A new film being produced for Canada’s 150th is tackling the tricky feat of being both larger than life and mobile at the same time.

Horizon is being shot as a 360-degree film, designed for projection on a 50-foot hemispherical screen inside of a specially created dome. The film is just one part of SESQUI (short for sesquicentennial), an immersive, interactive media experience that will travel across the country next year.

The approximately 20-minute film, from producer Jennifer Scott and executive producers Joanne Loton, Heather Sinclair and Andrea Stewart, showcases Canada’s people and landscape from coast to coast to coast.

“The idea of being able to situate people, in a theatre in downtown Toronto or in Halifax, under the Northern Lights or to show them something they could not ordinarily see was the impetus of the project,” said EP Andrea Stewart, in an interview with Playback Daily.

To accomplish this goal, Stewart and her team had to not only make a film, they had to create what it would be showcased in as well. They partnered with Cirque du Soleil pioneer Guy St-Amour and Realisations Inc. in Montreal to design the dome and its immersive experiences.

Designing the filming equipment needed to shoot in 360 degrees was also a challenge, said Stewart. “We built camera rigs and tested them and then built them better. [We tried] out different techniques for filming, different dolly systems to put the camera on, because when you’re filming in 360, there’s literally nowhere to hide.”

While none of the technology being used is brand new, Stewart stressed that Horizon is pushing the craft forward. “We are innovative on our techniques,” she said. “360 is a [the?] Wild West.”

The Government of Canada announced a $9.5 million contribution to SESQUI in March. Stewart says they are also working with other funders and partners to bring the traveling production to as many communities as possible. 

Horizon is directed by Drew Lightfoot, with Ray Dumas and Vinit Borrison serving as directors of photography. Filming in Alberta, Northwest Territories and the Yukon has already been completed. Production will resume next month in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland.

The film will premiere in 2017 as part of Canada’s “sesquicentennial” celebrations. While the itinerary is not finalized, Stewart hopes the project will travel to at least 23 communities across Canada.

Horizon was created with the support of Réalisations Inc. Montreal, which provided equipment design and build, dome projection and sound, as well as REDLAB, which provided post-production services.