Beijing News Express (Reporter Zhang Jianlin, Ma Jinqian, Liu Xin) Following the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the Olympic flag was raised again at the National Stadium “Bird’s Nest” after 14 years.
Compared with the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the opening ceremony of the just-concluded 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics has been shortened, the number of actors has also been greatly reduced, and the perspective of the narration has changed from “I” to “we”. Taking into account factors such as temperature and epidemic prevention, the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics integrated theatrical performances with ceremonies.
The opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics. Photo by Beijing News reporter Ma Jun
The opening ceremony featured high-tech means such as the Guinness World Record LED ground display system, real-time capture and presentation of motion analysis based on artificial intelligence, and smart displays such as the mascot “Bing Dun Dun” and a roller skating performance incorporating street dance elements.
393 “small grasses” swayed in the wind, experienced severe cold, and the Winter Olympics arrived with the beginning of spring.
393 “small grasses” swayed in the wind. Photo by Beijing News reporter Tao Ran
The secret of 1:40,000 LED ground display system cables exceeds 20 kilometers, creating many of the world’s best
On the evening of February 4, the giant LED display screen on the ground of the National Stadium’s Bird’s Nest was dazzling. “The most amazing display system of the whole party is this LED ground display system that has set a Guinness World Record.” According to Yu Chao, a service guarantee personnel at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, the entire display system covers an area of 11,000 square meters, consisting of 40,000 LED screens, and the total length of ground cables in the whole venue exceeds 20 kilometers.
It is understood that the entire ground display system lasted nearly 2 years from research and development to on-site construction support. Yu Chao told reporters that this is also the world’s largest, most complex system control, the most reliable product, the entire LED ground display system can be called “palace-level” level.
“In terms of product performance, we made a special design to make this product resistant to low temperature, impact resistance, and long-term drills, so we made a ‘main and backup dual system’.” Yu Chao said that in terms of system scale, this product is currently the world’s largest networking LED display, so two independent systems are used for network control, and the control of electricity, including control signals, has been separated.
Yu Chao said that if there is a problem with the main system, the backup system will be started at the first time to ensure the normal operation of the display system, and the operation of this process is also seamlessly switched. “At present, in the entire system, whether it is lamp beads or control chips, whether it is the formulation of control schemes, control protocols or the construction of various lines, the whole is made in China.”
Yu Chao said that the construction of the LED ground display system reflects the contribution and responsibility of scientific and technological workers to the successful holding of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Secret 2: The roller skating performance is connected with the last PyeongChang Winter Olympics, and the movements are integrated with street dance elements
On a giant LED display on the ground, 24 roller skaters perform speed skating to music. Subsequently, the roller skating under the feet began to pull out the Olympic motto on the display screen: Faster, Higher, Stronger, Together.
In the second part of the opening ceremony, “Tribute to the People”, 24 roller skaters made a deep impression. This is reminiscent of the 24 roller skaters who took the stage to participate in the “Beijing 8 Minutes” stage at the closing ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea on the evening of February 25, 2018. This special design is also a connection to the performance of Chinese athletes at the last PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
As one of the first actors to enter the roller skating group, 21-year-old He Yubo said in an interview with reporters that he was previously engaged in athletics and changed to short track speed skating after arriving at university. It took more than two months from rehearsal to performance, and as an athlete, I was very excited to stand at the Olympics as an actor.
“Because some new ideas came up with during the formulation session, we added 24 roller skating to the performance. Their expertise is particularly good, so they moved to this group to perform the roller skating part. Tian Qing, director of the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, said.
According to the rhythm, it is not easy to complete every established action on the ground giant LED display. Tian Qing introduced that the actors of the roller skating show themselves are all majoring in ice blades and speed skating. You need to have a certain professional foundation in order to be selected into the program, so that you can quickly get started and rehearse directly.
Tian Qing said that the actors initially performed speed sliding works, and after some adjustments, they re-added the elements of street dance, and finally presented the form of performing with street dance while roller skating.
Secret 3: Artificial intelligence captures in real time, realizing the snowflakes under the feet of nearly 700 people
The young actors held the “dove of peace” in both hands, and as their footsteps moved, crystal white snowflakes bloomed under their feet. In the performance of “Dove of Peace” at the opening ceremony that night, relying on new technical means, nearly 700 actors were captured in real time and tracked and presented in real time on a venue of more than 10,000 square meters, which was the first of its kind in the world under the opening and closing ceremonies of large-scale theatrical performances.
Nearly 700 people were covered by snowflakes. Photo by Beijing News reporter Ma Jun
When the actor walks around at will, the effect of the screen under his feet will interact with him, and this so-called “shadow following” effect is inseparable from the perfect cooperation of the two systems. According to Tong Lei, director of the Academic Affairs Office of the Beijing Film Academy and dean of the Sound Academy, one is a real-time capture technology based on artificial intelligence for athlete movement analysis, and the other is an interactive engine that realizes real-time rendering.
It is understood that the former captures the position and shape of the actor on the field in real time through the video camera, and after identification, the relevant information of the actor will be transmitted to the next system, that is, the interaction engine system. “The real-time interactive engine we use is to obtain the actor’s information and generate a desired effect for it according to the needs of the director or art creative, similar to the blooming and pushing of snowflakes under the feet. And reappear in real time and without delay. Tong Lei said.
In order to achieve the effect of “ice reflection”, Tong Lei and his team members first started from the physics of forming the reflection, did a lot of programming and algorithm demonstrations, and made more and better looking effects in the process.
Tong Lei said that their respective technologies were originally used in their respective fields, such as capture technology is used in athletes’ motion analysis, real-time rendering technology is mostly used in large-scale game fields, and this time the idea is to perfectly combine these two technologies, forming a complete set of links from capture to recognition, and then to presentation and rendering, to ensure that the interactive effect is perfectly presented to the audience in real time.
Secret 4: The “little grass” in spring is a flexible long pole nearly 10 meters high, controlled by an average 16-year-old martial arts student
With the countdown to the opening ceremony, the 24 solar terms came backwards, experienced “small cold” and “big cold”, and finally ushered in “spring”. In the center of the opening ceremony, clumps of tender green grass swayed in the wind, symbolizing the endless spring and hope breaking through the cold.
The “green grass” is controlled by a group of martial arts school students. Photo by Beijing News reporter Tao Ran
In the Bird’s Nest field, the “green grass” is controlled by a group of martial arts school students, whose average age is only 16 years old. Liu Xiaodong, an instructor of the Chinese Martial Arts School, introduced that the young actor trains for about 7 hours a day, and after more than four months of training, a thick cocoon has been ground on his hands.
“Little grass” is not small, in the hands of the actor is a long pole of nearly 10 meters, in order to express the softness of the grass swinging with the wind, the long rod is made of fishing rod material.
This is also the first time that children have encountered such a huge and flexible prop, Shandong Songjiang martial arts school coach Luo Dahai introduced, in order not to let the pole shake and tremble, this group of young actors in the sea in Yantai, Shandong Province held a long pole to practice against the wind to improve stability. “Now children are holding fishing rods and flung down, they can control it like a straight rod, they will definitely not shake or touch each other.”
In order to ensure uniformity, each young actor wore ear loops, fixed with adhesive tape strips, and the ear loops had the director’s instructions on and off the scene, there was live music and rhythm, and 393 people brushed together to “swing with the wind”.
How is the green and white of “grass” realized? The reporter learned that there are two switches on each prop pole, a master switch, and a control emits white and green lights, which are strictly debugged and checked before going on the stage, and the actors manually turn on after the stage.
Secret 5: The actor of “Ice Dun Dun” is a 20-year-old dance student, and he is drenched at the end of the performance
On February 4, the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics was held at the National Stadium. At the opening ceremony, the “ice pier” that showed its kindness and cuteness when walking was eye-catching. This Beijing Winter Olympics mascot “Bingdundun”, which looks a bit like a “space panda”, is designed and created based on the panda, combining the panda image with the ice crystal shell, reflecting the characteristics of winter ice and snow sports.
The panda’s head is also decorated with a colorful halo, which is inspired by the “ice ribbon”, the national speed skating stadium of the Beijing Winter Olympics, and the flowing bright color lines symbolize the track of ice and snow sports and 5G high technology; The shape of the head shell is taken from the snow sports helmet. It is understood that the panda is the mascot of the Beijing Asian Games, and is also a member of the five mascot families of Fuwa in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games (Fuwa Jingjing), and this time it has become the mascot of the 2022 Winter Olympics, inheriting the excitement and glory of Beijing from the Asian Games to the Olympic Games and then to the Winter Olympics for nearly three decades.
During the rehearsal of the opening ceremony, the reporter met Zeng Wenqi, one of the actors of the ice dun dun, a student from the Beijing Dance Academy. When he came down from the field at the end of the rehearsal, two staff members quickly helped him untie the straps that bound his feet in his performance uniform. Zeng Wenqi said that he was not tired of completing the movement in the performance costume of the ice dun dun, but the performance costume wrapped around the body felt more stuffy. “It doesn’t take much physical effort, but the clothes will be soaked with sweat.” Zeng Wenqi said.
As a dancer, 20-year-old Zeng Wenqi told reporters that he was honored to play the mascot at the opening ceremony, which was both a rare opportunity and a very good experience for himself. And completing this task actually belongs to professional ethics and professional routine.
Zeng Wenqi said that his parents only knew that he participated in the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics, but did not know that he was playing the mascot at the opening ceremony, but he would tell his parents that he was honored to be able to interpret the image of “Bing Dun Dun”. “I will interpret the mascot of this Beijing Winter Olympics in front of the global people, and also show our national treasure panda.”
Demystifying 6: The “Snowflake” guide board is powered by a wrist battery and is checked at least five times before playing
The entrance of delegations is a necessary part of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, and the details such as the guide board often highlight the cultural characteristics of the host country. At the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, the guidance plaques held by the guides of various delegations were very characteristic of traditional Chinese culture.
The guide plate is a snowflake shape composed of Chinese knots streamlined, consisting of gold and silver colors. After entering the venue, the name of the delegation is lit up on the individual guide board, and its secret is in the hands of the guide.
The guide has a row of wrist batteries wrapped around his hands to ensure that the lights are on during the entrance and exit. The guide plate is equipped with a highly concealed dimmer and switch, connected by a detachable line for self-control of the guide. When lit, the pale yellow Chinese knot forms a snowflake border and a blue blue bilingual delegation name in the middle.
The “snowflake” guide board is neatly placed in the custom-made flight box, service guarantee staff Wang Xingkai said, in order to ensure that nothing goes wrong, the guide board needs to be checked at least five times in each process before each play.
An energetic guide always makes an impression on the audience. Dou Zhi, a staff member of makeup and hair protection, introduced that because the lighting of the opening ceremony was mainly blue that reflected the ice and snow elements, the main color system of the guide’s makeup finally chose the earth color that was superimposed in harmony. “The guide’s makeup should be clean, atmospheric and sunny, reflecting the beauty of our Chinese girls”, Dou Zhi introduced, using eye shadow to simply outline the eye shape, reflecting the clean and clear image of the guide.
In order to prevent the appearance of the guide wearing a mask, the water vapor exhaled may cause the makeup to blur, and in order to prevent this, the guide’s cosmetics, especially eye shadow, were newly blended separately to keep the color longer. Dou Zhi introduced that each service staff is responsible for the makeup and hair of multiple guides, so each person’s styling time is required to be completed in less than half an hour.
Guide Shen Yidan told reporters that since October 1, 2021, they began physical training at the training ground of Capital Sports University, performing basic gait, standing posture, hand lift position and other exercises, “I am extremely proud to participate in the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics as a guide.” Shen Yidan said.
Beijing News reporters Zhang Jianlin, Ma Jinqian, Liu Xin
Photojournalist Ma Jun Tao Ran
Edited by Liu Qianxian Proofreader Fu Chunshu
The opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics. Photo by Beijing News reporter Ma Jun