The opening to the Bejing Olympics featured a staggering fireworks display, but those watching at home were tricked into thinking what they saw was real. Some of it was actually CGI.
The fakery was unearthed by a local Chinese newspaper, The Beijing Times, which revealed that a 55-second sequence was created by a visual effects team, which included a series of giant footsteps made by fireworks.
Confusingly, this actually took place in the real ceremony, but the organisers felt that the sequence of 28 footprints would not be accurately captured live, so they faked it.
Risk assessment
Speaking to The Beijing Times, an advisor to the Beijing Olympic Committee (BOCOG) defended the decision: "It would have been prohibitive to have tried to film it live," he said.
"We could not put the helicopter pilot at risk by making him try to follow the firework route."
To emulate the shot, the visual effects team actually put a slight camera shake on to the image, and even spoke to the Beijing meteorological office to ask them how to recreate the Beijing smog.
Your comments (4) Click to add a new comment
blueskythinker
August 12th 2008
4. True. I guess most of the news-gatherers on websites were at the pub at the time of ceremony! Or the British broadcasters failed to acknowledge the CGI. Either way, it's still interesting (if old).
Alert a moderator
dustinal
August 12th 2008
3. Fair enough. Let me put it another way: this shouldn't be news. It was known at the time of the ceremony that it was CGI. (see http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26139005/) If people want to talk about it or debate whether it's ethical or whatever, that's fine. I just don't understand why it took three days for everybody to start talking about it and why they say the Beijing Times "unearthed the fakery." It was already known!
Alert a moderator
blueskythinker
August 12th 2008
2. No this isn't news at all. That's why it's been covered by every major news agency in Britain in the last couple of days!
Alert a moderator
dustinal
August 12th 2008
1. This isn't news. The announcers on the NBC (American) broadcast of the ceremony said that the footprint sequence was CGI as it was being shown, so it was already known and made public at that time.
Alert a moderator
Tell us what you think
You need to Log in or register to post comments