The producers of Cirque du Soleil™ Journey of Man saw the film as a unique opportunity to take the Cirque du Soleil™ performers out from under the "big top" or permanent theater and place them in a bold cinematic experience. Cirque du Soleil™ Journey of Man was filmed over a four month period using an IMAX® Solido (rhymes with Toledo) twin camera. An Iwerks 8-perf / 70mm 3D rig was also used for certain scenes to create a specific effect.

Expanding beyond the "big top," the Cirque du Soleil™ artists were filmed on location. These locations served as dramatic backdrops against which the artists would perform. Shot at various natural and historical landmarks around the world, each location was chosen carefully to meet the requirements of the story, the producers, the performers, and Cirque du Soleil™ .

Filming Cirque du Soleil™ Journey of Man around the world was a logistical challenge mainly due to the incredible schedules of the performers. Unlike a typical feature film in which the actors’ sole job is to act, the Cirque du Soleil™ artists had to play dual roles. Working seven days a week, they performed on stage throughout the week and then acted in the film on their days off. Since the artists were on tour in a variety of shows, in different countries on different continents, the entire production of the film had to be coordinated in conjunction with the location and availability of the artists.

 
A Large Format Film