Dark Knight not real: uses stuntmen and CG. Fakes!
by Stéphane LeeThis is not entirely unrelated with the post title. There is some buzz about the fireworks being faked at the Olympics opening ceremony and that the girl singer was not singing. The show was directed by Zhang Yimou, a much acclaimed filmmaker. Not surprising that it was like a movie. The footage of an helicopter view that is computer generated. The fireworks were there but they were not shot live from the helicopter (for obvious reasons). It was quite obvious, in watching on tv, that the performers were not singing live but lipsyncing.
The NBC commentators were the best in providing insight and other information on the ceremony. I have not seen/heard such details with the BBC or Radio Canada coverage. The NBC commentators specified that the footage was cinematic literally. There was no particular comment on the BBC or Radio Canada though. They must have been less clueful. The NBC expert talked about harmony and how China emphasizes on harmony, one vs many, history vs. future.
Personally, I think it is a tempest in a teacup. It was a show combining old and new: history (bamboo, paper) and the future (space explorer, school children). Using video on LED screens on the floor and around the roof.
At the end, NBC did a better job in explaining what the organizers wanted to convey to the public. They hired an expert on China for his commentary and Mandarin translation skills. Others didn’t.
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