OK, what makes a 'good' Olympic Opening Ceremony?

[baron-pierreIV]

Since this has always been a heated topic here, let's deconstruct and build an ideal GB Opening Ceremony...which we will then pass on to the IOC.

Comments & contributions will be rated. Keep foolish answers to a minimum.

I will add my comments at the end or at the appropriate time.

[Olympian2004]

I can tell you already now that it will be a pretty fruitless discussion, since the judgment what a "good" Olympic opening ceremony must be like is always a very personal one. Some people liked London's opening ceremony, others didn't. Some people called Beijing's opening ceremony the best ever, for others it was too cold, bombastic and overly perfect. Even the great Barcelona and Sydney ceremonies probably don't get unanimous support in every single regard by this board.

I think we won't even be able to agree on basic things like that an ideal opening ceremony should contain some innovation (story-wise and technics-wise), some tradition, a lot of emotion, it should have a certain "wow" factor and very loud and bombastic moments as well as very silent and contemplative moments.

[Sir Rols]

A shorter parade of nations.

[baron-pierreIV]

A shorter parade of nations.

First sensible suggestion. A+

No more than, and I'm bringing down the number to 25 athletes per delegation in the summer; no more than 50 in the Winters. Draw straws for the spots. Too bad if that's what you hoped would be your 15 minute of fame. Move to Andorra, Dubai or Qatar if you want to march in the Opening Ceremony. I am sure they will welcome you.

Next, please!

[paul]

Not a temporary stadium. Go big-with a profit-or go home.

[Sir Rols]

Okay, the cauldron should be ignited through direct contact with the torch while it's being held by the final torchbearer or bearers. None of this remote ignition like Torino.

[intoronto]

I almost completely disagree with a shorter parade of nations. THey should just allow athletes to parade.

Remember no athletes means no Olympics or ceremonies.

And to answer the question a good ceremony is something you remember down the road, so a ceremony with a clever and unseen act.

[baron-pierreIV]

Not a temporary stadium. Go big-with a profit-or go home.

Sorry. Not part of the ceremony.

[Athensfan]

So let me get this straight. We offer our thoughts on ceremonies and you are going to give us grades and dismiss comments outright if you don't agree with them? You have started a thread whose sole purpose is to establish you as the great arbiter of others ideas about the Opening Ceremonies?

Yet you take offense when I point out that you have anointed yourself (merely a fellow armchair enthusiast) the grand poobah of Olympic Opening ceremonies. You then lecture me for acting holier-than-thou and top it off with -- get this -- accusations of hypocrisy.

Does anyone notice anything about this?

[baron-pierreIV]

Was wondering when u would show up.

So far, there's been no rancor and dissent w/in the ranks. Int will be dealt with later.

Play if you want...or start your own thread.

[Athensfan]

Since stadia are irrelevant to opening ceremonies, how about staging them in a cornfield?

[baron-pierreIV]

Actually, I once offered the roof of my condo for Closing Ceremonies.

Lighten up, this should be fun. But there should be a moderator so it doesn't get out of control...and since this is my thread, I get the task.

[Sir Rols]

Thinking about it, the only elements I really think any ceremony should try to follow is to be original, and to be cutting edge in its use of the latest technology - both elements that preclude much in the way of fitting into any specific template.

[Scotguy]

A unique and spectacular countdown

To follow a story like Sydney 2000

Only athletes to march in the parade

The traditional elements ie flag, speeches etc

A unique lighting of the cauldron, which is to be high up and viewable

So in saying this i would pick these parts form previous:

The Beijing 2008 countdown

The Sydney 2000 cultural segments

The Atlanta 1996 ramp for athletes coming down into the stadium (that view that me the athletes, wow)

The Athens 2004 traditional parts (the walk by the dignitiries from stadium to the flag)

The Barcelona 1992 flaming arrow cauldron lighting

All these in teh pot to make my ideal opening ceremony

[baron-pierreIV]

The protocol parts are required so one has to deal with them...but they take up such a small portion of the total time of the evening that, if blended seamlessly into the evening's proceedings, they should feel like a natural part of the fabric of the show.

As for the Artistic or Cultural part(s), my feeling is that it should be something that can't be done in your living room or community theater and should justify your charging $1,000-$2,000 tickets for and be something that international TV audiences will want to stay glued for for most of the 3+ hours. None of this minimalist stuff passing off as "high art."

Of course, it is de rigeur now to have a narrative...which is fine. So long as it ties up everything well.

Using recognizable and well-known icons is fine because per the IOC Charter, the host is supposed to 'showcase their culture.' How can one showcase their culture if they show weird, outre things with such obscure references that your average viewer becomes quite befuddled and the show becomes a head-scratcher. No weird 'pop' performers; save those for the Closing.

Things I would change:

-- skip having to show the 5 rings in the first 15 minutes of the show. It is redundant. Everyone knows they are watching an Olympic show.

-- skip the non-English/non-French announcements (other than the head of state's prescripted "Opening" sentence). Everything else should stay in ENglish/French, the IOC's working languages.

Things that should NOT be changed:

-- the majestic entrance of the flag by 8 honored folks and the de rigeur under-the-flag camera shot as it nears the flagpole. For me, that really stamps it as a special Olympic TV show more than the 5-rings thing at the beginning.

-- Why is Ode to Joy no longer there? The show must end on that song.

Things that should be restored (either at Opening or Closing):

-- as Sir Rols said, the cauldron should be lit in an honest way...with the runners' torch actually igniting the flame.

-- no more than 3 lighters. It gets too messy and diluted when there are more than that.

-- the presence of the mascot(s). They are part and parcel of the imagery of each Games. It's as if: OMG, we made terrible choices for the mascots; let's just leave them out?. The last time the mascots appeared within show proper was in Lillehammer and I miss them...and I don't care what the 'ceremony snobs' here say. Throw in your contributions; this is an open board...but there might be some rebuttal.

Above all, it should be fun, impressive, easy to watch and rewarding...all at the same time. Unique, breath-taking and creating wonder go without saying.

[Athensfan]

But there should be a moderator so it doesn't get out of control...and since this is my thread, I get the task.

Really? I thought we already had a mod. Sounds to me like somebody just wants a bully pulpit.

Shall I appoint myself moderator of the threads I've started as well?

[baron-pierreIV]

:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[zekekelso]

Start on time;

Have some sort of entertainment... don't really care what.

Keep the parade of nations... but have it be for athletes only.

Finish on time

[runningrings]

Baron--

Firstly - the suggestion at shortening the Parade of Nations? Really? Really? These people have trained for four years, four years, to give you reason to watch your show. Let's not forget, this is a sporting event. You cannot deny these people the opportunity to march into the stadium - a moment athlete after athlete mention as a highlight of their Olympic experience. Baron, if you're falling asleep during the Opening Ceremony in your old age you should just Tivo it, and watch it the next day so you can skip through the tiresome, and irrelevant Parade.

As for the Artistic or Cultural part(s), my feeling is that it should be something that can't be done in your living room or community theater and should justify your charging $1,000-$2,000 tickets for and be something that international TV audiences will want to stay glued for for most of the 3+ hours. None of this minimalist stuff passing off as "high art."

You can depict Greek mythology and history with water, lasers and fire in your living room? Ok.

Things I would change:

-- skip the non-English/non-French announcements (other than the head of state's prescripted "Opening" sentence). Everything else should stay in ENglish/French, the IOC's working languages.

What a ridiculously colonial suggestion! The host nation, even if it speaks the most specific dialect of Bengali, has the right to use it's native language as it chooses (and within reason) at it's own Olympic Games. As for the two staple European languages, English I can somewhat understand as it is asserting itself as the international language of communication, but if anything French could be done away with, if any. Yes, it is the official language of the IOC, but that is the only reason it is used. If we are going to talk about cutting languages, lets talk about French. Would you like to be the IOC official that tells Sochi organisers that use of the Russian language is forbidden in 2014?

-- Why is Ode to Joy no longer there? The show must end on that song.

Amazing piece of music, but unnecessary and irrelevant to make it protocol. It has nothing to do with the Olympic Games aside from use in American television coverage and a handful of ceremonies from Atlanta to SLC.

Above all, it should be fun, impressive, easy to watch and rewarding...all at the same time. Unique, breath-taking and creating wonder go without saying.

That's a given. But you realise all you have listed above are arbitrary and up to personal preference.

I found Athens 2004 impressive, easy to watch and rewarding, all at the same time. Athens 2004 closing ceremony was fun. Both were unique, breath-taking and creating wonder.

[baron-pierreIV]

/\/\ blah-blah-blah....Runnings, stop being ridiculous!

You produce your show; I'll produce mine.

Sorry, Athens 2004 was still a mediocre disappointment...regardless of how you paint it.

Capisce?

[runningrings]

Whats with the larger font size?

Neither of us are producing a show.

Sorry, Athens 2004 was critically acclaimed across the board, despite how you try to paint it. You are well and truly going against the grain.

[baron-pierreIV]

Sorry, Athens 2004 was critically acclaimed across the board, despite how you try to paint it. You are well and truly going against the grain.

Pffffffffffffft. Not so here. There have been a few here who found it less than wanting. And just because it pleased/fooled many, so I can't take an opposite view? Where does it say that I have "...to like it...or be amazed by it"?

Boy, runnings, have I got a bridge in Cairns to sell you.

[Quaker2001]

Wow, who thought this thread would devolve into a commentary about Athens' Opening Ceremony, well except for.. EVERYONE.

I'm with running on most his points, particularly the Parade of Nations. I agree it would be nice to find a way to shorten that so that the athletes aren't standing for 4-5 hours which discourages some athletes from marching, particularly those competing in the first couple of days of competition. But every athlete from every nation deserves the opportunity to march. If you're really going to tell an athlete he's not allowed to participate in the parade, especially if the reason is to make the cultural portion bigger, then why even bother having a ceremony?

[LOUIS]

Whats with the larger font size?

Neither of us are producing a show.

Sorry, Athens 2004 was critically acclaimed across the board, despite how you try to paint it. You are well and truly going against the grain.

The fact that Baron (we all know his level of aesthetics...) hates Athens OC so much made some of us even more confident about our opinion. So, keep up the good work Baron! D.P. should be grateful to you.

[Victor Mata]

The best thing in Athens Opening Ceremony is that it could be staged today 8 years later and it still would look new, bold and powerful. By minimalism and the general appeal to Humanity and not only greekness, they achieved a timeless feel to that show. That's not the case with other memorable ceremonies that while we hold fond memories of them, after a couple years we laugh a little on the cheesiness of some concepts and the general feel that 'that show is from the 90's' or 'that show is from the 80's' and so on.

You could say "But we're not that far from the 2000's to make such assumptions". Well, Torino 2006 was enjoyable but their use of technology and theatrics look very this is the new cool stuff IMO.

That being said, only an oudated Greece would present itself with Vangelis, reenactments of the Illiad/Odyssey or the theft of the Olympic Flame, Mediterranean Battles and Lightning Gods: leave that to pop culture. And an Opening Ceremony is NOT supposed to be a sparkling consumable show of frivolities and stereotypes.