Olympics opening ceremony

[Wingwalker]

According to the BBC News website, here is a summary of what they say will be used in the opening ceremony of the Olympics

 

The 27 July event will feature:

 

• Pre-show starting at 20:12 BST
• 1,100 automated lamps
• One million watt sound system with 500 speakers
• 50 tonnes of sound gear
• 15,000m sq metres of staging
• 12,956 props
• 24,570 costume buttons for one of opening sequences

Full article here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18392025

 

 

[benweblight]

Interestingly, The Executive Producer for Production Design for the ceremonies is Mark Fisher

Production designer of shows such as Pink Floyd's 'The Wall' & Division Bell Tours, U2 Popmart/Zoo TV/Elevation/Vertigo Tours, Beijing 2008 Olympics opening ceremony, Cirque Du Soleil 'KA' and many more.

 

His website has a lot of initial concept drawings for various events. http://www.stufish.com

[kerry davies]

Village greens, maypoles and rain. Hmmm (tm Ynot).

[themadhippy]

Bugger me,they've recycled the teletubbys set

[Brian]

Village greens, maypoles and rain. Hmmm (tm Ynot).

Or as someone on PM observed - it's the Archers.

[David Lee]

Village greens, maypoles and rain. Hmmm (tm Ynot).

Or as someone on PM observed - it's the Archers.

 

Finally the olympics gets my interest :) 100m archers dash.

[WiLL]

It beats David Beckham on a double decker bus with the cast of the only way is essex singing a football chant though, which is what some of us were expecting. I'm actually more optimistic than I was. It's a fairly strong visual concept which will give a true identity to the ceremony. Now it just remains to see what they can make this set 'do' as it were. Athens takes a lot of beating in my book.

[LXbydesign]

As Danny Boyle (spelling ?) also stated - they are not trying to compete with Beijing, regarding huge spectacle with over the top moving things and the like. They are focusing more on concept and 'traditional'.

 

I like the set or more like the enviroment. That on its own will be amazing seeing a 'land' within a stadium complete with clouds and rain and the real animals etc. - and the hundreds of cast with all their props and costumes dancing and acting.

 

Despite the heavyweight design team, it dosent have to always be about big truss / metal structures flying around on multiple axis and as many moving lights as you can fit in all whizzing around for no real reason (...eurovision).... apart from from last point below..

 

So am looking forward to seeing it now...... I do hope, however, that Patrick has specced a huge number of Sharpies!!. You can never have enough Sharpies on a gig like this! its just the done thing really :-)

[WiLL]

I'd be really surprised if there weren't any as I worked with a few of the team last year and we were muchily impressed by the units and you feel the urges to use them again palpably. :)

[Wingwalker]

I wonder if all of the animals in use will create their own "natural" addition to the set if they become scared by the surrounding environment of noise and colour :D

[Seano]

Athens takes a lot of beating in my book.

 

So it flippin should with the mind-boggling amount of money that was thrown at it.

As the global economy has fallen over since then (and the Greek economy is well and truly down the toilet - complete coincidence I'm sure), I sincerely hope the London ceremony will be a tad less extravagant.

[WiLL]

Athens takes a lot of beating in my book.

 

So it flippin should with the mind-boggling amount of money that was thrown at it.

As the global economy has fallen over since then (and the Greek economy is well and truly down the toilet - complete coincidence I'm sure), I sincerely hope the London ceremony will be a tad less extravagant.

 

 

doesn't have to be extravagant or expensive to be better. Imagination is free. If it's tedious and cringeworthy I expect a refund from the government.

[the kid]

I wonder if all of the animals in use will create their own "natural" addition to the set if they become scared by the surrounding environment of noise and colour :D

Now where did I hear that some "show" animals have a special diet to avoid "accidents" before an event.

 

I would assume that like Military horses they will have been trained with the elements around.

[paulears]

Sadly, I suspect it's going to be one of those nut cringing moments where the British look totally foolish to the entire world. China showed the world they could organise and create spectacle, and we're going to show them how quiet and laid back we are - rather than a world beating 21st Century country. For what it's worth, I've not seen (or intend to see) any of Danny Boyle's directorial efforts - so I've no way of knowing if he's a good one or not - I guess he must be. I really just can't see where we're going with this opening ceremony - the cringeworthy factor is growing!

[Ynot]

I would assume that like Military horses they will have been trained with the elements around.

Well, the horses on the Jubilee days might have missed that class then - there was one point, in the Mall I believe, where a convoy of half a dozen royal cars quite noticeably steered a path around a pile or two of muck in the road!!