Long take

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A long take is an uninterrupted shot in a film which lasts much longer than the conventional editing pace either of the film itself or of films in general, usually lasting several minutes. It can be used for dramatic and narrative effect if done properly, and in moving shots is often accomplished through the use of a dolly or Steadicam. At least two theatrically-released feature films, Timecode and Russian Ark are filmed in one single take; others are composed entirely from a series of long takes, while many more may be well-known for one or two specific long takes within otherwise more conventionally edited films.

The term "long take" is used because it avoids the ambiguous meanings of "long shot", which can refer to the framing of a shot, and "long cut", which can refer to either a whole version of a film or the general editing pacing of the film. However, these two terms are sometimes used interchangeably with "long take".

1 Sequence shot
2 Longest average shot length
3 Directors known for long takes
4 Notes
5 References
6 External links

Sequence shot

A sequence shot involves both a long take and sophisticated camera movement; it is sometimes called by the French term plan-séquence. The use of the sequence shot allows for realistic and dramatically significant background and middle ground activity. Actors range about the set transacting their business while the camera shifts focus from one plane of depth to another and back again. Significant off-frame action is often followed with a moving camera, characteristically through a series of pans within a single continuous shot.

Longest average shot length

The following films are notable for their exceptionally high ASL (average shot length), a statistical measurement which divides the total length of the film by the number of shots.

Note that ASL tabulation is a relatively recent concept, and most films are not yet documented. This list only represents the highest documented ASLs.

Title	Director	Year Released	ASL (secs)	Source
Satantango	Bela Tarr	1994	145.7	^[1]
A Calamitous Elopement	D.W. Griffith	1908	112.1	^[1]
Gertrud	Carl Theodor Dreyer	1964	82.4	^[1]
The Sacrifice	Andrei Tarkovsky	1986	68.7	^[1]
Platform	Jia Zhangke	1998	67.7	^[1]
La condition canine	Jia Zhangke	2001	66.2	^[1]
In Public	Jia Zhangke	2001	61.7	^[1]
Nostalghia	Andrei Tarkovsky	1983	58.2	^[1]
The World	Jia Zhangke	2004	57.0	^[1]
The Lady Without Camelias	Michelangelo Antonioni	1953	~56	^[1]
The Adventures of Dollie	D.W. Griffith	1908	54.2	^[1]
Balked at the Altar	D.W. Griffith	1908	50.8	^[1]
The Great Train Robbery	Edwin S. Porter	1903	49	^[1]
A Trip to the Moon	Georges Melies	1902	46	^[1]
The Black Hand	Biograph	1906	45.9	^[1]
The Voice of the Violin	Biograph	1909	43.2	^[1]
Still Life	Jia Zhangke	2006	37.8	^[1]
Betrayed by a Fingerprint	D.W. Griffith	1908	37.3	^[1]
The Wayward Cloud	Tsai Ming-liang	2005	34.6	^[1]
Carmen Jones	Otto Preminger	1954	34.2	^[1]
Life of an American Fireman	Edwin S. Porter	1903	34	^[1]
Only in the Way		1911	33.4	^[1]
The Red Man's View	D.W. Griffith	1909	32.8	^[1]
Maniac Chase	Edwin S. Porter	1904	32.4	^[1]
Chronicle of a Love	Michelangelo Antonioni	1950	32.2	^[1]
Life and Passion of Christ	Lucien Nonguet and Ferdinand Zecca	1905	31.5	^[1]
The Man with the Golden Arm	Otto Preminger	1955	31	^[1]
Vernon, Florida	Errol Morris	1982	30.5	^[1]
The Assassination of the Duke of Guise	Andre Calmettes and Charles Le Bargy	1908	30.5	^[1]
Crucified Lovers	Kenji Mizoguchi	1954	30.4	^[1]
Emigrants Landing at Ellis Island	Edison	1903	30	^[1]