"Samsara" is directed by Ron Fricke and produced by Mark Magidson. The pair had collaborated on "Baraka" (1992) and reunited in 2006 to plan "Samsara". They researched locations that would fit the conceptual imagery of saṃsāra, to them "meaning 'birth, death and rebirth' or 'impermanence'". They gathered research from people's works and photo books as well as the Internet and YouTube, resources not available at the time of planning "Baraka". They considered using digital cameras but decided to film in 70 mm instead, considering its quality superior. Fricke and Magidson began filming "Samsara" the following year. Filming lasted for more than four years and took place in 25 countries across five continents. Three years into filming, the pair began assembling the film and editing it. They pursued several pick-up shoots to augment the final product.