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Opening Ceremony Details


anno

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It's the universal philosophy behind the symbols we see in today's civilizations. Greek stands for the West, China stands for the East. No conflicts and meaningful competition around this issue.

well, what about Torino? :blink: It was in-between. And they had the Ferrarri (or was it a Maseratti?) and the Sparks of Passion, and the baroque and Alpine sections? What did Torino stand for? The North? :blink:

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Well, for the ceremony they need only two. One for the Host country flag and one for the Olympic flag. The other three, there are first were also used during the good luck Beijing events medal ceremonies (one for the host nation and three for gold, silver and bronze).

But then they will need 3 AGAIN once T&F begins. So why keep changing the # of flagpoles? It's very disturbing.

Something very un-communistic about it; but I can't put my finger on it.

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well, what about Torino? :blink: It was in-between. And they had the Ferrarri (or was it a Maseratti?) and the Sparks of Passion, and the baroque and Alpine sections? What did Torino stand for? The North? :blink:

that's the reason why Winter Olympics is less universal and important :P

yes, it's the north of the globe produce the best winter sports.

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There was nothing to leak -- but a few lights and effects. :lol:

j/k.

Pyrros, there were a lot of shots of the head after it had 'exploded' and before it was reassembled. Plus, I think you posted the link of one rehearsal of the Clepsydra (sp?) at the initial site near the airport or something.

Ι found the photo of clepsythra after the end of the olympics.

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Could it be the couldron is in 5 rings shape? Look at the yellow color painted part.

Desmond, that's just the inside of the inflatable cover. It's ON the roof; it's going to be at night. All what people and the camera will see (at night) will be the flame and the shape of the cauldron. So no one inside the stadium bowl will see the base of this cauldron thingy.

Edited by baron-pierreIV
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LEAKED!!!! - another picture from the practice of the Opening Ceremonies!

xinsrc_2920705030751296250187.jpg

The Chinese Military Syncopated Segway Team! :P

Or not . . .

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lol~rubbish it's not :angry::lol:

LOL - I figured you would skewer me for that one. ;)

Truthfully, I am somewhat impressed. Very innovative protection. B) Although I don't see how if a gun back kicks they won't fall off.

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OK,GUYS, I have found some rehearsal reviews from some of performers' blogs. Here are some of them I translated.

1. I was impossible to take any photos during the rehearsal, not brave enough to break the rules. lol ;)

And firstly the cauldron lighting and theme song play didn't take part in the stadium tonight, maybe it's for the last-minute surprise.

But generally, it's really fantastic and spectacular.

The first chapter is so good and huge, it almost made my heart jump out. absolutely amazing

then with the national flag raising, it's just touching. I've never sung so loud with the authem

And of course, there have been some little problems with it.

This time the production team really push themselves as far as they can by using mass of lights and effects, and also the mass performers. It somehow might

cause the visual info look too much. Also the errors of the effects happened too frequently, even each of the plays did appear one or more. I am a bit worried about this

About the content, it majorly focuses on the great heritage of Chinese civilization. But it's a bit too deep and complicated for the global audiences to understand. even Chinese

found it somehow challenging.

2. I just been back from Brid's Nest. It was truly awsome as hell. Coz they don't allow any of us to leak the content, so I just simply describe the impression of it. I'll have to say

it's so good and really beautiful as well. And it particularly includes varietly of Chinese elements. The futuristic countdown, and the GREAT FOUR INVENTIONS, with a long roll

of a huge Chinese painting. plus those fireworks really rock and so lound like lightenings. So tired after the whole rehearsal, but it's just so cool.

3. For this is the first rehearsal, there would be still many adjustments before the big night, I won't be telling any thing great, coz that's just for the surprises for you all. But

generally I am quite happy with it, and I'll give it 7/10 so far. Here are some improvements need to be made.

a. It's the great display of Chinese cultures, especially the golden age of Tang and Chin Dynastiy, but I still found that's a bit too much about China, not so enough about the

modern age and globalization. It's better if they infuse a better balance between the East and the West.

b. The massperformers strategy is a bit too frequent, that gives the first impression that China has the biggest population and a super nation. even each of the play features

at least a thousand or two thousand. It would be great if Beijing brings a more contrast like Sydney and Athens did.

c. The technology is the major part of the whole night, there're so many lights and effects. But still need a improvement of the technical support, it definitly didn't look good.

And some of them are a bit repetitive, like fly-ers and light-ers.

d. The links between each play seem not to be very fluent and took a bit time, that's one need to be rescheduled.

e. The innovation in the centre of the stadium is really good, but it's not right for standing there all the way along.

2008718952941441.jpg

New pic leaked~

4. The begining is huge and so good, much better than the Athens one. All the audiences in the stadium was crying out for it. It's really a perfection.

And the Chinese culture display is amazing and perfectly link to the world, and it seems Zhang, the director really prefer the elements of Tang and Chin Dynastiy.

For the plays involve mass amount of people and huge installation, they seem to be needing more trainings

The lightings and fireworks spectacular

And the Great Wall...the Great Wall....

So many great innovations, but the technical support is big problem, it's just not reaching the 100% garanttee of the full pic, this one need to be fixed properly.

Well, I can only say Zhang is really a master of visual and performing arts, but if he brings this rough rehearsal on that day, his career must be ended earlier.

All the tickets of OC under the price of 200RMB($26) could be considered just a waste becasue the view, the position is just......

5. No photos No leaking...So here's the rough impressions

In one word, it's generally a spectacular and awsome OC except a too repetitive theme continues all along the whole night. And it's really a great masterpiece and definitly

costs millions.

But it's a bit awful to see my friends wearing those heavey suits during the August of Beijing --- hot.

Birdnest is just beautiful at night and you could see the Water Cube and Morgen tower displays the Matrix effects, it feels like in the fantasy.

6. well, I saw the rehearsal last night, and it's a little bit disappointed for me. It's not a doubt the plays feature massperformers in a such big stadium. But I don't think they

need that many of people for each single one. If that's a one or two, that might really light up the whole atmosphere, but it would get visual exhausted if they got that many.

And the theme is not too clear and need so layers and contrast. Like the fireworks are also too frequent and reduce the weight of the emotional waves for the big ones.

Generally, I would say the production team need to be more confident and realising the world would be pleased with efforts Chinese contribute, don't have to over do it.

7. Ok, on 16 July 2008, I was the one who just joining the OC rehearsals, I almost get caught for the info below. lol Ok, here are some great secrets I collected on that night.

a. OK, the first chapter is truly amazing, it's the druming performance, well that might reminds you of Athens one, but let me tell you the drums they are using here are

specially designed with lights and sound effects. When they hit once, the light is on, hit another time, light is off. It's like the effects of neon and while they performing

different dancing and performing , the entire view with the sound looks breathtaking and truly powerful

b. The other interesting installation is like a huge cloud pillar, it could to be raised above 10 meters high, and even though I still don't know what's going on behind this secret,

but I was amazed by the details look if it. It's definitly ready for the HD test of those broadcasters. lol It's about 32 of these beautiful sculptures.

i

c. And one of the highlights is the Lazer Olympic rings raising in the middle, looks like a fantasy and interesting match to Athens fire rings in the water. The entire show features

massive 4-D effects and high-end technology, it's truly gives you the best sensetional enjoyments so far.

d saudifree_572bf.jpg

And this one is called '' The One World'' , the performers walking around this global symbolised the concept the people around the world on this earth, and the south globe

got to be walking upsite down....well~that needs a bit training for sure. It's a touching sight for sure.

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Thanks, MJ, for trying.

But all we get are 'impressions' and how high tech it will be.

So, they're doing the 4 great inventions which would be:

- paper (that giant scroll),

- gunpowder (so - fire & fireworks). What are the other 2?

I knew there would be a Great Wall sequence.

Baron, the other 2 are the COMPASS and the PRINTING PRESS (the book and movable type).

Link: YouTube Entry

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OK,GUYS, I have found some rehearsal reviews from some of performers' blogs. Here are some of them I translated.

Thank you for the translations. Only impressions, but enough to see there are may mass performances. Maybe too much Chinese and not the rest of the world (China is 1/6 of the world :P ), they have to improve some techinical elements.

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Even now and now, i'm afraid i will stop coming to these forums until August 8, i just don't want to keep ruining the surprise. Well, obviously, since those were the first rehearsals, it was obvious that some technical problems would ocur, but they have three weeks to fix them, so i'm confident that the final result will be far, far better.

The Chinese wall sequence was stupidly obvious, this could not be a complete OC without a tribute to the greatest chinese building of all time. Looks like the opening segment is going to be somewhat similar to Athens 2004, with the drums and that sort of thing, but more techy (and almost everyone who went to the rehearsals loved this part, so it will be good, even if it's probably a ripoff of the Zambouki drums from four years ago).

That leaked picture MJ posted doesn't inspire me confidence, it looks like an amateur ceremony. But like i said before, these are just the rehearsals.

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But what seriously worries me is that the ceremony will probably become very repetitive and thus tiresome. They obviously overuse performers and fireworks (something many here expected already months ago). And I think it's comforting that also Chinese consider that too bombastic and too boastful.

Maybe the people of Barcelona, Sydney and Athens can relax now and still call their opening ceremonies the best ever.

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But what seriously worries me is that the ceremony will probably become very repetitive and thus tiresome. They obviously overuse performers and fireworks (something many here expected already months ago). And I think it's comforting that also Chinese consider that too bombastic and too boastful.

Maybe the people of Barcelona, Sydney and Athens can relax now and still call their opening ceremonies the best ever.

Think it's very personal if you think it's the best ever or not. And three best opening ceremonies... why not four ;) But all ceremonies do have their own style etc. And watch the Chinese national day celebrations at Tiananmen square, that's also very bombastic and a lot of people involved in it.. but it's still very impressive.. every year again.

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I think a 'drum" opening for the Summer is de rigeur. It started actually w/ Seoul;

- then Barcelona (those tribesmen of some sort coming down from the audience stands);

- Atlanta: the 5 colored tribes' drum towers (and that whole drum sequence was written by Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead)

- Athens.

It obviously means: WAKE UP WORLD, something important is about to happen!!

I bet these will actually be the best. How can they not be? They were only too eager to spend $100 mil for these Ceremonies!!

Edited by baron-pierreIV
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I bet these will actually be the best. How can they not be? They were only too eager to spend $100 mil for these Ceremonies!!

Simple, money cannot not buy emotion.

From the reports we are having, I bet Beijing ceremonies will be the most spectacular. But whether they will be the best remains to be seen (some people will think it's the best, others won't).

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Simple, money cannot not buy emotion.

From the reports we are having, I bet Beijing ceremonies will be the most spectacular. But whether they will be the best remains to be seen (some people will think it's the best, others won't).

Again, it's just how it strikes a person. Some of you were very sold by the rather austere, more cerebral? quality of the Athens Opening; (I wasn't). But in terms of statistics, logistics (for one, I think they have burrowed a bigger, deeper underground stage than Athens), Beijing will take the cake.

(I actually enjoyed the Athens Closing and the Athens Paralympics Opening more than the regular Opening. But anyway...)

So it will be a matter of indivdual choice.

Edited by baron-pierreIV
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And God help us if we're critical of the Ceremonies, lest we be called racist Westerners who only believe what the media tells us, right?

For me, to be called excellent ceremonies, frankly, Barcelona and MAYBE Sydney still set the standard. Not a slam on either Atlanta or Athens at all, the problem with them was:

Atlanta was too inconsistent. I LOVE the opening with Summon the Heroes, the tribute to the ancient Olympics, the Parade of Nations, et al, but the chrome trucks? The tribute to the South? FFward button land.

Athens had strong points too but just didn't grab me the same way Barcelona and Sydney did. The historian in me adored those ceremonies, but I just couldn't develop an emotional attachment to them.

So, we'll see about Beijing. I'm trying to keep an open mind, but am wary.

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