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Hi, I’m Adrian Burks—an award-winning director, writer, actor, and producer—and today I want to share a bit about two of my films and the creative techniques I love using to bring them to life.
The first film is After Laughter, which I co-wrote, directed, produced, and acted in. I was fortunate to collaborate on this one with my friend Damien Chazelle (yes, the director of Whiplash and La La Land). The second is Steady and Balance, a fully independent project that I also wrote, directed, produced, and starred in.
These two films are very personal to me, and both reflect something I care deeply about as a filmmaker: immersing the audience in the world of the story. There are two major techniques I often use to accomplish that, long takes (also called “one-ers”) and seamless transitions and I want to talk a bit about why they matter to me.
One-ers: Creating a Living, Breathing World
Long takes are my favorite cinematic device. You’ll see them throughout After Laughter and Steady and Balance. I use them to create that feeling of being in the room—like you’re a fly on the wall, watching the characters live their lives in real time. There’s something powerful about letting a moment unfold naturally, without cuts forcing your eye where to go. It’s more like life: messy, unpredictable, immersive.
In Steady and Balance, I shot a continuous four-minute scene that followed three or four characters as the story unfolded. It was a logistical challenge, no doubt—these types of shots require serious prep, a rockstar focus puller, and lots of rehearsals. But when it works, it’s beautiful. Coming from a theater background, I love how it mirrors the rhythm of a stage performance. You get one continuous emotional arc with no interruptions. And in film, you get the bonus of doing it as many times as it takes until it's right.
That continuous movement—where the camera glides from one character to another, almost like passing a baton—is something I’m obsessed with. It feels like you’re in the film, not just watching it. You see the full 360 of the world, just like you do when you're walking down the street.
Transitions as Storytelling Tools
The second tool I love is the transition. A good transition can be as expressive as any character. In After Laughter, I focused on making transitions seamless—so smooth they almost trick you into thinking no time has passed, even when it has. One scene moves from 1964 to 1968, and I used a pan shot across a wall with some light VFX to connect the two moments. The idea was to show that time had passed, yet in some ways, nothing had changed.
That’s the magic of film—you can say so much with just a camera move.
One of my favorite transitions in After Laughter is when a young character, Jamal, witnesses something horrific during the riots after Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. We see the horror in his eyes—fire, violence, everything—and then he blinks. In the blink, he transforms into his older self. The setting is quieter now. He’s holding a book, not watching chaos. That blink says everything: the trauma of that moment stayed with him, and shaped who he became.
Transitions let you play with time in such a poetic way. You can jump decades, shift moods, or carry meaning from one shot to the next without saying a word.
Why I Love These Techniques
Both long takes and seamless transitions help me create a tone that feels grounded, honest, and alive. They give viewers room to breathe, to choose what they look at, and to feel like they’re stepping into the characters’ lives. Whether you’re tracking a conversation or shifting through decades, these choices make the world feel real.
Thanks for letting me share a bit about my process. I hope you enjoy watching After Laughter and Steady and Balance as much as I enjoyed making them.
—Adrian Burks
