Interview with Lewis Cohen, Series Director and WriterQ. Were there any times when the characters refused to be filmed?
A. Yes, people refused to be filmed. On a handful of occasions our characters were just too emotionally fatigued. In the case of Cirque du Soleil, we tried to have as much access as possible, because we wanted both sides of every story. But you have to earn the trust of the Cirque culture, one person at a time, and you just try to do that and build some good feeling and momentum. Pushing too hard is counterproductive, but so is always taking no for an answer. In the case of personal stories, 'no' means 'no', it was part of the deal. It did happen, maybe two or three times, and you have to accept the person's limits.
Q. What were the major filming/directing challenges?
A. The first challenge was to jump into a totally new world of individuals and of Cirque du Soleil in general, and get a handle on it quickly. The biggest challenge, though, has been to carve a year's worth of film and tape into an exciting and coherent journey with a dozen people in thirteen chapters. It's a huge undertaking and a wonderful opportunity.
Q. What did you enjoy most about this experience?
A. I've enjoyed so many things - meeting extraordinary people, being exposed to Cirque du Soleil, telling people's stories, exploring new visual ideas, observing the workings of a fascinating company, and witnessing the process of creation, both Varekai's and ours.
