Opening/Closing Ceremonies Discussion

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by Waders

Just curious. Is BC Place roof fabics fire resistant?
Even though the roof is due for replacement after the Games, we still need it for the Closing Ceremony.

We'll find out! Maybe we won't be the first indoor closing ceremony, after-all!

[Locked In]

^ Doesn't someone owe someone a steak or something if that happens? That was before my time though, so maybe I'm all mixed up or confusing an exploding BC Place with something else and an SSP old-timer can set me straight.

[Yume-sama]

Nah, that's only if the heat of all the nearly 70,000 people and the Flame causes the roof to burst. Has nothing to do with it catching fire

[Kodii]

I was at the rehearsal today.

I don't think you'll be disappointed. I've officially been hit by Olympic fever.

[scooterm2010]

I'm going to the rehearsal on Wednesday. Really looking forward to seeing what they came up with.

[Yume-sama]

Jealous What do I have to do to get in, marry one of you ?

[mooks28]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

Jealous What do I have to do to get in, marry one of you ?

That's how my other half got a ticket

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

The ceremony starts at 4PM PST. Are they gonna babble for an hour until it is dark, or something ?

EDIT: Nevermind. The TV coverage starts at 4.

The TV bobbing heads have no problems yammering endlessly. We just had the Superbowl on Sunday - over 10 hours of previews, reviews, rehashing, reminiscing, predicting, old dinosaurs rocking, and sorta funny commercials interrupted by 90 minutes of an actual football game.

They've been trained on how to "fill air" until the actual Opening Ceremonies begin.

Fearless Prediction:
CTV will be airing most if not all of the events live across the country, with recaps during the evening; NBC will tape-delay everything so it's shown in Prime Time on the east coast, and then further tape-delayed in each time zone towards the west coast. No one in the US will care because we'll already know the results from websites, RSS feeds, email attachments, YouTube links and twitter feeds. Then NBC will b*tch about low ratings & have to refund ad dollars because ratings target levels weren't met.

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

Nah, that's only if the heat of all the nearly 70,000 people and the Flame causes the roof to burst. Has nothing to do with it catching fire

I've been somewhat concerned that having a lit cauldron in an enclosed space would cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Will they actually be keeping the cauldron lit during the whole 17 days? or will it be set to 'dim' when BC place is empty overnight & during the daytime, and then set to 'full' again just before the evening medal ceremony starts?

[SpongeG]

lineups and security got to do a test for the real event


flickr susan gittins

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by jsbertram

The TV bobbing heads have no problems yammering endlessly. We just had the Superbowl on Sunday - over 10 hours of previews, reviews, rehashing, reminiscing, predicting, old dinosaurs rocking, and sorta funny commercials interrupted by 90 minutes of an actual football game.

They've been trained on how to "fill air" until the actual Opening Ceremonies begin.

In this case I have less of a problem. As long as they fill that air with previous Winter Olympic highlights it should be awesome. If they just yammer about stupid crap, it will suck.

[nickinacan]

I went to the dress rehearsal last night. It was actually better than I had anticipated. The stage changes with each act. Since they can not use fireworks to the same degree like they have at past olympics, they have made excellent use of lighting. They seemed to have used stand in performers that sounded similar to certain high profile singers... with out naming them of course. I will keep this info to myself.

Also they scared the crap out of many people when everyone was piling out of the stadium... they set off fireworks off of BC Place.

Security is crazy. Anyone that is going to these events should be there a couple hours early. They have express lines for people that don't have bags, so this speeds things up a little bit. Food inside is ridiculously expensive ($10 for a regular hot dog and a bottle of Coke) so eat before you go. And no you can't run over to the Costco and back. They are really harsh about cameras. I saw many people get kicked out.

[Zassk]

Originally Posted by jsbertram

I've been somewhat concerned that having a lit cauldron in an enclosed space would cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Will they actually be keeping the cauldron lit during the whole 17 days? or will it be set to 'dim' when BC place is empty overnight & during the daytime, and then set to 'full' again just before the evening medal ceremony starts?

I'm sure they have thought of that. :-) And remember, there is fresh air constantly being blown into BC Place to keep the roof inflated, so it's not a stale air space.

[mr.x]

Opening ceremony rehearsal awes spectators

Last Updated: Tuesday, February 9, 2010 | 10:07 AM PT
CBC News

Thousands of spectators got a sneak peak of the Olympics' opening ceremony in Vancouver at a dress rehearsal Monday night, but most were tight-lipped about what they saw.

The lively crowd streaming out of BC Place in downtown Vancouver after the rehearsal had been warned by Olympic organizers to keep the details of the performance secret, but most said it was spectacular.

Some did reveal the 2½-hour show featured Vancouver singer Sarah McLachan, performers flying through the air on harnesses, fiddlers and tap dancers. Others have said the inside of the 60,000-seat stadium has been transformed.

"We were sitting about 10 rows up. It was pretty impressive. It featured a bunch of different seasons, started with a bit of the native and aboriginal vibe of Canada, and then moved on…. I think it might give China a little run for their money," said one spectator, who preferred to remain anonymous, referring to the 2008 Beijing Summer Games.

The rehearsal didn't include the lighting of the torch, but last week, VANOC officials confirmed one performer was injured while performing some sort of skiing or snowboarding aerial manoeuvre inside the covered stadium.

Audience members hinted that part of the performance was back on track.

"A little top secret — a very cool snowboarding move — but you have to watch the opening ceremonies to see it," said another.

Most of the spectators at Monday night's rehearsal were the friends and family of performers, who were given tickets to distribute for the show.

The next rehearsal is on Wednesday when the stadium will be filled with thousands of Olympic volunteers given tickets last week.

The opening ceremonies go for real on Friday, starting at 6 p.m. PT. The Games will run from Feb. 12 to 28.

The nearby Cambie Street Bridge will be closed from noon to midnight on Wednesday and Friday, and for the closing ceremony on Feb. 28.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbi...ng-ceremony-rehearsal.html#ixzz0f4QauoiK




Projecting The Ceremonies

February 9th, 2010 by Hannah Kinnersley

Technical and design teams working on the Olympic Ceremonies at BC Place stadium in Vancouver don’t have to contend with the weather. For the first time in history, they are being held indoors. But even though they won’t be battling the elements, the enclosed stadium presents a new set of problems. Patrice Bouqueniaux, of E/T/C/ London Paris, is doing the video systems design and controls for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, twelve Victory Ceremonies, and the Opening Ceremony for the Paralympics which take place after the Winter Olympics in March, says the stadium makes the project “much more challenging because there is not a fixed roof.”
BC Place is the world’s largest air-supported domed stadium, and the roof comprises roughly 10 acres of woven fiberglass. Paris-based Bouqueniaux likens the roof to “a hot air balloon, supported by pressure, and it is always moving.”

Although the projections, which are thought to be a significant part of the Ceremonies’ design, are under wraps until after the Opening Ceremony begins, Panasonic is the Official Audio Visual Worldwide Partner for the Olympics and have announced that they are supplying an ASTROVISION Large Screen Display System and RAMSA Audio Systems onsite. At BC Place, Panasonic has installed three LED video screens with a total display area of 2,615sq-ft.

We also hear that Solotech is supplying more than 60 Christie Digital Roadster HD projection systems for the Ceremonies. Video content is rumored to be coming from Australian company Spinifex Group, known for producing video content for giant sporting events like the 2007 Rugby World Cup, and we are betting that system design and control will be E/T/C/ Audiovisuel’s OnlyView in3D.

[Yume-sama]

How can they not find someone willing to spill the beans? What's wrong with you Canada. Too HONEST!

[red-paladin]

Probably Ross Rebagliati lights the Olympic cauldron from the end of his doobie.

[hammergirl]

I had a tweet from a local journalist (Hamilton Spectator) in Vancouver for the Olympics and apparently the latest rumour for the torch lighter is Betty Fox with a hologram of her son.

[s211]

There was certainly a neighbourhood-shaking blast last night when a ring of fireworks were shot off the stadium perimeter.

At first, I thought "oh no"...

[s211]

Originally Posted by hammergirl

I had a tweet from a local journalist (Hamilton Spectator) in Vancouver for the Olympics and apparently the latest rumour for the torch lighter is Betty Fox with a hologram of her son.

What utter twaddle. This is Vancouver: who needs holograms when you have astral projection?

[SpongeG]

no no they hand out special pipes to the audience when they walk in and by the time the torch gets there they can see it no problems