kevzz Posted January 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2007 Just something out of topic: I was browsing through a local Borders bookshop here and saw this book, Master of the Ceremonies: An Eventful Life by Ric Birch . Was reading through it on spot a bit and it really provides a fascinating insights on the making of Barcelona's and Sydney's opening ceremony written by the ceremony director, Ric Birch itself. One of the stuff I read is how the unique idea of using the bow and arrow for Barcelona's came about. It was actually an anger thought by the stage designer b4 he left a committee meeting furiously; where they rejected his stage design, as it doesnt allow easy access for the torch bearer to light the cauldron. He left the room and before leaving the door, he turned back and said "Just use a bow and arrow like a Robin Hood" and left. This ingenius spark of idea is how the brilliant cauldron lighting ceremony came about, a beautiful mistake indeed! Other than that, it also revealed the concept of the Sydney's cauldron is a 'frying pan' being lifted up. And how they have to consider risk of audiences throwing bottles and stuff onto the 'waterfall' which might cause the ascending cauldron to stuck. Of course, Birch explained what exactly happened when the cauldron was stucked and how they dealt with it. It is really an interesting book and I would suggest reading it to find out more bout the preparation and execution of olympic ceremonies. (I will go back and get it when I have the money ) But I'm sure you can find it in amazon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie*supporter Posted January 21, 2007 Report Share Posted January 21, 2007 Eh? Why not? Lol ! Cuz yur history's boring that why ^^ !! Jokes jokes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guardian Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Pending the vote in Guatemala City, which will determine the 2014 Winter Olympics host city, Montenegro will become the newest and 204TH NOC member of the IOC. Man, if all NOCs are going to be present at the Beijing 2008 opening ceremony, it is going to be a very long parade of nations here. Never mind what is going to be the Mandarin dialect name of the new national entity at that parade. Link: IOC: Montenegro To Become The 204th National Olympic Committee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PYRROS2004 Posted February 9, 2007 Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 There is a rumour that Dimitris Papaioannou (creator of the Athens 2004 ceremonies) will travel next week to Beijing and he will be involved in the ceremonies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted February 9, 2007 Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 There is a rumour that Dimitris Papaioannou (creator of the Athens 2004 ceremonies) will travel next week to Beijing and he will be involved in the ceremonies. This is what your countryman, savas, posted on another thread: It is official announced that regisseur and choreograph Dimitris Papaioannou (creator and regisseur of the Athens 2004 Opening and Closing Ceremonies) will be the director of a 6.000.000$ production which will promote the Olympic Games of Beijing 2008 around the globe. He and his team will arrive in Beijing in March for the preparation of the play. The premier show wil be staged in October in Athens. It looks like it's going to be some roadshow play or promotional thing going around the world. I think they have the FULL team for the actual Opening & CLosing Ceremonies. DP, it seems, will just get that 'promotional' part of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guardian Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 I know that this post is going to get ridiculed, but I got to get it off my chest. Now that Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" is the Oscar winner of the documentary category and one other and China is considered one of the worst polluters on Earth, it would be interesting on how the Chinese is going to react on the climate change issue now. Never mind about the Olympics coming up and the Olympic FLAME is part of the event. I wouldn't be surprised that Beijing 2008 could be the last time an Olympic Flame would be used in this manner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 I know that this post is going to get ridiculed, but I got to get it off my chest. Now that Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" is the Oscar winner of the documentary category and one other and China is considered one of the worst polluters on Earth, it would be interesting on how the Chinese is going to react on the climate change issue now. Never mind about the Olympics coming up and the Olympic FLAME is part of the event. I wouldn't be surprised that Beijing 2008 could be the last time an Olympic Flame would be used in this manner. The burning of the flame over the 2-week period is just a mini-burp in the overall emission of gases worldwide, Guard, that the issue isn't even worth pursuing. P.S. Tell that to X and VANOC. They're bound to hunt you down -- especially you're in the same country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savas Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Well this isnt ridiculous but indeed funny... So i would say Baron is right... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Rols Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 A paddock full of farting cows would produce more greenhouse gasses in one day than the Olympic Cauldron would over two weeks. And anyway, the Olympic flame would probably be a "clean" flame, actually burning off methane rather than producing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruling Czar Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Mr Gore deserves an Oscar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Mr Gore deserves an Oscar Uhmmm...he did. Duh!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruling Czar Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 OOOOOOKKKKAAYYYYYY........now that we have THAT established, why not try something more challenging....shall we? I'll be your instructor in you first SEMANTICS FOR DUMMIES course K? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 OOOOOOKKKKAAYYYYYY........now that we have THAT established, why not try something more challenging....shall we? I'll be your instructor in you first SEMANTICS FOR DUMMIES course K? UHmmm, you can teach all you want -- but what makes u think I'm signing up for your class? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattperiolat Posted March 18, 2007 Report Share Posted March 18, 2007 Well... in thinking of the Ceremonies for Beijing, I'm somewhat expecting something similar to the Ceremonies we saw in Seoul. A fair presentation of culture with just a smidge of history worked in. They just need to not be too heavy handed on the culture. As it is, you know the Chinese are going to be critizied for Falangon and Tibet during the Games. It's simply unavoidable. A fair point has been made: the Parade of Nations is getting to the three HOUR mark... but for me... it's the one place where you just cannot cut it short. Everyone who can deserves a chance to walk into the Bird's Nest and hear the roar of the crowd. Am also curious to see how the torch will be lit and who will get the honors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 Am also curious to see how the torch will be lit and who will get the honors. It's a foregone conclusion: Yao Ming, the most famous PRC athlete these days. (Or unless he does something that will displease the Party before August '08). His choice will be just like Epy was the last able-bodied runner in Madrid (before passing the flame to Rebollo, so AR could shoot it); Epifanio was the most famous basketball player of Spain (altho of course , the female tennis players - Conchita and Aranxha Sanchez, were probably more famous than Epy). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattperiolat Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 It's a foregone conclusion: Yao Ming, the most famous PRC athlete these days. It makes sense... except I HATE it when the organizing committee makes decisions like that. Robello being the exception to the rule, I'm one of those people who prefers it be someone with an Olympic connection. Fu Mingxa for example would be someone I'd consider as having an outside chance of being the last bearer. Three golds is nothing to sneeze at after all. Then again. it could be worse. Anyone remember Michel Platini from Albertville? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 Then again. it could be worse. Anyone remember Michel Platini from Albertville? Platini? What about that unknown Dr. Charles Kerr that lit the 1980 Lake Placid flame? Other than being a medical doctor AND then the US Winter Oympic team doctor 4 years later in Sarajevo, I cannot find any Olympic connection this man had, to earn that honor in 1980. He must have had some Lake Placid connection; or maybe donated quite a bit of time and money to the LPOOC to earn it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattperiolat Posted March 23, 2007 Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 Platini? What about that unknown Dr. Charles Kerr that lit the 1980 Lake Placid flame? Other than being a medical doctor AND then the US Winter Oympic team doctor 4 years later in Sarajevo, I cannot find any Olympic connection this man had, to earn that honor in 1980. He must have had some Lake Placid connection; or maybe donated quite a bit of time and money to the LPOOC to earn it. I'm sorry to say my Olympic experience only goes as far back as 84 LA Games, so I did not know about Kerr. The point is: yes, Yao is known, but not exactly a worthy Olympian. Then again, I remember Cathy Freeman getting a TON of critisism when she lit the torch back in Sydney because she hadn't won the gold yet. Then again, I think we're all grateful Dawn Frasier wasn't in a skintight jumpsuit doing the honors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiuTian Posted March 23, 2007 Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 Am also curious to see how the torch will be lit and who will get the honors. I think it definitly will be Liu Xiang. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted March 23, 2007 Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 I think it definitly will be Liu Xiang. I don't think so. Look at the history of the Lighters. Who is Liu Xiang? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfm Jeremie Posted March 23, 2007 Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 I don't think so. Look at the history of the Lighters. Who is Liu Xiang? 110 m hurdle Athens Olympic Champion. He is huge in China and in Europe. Definitely a candidate for a spot among the final torchbearers. Liu Xiang bio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattperiolat Posted March 23, 2007 Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 110 m hurdle Athens Olympic Champion. He is huge in China and in Europe.Definitely a candidate for a spot among the final torchbearers. Liu Xiang bio What about a member of China's Men's Gymnastics team? Clearly a LOT of potentials. I think if someone like Yao will be involved, it might be just to bring the torch into the staduim. He won't light the cauldron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted March 23, 2007 Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 What about a member of China's Men's Gymnastics team?Clearly a LOT of potentials. I think if someone like Yao will be involved, it might be just to bring the torch into the staduim. He won't light the cauldron. I disagree. How do you know, Matt? The host country mostly picks its most prominent/honored/high-profile athlete to do the honors. Yao Ming is the most famous Chinese athlete today. I would say today, unless he falls in disgrace with the Party, it is Yao Ming's to lose. What would it benefit the CHinese to feature some -- who is he? athlete? It doesn't add to the gravity of the moment to use some lesser known name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattperiolat Posted March 24, 2007 Report Share Posted March 24, 2007 I disagree. How do you know, Matt? The host country mostly picks its most prominent/honored/high-profile athlete to do the honors. Yao Ming is the most famous Chinese athlete today. I would say today, unless he falls in disgrace with the Party, it is Yao Ming's to lose. What would it benefit the CHinese to feature some -- who is he? athlete? It doesn't add to the gravity of the moment to use some lesser known name. You are right, I have no clue who it woud it be. Would I be surprised to see it be Yao? No. It's just a personal preference on my part for it to be an Olympian. I certainly cannot TELL the Organizing Committe who it should be, just who I would like it to be. So, my opinion doesn't amount to anything. Just my thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcos Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 Beijing 2008 opening ceremony will star with a demonstration of the way that chinese authorities treat their prisioneers AND foreign journalists.LOOOOOOOOOOOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts