Opening Ceremony Details

[Guardian]

So, do you think he will be part of the final run of the Olympic torch inside the Bird's Nest stadium?

With the stadia almost complete and social issues high on the agenda, China has also set its focus on domestic success in the Olympic events.

Although the country's goal is to top the medals table - usurping the US - the Chinese Olympic Committee said the country would also be happy to finish top of the second group.

China will be hoping it can unearth more superstars like their NBA basketball icon Yao Ming (pictured on left) and Liu Xiang, the current 110m hurdles Olympic champion.

Expect China's Olympians to shine come August next year.

[Filipe_Golias]

Just look at the other two Chinese on Yao Ming's side He's a giant alright, for Chinese standards.

[baron-pierreIV]

The Athletes Commission has been consulted several times about the Athletes Parade for Opening / Closing Ceremonies. The athletes want to march in during the Opening Ceremony which can be understood since for most of them it might be one of the highlights of their olympic experience.

The Olympics are first and formost for the athletes. Just let them enjoy their moment of glory.

I disagree. The Ceremonies are for high-end ticket buyers. Like ... I am paying to see the Artistic Ceremonies -- not to see those boring UNKNOWN athletes march in, TAKE UP MY TIME, and make fools of themselves. The stupid Atheltes Commission should be replaced by people who are more conscious of TV and live-audience boredom thresholds!! Max: 50 athletes PER COUNTRY. ANd march in 2 or 3 countries at the same time. THis is where FIFA beats the IOC pants down!!

If an athlete can't make it to the top 50 of their country -- and that goes for US athletes -- then too bad. They have NO business marching in the Opening Ceremonies. ALso, let those who didn't march in Opening; march instead in Closing. Just DON'T TAKE MY time for the OC. I might have to buy a little DVD player and watch Harry Potter while those boring athletes take their supposed 'moment of glory.' Not from me, they won't.

Edited August 10, 2007 by baron-pierreIV

[Olympian2004]

Well, Baron, that sarcasm was obviously directed especially to me.

I don't want to deny the athletes that moment of glory. So it was probably a little harsh to call for reducing the number of athletes in the parade. But why not let them march in through two gates? I think it would even intensify the audience's applause and cheering because the quicker succession of teams would add more motion, more excitement to the parade. And it would also be a very nice symbol for the gathering of all nations at the Olympic Games if two teams entered the stadium through opposite gates and then got together in the centre of the stadium.

[Filipe_Golias]

I agree that delegations should enter the stadium in groups of two or three, depending on their size (massive ones like AUS, USA, CHN, etc. could enter alone). That would indeed speed up the parade. I don't think there would be any major broadcasting problem with it.

[cfm Jeremie]

I disagree. The Ceremonies are for high-end ticket buyers. Like ... I am paying to see the Artistic Ceremonies -- not to see those boring UNKNOWN athletes march in, TAKE UP MY TIME, and make fools of themselves. The stupid Atheltes Commission should be replaced by people who are more conscious of TV and live-audience boredom thresholds!! Max: 50 athletes PER COUNTRY. ANd march in 2 or 3 countries at the same time. THis is where FIFA beats the IOC pants down!!

If an athlete can't make it to the top 50 of their country -- and that goes for US athletes -- then too bad. They have NO business marching in the Opening Ceremonies. ALso, let those who didn't march in Opening; march instead in Closing. Just DON'T TAKE MY time for the OC. I might have to buy a little DVD player and watch Harry Potter while those boring athletes take their supposed 'moment of glory.' Not from me, they won't.

I sincerely hope you are kidding otherwise that's just pathetic.

Why don't you suggest to the IOC to skip the sports all together and to stage instead a 16-day ceremony?

BTW, I also had the feeling that the ceremonies might also be for the 3 billions spectators that might actually enjoy seeing athletes of their won country marching in.

I suggest that you don't bother traveling to Beijing, stay in the US and watch the great coverage of NBC which, to suit you most likely, will certainly cut most of the parade as usual and only focus on "famous" athlete.

[mr.x]

With 50,000 spectators, I wonder if China is trying to do one of those old fashioned communist rallies

From Pyongyang

Imagine seeing Mao's face appear

[Olympian2004]

I sincerely hope you are kidding otherwise that's just pathetic.

Why don't you suggest to the IOC to skip the sports all together and to stage instead a 16-day ceremony?

BTW, I also had the feeling that the ceremonies might also be for the 3 billions spectators that might actually enjoy seeing athletes of their won country marching in.

I suggest that you don't bother traveling to Beijing, stay in the US and watch the great coverage of NBC which, to suit you most likely, will certainly cut most of the parade as usual and only focus on "famous" athlete.

Of course Baron is only kidding! You should know him by now.

[baron-pierreIV]

With 50,000 spectators, I wonder if China is trying to do one of those old fashioned communist rallies

From Pyongyang

Imagine seeing Mao's face appear

I was wondering when these were going to show up. Yes, the North Koreans were master showpeople at these massive 'humanity' spectacle formations. Wonder why BOCOG just didn't use them? But that's what BOCOG will be showing the world, esp. since the world has never been treated to those PyongYang spectacles!

Jeremie, I am not kidding. But yeah, those athletes should enter from at least 3 gates and get their damn march over with. Any Entrance of Athletes is sheer tedium. And that same, old sorry excuse is that 'that's what they came for.' Well, it's a tired -- a very tired old story. But I could go for 16 days of spectacle. Fuggedabut da sports -- except volleyball, rowing & synchro swimming!!

[Lenric]

With 50,000 spectators, I wonder if China is trying to do one of those old fashioned communist rallies

From Pyongyang

Imagine seeing Mao's face appear

that's definitly not going to be happened, really really not fit for the Chinese typical taste. If you saw the hand-over performance by Zhang Yimou in Athens, you could feel that the Beijing games is not going to be under communist fashion what so ever, but a great show based on the true colour of Chinese tradtional culture. That's the mainstream taste in modern China.

[baron-pierreIV]

that's definitly not going to be happened, really really not fit for the Chinese typical taste. If you saw the hand-over performance by Zhang Yimou in Athens, you could feel that the Beijing games is not going to be under communist fashion what so ever, but a great show based on the true colour of Chinese tradtional culture. That's the mainstream taste in modern China.

How do you know? Do you have access to the 'secret' Ceremony plans?

The hand-over in Athens was actually kinda muddled and more like a cheap, cheesy Hong Kong night club show -- which is also OK with me. But I want to see those 'massive' humanity formation spectacles. Where else does one see them? Hint: what do you think they will have 100,000 costumes for? Just to keep in the closet?

Edited August 11, 2007 by baron-pierreIV

[Lenric]

How do you know? Do you have access to the 'secret' Ceremony plans?

The hand-over in Athens was actually kinda muddled and more like a cheap, cheesy Hong Kong night club show -- which is also OK with me. But I want to see those 'massive' humanity formation spectacles. Where else does one see them? Hint: what do you think they will have 100,000 costumes for? Just to keep in the closet?

So you got the idea, even they'd rather choose to make the show cheesy and cheap, they would not like to spread the communist culture too much on your TV screen. That's quite sensitive really for the West. I don't think that's a wise choice.

Maybe the humanity formation spectacles is interesting and fresh to the Westerners, however, I would rather believe the director is going to take the advantage the unique feature of the BirdNet as much as possible in order to produce a modern high-tech show. That's the message from Zhang Yi Mou

Show you some big games in China this few decade

the 10th National Games Open Ceremony

[Lenric]

Continue

The 10th National Games Open Ceremony of China

[Lenric]

THE 9TH NATIONAL GAMES OF CHINA

[Lenric]

And also the Universiy Games or sth, can't remmber, and show you some Zhang Yi Mou (The director of OPEN CEREMONY)'s work

The huge OUTDOOR MUSICAL (IMPRESSION LIU)

[Lenric]

I believe you heard about this film, that's typical Zhang Yimou's fantasy work. Zhang Yimou calmed that he was not happly about te handover show in Athens, coz the stage is only 7*7 big , the message is too massive to be finished in 8 miniutes. That's also the Chinese audience's huge disappointment about him...lol~not only you think that's cheesy, so are them.

I meant Zhang is quite good at using the colours

[rav3n]

I saw Curse of the Golden Flower some months ago, not better that Hero, but can give us an idea about what Yimou would apply at the OC.

Now to contribute with pics of previous big games hosted in China, the OC of the 11th Asian Games in 1990 at the Workers Stadium (yeah, that stadium where the China Bowl was scheduled to be player past thursday, until it was postponed until 2009)

[baron-pierreIV]

That's more like it, Lenric. For the most part, I like Zhang Yimou's work. HERO is an astonishingly beautiful film. FLYING DAGGERS was even more colorful -- even tho a little traditional action epic; the last one about the GOLDEN FLOWERS dragged a bit --it drowned in its production values vs. a more compelling story --, nonetheless did not disappoint in the visual dept.

BASIC RULE OF THUMB of Stadium Spectacle (as even Ric Birch will tell you) you HAVE TO FILL the massive stadium stage floor and space above it (if possible) with ACTION and SPECTACLE. It is NOT a solo act. It's not like Celine Dion or Andrea Boccelli is taking center stage. THere are solo moments like that which work between the mass numbers to give the viewer a break and some contrast in the program flow. But any old fool and stadium can stage a spectacle with a few hundred performers -- and it will still look bare. (Recent case in point: from what I saw of Rio's OC -- good attempt but nothing that one hasn't already been attempted before.)

Look, Lenric, I don't mean to brag -- but I was consulted by a Hollywood team who participated in the Beijing Cermonies tender some 2 years ago...so, I know a little about what works for Ceremonies...and what doesn't.

You've already seen all the pre-this pre-that shows!! I also know Beijing's budget -- and any old Doha or Rio Ceremonies can employ a few thousand performers. But heck, the planet's MOST POPULOUS nation is staging the party next year. Let's put those 1.3 billion bodies clogging their share of the planet earth, to good use. I really don't see your trepidations in BOCOG staging over-the-top spectacle...which will of course remind people of those massive Communist-era shows. Heck, it's their fault. Why did they start them too early?

One thing's for sure: it will be massive and not easily topped! Anything restrained (a la Athens -- which are resouces from a small country) will be a let-down and a disappointment. The leadership of PR China will NOT squander the oppty of 8.08.08 to not send a message to the world that China is now (or will be) as powerful a nation as the US -- and this is their most artistic, if none too subtle way, of telling that.

Edited August 11, 2007 by baron-pierreIV

[nykfan845]

Zhang Yimou's best film, IMO, is Raise the Red Lantern, although it was more an acting spectacle than a visual one.

Curse of the Golden Flower was truly snubbed by the Academy for its Art Direction, I mean it won the ADG Award in Period film!

But yes, I have never anticipated an Opening Ceremony as much as Beijing 2008.

[Filipe_Golias]

But yes, I have never anticipated an Opening Ceremony as much as Beijing 2008.

Me neither (despite my age), and we all know why

If Beijing and the Chinese don't blow us off our seats with visual and musical spectacularity, then it will be nothing less than a major letdown. That's how my expectations are leveled.

[cfm Jeremie]

I sincerely hope that Beijing will not only go with numbers but also manage to carry some message and emotion.

I think, from an emotional and artistic perspective, Athens explored a new path for Olympic Ceremonies. Sure, it was not as spectacular as Sydney's for example (although, and that's the engineer speaking, they did put on some quite amazing things - the statutes, the double helix projection...) but it's my favourite ceremony (classy, meaningful).

If Beijing team manages to combine Athens artistic and Sydney spectacular shows, they could really produce something amazing.

[Olympian2004]

I suppose it will rather be Sydney-like than Athens-like. The sheer number of participants points at that direction. It will be very flashy and bombastic (especially when the artistical part has to be pushed through in only one hour).

And I'm still torn which kind of ceremony I like more: The more expressionist Sydney style or the more philosophical Athens style. Maybe a mixture of both would be the best indeed. But as I said, I don't expect that to happen in Beijing. The number of participants doesn't allow more silent, contemplative segments.

[ChicagoFan90]

I suppose it will rather be Sydney-like than Athens-like. The sheer number of participants points at that direction. It will be very flashy and bombastic (especially when the artistical part has to be pushed through in only one hour).

And I'm still torn which kind of ceremony I like more: The more expressionist Sydney style or the more philosophical Athens style. Maybe a mixture of both would be the best indeed. But as I said, I don't expect that to happen in Beijing. The number of participants doesn't allow more silent, contemplative segments.

Well comparing Sydney to Beijing- will be comparing apples to oranges. 9,000 Participants in Sydney vs 50,000 in Beijing.

And Athens simplistic ceremony may have looked beautiful on TV, but live would have been very hard to see.

[Lenric]

In my principle, I always think higher expectation could lead to higher disappointment. Zhang Yimou is really a controversial personality among Chinese audiences. Quite a good part of them think he is the master of visual art, but for story telling, he is a big loser...(except his early film), you know a person is always changing, that also includes his style.

So to think about how to make the Beijing OC tells the long long story about China in a more MATURE AND CREATIVE way is far more important. You know the BirdNET is unique in the world, Beijing the city as being the capital of Chinese 'Empire' more than 2000 years is unique in the world. You couldn't find anywhere like this city, its culture and people.

I do think Sydney OC is a fantastic show, but it's also big carnival entertainment show for me, this reflects the typical multi-cultural feature of Aus. Athens one is more original, coz Greece is an ancient civilization that culturally and philosophly created the world of the West. So it shouldn't be very noisy and skinless. You have to match the personality of Greek people. Quite a lot of Chinese people do think Athens is quite a new experience for them that the first time they could really discovery the inner spirit of the West World.

To be honest, China is totally another world away from the European Civilization. The philosophy, the religion, the custom, the art, the architecture....and the food~there are too much and too long information to make the West to understand. So I would rather hope Beijing is the journey to just lead the people start the discovery. coz China is really another 'Egypt' from the East, but it lasts until now. So actually you cannot make Beijing another Sydney and American type universal celebration, but more another Athens, but push it more deeper.

But also you could not make the show boring and lack of entertainment, so that needs the technology.

..........................gosh, I don't know what I am talking about. I do hope Beijing chould really open the people's eyes as more as possible rather than to become a TV GALA. I believe if you are a fan of INDIANA JONES, you would definitly love my idea..

LOL

OK~OC is begining, FAR FAR AWAY, IN A PLACE CALLED BEIJING, THERE ARE A GROUP OF MONKEYS......(not joking, Beijing is really the place been found the Primitive men, they been named Beijing Man)

The Beijing Man Crania

The restored head statue of the 'Beijing Man.'

The civilization begins

[Lenric]

I am not feeling right today, got a of typing errors on my last post, can't find the function of editing. Sorry about that.

Ok continue,

.....................................................................I just hope Bejing could balance the elements between the history and the future. That could make Beijing look different from Athens.