From fireworks to lip-synching, there was an element of fake in each of these events at Beijing Olympics 2008. Everyone, including us was amazed by dazzling show that Chinese put on the opening ceremony. However, organizers revealed yesterday that the 29 footprint firework display at the heart of Friday’s opening ceremony contained a fair whack of special effects, and that much of the fireworks section outside the stadium was in fact a digitally enhanced video which was superimposed onto live footage of the event.

Gao Xiaolong, head of the visual effects team, told the Beijing Times it had taken almost a year to create the 55-second sequence. He said actual fireworks could be seen outside the stadium but it was logistically impossible to film them by helicopter, so the decision was made to recreate the effect digitally.

The UK’s Telegraph reports:

Parts of the spectacular Beijing Olympics opening ceremony on Friday were faked because of fears over live filming, it has emerged.

As the ceremony got under way with a dramatic, drummed countdown, viewers watching at home and on giant screens inside the Bird’s Nest National Stadium watched as a series of giant footprints outlined in fireworks processed gloriously above the city from Tiananmen Square.

What they did not realize was that what they were watching was in fact computer graphics, meticulously created over a period of months and inserted into the coverage electronically at exactly the right moment.

Mission accomplished, too, for little Lin Miaoke, who won the hearts and minds of the Chinese people for her stirring rendition of Ode to the Motherland at the opening ceremony. But there was growing anger in Beijing at the revelation that she lip-synched the rousing patriotic anthem, while the real singer was a little girl whose looks just didn’t make the grade.

Chen Qigang, musical director of the opening ceremony, said in an interview with local media that Ode to the Motherland was not actually sung by Lin Miaoke, who has been christened the “Smiling Angel”, but by Yang Peiyi, also seven years old. Miaoke made a huge splash in the domestic and international media for her performance.

While we were dazzled by the opening ceremony, now we are not suprised as Chinese have faked many things in the past! Now what has China to say about all these? Back home, will these give some wrong ideas to our organisers for Commonwealth Games 2010? We certainly hope not!

email