The Hawk Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 This is a random question re: the person who lights the flame - do the media get told prior to the event who is lighting the cauldron? Because I was just watching the Sydney opening ceremony again, and Channel 7's Sandy Roberts made a comment during the parade of nations when the camera shows Cathy Freeman. He says, "Is this going to be her games...in more ways than one?" Actually, now I think about it, the Sydney Daily Telegraph announced the cauldron lighter in Beijing as Li Ning...while the footprint fireworks were taking place! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevzz Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Is it true of the story that Cathy Freeman was shivering backstage from being soaking wet and no one offers her even a towel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hawk Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Fair enough - it just smacks of them knowing. It wouldn't have surprised me if they briefed the broadcasters beforehand, so they had some idea on biographical details, etc. Anyway, back to the cauldron - instinctively, the Orbit would be the best place to have it. But given it has been ruled out on so many occasions, it is hard to see the Orbit having anything to do with the cauldron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citizen-Seth Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Fair enough - it just smacks of them knowing. It wouldn't have surprised me if they briefed the broadcasters beforehand, so they had some idea on biographical details, etc. They're given the details of the ceremony about 2 days before, but the details of the cauldron lighter are usually passed out, by hand, during the ceremony, with the commentators feigning surprise when they see the final torchbearer pop out of hiding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hawk Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Actually, I've gone back and watched a few of the ceremonies I have on VHS (those old, ancient things) - Ann Sanders knew all the details in Nagano of all the torchbearers, including Midori Ito. In Athens, they knew every detail - including the biography of Nikolaos Kaklamanakis. I reckon, they must get some notice - even if by 15 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Actually, I've gone back and watched a few of the ceremonies I have on VHS (those old, ancient things) - Ann Sanders knew all the details in Nagano of all the torchbearers, including Midori Ito. In Athens, they knew every detail - including the biography of Nikolaos Kaklamanakis. I reckon, they must get some notice - even if by 15 minutes. Well, #1 - some, or most of them, have already been invited to the rehearsals...so they are NOT tongue-tied on the actual night. #2 - For inexplicable stuff, they are issued notes (or in China's case, an adviser by the side) to intepret stuff that needs a lot of explaining. As for the final lighter's ID, yes, that is probably in the press kit they get shortly before the show. But professionals that they are, they know how to be discreet with their forehand knowledge if only to properly serve their audience the right way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athensfan Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 Yes, actually, and the other one on my shortlist. We are all mere mortal armchair experts - in other words, we know nothing. We simply do not know what has been ruled out by the Cauldron team, Well by that logic you could argue that there will be cauldrons in every previous Olympic host city around the world -- after all "we don't KNOW." Common sense rules out the Orbit. I don't need Danny Boyle to confirm it for me. This is a random question re: the person who lights the flame - do the media get told prior to the event who is lighting the cauldron? Because I was just watching the Sydney opening ceremony again, and Channel 7's Sandy Roberts made a comment during the parade of nations when the camera shows Cathy Freeman. He says, "Is this going to be her games...in more ways than one?" Actually, now I think about it, the Sydney Daily Telegraph announced the cauldron lighter in Beijing as Li Ning...while the footprint fireworks were taking place! Careful -- Swiss O will get mad at you. Cauldron location's ONLY!! No mention of cauldron lighters allowed. Is it true of the story that Cathy Freeman was shivering backstage from being soaking wet and no one offers her even a towel? Swiss O will be livid! Well, #1 - some, or most of them, have already been invited to the rehearsals...so they are NOT tongue-tied on the actual night. #2 - For inexplicable stuff, they are issued notes (or in China's case, an adviser by the side) to intepret stuff that needs a lot of explaining. As for the final lighter's ID, yes, that is probably in the press kit they get shortly before the show. But professionals that they are, they know how to be discreet with their forehand knowledge if only to properly serve their audience the right way. Still more discussion of cauldron lighters!!! What are these boards coming to??!! Oh, the deterioration!! Tongue firmly in my cheek with regard to all of the above..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 They may well get profile information on the final batch of torchbearers to assist their commentary, but I don't think the Olympic organisers would dare risk a media leak by actually telling them who the secretive final one was ahead of it actually happening. While there are a lot of media who are responsible, sensitive to these things and can be trusted, there will always be some who would sell their mother to get an early scoop, if given half a chance.. Who was Kakalamanakis or whatever his name was? Especially with not-so-well known names...and tongue-twisters, I would think you would want your commentators to be a little familiar with that when the lighter shows up...otherwise, some buffoon commentator could just mangle the name and start playing puns on the unknown lighter's weird name. So I believe they release the name(s) beforehand only to forestall some malaprop incident from happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athensfan Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 Who was Kakalamanakis or whatever his name was? Especially with not-so-well known names...and tongue-twisters, I would think you would want your commentators to be a little familiar with that when the lighter shows up...otherwise, some buffoon commentator could just mangle the name and start playing puns on the unknown lighter's weird name. So I believe they release the name(s) beforehand only to forestall some malaprop incident from happening. That was a special situation. Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou were in that motorcycle accident and were rumored to have had some shady dealings with their drug testing. Kenteris was widely expected to be the cauldron lighter until news of the scandal broke just a day or two before the ceremony. It has never been proven, but many people suspect Kaklamanakis, the windsurfer, was a last minute replacement. Therefore it's reasonable that the media didn't get much warning. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TorchbearerAA Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 They can release biography and name info on the final group torchbearers without actually telling the media who the secretive final one is. That was the case in Torino. We knew the 8 last torchbearers, but not who was the last one of them. They're given the details of the ceremony about 2 days before, but the details of the cauldron lighter are usually passed out, by hand, during the ceremony, with the commentators feigning surprise when they see the final torchbearer pop out of hiding. The details are only giving to the media? In Torino, yes Torino again, they put the media guide online. I hope for London they will do that too. Not before, but after the ceremony. I'd like that kind of media guides. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HJPro Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 I think this website solve the mystery of this coloured bridge. http://www.hparc.com/work/central-park-bridges-f06-at-the-london-2012-olympic-park/ The coloured part is temporary. Under it there is a Z shape bridge that will be used after the games. Thank god that horrid floor will become beautiful at night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinetic Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 I think the Ceremonies team will succeed in keeping the cauldron lighting a secret until the Ceremony itself, as the dress rehearsals will be run in 'real time' i.e. the lighting at midnight... but the audience will be kicked out at 10.30 to make sure they can get home on public transport. (It's a pain the backside for the remaining cast who will be in the stadium until after public transport ends.) So keep on guessing, it'll be a surprise to almost everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarJoLe Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 I would LOVE it if they did put something on top of the Orbit in the preceeding days of the rehearsals, everyone goes AHHH told you so and then gets taken down on 27th and was all a ruse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian2004 Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 I think the Ceremonies team will succeed in keeping the cauldron lighting a secret until the Ceremony itself, as the dress rehearsals will be run in 'real time' i.e. the lighting at midnight... but the audience will be kicked out at 10.30 to make sure they can get home on public transport. (It's a pain the backside for the remaining cast who will be in the stadium until after public transport ends.) So keep on guessing, it'll be a surprise to almost everyone! They kick out the audience out half-way through the rehearsals? But don't they need the audience also for audio checks? Or is it sufficient for them to have them in the stadium only for the first 90 minutes? And aren't there any segments after the 90 minute mark where they need the audience for some stunts -- for example a segment where they have to switch on flashlights from their spectator kits? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinetic Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 Don't forget that the main creative part of the show, prior to the Parade of Athletes, lasts only an hour or so. Plus the audience will be in the stadium for three hours on the rehearsal nights... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian2004 Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 They'll be in the stadium for three hours nevertheless - how is that possible? Didn't you say that the rehearsals will be run in real time? That would mean that they start at 9 p.m., unless they include the pre-show as well. By the way, even if they'd let the audience in the stadium throughout the whole rehearsals, I very much doubt that they would see the cauldron lighting. Rehearsals for previous opening ceremonies always stopped at the point before the first of the last torchbearers entered the stadium - or (as it was the case in Beijing, I believe) shortly before the next-to-last torchbearer passed the torch to the last torchbearer. In Beijing, for example, the German TV commentators said shortly before the torch was passed to Li Ning that "we don't know what comes next, this is the point where the rehearsals stopped." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FDLondon Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 I think the Ceremonies team will succeed in keeping the cauldron lighting a secret until the Ceremony itself, as the dress rehearsals will be run in 'real time' i.e. the lighting at midnight... but the audience will be kicked out at 10.30 to make sure they can get home on public transport. (It's a pain the backside for the remaining cast who will be in the stadium until after public transport ends.) And there's no guarantee that the remaining cast will see it either. They might send us home right at that moment... and then carry on themselves! Hope not. I would LOVE it if they did put something on top of the Orbit in the preceeding days of the rehearsals, everyone goes AHHH told you so and then gets taken down on 27th and was all a ruse. I really do hate to say this (since I know ALL the reasons why it can't be on the Orbit) but from the Royal Box/VIP seats, it does loom fairly largely over the stadium and is very very visible. They kick out the audience out half-way through the rehearsals? But don't they need the audience also for audio checks? Or is it sufficient for them to have them in the stadium only for the first 90 minutes? And aren't there any segments after the 90 minute mark where they need the audience for some stunts -- for example a segment where they have to switch on flashlights from their spectator kits? A lot of it is to do with transport. The Tubes etc aren't running late until Opening night so they are kicking the audience out so that they can all get home. Otherwise, you have 70,000 people trying to get on three night buses from Stratford bus station. And yes, it does mean that the audience leaders won't get to rehearse everything with a live audience. As for how they test stuff that will happen post-audience leaving, that's what they use the cast for during the final rehearsal hours on occasion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY20?? Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 From what I remember, weren't Beijing's cauldron lighting rehearsals held in the dead hours of the morning? Like 3 or 4 am? Though I believe some English-speaking broadcaster managed to be flying over the stadium when the cauldron was alite and somebody here posted a screenshot. But I don't see why London wouldn't do that to ensure the most secrecy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 but from the Royal Box/VIP seats, it does loom fairly largely over the stadium and is very very visible. What does loom largely from the VIP box? The Orbital or the potential site of the cauldron? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hawk Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 Was hoping the Daily Mail might reveal more about the cauldron when they revealed it would be extinguished while Darcey Bussell and 300 ballerinas danced as it happened (or something like that). But nothing really, except for the constant "one cauldron" idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwissO Posted July 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 They'll be in the stadium for three hours nevertheless - how is that possible? Didn't you say that the rehearsals will be run in real time? That would mean that they start at 9 p.m., unless they include the pre-show as well. By the way, even if they'd let the audience in the stadium throughout the whole rehearsals, I very much doubt that they would see the cauldron lighting. Rehearsals for previous opening ceremonies always stopped at the point before the first of the last torchbearers entered the stadium - or (as it was the case in Beijing, I believe) shortly before the next-to-last torchbearer passed the torch to the last torchbearer. In Beijing, for example, the German TV commentators said shortly before the torch was passed to Li Ning that "we don't know what comes next, this is the point where the rehearsals stopped." Some info : - Usually the stadium is not full at the rehearsal - They are not doing the rehearsal during 3 hours, but half of that as they will not do the rehearsal for the Athletes Parade ! - They usually stopped the rehearsal when the first torch bearer enters the stadium ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 - They are not doing the rehearsal during 3 hours, but half of that as they will not do the rehearsal for the Athletes Parade ! On the final dress rehearsal of the 25th, they have the placard and the flag bearers march in so they get used to the cadence of the portion; and so they know where to stand/proceed afterwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FDLondon Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 What does loom largely from the VIP box? The Orbital or the potential site of the cauldron? The Orbit. At the moment it is the only thing outside the stadium that you can see from inside. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 (edited) Is the cauldon/pole something that will lean against the stadium...therefore can be brought in (and rehearsed with) like 36 hours before the 27th...and while the "no-fly" zone is in effect--and just get clamped onto that outer girder of the stadium? (And the pole of course would have the gas lines from the ones pre-planted in the ground? And something leaning against the side of the stadium could be very easily draped...and drapery removed until the last minute? Edited July 15, 2012 by baron-pierreIV 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian2004 Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 Someone here mentioned already quite a long time ago such a (possible) cauldron hanging over the rim of the roof from the outside. It was quite a nice idea. But even such a cauldron (whether it will lean against the stadium or stand with some distance to it) needs some kind of foundation and space. Both things aren't available anymore on the stadium's concourse, it's full of service booths now. Who knows -- it might even be the goddamn Orbit in the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts