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Opening Ceremony


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I'm glad Boyle is not attempting to be too PC in the artistic direction to please everyone. Can one not forget the Games is held in London, which is in England. For all Scottish out there, if the Games were to be held in Edinburgh, are you okay to put less emphasis on Scottish culture and make it very neutral, balanced representation of the other nations? I don't think so. I imagine it will be a very Scottish affair full of tartan bagpipes and Scottish pride. Its only natural and nothing wrong with that. So let the English do it the English way. You'll have your turn in the commonwealth games.

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Can we all remember this is a 10% taster, its just a model. The ceremony is never going to be a 25% split for each nation, hopefully people will enjoy it and find something in there at some point that resonates with them. The games are in England but we are part of a wonderful union, hopefully this will come across.

I re-wrote this a hundred times so not to offend anyone.

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So don't moan about English doing it the English way.

I think there is a slight difference in that London is also the capital of the United Kingdom but you are absolutely right about if the Games were in Edinburgh.

Totally off topic, I always wonder what the cultural/political dynamic would be for a Quebec Winter Olympics for similar reasons.

Back on topic, you can't please everyone all the time, it's important for the whole to be generally representative but if you make it a mosaic of token gestures I think it would be a bit of a mess.

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Can we all remember this is a 10% taster, its just a model. The ceremony is never going to be a 25% split for each nation, hopefully people will enjoy it and find something in there at some point that resonates with them. The games are in England but we are part of a wonderful union, hopefully this will come across.

I re-wrote this a hundred times so not to offend anyone.

lol - davey - you will have no doubt offended someone!

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Telling i like the countryside idea would be a lie.

Let's wait & see, i have big expectations but i think i won't be dissapointed!

I just hope nobody who was in charge of the London's delegation part in Beijing's closing ceremony is working on the opening ceremony!

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New aerial view! (contains definite spoilers)

https://twitter.com/...9968128/photo/1

Thanks Rob good find. This photo tells a lot. So there is a Thames under the pasture green, the transformation is to reveal the Thames then. Also there's 4 big rings scattered around the field (perhaps with a 5th one) and those are the giant olympic rings? I'm curious about the greyish splinter like ground treatment they are using. Is that a finished look or an underlayer I wonder. Also that bridge and ramp in front of the Tor seems permanent and there to stay.

AvRiM6JCMAAZlkv.jpg

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I'm glad Boyle is not attempting to be too PC in the artistic direction to please everyone. Can one not forget the Games is held in London, which is in England. For all Scottish out there, if the Games were to be held in Edinburgh, are you okay to put less emphasis on Scottish culture and make it very neutral, balanced representation of the other nations? I don't think so. I imagine it will be a very Scottish affair full of tartan bagpipes and Scottish pride. Its only natural and nothing wrong with that. So let the English do it the English way. You'll have your turn in the commonwealth games.

Well done for demonstrating just how ignorant you are.

People are entitled to opinions but people are not entitled to their own facts. What you have just said is 100% factually incorrect and moreover completely condescending.

London 2012 is not England's games exclusively.

The UK is made up of 4 nations: Scotland, Wales, N.Ireland and England. As such the UK Olympic team for all intents and purposes is called 'Team GB & N.Ireland' thus testifying to the four parts.There's no such thing as an 'England Olympic team'.

You wrote: "So let the English do it the English way". Gladly I will when England becomes an independent nation and isn't getting hundreds of millions of pounds from the non-English nations to make the games happen for the benefit of the complete UK. Until then, The games, as per the correct thing to do, MUST represent all parts of the UK otherwise they are failing.

Moreover, your speculation about 'if the games were in Edinburgh' is complete silliness. You don't know what the ceremony would include. Thus, to extrapolate that an Edinburgh games would be overwhelmingly Scottish (your speculation) and that this gives justification for London's games to be overwhelmingly English is just idiotic silliness. Any UK city hosting the Olympics on behalf of the UK as their candidature/host city must follow the same protocols -- namely the represent the UK fairly, proportionately etc.It's a tad embarrassing on your part that you think, wrongly, that London 2012 is 'England's games'.You're manifestly wrong.

P.S your quip about the Commonwealth games is just crass. In the Commonwealth games the home nations compete separately. Thus, Manchester 2002 only had to portray England etc. But the Olympics implicate ALL OF THE UK. Can you get the difference?

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I'm curious about the greyish splinter like ground treatment they are using. Is that a finished look or an underlayer I wonder.

To me that looks like a satellite picture of London.

See it in the large version:

http://twitter.com/jasonhawkesphot/status/212903056289968128/photo/1/large

Well, well... I wonder whether any aerial pictures will be forbidden now. I mean, if they put on the different layers now, they can't hide what the other segments will contain.

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I don't think we should get too worried about morris dancing, as far as I am aware nothing official has mentioned it.

Regarding cricket, whilst I see your point, I think it's important to see it as one part of a much bigger whole. There will be parts of the ceremony that will be more general in their representation and others which will be more specific and every part of Britain won't be reflected in every single element. it's a complex balancing act given the nature of this country and its diverse (in so many ways) population but the greater whole will, I'm sure, come together well and be something we can all identify with.

Even in England there will be some people for whom cricket won't resonate.

I'm not worried about morris dancing. lol. I actually like it. Infact, I think there is a place for it.....along with the respective cultures of the rest of the UK. That was my point.

Since everything is speculation at this point we don't know what will be. However, I'm not calling for a 25% representation of the home nations. Not at all. I've never said that in the post you quoted or any post actually. I just want every part of the UK to be included in a respectful and dignified way -- not as an aterthought.

As for the countryside concept -- I like it alot. I think it can be great. I just hope that it packs a punch visually and translates well on TV. My main concern is that it's very conceptual but too itty-bitty to wow the audiences at home. I can imagine it being fun for the stadium audience -- having farm animals in the Olympic stadium etc will be a wonderful and cheery sight.

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Well done for demonstrating just how ignorant you are.

People are entitled to opinions but people are not entitled to their own facts. What you have just said is 100% factually incorrect and moreover completely condescending.

London 2012 is not England's games exclusively.

The UK is made up of 4 nations: Scotland, Wales, N.Ireland and England. As such the UK Olympic team for all intents and purposes is called 'Team GB & N.Ireland' thus testifying to the four parts.There's no such thing as an 'England Olympic team'.

You wrote: "So let the English do it the English way". Gladly I will when England becomes an independent nation and isn't getting hundreds of millions of pounds from the non-English nations to make the games happen for the benefit of the complete UK. Until then, The games, as per the correct thing to do, MUST represent all parts of the UK otherwise they are failing.

Moreover, your speculation about 'if the games were in Edinburgh' is complete silliness. You don't know what the ceremony would include. Thus, to extrapolate that an Edinburgh games would be overwhelmingly Scottish (your speculation) and that this gives justification for London's games to be overwhelmingly English is just idiotic silliness. Any UK city hosting the Olympics on behalf of the UK as their candidature/host city must follow the same protocols -- namely the represent the UK fairly, proportionately etc.It's a tad embarrassing on your part that you think, wrongly, that London 2012 is 'England's games'.You're manifestly wrong.

P.S your quip about the Commonwealth games is just crass. In the Commonwealth games the home nations compete separately. Thus, Manchester 2002 only had to portray England etc. But the Olympics implicate ALL OF THE UK. Can you get the difference?

I'm sorry if my comments came across the wrong way, guess I am just irked that trivial stuff like why cricket and morris dancing are coming into play in this great celebration. What I am trying to say is that there is no way to have a truly equal 1/4 representation of the four nations. You give and take. And does it really matter even if the ceremony is a tiny weeny bit English centric? I wouldn't give a damn if a Games in Edinburgh is bit Scottish centric to be honest. What we want to see is the representation of their culture, you can't please everyone. You don't see a Games in Atlanta trying to incorporate every scene and people from California to Utah to the East Coast. Let's cut some slack and not be too nitpicky about how much English-ness or lack of other-ness in it. Will everyone only be happy if the whole ceremony is 100% London centric, all about the host city only and hence no one can cry unfair? I wouldn't think that's possible and I wouldn't want that either.

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I'm sorry if my comments came across the wrong way, guess I am just irked that trivial stuff like why cricket and morris dancing are coming into play in this great celebration. What I am trying to say is that there is no way to have a truly equal 1/4 representation of the four nations. You give and take. And does it really matter even if the ceremony is a tiny weeny bit English centric? I wouldn't give a damn if a Games in Edinburgh is bit Scottish centric to be honest. What we want to see is the representation of their culture, you can't please everyone. You don't see a Games in Atlanta trying to incorporate every scene and people from California to Utah to the East Coast. Let's cut some slack and not be too nitpicky about how much English-ness or lack of other-ness in it. Will everyone only be happy if the whole ceremony is 100% London centric, all about the host city only? I wouldn't think that's possible and I wouldn't want that either.

No problemo. Let's just move on. I just hope everyone from the UK will be happy. I know we won't be but that's my idealistic stance. lol

For the record, I don't expect there to be a 1/4 split for each nation -- because the UK isn't made up like that. I agree with you.

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You are never going to please everybody. While the Vancouver games were overwhelmingly popular with Canadians, there were French who complained bitterly about the amount of French language, and Anglos complaining about too much French language. The same will happen with London. I have some Scottish friends who are very pro-Scotlant / anti English. I guarantee they'll be watching and complaining.

One interesting question is to what extent these are the London games, and to what extent they are the UK's. It's not that huge a difference for London... which in many ways does represent all of the UK. But what about something like Barcelona? Other than the flame thing (still the coolest Olympic Ceremony moment ever) I don't remember much about the ceremony. Did the Catalonians throw a party celebrating the nation of Spain?

I do remember Atlanta well. An American celebration, but with a distinct Southern flair. They sang Georgia on my mind. Can't imagine how nuts my Scotish friends would be if they sang England on my Mind (or whatever the equivelant is) in London.

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You are never going to please everybody. While the Vancouver games were overwhelmingly popular with Canadians, there were French who complained bitterly about the amount of French language, and Anglos complaining about too much French language. The same will happen with London. I have some Scottish friends who are very pro-Scotlant / anti English. I guarantee they'll be watching and complaining.

One interesting question is to what extent these are the London games, and to what extent they are the UK's. It's not that huge a difference for London... which in many ways does represent all of the UK. But what about something like Barcelona? Other than the flame thing (still the coolest Olympic Ceremony moment ever) I don't remember much about the ceremony. Did the Catalonians throw a party celebrating the nation of Spain?

I do remember Atlanta well. An American celebration, but with a distinct Southern flair. They sang Georgia on my mind. Can't imagine how nuts my Scotish friends would be if they sang England on my Mind (or whatever the equivelant is) in London.

The comparisons to Atlanta 96 are different though. Georgia is a state within a country. The UK however is essentially 4 countries in a union. Big difference.

I disagree however with your statement that London represents the entire UK. No. The ceremony must showcase London obviously -- it is the linchpin of the games. But equally all parts of the UK must feel involved.

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Well, it looks like from what we've seen so far, that the opening stadium segment will probably show the four nations, one in each corner of the field.

Underneath that layer we see a map, not of London as a whole, but of the East End.

So it looks like we'll get both a focus on the UK and on London, which is what I'd expect.

Re: the map, it looks like it shows Tower Bridge Eastwards. That's interesting, given that Tower Bridge is the last official "stop" in the Torch relay before it heads to the stadium.

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But what about something like Barcelona? Other than the flame thing (still the coolest Olympic Ceremony moment ever) I don't remember much about the ceremony. Did the Catalonians throw a party celebrating the nation of Spain?

Barcelona had some heavily Catalan elements including dancing the sardana and Catalan music. Interestlingly the Catalan anthem was played although somewhat detracted by the arrival of the King and Queen at the same time which is rather odd (or deliberate?).

The alphabetical order of the parade of nations was in French by the way, a compromise between those who wanted it in Catalan and those who thought it should be in Spanish/Castillian.

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Sorry for not posting after all this info, but I had a really busy day yesterday (though I manage to read most everything).

As I wasn't already eager to watch the opening ceremony, now this has raised my expectations. What I really wanted was not a ceremony that surpassed what Beijing did, but something that was different and innovative (in a good way of course). And looks like my wishes has more or less came true.

The staging is gorgeous, yet I admit it's kinda complicated (for not saying it's probably the most complicated in all the history of ceremonies), specially if it's going to change constantly as we have been told already, so they will need to rehearse a lot :P. I'm glad they have given the four nations of UK their chance to shine, though it's true that you can't always please everyone (the idea of the national flowers is awesome, I also laughed a bit when they decided to incorporate the typical crowds you see at the Last Night of the Proms :lol: )

I agree with most of you. I'm pretty much sure the narrative of the ceremony will be how this "green and pleasant land" transforms slowly, as the ceremony advances, to what is London today (and the last pic looks a lot like a satellite pic of London. I recognize the Thames River on it)

I guess the orchestra will be just below the huge secondary podium which is below the Bell podium, right?

PS: Am I the only one who's glad that we will finally depart partially from projections? (not that I don't like them but a lot of ceremonies have been recently abusing of this technique after Vancouver, so i'm happy they will not focus much on them for this ceremony, which was something I personally feared would turn repetitive)

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PS: Am I the only one who's glad that we will finally depart partially from projections? (not that I don't like them but a lot of ceremonies have been recently abusing of this technique after Vancouver, so i'm happy they will not focus much on them for this ceremony, which was something I personally feared would turn repetitive)

I agree entirely and think this ceremony will have a very distinctive feel.

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OH NO! I should have heeded that spoiler alert. I should just stop coming into this thread. This is very exciting! I still want and expect to be WOWED when I see the real show on TV. London 2012 seems have to found their way of outdoing Beijing is not through mass precisions, but through stage theatrics.

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No problemo. Let's just move on. I just hope everyone from the UK will be happy. I know we won't be but that's my idealistic stance. lol

For the record, I don't expect there to be a 1/4 split for each nation -- because the UK isn't made up like that. I agree with you.

What a psycho, talk about blow hot and cold. Freak!

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OH NO! I should have heeded that spoiler alert. I should just stop coming into this thread. This is very exciting! I still want and expect to be WOWED when I see the real show on TV. London 2012 seems have to found their way of outdoing Beijing is not through mass precisions, but through stage theatrics.

It defintiely seems to be the case. I am very impressed. Kinda sad I didn't get my opening ceremony ticket now. Oh well.

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