Beijing 2022 Ceremonies

[Ikarus360]

On 12/17/2021 at 7:16 AM, AustralianFan said:

Not so far.   As with Beijing 2008, the Chinese Government / organisers will keep a very very tight military-discipline lid on this and woe betide anyone caught leaking any secrets and spoilers.

Reminder SBS (South Korea) got banned from transmitting Beijing 2008 because they leaked many scenes of their opening ceremonies. China was furious and the IOC had to comply with banning SBS as punishment. I doubt any other television company wants to venture itself into trying something similar.

[baron-pierreIV]

2 hours ago, Ikarus360 said:

After how Tokyo 2020 ceremonies team got constantly screwed up by Cancel Culture which led to the mess we saw last July, i'm not surprised China is being more secretive than ever with their ceremonies. Don't expect them to release the names of the staff involved until after the show is over (Tokyo did this for their Paralympic ceremonies).

I think it's an all Chinese staff under Zhang Yimou -- so a Lang-lang or a Ling-ling or a Ming-min wouldn't mean anything to outsiders.  I think the big problem is if NO crowds will be allowed in the Stadium -- how do you scale down the big show which was meant to be seen by 60,000+ people.  It would look very wonky to have 5,000 performers doing some of Yimou's best magic, winter version of 2008 -- to a few hundred spectators.  I bet they're preparing a much simpler show now.  So, it's all in a state of flux.  And, of course, they won't put out press releases saying they're ". . . down-sizing the show."  Plus, this is the country where the global pandemic all began and would be entering its 3rd year by the time the Games open.  How do you cancel that message?  How do you keep the various foreign commentators from not making those observations?   

Edited December 18, 2021 by baron-pierreIV

[Ikarus360]

21 hours ago, baron-pierreIV said:

Plus, this is the country where the global pandemic all began

Not according to them anymore. They're deflecting the blame on America and discussion about the virus origin is now Verbotten in China, in a similar way to what happened in June 1989. And the arrogance of the mainland has reached a point they only don't care about what the "degenerate West" thinks, but also are taking pleasure in pissing them off.

21 hours ago, baron-pierreIV said:

I bet they're preparing a much simpler show now

Did you saw the massive show they did to celebrate the anniversary of the CCP this year? Chinese don't lack at vanity, no matter the situation. And their dislike of Japan will push them to flex at them in anyway they can (not like surpassing whatever Japan did is too hard though)

[baron-pierreIV]

20 minutes ago, Ikarus360 said:

Not according to them anymore. They're deflecting the blame on America and discussion about the virus origin is now Verbotten in China, in a similar way to what happened in June 1989. And the arrogance of the mainland has reached a point they only don't care about what the "degenerate West" thinks, but also are taking pleasure in pissing them off.

Did you saw the massive show they did to celebrate the anniversary of the CCP this year? Chinese don't lack at vanity, no matter the situation. And their dislike of Japan will push them to flex at them in anyway they can (not like surpassing whatever Japan did is too hard though)

Agree.  And I hope there's NO repeat of what happened after Socio 2014 when Russia just marched into Crimea and took it (back) -- and China decides it's time to retake Taiwan -- which was NEVER theirs anyway.  

[AustralianFan]

Cauldron thread - Beijing 2022 - Gamesbids.com

[AustralianFan]

A nice flashback vid ….

 

 

[Ikarus360]

On 12/19/2021 at 6:14 PM, baron-pierreIV said:

Agree.  And I hope there's NO repeat of what happened after Socio 2014 when Russia just marched into Crimea and took it (back) -- and China decides it's time to retake Taiwan -- which was NEVER theirs anyway.  

Reminder every chinese leader since Mao promised to retake Taiwan. Their endgame is to scare people from voting for Pan-Greens (specially the DPP) again and return to KMT party rule which was more domesticated to comply with the CCP. A war with Taiwan will be disastrous for their image and its not going to be a walk in the park like Hong Kong was.

[Ikarus360]

Anyway, Xi won't be lonely next February. Won't be surprised if the rest of the anti-west guys (Lukashenko, Orban, etc.) will be assisting too out of spite. This feels like the Cold War all over again.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-12-15/Putin-says-looks-forward-to-attending-Beijing-2022-opening-ceremony-16102vjGeu4/index.html

[Ikarus360]

China's hermetic as hell as we all know so don't expect any leaks besides the official ones they give us. Have this in the meanwhile, though.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CX1FxwwpbxQ/

[Ikarus360]

Highlight of the New Year Eve celebration done last week at the Olympic Park (it seems they also presented the theme song)

 

[munichfan]

Google Earth has uploaded recent satellite imagery of the Olympic Green. These were taken in mid-November. Might this already be the ceremony layout?
 

Spoiler

Image source: Google Earth, © 2021 Maxar Technologies

There seems to be a circular raisable platform at the very centre of the portion of the floor that's covered in white. There might be a second, rectangular raisable plaqtform to the east/top of it, but it's hard to tell. Also that... thing at the very east/top seems odd. Maybe some sort of pathway that can be raised and used as a screen?

All the stuff that is built on top of the roof seems to have been there for years, so probably we will see another moderately sized indoor cauldron somewhere in the stadium.

 

[Bear]

On 12/30/2021 at 6:17 AM, Ikarus360 said:

China's hermetic as hell as we all know so don't expect any leaks besides the official ones they give us. Have this in the meanwhile, though.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CX1FxwwpbxQ/

Another view from the same account: https://www.instagram.com/p/CXtEdBopL03/

[Anthony]

maybe theyre building the hydraulic platforms for the FOP. I can't imagine thats the entire FOP.

 

[AustralianFan]

click here to go to Beijing 2022 Cauldron thread

[Bear]

Looks like the Olympic Channel will be livestreaming the Opening Ceremony on YouTube (with territorial restrictions, of course) -

LIVE #Beijing2022 Opening Ceremony! - YouTube

[munichfan]

14 minutes ago, Bear said:

Looks like the Olympic Channel will be livestreaming the Opening Ceremony on YouTube (with territorial restrictions, of course) -

LIVE #Beijing2022 Opening Ceremony! - YouTube

"Comments are turned off" - Beijing 2022 and the IOC's handling of it in a nutshell

[Ikarus360]

12 hours ago, munichfan said:

"Comments are turned off" - Beijing 2022 and the IOC's handling of it in a nutshell

The IOC can't bite the hand of their masters, please understand.

[munichfan]

That gets me thinking - will China pull off another one of these "the ethnic minorities are happy to hail their han masters and the communist party"-segment like they did in 2008 with the children bringing in the national flag? Or will they swiftly evade anything that could even remotely be linked to Taiwan, Hong Kong or Xinjiang?

At least we do not have to worry if that uighur kid from back then has received some, uhmmm.... job training back at home.

[SportLightning]

Beijing is currently trying to finish up the final touches before the opening ceremony of the XXIV Olympic Winter Games arrives.

[AustralianFan]

Just in …..

Zhang Yimou named as chief director of thr Beijing 2022 Opening Ceremony - 7Jan22 - Inside The Games

“Zhang Yimou directed the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Olympics, and is also overseeing the Beijing 2022 Ceremonies.”

“Chinese media reported Zhang is working with a crew of "high-profile consultants" and will also take overall responsibility for the Closing Ceremony and Paralympic Ceremonies.”

"It is a great honour to direct the Opening Ceremony for the second time," Zhang told the Xinhua News Agency.

"The burden is very heavy. Of course we know we cannot repeat Beijing 2008, so we are striving to be different from it," he admitted.

“Only 3,000 are expected to take part, in contrast to 2008, which had a cast of 15,000, including 2,008 drummers at the start of the Ceremony.”

>> link to Beijing Cauldron  thread

 

[AustralianFan]

…. and more on this from the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong:

 

On Opening Ceremony Director, Zhang Yimou:  

“The Oscar-nominated director of Raise the Red Lantern, Hero and The House of Flying Daggers is leading a team to design the show. Zhang also directed the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.”

“Rehearsals are under way for the pared down ceremony, without the large-scale artistic performances that marked the 2008 programme, state television said.”

“Rather, technology will be used to make the opening ceremony “ethereal and romantic”, state television quoted Zhang as saying.”

Beijing 2022: Zhang Yimou to direct Winter Olympics opening ceremony - 8Jan22 - South China Morning Post

 

>> link to Beijing Cauldron  thread <<

[AustralianFan]

Some more previously unreported comments from the Beijing 2022 Opening Ceremony Chief Director, Zhang Yimou:

“The opening ceremony will also be of a mass character, with some performers coming from schools and grassroots arts groups. Representatives of all works of life will be part of the ceremonial activities.”

"I think the expressions of happiness, health, spirit, self-confidence and inspiration are very important. We also emphasize participation in many ways this time," Zhang said.

“The chief director mentioned that COVID-19 pandemic has brought about changes in the world and China is faced with a new and complicated international situation. That's why he hoped to present genuine thoughts of the Chinese people through the Olympic stage.”

"What the Winter Olympics show is the Chinese people's confidence, pride, love and affection for the people of the world - our great philosophy and values.”

"If we can showcase that in an artistic, emotional, and subtle way through the Olympic opening ceremony, so that people can see the real inner thoughts of Chinese people, that will be very meaningful," he concluded.

Interview: Beijing 2022 opening ceremony will be historic, says chief director Zhang Yimou - 7Jan22 - Xinhua.net

 

>> link to Beijing Cauldron  thread <<

[munichfan]

So... 3,000 performers. That should be about on par with what Sochi had, if I recall that correctly.

[Ikarus360]

54 minutes ago, munichfan said:

So... 3,000 performers. That should be about on par with what Sochi had, if I recall that correctly.

1000 more than Sochi's. It's not going to be Beijing 2008, that's for sure, but its still going to be pretty big, probably on par with Sochi's ceremonies.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Winter_Olympics_opening_ceremony

 

Quote

He hinted that the design was in line with the concept of environmental protection and low carbon emission, but refused to give more clues, saying "it's a secret."

Not again.....

Because the firework show totally doesn't pollute the sky more than a cauldron, right?

[Ikarus360]

Anyway....most of us knew it but now we have it confirmed. Given he wants to be different, its clear the ceremony won't be a story lesson like in 2008. Seems its going to be short, too, probably short segments like in Pyeongchang. But i'm sure he will be able to do something interesting neverthless.

Just hoping its better than the handover, though. That one wasn't his greatest feat and it felt more like a tryhard attempt to surpass Tokyo's handover from 2016 with those moving LED TV's and everything.