Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremony

[LatinXTC]

good question..I thought their factory was in Western Sydney...and their is a large Russian population there! Maybe just say "Australian made'.

I wonder if Russians threw a huge fit about that, like when Americans got all pissy when the US Olympic uniforms for the athletes from London were made in China or India. I found that one hilarious when Ralph Lauren, who designed the outfits, now manufactures the majority of his products in China, yet he still charges an arm and a leg for that crap.

[baron-pierreIV]

I wonder if Russians threw a huge fit about that, like when Americans got all pissy when the US Olympic uniforms for the athletes from London were made in China or India. I found that one hilarious when Ralph Lauren, who designed the outfits, now manufactures the majority of his products in China, yet he still charges an arm and a leg for that crap.

I doubt it. They needed all these things for the Ceremonies quick -- and the only way to get all of them together was..outsourcing them. And I doubt that the common Russian was privy to all the behind-the-scene stuff some GB'ders are. So long as they got some gold medals in Figure Skating, then the cost of Sochi would've been worth it -- regardless of what was made where.

And Ralph Lauren isn't the only one. Look at Apple. The cheap labor & materials in China & the mark-up when sold in the US, Japan and Europe is where they make their $$$. I'd do the same if I were in that business. Purely a business decision.

Edited March 29, 2015 by baron-pierreIV

[JMarkSnow2012]

Wow, it's been nearly 11 months since I last checked for Sochi spectator videos. A few more have surfaced on YouTube, such as:

[Highlights, from a good position on the "right" (west) side]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E94T2mAwCo

[various views from "behind the scenes" by a contractor (with her introduction in Russian)]

A couple by Andrew V, from very much the "wrong" (east) side, but quite high, so good on floor projections:

[countdown and floating landscapes]

[Russian team enters (with very upside-down caption on floor projection)]

Most of a set by belalliance (the ones I've missed are very short), tucked right into the south-east corner:

[rock band from preshow]

["We Are the Champions" from preshow]

[national anthem / Russian flag formation]

[Russian team enters: in theory you could combine this with Andrew V's version to get utterly insane 3D]

[War & Peace dance to SOCOG president speech]

[bach speech]

[ doves to oaths]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-OF4W4yDWc

[The ending and beyond, from the flashing "constellations" through the indoor fireworks etc.]

Bonus!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdwwVCFUPBk

[Q & A with show director Andrei Boltenko, in Russian]

[TorchbearerSydney]

Thanks for the post- really interesting new view. The Sochi ceremonies were mind blowing, especially the music.

Amazing what you can do with a rich culture, a dedicated ceremonies only stadium and $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

[Rob.]

.

[JMarkSnow2012]

An accidental find which I don't remember seeing before, from a British rigger at Sochi:

The same rigger also worked on London 2012, for example:

PS: The Sochi one isn't all stills!

[baron-pierreIV]

Were they made in Sydney or in Adelaide?

OK -- to answer my own question, I just watched another Sochi-behind-the-scenes video. The 3 giants mascots were made somewhere in Melbourne.

[JMarkSnow2012]

An incidental bonus from Bryan Pinkall's Rio OC blogs, is a note about the original plan for Sochi's cauldron lighting, involving yet another variation on the armillary sphere concept seen at Doha and at the London Paras (the flame was originally supposed to be in the centre of the structure):

[baron-pierreIV]

On 8/17/2016 at 11:16 AM, JMarkSnow2012 said:

An incidental bonus from Bryan Pinkall's Rio OC blogs, is a note about the original plan for Sochi's cauldron lighting, involving yet another variation on the armillary sphere concept seen at Doha and at the London Paras (the flame was originally supposed to be in the centre of the structure):

 

But as Tsypin himself told me, it was too ambitious; they didn't have enough time to perfect it.  So they simply abandoned it and went for the simplest m.o. 

[baron-pierreIV]

Just noticed that the Sochi organizers used a pair of identical twins to raise the Olympic flag at the OC -- possibly a first in Olympic ceremonial history.   See at 4:35, extreme left -- the 2 dark-haired gents.