Author Archives: Brian Parker

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MANIFESTO:

Long take. Michalengolo Antonioni? Andrei Tarkovsky?  Yes, but not only. We say M. Night Shyamalan and Quentin Tarantino.  We say section two group two long take!  We say suspense, experimentalism, and mystery.

Long takes are rare because of their relatively high expense and complexity.  Usually long takes are carefully constructed, but what if we wanted to put the long take in charge and see where it would take us? We are not afraid to use bare corridors, to forego a sound track, and to use a minimalistic mise en scene to take the viewer on an emotional roller coaster ride.  The familiar setting where the plot unfolds causes the viewer to believe that there is no way anything extra-ordinary waiting to unfold. However, the power of the Long Take transforms this seemingly innocent and common backdrop into an uncanny and preternaturally strange stage that projects the emotions of the protagonist on the un-expecting viewers. Furthermore, it is estimated that any shot longer than about fifteen seconds will seem lethargic to viewers from Western cultures, but, we are here to challenge your perception and your viewing habits!

Long take is more than a technique; it is real time cinema that interpolates the viewer into the narrative of the film experience unfolding before them.  Thus, with Long Take, we as cinematic voyagers have the unique opportunity to connect with the diegetic world on a level much more intimate than any other form of film.  Every second our emotional investment in the shot increases exponentially; we become enthralled with each wave of  emotion that crashes down upon the protagonist.

The secrets of the all powerful Long Take will not come so easily to you.  Watch!  And you will experience the magic.  One thing can be said: we do not recommend wandering around dark hallways—alone.

— Shushana Manakhimova, Brian Parker, Dylan Kane, Matthew Rea