Any Ideas For Opening Ceremonies?

[OlympIAN1981]

I remember Seb Coe commenting during Melbourne 2006 CWGs that he liked some of the ideas they had for the opening ceremony - for example, using the Yarra River as part of the baton relay, and the tops of the skyscrapers to launch fireworks off of.

Since he said that, I've always imagined there being some kind of floating platform on the Thames, that would be used for the torch relay. Also, It's my understanding that the River Lee connects directly to the Thames, aroundabout East India Dock. This river tributary leads directly to Stadium Island. Which brings up my next idea...

How's this for bizarre, but potentially plausible and kinda fun... some kind of handover from the floating platform to a speedboat carrying, I dunno, say the current James Bond, (!?) followed by a rip-roaring speedboat ride for the Olympic torch, right up to the front doors of the stadium? It would be a great way of getting the torch from the city to the Park quickly. People could line the riverbanks to watch, potentially all the way from the centre of London, to the stadium.

I'm guessing Bow Lock would probably put paid to the idea of a free run straight to the stadium, but what do people think? Could it be plausible?

[Lee]

I just thought since JMWW did such a bang-up job in Athens and Melbourne (altho it so far hasn't given them other plum jobs), and it was the London office that did Athens, then they would have the 'inside track' so to speak. (Altho of course, after Doha and Vancouver, I think Dave Atkins' outfit would seem to be the one to beat at the moment.)

Re Mr. Zolkwer, oh? And what 'freebies' might those be, Lee? Of course, you can PM me on those.

I've just read that JMWW have organised the London new year celEbrations for the last 4 years. Even more reason to think they would be in with a good chance to produce the London opening/closing ceremonies.

[mattygs]

Well JMWW have been appointed as the production company advisor to BOCOG for the 2008 ceremonies, so I think it gives them an even better chance come London, especially if the Beijing ceremonies are amazing.

As to who would lead that creative team, I guess David Zolkwer. He would appear to be the natural pick.

Apart from them and David Atkins Enterprises, I am not sure who else.

Ric Birch appears to have preferred to just be an advisor for recent major events, rather than being the big man in charge.

Maybe Andrew Walsh, who was the head honcho of Melbourne 2006, and I think his company - Acolade, has also done events in London in the past. The New Millennium London show i think. And also having done events such as RWC and he was the exec producer of Athens 2004 ceremonies, so has a relationship wif JMW.

Maybe another one to head a creative team, who is a Brit, would be Nigel Jamieson. He was responsible for Tiny Symphony I think in Sydney, and was the Melbourne 2006 director until he stepped down over differences with M2006.

[taichi]

I hope I could see some girls do the Highland dance.

[baron-pierreIV]

I hope I could see some girls do the Highland dance.

How about the boys? Don't you want to see their kilts flying in the air with their vigorous dancing. too?

[savas]

there is no need for vigorous dancing... just a little wind can do the same work..

[baron-pierreIV]

there is no need for vigorous dancing... just a little wind can do the same work..

savas, you don't usually get wind gusts in the arenas.

[Ripley]

I think London will go for clever over gigantic.....I think you'll see modern interpretations of British history weaved into some of the more formal moments. For example, I could see the Olympic torch entering the stadium by rising from a lake like excaliber being returned to King Arthur by the lady of the lake...who would obviously be Kelly Homes dressed in a silver sequin suit from a sea of atheletes holding blue glittery things....you get my drift. I think the model you could use would be akin to what Riverdance did to Irish dancing....tradition with a twist. I think the flame should get to the couldron by something arriving into the stadium from above/outside and transferring the flame or torch holder to the couldron (outside the Stadium by the sounds of things)...perhaps a bit like a Close Encounters moment.

The golden jubilee would have to be marked in some way in the opening ceremony......I imagine a segment which depicts the march of time and events since the Queen came to power...perhaps the Queen herself could walk around a physical depiction of a timeline with projections and video clips of the world events which have shaped her reign, British society and the world in the last 50 years... with suitably moving/uplifting music. Perhaps they would be better getting an actor to do this if old Betty is a bit unsteady on her pins....don't want the world watching some doddery old bint falling all over the place like a p1ss head.

I'll stop there before it gets too corny...

[baron-pierreIV]

and events since the Queen came to power...

The passing of Princess Diana? That's certainly a major milestone in her reign.

Of course, HRH is presently lurking -- so I am sure we will hear from her.

[Mr Tickle]

I have an idea how the torch can enter the stadium.

Firstly they do the usual of following the torch as it nears the stadium, but then as the torch and bearer get near the stadium the lights dim in the stadium with a pool of water illuminated in the centre of the stadium lit by the only lights. Then to a heavenly chourus the water starts to glow and bubble as torch raises from the water held by the lady in the lake from the Excalibur legend. A great olympian then wades out to the water and retrieves the torch to an erruption of fireworks as water spirits fly around the stadium bowl. The torch then is taken around the track in the more traditional style. Hows that sound?

Stop stealing my ideas

[baron-pierreIV]

Firstly they do the usual of following the torch as it nears the stadium, but then as the torch and bearer get near the stadium the lights dim in the stadium with a pool of water illuminated in the centre of the stadium lit by the only lights. Then to a heavenly chourus the water starts to glow and bubble as torch raises from the water held by the lady in the lake from the Excalibur legend. A great olympian then wades out to the water and retrieves the torch to an erruption of fireworks as water spirits fly around the stadium bowl. The torch then is taken around the track in the more traditional style. Hows that sound?

Very Sydney-ish, Cathy-Freeman-ish.

[Ripley]

Stop stealing my ideas

ooooo that's freaky! I honestly just wrote that sh1t off the top of my head...

[Mr Tickle]

ooooo that's freaky! I honestly just wrote that sh1t off the top of my head...

Well great minds think alike, it would be a fitting entrance of the torch. Maybe we should create the ceremonies and take on Jack Morton

[baron-pierreIV]

For example, I could see the Olympic torch entering the stadium by rising from a lake like excaliber being returned to King Arthur by the lady of the lake...who would obviously be Kelly Homes dressed in a silver sequin suit from a sea of atheletes holding blue glittery things....you get my drift. I think the model you could use would be akin to what Riverdance did to Irish dancing....tradition with a twist. I think the flame should get to the couldron by something arriving into the stadium from above/outside and transferring the flame or torch holder to the couldron (outside the Stadium by the sounds of things)...perhaps a bit like a Close Encounters moment.

I was watching an "Ancient Discoveries" docu on the History Channel last night. There was a segment on the 'naval battles' staged in the man-made lake at the Roman Colosseum; and at one time, apparently, they had a giant statue or 2 rise out of the 'waters.' But the Colosseum had a lot of underground passages and stage machinery underneath the field.

Crowd-pleaser that it was, a suceeding emperor (I forget now who - Diocletian or something like that) then ordered an even larger spectacle comprising some 50 'battle ships' staged at the now-dry Lago Fusine (sp?) outside Rome. And from a historian's account, a 40-foot high statue of Triton (or was it Poseidon?) rose out of the waters as a climax to the mock battle. The docu showed how they thought it was done -- some 20 centuries ago.

All of this is recorded in history. So the Cycladic head rising out of the Athens '04 'lake' wasn't all that original. Obviously, Jack Morton got that idea from ancient Rome.

[taichi]

Can you schedule the Opening Ceremony either 6pm or 7pm local time please?

[baron-pierreIV]

Can you schedule the Opening Ceremony either 6pm or 7pm local time please?

Why, taichi? The reason Opening Ceremonies are now done at night is because a more dramatic presentation with lighting and shadows can be created. It is a chance for a theatrical tour de force. Why would you want to change it? Are you again nervous and can't wait?

Sorry, taichi, I deny your request. Now, take your pills.

[thatsnotmypuppy]

As long as Take That sing 'Rule The World' it will be sweet!

[taichi]

Sorry, taichi, I deny your request. Now, take your pills.

What is this?! Why would I want to take pills for? Okay forget what I said about 6 or 7.

[savas]

I was watching an "Ancient Discoveries" docu on the History Channel last night. There was a segment on the 'naval battles' staged in the man-made lake at the Roman Colosseum; and at one time, apparently, they had a giant statue or 2 rise out of the 'waters.' But the Colosseum had a lot of underground passages and stage machinery underneath the field.

Crowd-pleaser that it was, a suceeding emperor (I forget now who - Diocletian or something like that) then ordered an even larger spectacle comprising some 50 'battle ships' staged at the now-dry Lago Fusine (sp?) outside Rome. And from a historian's account, a 40-foot high statue of Triton (or was it Poseidon?) rose out of the waters as a climax to the mock battle. The docu showed how they thought it was done -- some 20 centuries ago.

All of this is recorded in history. So the Cycladic head rising out of the Athens '04 'lake' wasn't all that original. Obviously, Jack Morton got that idea from ancient Rome.

Just for the record, Jack Morton was just the producer of the Ceremony, part of the tea, creative director and the artistic concept was Dimitris Papaioannous work. Dont mess things up. The same applies for the logo. Wolff Olins produced the Athens 2004 logo but the Logo was created by Rodanthi Senduka Creative Director of Red Design Athens.

[baron-pierreIV]

Just for the record, Jack Morton was just the producer of the Ceremony, part of the tea, creative director and the artistic concept was Dimitris Papaioannous work. Dont mess things up. The same applies for the logo. Wolff Olins produced the Athens 2004 logo but the Logo was created by Rodanthi Senduka Creative Director of Red Design Athens.

Savas, that's what they all say. Every 'creative concept' in an Olympics will ALWAYS have a local component -- just to legitimize it and make the locals feel good. In Atlanta, the Torch logo was actually developed by Landor Associates (Coca-Cola's main brand designer) of San Francisco but they got a local Atlanta partner to share the credit, as I said, to make the locals feel good.

Also, when they put out these tenders, they already ask for possible ideas. And based on those and the bidder's track record, they pick the winner(s). So unless one was within the heart of the selection committee, it will probably never be known which idea was whose.

I believe that a lot of the heavier technical aspects of Athens were conceived by JMWW, going by what is known of Dmitris' earlier work. Also, I know a lot of the water stuff, especially the Cycladic head sequence were tested in a lake in England. So I believe that portion was definitely conceived by JMWW. In the end of course, it is a collective credit.

[savas]

Savas, that's what they all say. Every 'creative concept' in an Olympics will ALWAYS have a local component -- just to legitimize it and make the locals feel good. In Atlanta, the Torch logo was actually developed by Landor Associates (Coca-Cola's main brand designer) of San Francisco but they got a local Atlanta partner to share the credit, as I said, to make the locals feel good.

Also, when they put out these tenders, they already ask for possible ideas. And based on those and the bidder's track record, they pick the winner(s). So unless one was within the heart of the selection committee, it will probably never be known which idea was whose.

I believe that a lot of the heavier technical aspects of Athens were conceived by JMWW, going by what is known of Dmitris' earlier work. Also, I know a lot of the water stuff, especially the Cycladic head sequence were tested in a lake in England. So I believe that portion was definitely conceived by JMWW. In the end of course, it is a collective credit.

No. I disagree,...

the Αthens 2004 Logo is Rodanthi Senduka creation. After an international competition , there were 242 proposals submitted from 14 countries from around the world, resulting in a total of 700 emblems proposed. Red Design Consultants not only succeeded in winning the competition, they also received the 2nd award for an additional submission.. Wolff Olins just produced the Logo. That is a fact. I dont know how you say "no, i believe..". If you still say that, just visit the website of Wolff Olins. You will see that there is nothing that they have designed before and after the 2004 Games which looks like the Athens Logo.

The same applies for the Ceremony. Just take a look at the thread that a created about the "Artwork of Dimitris Papaioannou" and then you can see all of his drawings and conceptual work. Actuually it was the opposite. Jack Morton was choosen by Daskalaki and the IOC as the producer of the 2004 OC and CC. Papaioannou was already working on the concept. There where many problems with Morton as they couldnt implement Papaioannou idea and then had to compromise to a more massive structure with less parts and an "slow motion" explosion of the head as Morton could not make that faster...

Here is DPs note:

I was riding my bike when I received the phone call asking me to visit the Athens 2004 Organising Committee (ATHOC). I was asked to make a proposal for an opening ceremony. It was 2001. I requested four months, three collaborators, and some money for the production. The day of the presentation was the first day I met the ATHOC President, Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki. There was a very negative vibe at the meeting. We had a fight. I started smoking again (I had quit for a year). That same afternoon she requested a second presentation. I gave it a week later. I was then asked to give the presentation again on an incognito trip to Salt Lake City, where the 2002 Winter Olympics were being held, so that the International Olympic Committee could attend. They were enthused. Two months later I received an invitation to see the ATHOC President, and I got the job.

The first thing I did was put together a creative team. The name of the game was for Greek artists to create a ceremony realised by a foreign production company. This was a groundbreaking approach to the production of an enormous show; artists are usually the employees of the production company. In this way, I, as the head of the artistic team, was given absolute authority to approve or reject anything that was produced by the production company. I answered only to the ATHOC President. We owed this excellent arrangement to Gianna.

Having gone through this life-changing experience, I am glad to have seen that it really is possible for a group of people who really believe in what they are doing not to lose their faith, and to insist on their artistic integrity throughout a nightmarish journey involving government agencies, multinational companies, huge vested interests, the clashes of enormous egos, money-grubbing, international and local political interests, and delays, delays, delays, delays. We were able to survive the process and deliver a work in which we truly believed. It would seem faith is one of the most effective of human capabilities (no wonder it is so eagerly manipulated by the world’s many religious denominations).

The ceremony I dreamt of creating had clarity of form and economy of colour, focused exclusively on art history, took a sensual approach to Greek identity, and bore an underlying sexuality that would make it engaging on a visceral level. I sought to create intimacy on a grand, spectacular scale, and to appeal to archetypal emotions and images in order for the ceremony to work on both a spiritual and emotional level. The ceremony could not be a story – it could only be the unfolding of a dream sequence.

I studied all the ceremonies staged thus far and followed the form that had been established, but filling it with elements of a completely different mood, philosophy and style. A style I felt was most becoming for a civilisation such as the Greek, that is ancient, and of great importance for the development of the Western world and the evolution of human thought. A style inspired by a civilisation that is so very sexy. Nudity was unfortunately not appropriate in this context, out of respect for international religious sensibilities – such a pity for a civilisation that was not at all ashamed of the human body.

Having seen the international appeal of the Opening Ceremony, it seems that mainstream notions of producing large-scale shows with the lowest common denominator in mind, and the overrated rule that a show must be logically understood rather than emotionally experienced need to be reconsidered. The entire advertising industry premise of researching what the audience wants in order deliver to it to them should be overturned; creative vision should be the only guide. As for me, I am grateful to have gambled in such a way and to have survived the experience.

If you visit Dimitris Papaioannou you can read more about it and also tak a look of his team of designers all of them Greek.

[baron-pierreIV]

What, savas? Nowhere there does it say that the "rising head" and some of the water elements were his. Maybe will look at your link sometime.

The point is when I originally used "...Jack Morton," I meant the entire producing/directing entity as a WHOLE -- not particularly singling out which idea was whose. It is really splitting hairs.

[savas]

Actually you are splitting hairs although this is a quite clear thing. You referring to the Opening Ceremony as it was a achievement of Jack Morton and the Cycladic head their idea. But Jack Morton was not responsible for the creation of the OC concept and for the dramaturgical development. They was part of the team of Papaioannou. This is why the ATHOC engaged D. Papaioannou, gave him the

absolute authority to put the creative team together as he wants and was given absolute authority to approve or reject anything that was produced by the production company. To ensure the quality of the OC. Daskalaki knew that the work of him has nothing to do with the mainstream and has a total diffrent quality. Thats why they told him "Choose the people you think they are the best for. Here is the production company, they do everything you want"

Here is the creative team as he put it together:

Conceived, Visualised and Directed by Dimitris Papaioannou

Co-Creation, Music Concept Creator: Yorgos Koumendakis

Set Designer: Lili Pezanou

Lighting Designer & Director: Eleftheria Deko

Choreographer: Angeliki Stellatou

Costume Designer: Sofia Kokossalaki

Video Director & Producer: Athina Tsangari

Ceremonies Texts: Lina Nikolakopoulou

Pyrotechnic Design: Christophe Berthonneau

Artistic Segment ‘Clepsydra’ Visual Concept and Direction: Angelos Mendis

Coordinator of the Creative – Associate Director:

Associate Director: Yorgos Matskaris

Creative Production Assistant: Kali Kavvatha

Music Associate: Maria Metaxaki

Associate Set Designer: Konstantinos Kypriotakis

Assistant Set Designer: Eliza Paraskeva

Co-Lighting Designer & Director: Robert A. Dickinson

Associate Lighting Designer: Theodore Tsevas

Lighting Director: Ted Wells

Moving Light Director: Andy O’Reilly

Associate Choreographer: Fotis Nikolaou

Assistant Choreographers: Vanessa Andrikopoulou, Titi Antonopoulou, Panayiotis Argyropoulos, Spyros Bertsatos, Nikos Dragonas, Yianna Filippopoulou, Fedra Fourouli, Ermira Goro, Altin Huta, Giorgia Kalantzi, Nikos Klaogerakis, Martha Kloukina, Roula Koutroumbeli, Nikos Lagousakos, Olia Lydaki, Mendi Mega, Stathis Mermiggis, Hamilton Monteiro, Christos Papadopoulos, Rena Papandoniou, Natalia Partheniou, Gogo Petrali, Euaggelia Randou, Katerina Skiada, Theodossia Sourelou, Daphni Stefanou, Vasso Yiannakopoulou, Alexandros Yiannis, Yiannis Yiaples

Field Choreographer & Chartist: Wanda Rokicki

Chartist & Associate Field Choreographer: Bryn Walters

Assistant Field Choreographers: Vassiliki Kolovou, Nikos Lagousakos, Gina Martinez, Roxana ‘Rocky’ Smith

Mass Choreographer – Parade of Athletes: Doug Jack

Assistant Field Choreographers – Parade of Athletes: Claire Terri, Paul Winkelman

Associate Costume Designer: Theofilos Yessios-Geskos

Video Production Manager: Costas Kephalas

1st Assistant Video Director: Dimtiris Birbilis

2nd Assistant Video Director: Manos Gasteratos

Assistant Video Production Manager: Margarita Manda

Animation Designer – Chief Editor: Matt Johnson

Assistant Animator: Yiannis Anagnostou

Text Animation: Bios

Editing: Leah Bowers, Sandrine Cheyrol

Video Cinematographer: Isaac Mathes

Director-Narration Workshop: Roula Pateraki

Narrators: Olia Lazaridou, Amalia Moutoussi, Aglaia Pappa

Hair Designer: Alexandris Balabanis

Make up Designer: Petros Petrohilos

Artistic Segment ‘Clepsydra’

Costume & Set Supervisor: Eleni Manolopoulou

Associate to the Costume Supervisor: Marialena Lapata

Associate to the Set Supervisor: Myrto Anastasopoulou

Painting Designer & Supervisor: Maria Ilia

Research: Antonis Galeos

and as about the Cycladic head, here are the conceptual drawings of him. You can see that originally he wanted the head to explode in much more pieces but Jack Morton then said this is not possible technicaly. (i remember of reading that in one newspaper interview) This is why the idea had to be adapted to the new technological conditions and to reduce the pieces in 8 big ones.

more picturesm

I am not trying to say that Jack Morton was not important for the OC. Sure they was. As one of the biggest production companies they have the technological know-how and the necessary engineering. This is why they got the job. The job of producing the show. Not creating! There is a huge difference between those two things. And if this is not clear enough, we call it "Calatrava roof" because he is the architect, the creator and not "Elliniki Technodomiki roof" because they build it!

P.S.: Sorry for the "off-topic" but it makes me really livid when people continuous try to slag or to steal out of envy the achievements of our ancestors and ours and our culture. This happens very often the last years.

[baron-pierreIV]

Actually you are splitting hairs although this is a quite clear thing. You referring to the Opening Ceremony as it was a achievement of Jack Morton and the Cycladic head their idea. But Jack Morton was not responsible for the creation of the OC concept and for the dramaturgical development. They was part of the team of Papaioannou. This is why the ATHOC engaged D. Papaioannou, gave him the

absolute authority to put the creative team together as he wants and was given absolute authority to approve or reject anything that was produced by the production company. To ensure the quality of the OC. Daskalaki knew that the work of him has nothing to do with the mainstream and has a total diffrent quality. Thats why they told him "Choose the people you think they are the best for. Here is the production company, they do everything you want"

Here is the creative team as he put it together:

Conceived, Visualised and Directed by Dimitris Papaioannou

Co-Creation, Music Concept Creator: Yorgos Koumendakis

Set Designer: Lili Pezanou

Lighting Designer & Director: Eleftheria Deko

Choreographer: Angeliki Stellatou

Costume Designer: Sofia Kokossalaki

Video Director & Producer: Athina Tsangari

Ceremonies Texts: Lina Nikolakopoulou

Pyrotechnic Design: Christophe Berthonneau

Artistic Segment ‘Clepsydra’ Visual Concept and Direction: Angelos Mendis

Coordinator of the Creative – Associate Director:

Associate Director: Yorgos Matskaris

Creative Production Assistant: Kali Kavvatha

Music Associate: Maria Metaxaki

Associate Set Designer: Konstantinos Kypriotakis

Assistant Set Designer: Eliza Paraskeva

Co-Lighting Designer & Director: Robert A. Dickinson

Associate Lighting Designer: Theodore Tsevas

Lighting Director: Ted Wells

Moving Light Director: Andy O’Reilly

Associate Choreographer: Fotis Nikolaou

Assistant Choreographers: Vanessa Andrikopoulou, Titi Antonopoulou, Panayiotis Argyropoulos, Spyros Bertsatos, Nikos Dragonas, Yianna Filippopoulou, Fedra Fourouli, Ermira Goro, Altin Huta, Giorgia Kalantzi, Nikos Klaogerakis, Martha Kloukina, Roula Koutroumbeli, Nikos Lagousakos, Olia Lydaki, Mendi Mega, Stathis Mermiggis, Hamilton Monteiro, Christos Papadopoulos, Rena Papandoniou, Natalia Partheniou, Gogo Petrali, Euaggelia Randou, Katerina Skiada, Theodossia Sourelou, Daphni Stefanou, Vasso Yiannakopoulou, Alexandros Yiannis, Yiannis Yiaples

Field Choreographer & Chartist: Wanda Rokicki

Chartist & Associate Field Choreographer: Bryn Walters

Assistant Field Choreographers: Vassiliki Kolovou, Nikos Lagousakos, Gina Martinez, Roxana ‘Rocky’ Smith

Mass Choreographer – Parade of Athletes: Doug Jack

Assistant Field Choreographers – Parade of Athletes: Claire Terri, Paul Winkelman

Associate Costume Designer: Theofilos Yessios-Geskos

Video Production Manager: Costas Kephalas

1st Assistant Video Director: Dimtiris Birbilis

2nd Assistant Video Director: Manos Gasteratos

Assistant Video Production Manager: Margarita Manda

Animation Designer – Chief Editor: Matt Johnson

Assistant Animator: Yiannis Anagnostou

Text Animation: Bios

Editing: Leah Bowers, Sandrine Cheyrol

Video Cinematographer: Isaac Mathes

Director-Narration Workshop: Roula Pateraki

Narrators: Olia Lazaridou, Amalia Moutoussi, Aglaia Pappa

Hair Designer: Alexandris Balabanis

Make up Designer: Petros Petrohilos

Artistic Segment ‘Clepsydra’

Costume & Set Supervisor: Eleni Manolopoulou

Associate to the Costume Supervisor: Marialena Lapata

Associate to the Set Supervisor: Myrto Anastasopoulou

Painting Designer & Supervisor: Maria Ilia

Research: Antonis Galeos

and as about the Cycladic head, here are the conceptual drawings of him. You can see that originally he wanted the head to explode in much more pieces but Jack Morton then said this is not possible technicaly. (i remember of reading that in one newspaper interview) This is why the idea had to be adapted to the new technological conditions and to reduce the pieces in 8 big ones.

more picturesm

I am not trying to say that Jack Morton was not important for the OC. Sure they was. As one of the biggest production companies they have the technological know-how and the necessary engineering. This is why they got the job. The job of producing the show. Not creating! There is a huge difference between those two things. And if this is not clear enough, we call it "Calatrava roof" because he is the architect, the creator and not "Elliniki Technodomiki roof" because they build it!

P.S.: Sorry for the "off-topic" but it makes me really livid when people continuous try to slag or to steal out of envy the achievements of our ancestors and ours and our culture. This happens very often the last years.

OK, so I miscredited Pappaneou. Thanks for clarifying that.

But going back to my previous, previous point: it was not entirely original. The Romans first did it.

[savas]

ok. i remember of watching a similar or even the same documentation about the Colosseum. I dont think Papaioannou thought about the Colosseum when he created his concept. But this is another discussion. The flooding of the arena was only at the early years of the Colosseum possible at the time the so called "Naumachia" (naval battle) were staged im the arena. After the construction of the hypogeon the flooding was not possible. Therefore it was possible with complicated systems to lift up Cladiators, animals and whole stage designs in only a view seconds.