Olympic Opening Ceremony

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Well, you're the one who recorded it. Go back and fiind it, because the commentators did indeed make such a comment.

I plan to - we are still watching (they just lit the cauldron)

[LashStoat]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Research credit goes to CP.

So, Kevy, you're accusing China, the Olympic committee, and NBC of flat out lying?

There is no doubt in my mind that it was entirely humanly possible. All any individual had to do was know their own routine and timing. It couldn't be more simple. The movements probably were calculated programatically. All you need is a printout of exactly when to go up, when to go down, and how far each time for each individual piece. It's the most simple choreography imaginable. Stick a dude in a box with a metronome programmed to the rhythm of his individual part for a few months and voila, perfectly precise individual component. Repeat a couple thousand times.

...hmmm...until proven otherwise, I'm going for Human Powered, Computer Assisted. An L.E.D strip (as in a graphic equaliser) would provide all of the visual queues needed, including height and speed.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by LashStoat

...hmmm...until proven otherwise, I'm going for Human Powered, Computer Assisted. An L.E.D strip (as in a graphic equaliser) would provide all of the visual queues needed, including height and speed.

That I might believe. But I'm also willing to believe that they would have TRAINED with that (note my "stick a guy in a box with a metronome) but enough rigorous training and it becomes unnecessary.

[Kevy Baby]

Also, did anyone else have volume (sound) issues? The sound level of the program was very low yet many (but not all) of the commercials were at normal volume. Which meant that since we had the volume up to hear the program, when we caught clips of commercials, we went deaf.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

Also, did anyone else have volume (sound) issues? The sound level of the program was very low yet many (but not all) of the commercials were at normal volume. Which meant that since we had the volume up to hear the program, when we caught clips of commercials, we went deaf.

I'll never understand it, but this is a pattern in ALL television, and is accentuated for big events. So ubiquitous that it's clearly purposeful. Must sell more happy meals to mix the ads louder. Pretty basic marketing principle...people respond to loud noises.

And shiny things.

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

I'll never understand it, but this is a pattern in ALL television, and is accentuated for big events. So ubiquitous that it's clearly purposeful. Must sell more happy meals to mix the ads louder. Pretty basic marketing principle...people respond to loud noises.

And shiny things.

Family Guy portrays that perfectly.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Makes me wish Clive Barker had followed through and finished the Abarat. It would be a PERFECT pairing.

I saw a review that described them as the love child of Hieronymus Bosch and Terry Gilliam.

[innerSpaceman]

Well, you're the one who recorded it. Go back and fiind it, because the commentators did indeed make such a comment.

[Kevy Baby]

I am not sure how much (if any) embellishment there was to the story of the boy walking with Tao Ming. But regardless, it caused Susan and I to well up a bit.

In case you missed it, the story was that the boy lost 20 out of his 30 classmates in the earthquake in May. After he was able to free himself, he went back to help extract his classmates. When asked why he did that, he replied simply, "because I am the room leader."

[Kevy Baby]

Okay, I acquiesce. We went back and watched the segment again. The announcers did say that it was human powered.

I am still not sure how they could go from the blocks being flat on the ground to what appears to being over six feet (or so) tall - I guess they had the platform lowered a bit. Some of the movement of the blocks still appears mechanical to me (rather than just human movement). But the people were under there providing the movement.