.