Opening Ceremony

[Athensfan 1081]

I'm sure that also regular TV watchers noticed the "continuity problem". And don't forget that there's a whole bunch of people out there looking for any goofs in movies.

I almost wonder if the Queen requested such breaks in continuity. I can imagine a situation where she might say, "Ok, I'll play along, but we've got to make absolutely certain that there's no chance anyone believes its actually me jumping out of a helicopter." Obviously I don't know. It's just an idea.

The whole stunt required a certain suspension of disbelief. Personally, I didn't have a problem with that.

[Mainad 203]

I almost wonder if the Queen requested such breaks in continuity. I can imagine a situation where she might say, "Ok, I'll play along, but we've got to make absolutely certain that there's no chance anyone believes its actually me jumping out of a helicopter." Obviously I don't know. It's just an idea.

The whole stunt required a certain suspension of disbelief. Personally, I didn't have a problem with that.

Lol...I doubt there was anyone watching this sequence who seriously thought the 86 year-old monarch actually donned a parachute and leapt from a helicopter right down into the Olympic Stadium and I doubt said monarch seriously thought anyone would believe she did either!!

Edited November 9, 2012 by Mainad

[Athensfan 1081]

Lol...I doubt there was anyone watching this sequence who seriously thought the 86 year-old monarch actually donned a parachute and leapt from a helicopter right down into the Olympic Stadium and I doubt said monarch seriously thought anyone would believe she did either!!

Right. Of course. I'm just saying that I can imagine a scenario where she requested that the sequence be frankly fake. In that context, the continuity problems that others have complained about are basically irrelevant. The purpose of continuity in film is to preserve the suspension of disbelief. In this case it just didn't matter.

[Olympian2004 511]

Right. Of course. I'm just saying that I can imagine a scenario where she requested that the sequence be frankly fake. In that context, the continuity problems that others have complained about are basically irrelevant. The purpose of continuity in film is to preserve the suspension of disbelief. In this case it just didn't matter.

To you it didn't matter, to me it did. I think that the continuity error made it more obvious than necessary that the scene was fake.

[Athensfan 1081]

To you it didn't matter, to me it did. I think that the continuity error made it more obvious than necessary that the scene was fake.

As Mainad said, no one was ever going to believe it was real. And as I sai,d I think it's possible that Buckingham Palace requested a frankly fake approach.

[mjb22 19]

The sequence didn't require a suspension of disbelief.

It merely required a sense of humour.

[Athensfan 1081]

The sequence didn't require a suspension of disbelief.

It merely required a sense of humour.

I agree. I loved it and the continuity problem didn't bother me.

[mjb22 19]

If anyone is interested, this is a link to the first of several videos I filmed and posted whilst at the Opening Ceremony.

This one shows the Pandemonium section of the Ceremony at the point at which the rings come together.

Edited November 27, 2012 by mjb22

[runningrings 678]

Seriously amazing footage. The segment really lives up to its name. I just wish (from a television viewers perspective) that the Ceremony maintained that spark. Overall the London Opening Ceremony isn't my favourite - but I have to say Pandemonium has got to be one of the best segments ever in the history of stadium theatre.

[mjb22 19]

It was a very special experience because during the segment, they pumped cordite into the Stadium as well, so the whole thing smelled like an industrial manufacturing area.

Apparently - although I couldn't see it and the TV directors choose not to show it - there were things taking place underground as well. Seams of coal being dug by miners, apparently. It is shown in the DVD release of the Ceremony.

[Olympian2004 511]

Apparently - although I couldn't see it and the TV directors choose not to show it - there were things taking place underground as well. Seams of coal being dug by miners, apparently. It is shown in the DVD release of the Ceremony.

Gosh, that must have been one of the worst ceremonial jobs ever. How depressing must it be to do your act and no one (not even the audience in the stadium) actually sees it? And what sense does it make to include such an act when one doesn't even want to show it?

[mjb22 19]

Gosh, that must have been one of the worst ceremonial jobs ever. How depressing must it be to do your act and no one (not even the audience in the stadium) actually sees it? And what sense does it make to include such an act when one doesn't even want to show it?

Obviously some people in the audience could see it as a segment of the ground was cut away.

I think it's quite well-known that Danny Boyle had some pre-transmission spats with the OBS directors. He more or less says on the DVD that the underground shots were the subject of some of the disputes.

[Athensfan 1081]

I'm not doubting you, but I have to wonder why they would bother staging underground sequences that weren't visible to live spectators and weren't broadcast on tv either.

[baron-pierreIV 1693]

I'm not doubting you, but I have to wonder why they would bother staging underground sequences that weren't visible to live spectators and weren't broadcast on tv either.

Exactly; and most of the stage was already taken up hiding the cauldron, those smokestacks and other props. So I don't see where they would've included 'underground sequences' and why they even bothered with them? Or was this another amateurish trick of Danny Boyle?

[JMarkSnow2012 387]

My understanding is that "Miners" were simply a class of worker-performer in the Industrial sequence of the 2012 Opening, doing heavier work than the basic "Working Men and Women". The "underground" moment added for the BBC DVD showed part of the below-stage assembly of a flywheel for one of the big "steam engines" which were shown working before the flying rings became the focus of attention.

All of which is by way of an introduction to my very rambling notes on the London 2012 Opening, which I've now put on Google Docs as a strange Christmas treat:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dXvJuyEA5myAFbprXnUdYbu4r8jthsUCN54IChkgxdA/edit

Season's Greetings!

[baron-pierreIV 1693]

My understanding is that "Miners" were simply a class of worker-performer in the Industrial sequence of the 2012 Opening, doing heavier work than the basic "Working Men and Women". The "underground" moment added for the BBC DVD showed part of the below-stage assembly of a flywheel for one of the big "steam engines" which were shown working before the flying rings became the focus of attention.

All of which is by way of an introduction to my very rambling notes on the London 2012 Opening, which I've now put on Google Docs as a strange Christmas treat:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dXvJuyEA5myAFbprXnUdYbu4r8jthsUCN54IChkgxdA/edit

Season's Greetings!

Hello, Mark. Welcome to GamesBids.

Had a sneak at your attachment. A lot of interesting stuff but very difficult to follow since it seems to be all over the place.

[Alexjc 354]

I think what threw alot of people was it (the industrial squences) was piling soooo much history into so short of time. It just looked messy and thats where I tuned out.

Made for an average Opening Ceremony saved by the Games themselves and the outstanding Closing Ceremony.

[baron-pierreIV 1693]

I think what threw alot of people was it (the industrial squences) was piling soooo much history into so short of time. It just looked messy and thats where I tuned out.

Made for an average Opening Ceremony saved by the Games themselves and the outstanding Closing Ceremony.

My sentiments exactly. To which I would add that the Opening was very ambitious -- but unfortunately fell flat in a few places (the texting sequence) -- and the mixing of Tempest/Prospero and Isambard didn't exactly catch fire. But overall, a grand British Games.

[Olympian2004 511]

I must say, though, that the industrial segment (or "Pandemonium", as it was officially called) was stunning. Yes, it was maybe slightly too packed with historical references and I suppose that for the stadium audience it could have been a bit tiresome how long it took until all the grass was removed on the stage (while we TV viewers were distracted by the different detail shots of the action on and around the stage), but the overall execution was excellent, the imagery was very strong and it was all topped by those amazing glowing and "burning" Olympic Rings in the air. In my opinion, it was one of the best segments in an Olympic ceremony (opening or closing) ever.

I agree, though, that quite a lot of the other segments weren't able to match the impression the Pandemonium segment left. They were done in a mostly charming and entertaining way, yes; and there were wonderful, funny and clever surprises like Mr. Bean's performance and the famous parachute jump by the "Queen". It was a creative ceremony - but it goofed up a bit too often to make it a "top of the heap" Olympic opening ceremony:

• The strange and anti-climatic two countdowns,
• the poor camerawork (for the global audience) during most of the ceremony - starting already with the stadium not being shown clad in those blue sheets of cloth in the prologue
• the subobtimal "God Save The Queen" performance by that children's choir
• the lengthy and random pop culture/world wide web segment (Frankie and June say... thanks Tim)
• the awkward and completely unnecessary moment when Muhammad Ali was included in the "carrying" of the Olympic Flag
• the too parenthetic introduction of the 260 British Olympians on the final leg of the torch relay in the stadium
• the strangely low usage of that much-anticipated Olympic bell
• the shrieky female announcer which wasn't spared the embarrassment of being kicked out for the other three Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies.

On the other hand, they had great and very meaningful ideas, including the transformation of the stage and setting, the "pixels" all around the stadium, the design of the cauldron, the seven billion pieces of paper dropped during the entrance of Team GB, the Olympic Rings rising to space over the course of the ceremony and of course the many elements of typical British humour.

So all in all, in retrospect it was a good ceremony - but still quite a far cry from being the best ever. And it's true: The Games themselves (including the Paralympics) and the closing ceremony completely made up for all the weaker points of the opening ceremony. London proved that even if you don't deliver a completely outstanding opening ceremony, you still can become the best Olympic and Paralympic host ever. So that must be quite comforting for future Olympic hosts. That said, I don't hope that they'll put less efforts into their opening ceremonies now.

[Olympian2004 511]

Just a small bit of "behind the scenes" for one element of the opening ceremony: An amateur video showing the boat with the torch and David Beckham aboard passing Tower Bridge during the opening ceremony - what is interesting (and something I didn't really notice when I watched the ceremony) is that floating set of OIympic Rings which are folded later in the video:

And two more videos with pyrotechnics - this time the big fireworks at the end of the opening ceremony, taken from outside the stadium.

The professional (albeit slightly edited version):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLXXlH4AQHQ

And the amateur version:

Amazing fireworks. I wonder how London wants to top them two days from now for New Year's Eve - besides maybe by duration.

[baron-pierreIV 1693]

Re PANDEMONIUM and the rising smokestax effect. I saw the new Cirque du Soleil movie yesterday, and guess what? The very impressive, for me, "rising smokestax" effect at London's Opening was apparently "inspired" by a similar sequence in The Beatles LOVE show at The Mirage. (Altho the Cirque show uses more the rectangular Mary Poppins-type chimney stax rather than the tubular industrial ones used by Danny Boyle's troops...but still, the appearance effect is the same seminal idea.

LOVE opened in 2007, a year even before Beijing.

Just emailed my LOCOG contact to chide him on this 'discovery.' He worked on the design & texture of the smokestax. Still have to hear from him.

More on a review of the Cirque movie and how it has so many ties to Olympic ceremonies, later.

Edited December 29, 2012 by baron-pierreIV

[mjb22 19]

I don't really see why the fact that one element of the London 2012 Opening Ceremony bore some similarity to one part of a Cirque show matters that much.

It doesn't detract from the overall quality of the show although not many people seem to think that the show demonstrated much quality judging by most of the comments around here.

Edited January 1, 2013 by mjb22

[daveypodmore 520]

It is weird, if you want bad reviews of the ceremony you come on here, if you want the positive response you go anywhere else on the internet. Its purely subjective. For me it was an incredible show, a show better than I ever dared dream of. Sure there were a few things I think could have worked better but the concepts and humanity of it was incredible. The music was inspirational and the imagery spot on.

Just watched the ceremony on the BBC DVD (and I cried again) The underground workers are shown building the wheels that then turn above the stadium floor. There are a few new shots the most impressive in my view are the ones shot behind the drummers on the Tor with the stadium behind them looking incredible. There were also more of the procession, the womens rights section and the Jarrow march.

For me the house section with the decades of music/tv and film works better in this version when it comes to the climax and the reveal of Tim Bernes-Lee the footage used is far superior in this the Directors cut.

Also the rising of the cauldron is shown more and a lot better than was shown on the night. I highly recommend if anyone gets chance to watch it with the Danny Boyles commentary for lots of insights.

It was an amazing show, the choice of Danny Boyle was spot on. There were some very talented people allowed to create a vision of what they wanted the show to be. I know there are folks on here that really didn't enjoy it, that amazes me really, but such is life. I know for one 2012 was the most incredible year of my life, Im glad I was lucky enough to create so many memories that will live with me forever.

[cormiermax 89]

I think it was a show loved by Brits, found to be mediocre by everyone else.

[Alexjc 354]

Good point there cormiermax,..

I would have loved to seen more of 'London'... Just such a rich history. British culture has been so dominant for the last 1000 years. Can't squish it all into two hours.