(upbeat music) It's game day for the "What If..." team shooting a story about three entrepreneurs and the horse hotel they created.

We're here.

[Tiffany] How you guys feeling?

Good.

Ready to make some TV.

Epic, epic television.

Epic, because we're trying something different.

I'll explain.

A typical "What If..." story or really anything you watch is created with lots of different shots edited together, like this one.

There's more than 160 different shots in that seven minute story.

The story about Triple E Equine is nine minutes, one continuous shot, no edits.

The technique is sometimes called a oner or one shot.

It's occasionally seen in movies and TV shows, but rarely if ever in a show like "What If..." There you are right there and you're talking about, and as you can see, they're really good at what they do.

Should we do it in here?

Justin and I started talking about doing this after seeing a one shot episode of "The Bear," a series we both really like.

It took lots of planning, meetings to discuss equipment, movement, the best way to tell the story and a full walkthrough the day before.

Then more prep and set up once we arrive for the shoot.

We're behind the scenes.

I think less is more.

Or do you want to have Mike on the outside and us like having a conversation like here?

Maybe you don't get as close as you want.

We can punch a little bit on the 4K.

I always wanted to be a Ghostbuster.

This is as close as I'm gonna get.

So I follow her out this way or I go around?

I think, well you were talking about going all the way around.

I wanted to but?

I think you can.

The three sisters ride up.

Tornado picture.

Tornado picture.

Tornado picture.

[Host] I scripted my narration and questions for people in this story.

A four person team followed me.

Go Mike.

[Host] Justin is shooting with a camera on a gimbal rig.

That gives me more control, mobility, leverage while still keeping a steady shot.

[Host] Tyler is using a remote lens controller to help with some of the camera work.

We're like, okay, once we're mic'd up we gotta be on like good behavior.

Oh, I love it when people aren't though.

That's the best.

[Host] Emily and Ryan record audio.

Ryan's boom is a backup in case there's an issue with the wireless mics, Emily is putting on six people.

So I'm just trying to coordinate frequencies and make sure that there's wind protection on them and you know, fingers crossed that it all works.

I think we're as close and as ready as we're going to be.

So I'm anxious to kind of get going and make it happen.

I'm excited, I'm massively stressed.

Lift with the legs.

[Host] Now it's go time.

The goal, get it right with minimal takes to avoid burning out everyone involved.

Go.

(dramatic music) So neat thing about all this, it's all connected.

So somebody staying.

[Host] The "What If..." team pulled it off, did something epic because of show about innovation and creativity should do the same, right?

This is insane.

This is the craziest thing.

I think we've tried for "What If..." But that's why I like "What If..." 'cause we take these chances, you know, we're always pushing ourselves and we're trying new things.

The people that I am fortunate to work with, the talent that we have is just crazy.

And then when you try to do something like this, the way people get motivated and they want to do it and they want to try something new and they, you know, we're trying equipment we've never had before.

We're trying techniques we've never had before and I think it's, you know, it's kind of inspiring, it's fun, it's exciting, it's something different.

And you know, that's why we do this right?

(birds chirping) (upbeat music)