Every FlyOver immersive experience requires an incredible amount of coordination to capture the beauty of a location. A talented team of creatives and planners work together for months to scout, shoot, compose and pull together this ambitious project.

That’s where Elliott Wheeler comes in. As the composer and executive music producer for FlyOver's Believe Chicago experience, Wheeler played a pivotal role in the formation of the production — how music can help tell the story of Chicago.

“It’s such an incredible honour to be asked to come and tell the story of any place, but particularly the music of Chicago,” says Wheeler. “It’s overwhelming how much incredible music has come from here and what Chicago has given the world in terms of its musical gifts.”

Wheeler’s interest in music began at age five, when his parents enlisted a curious kid in piano lessons. His talent spans decades and familiar projects, including collaborations with filmmaker Baz Luhrmann. The Great Gatsby and the “King of Rock and Roll” biopic Elvis both boast Wheeler’s musical fingerprint.

Telling the story of Chicago, for Wheeler, was telling the story of the city’s rich musical history. Few places in the world have contributed so much to the progression of music, from jazz, blues and gospel to soul, rap, Chicago house, alternative rock and beyond.

“I’ve always covered a lot of styles with my music, and it’s one of the great things I love about doing film composition,” says Wheeler. “You get to throw yourself into somebody else’s story — whether that’s the story of two lovers or the story of a city.”

FlyOver’s Chicago experience, Believe Chicago, also presented a new opportunity for interplay between music and visuals. For the first time ever, the musical score was composed and recorded prior to shooting.

“This means everyone on the set gets to listen to the music and people on the set can be playing the music or singing to the music or dancing to the music,” says Believe Chicago writer and director David Mossop.

Wheeler attributes the inspiration behind his score to the many qualities of the Windy City and its people, including pride, generosity and a welcoming spirit. After spending time getting to know Chicago, the composer worked with a team of all local musicians to bring his original story of Chicago music to life.

“There’s always a story that’s happening that isn’t being told and that’s music’s job,” he says. “Let the music of Chicago come to the forefront.”

Immerse yourself in the sights, culture and music of the city aboard Believe Chicago, showing for a limited time at FlyOver Iceland.