Netflix’s The Circle is a true new-age reality competition show that bonds together two things people embrace daily — social media platforms and personal connections. But, it requires willing competitors to physically isolate themselves from the rest of the world. So, how long does filming take place for The Circle?
All in all, six seasons of the franchise’s American version have been shot, with the latter iteration still releasing episodes on Netflix. It’s based on its U.K. predecessor and has been around on the streamer since 2020.
When the first season premiered, executive producer Tim Harcourt spoke with Variety. And in the interview, he revealed that the show was shot within a 15-day filming period. Every apartment — typically eight — is outfitted with cameras throughout, as well as large screens for players to interact with their digital allies and opponents.
And according to Harcourt, the editors didn’t waste any time creating the episodes. “We cut the stories and delivered episodes every day,” Harcourt said. “It was the same system [from the U.K. show so that] we knew what things were working, which cast was popping. We were making story decisions as we cut it; we could change the game or move elements of the game around as the story developed.”
Season 1’s champion Vinnie Sasso told The Hollywood Reporter that before he stepped foot onto The Circle, he had no idea how long filming would take. He also said that contestants aren’t told the day or time, a game mechanic that envelopes players into the experience’s flow.
This also means that The Circle is filmed much quicker than many other reality competition shows, including Big Brother, The Challenge, and Survivor.