“We Edged Into Actual Nightmare”: Seth Rogen & Sarah Polley Break Down The Studio’s Oner Episode Filming, And It Sounds Just As Chaotic As The Show’s Long Take

Seth Rogen and Sarah Polley break down the filming of The Studio's "Oner" episode, and it sounds just as chaotic as the show's long take. Premiered with two episodes on March 26, Apple TV's new comedy series stars Seth Rogen as Matt Remick, the newly appointed president of the fictional Continental Studios. The Studio episode 2, titled "The Oner," sees Matt visiting the set of a movie directed by Sarah Polley as they attempt to capture a long unbroken take at magic hour to end the film, with the episode itself shot to look like a oner.

In an interview with GQ, Seth Rogen and Sarah Polley discussed how The Studio pulled off "The Oner" episode. Rogen, who co-directed the episode, described the filming as "unbelievably stressful," as every scene was a long take, which was stitched together to look like one unbroken take, culminating in the frantic sunset sequence. Polley, a director herself, praised Rogen's ability to stay calm despite multiple failed takes, and marveled at the crew's precision. Rogen also highlighted the challenge of comedic timing and keeping it natural while meticulously planning every movement. Read their full comments below:

Rogen: Unbelievably stressful... We found pretty early on that whenever we could shoot in order, it made it so much better. And whenever we were kind of compartmentalizing parts of these long shots, it made it so much worse... It's very counterintuitive on a set to be like, okay, everyone's here at 8:00 in the morning and we're not even rolling cameras till 5:30 pm basically. It allowed us a lot of time to really work it out and dial it in on the day, and then we would film it very fast. It really felt like the episode, because we were actually fighting against the sun going down... The last day, we edged into actual nighttime... It really was like the show. Because of this gag with the cup, I was all wet and covered in coffee, and I had to change every single time it didn't work.
Polley: I would say it's my favorite moment I've ever seen on a set of a filmmaker dealing with stress. I remember, around the fifth take, watching him. He got the iced coffee in his face, he got to the door handle, the camera didn't land right, and I saw him take a deep breath. And I thought, "Oh, he's gonna lose it now." And I literally saw him make the decision to laugh. Like he revved himself with that Seth Rogen laugh, and then he got hysterical, and he started laughing hysterically. He was like, "Who am I gonna be mad at? This was my idea!" He was like, "I fought very hard to get that coffee thrown in my face, who the fuck am I gonna be mad at? Like, It's only funny." He never, ever got frustrated. He only found it funny, which is, of course, the appropriate, Buddha-like response we'd all like to have. But he actually has it.
It was astonishing to watch. It was like watching magic tricks every day. What's weird was it also felt really loose. I felt like we were also improvising stuff, and new things were happening on every take, and no one was really rigid about it. That's what I don't quite understand, is it never felt like you were locked into something to make a shot work. But the shot was so elaborate. I actually, to this day, cannot figure out how they did it. It was really amazing to watch. You know, things happen on sets. They're very intense environments, and they're pressure cookers, and there's never enough time and money, there's huge personalities.
Rogen: I think one of the things I've gotten better at, honestly, over the years, is blocking. Early on in our careers, our movies were generally shot with two or three cameras pointing at us, and generally actors were standing there and not moving in any way, shape, or form... It was about thinking of enough ideas and jokes that manifested in movement, really break it up into little kind of chunks that took place in different parts of the house, and understanding that getting from one place to another had to be very highly motivated. That was the thing that was, by far, the hardest. Keeping it funny. And, even though what we're doing is very specific, to not have it feel rigid. To have it feel natural and loose, and a little reckless and unpredictable, even though it's so dialled in.
I remember seeing it, being like, "Oh no, if this doesn't work, like, it's actually gonna be fucking nighttime soon," and it was our last day of shooting. We couldn't go back. The joke I kept making was that the joke in the episode is real, where I was like, "If this doesn't work, we're gonna have to go to that weird soundstage they shoot The Mandalorian on." It really started to reflect the episode itself in many, many, many, many ways. I thought it was going to be too dark. The take we used, I think, was the very last time we did it. And it actually ended up working perfectly.

What Seth Rogen & Sarah Polley's Comments Mean For The Studio's "Oner" Episode

The Episode Itself Mirrors The Behind-The-Scenes Filming

In The Studio's "Oner" episode, director Sarah Polley and the crew's attempts to shoot a long unbroken take for their film mirror the real-life chaos of filming the episode itself. As Polley and her fictional crew race against the fading light, unpredictable mishaps, and mounting frustration, the episode's co-director, Seth Rogen, and his team encountered many similar obstacles while shooting. The final sequence, Matt's frantic dash for his keys, was riddled with technical difficulties, much like Polley's fictional film. Matt spilling iced coffee on himself reflected the very real difficulties of orchestrating such an ambitious, highly choreographed episode.

Seth Rogen and Ike Barinholtz from The Studio

What A "Oner" Is In Filmmaking & How Apple TV+'s The Studio Nails How Difficult The Shots Are

The second episode of the Apple TV+ showbiz series The Studio features a fictional movie set in which the director tries to capture a crucial "oner".

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In turn, the episode's production process became a meta-commentary on its own subject – the relentless challenges of capturing a continuous take. Rogen's insistence on keeping the episode visually seamless meant rehearsing tirelessly in daylight, then rushing to shoot as magic hour faded. The fictional crew's race against the light mirrored the real crew's struggle to capture footage before nightfall. Ultimately, both the show's narrative and its actual production embodied the same frantic energy, blurring the line between fiction and reality.

Our Take On The Studio's Episodes 1 & 2

They're Must-Watch TV, Especially For Film Lovers

The Studio episodes 1 and 2 are must-watch TV, especially for film lovers, from Martin Scorsese's hilarious cameo in the first episode to the second episode's thrilling exploration of shooting a oner. The first two episodes showcase some exceptionally sharp Hollywood satire, while also showing a deep reverence for the film industry. The Studio kicks off with two incredibly strong episodes, and is shaping up to be a must-watch comedy series.

The Studio releases new episodes Wednesdays on Apple TV+.

Source: GQ