With movie credits that include Shrek and TheChronicles of Narnia, director Andrew Adamson has a proven record for bringing fantasy to the screen. But even he resisted reimagining the stage world of Cirque du Soleil.
"At first I thought it was a bad idea, that it was a stage experience, and that's what has always enthralled people," Adamson says. "How do you re-create something that's already so spectacular?
"And then I had a 'eureka' moment. What I love about Cirque is that you step into another world."
Adamson's new screen world is starting to come into focus around the renowned arts company's first 3-D film in its 28-year history —Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away (out Dec. 21).
The production is enhanced by a 3-D experience that will provide even the 100 million people who have seen Cirque shows something entirely new.
"We are not offering a live performance," says executive producer Jacques Méthé. "But in exchange, we're going to bring them inside the show."
This effort was aided by executive producer James Cameron's 3-D expertise.
"At first I thought, 'How is this going to work?' " Adamson says. But soon, they were jumping onto cranes and 80-foot catwalks to find ways to best shoot the Cirque acrobatics with 13 3-D cameras.
They pushed one shot so close that an aerial performer kicked a camera.
"No one was hurt," Adamson says. "But you get a sense of how close you are."
The Alice in Wonderland-esque story weaves in elements of six Cirque shows — floating horses, elaborate flying machines and music including The Beatles and Elvis Presley— with enthralling performances unaided by special effects.
"You see a wide shot of two people suspended in air," Adamson says. "These people are doing something beautiful and completely crazy. It's thrilling."
