LONDON IS searching for a talented director for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2012 Olympic Games. Beijing Olympics had spectacular opening and closing shows, helmed by acclaimed director Zhang Yimou, and London is looking to engage the expertise of filmmaker Danny Boyle for the two ceremonies.
Fifty-three-year-old Boyle, who won Oscar in 2009 for directing Slumdog Millionaire, is on the top of the list of probables drawn up by London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, according to a report in the Sunday Times. Discussions are still being held with a for the opening night ceremony and Billy Elliot director Stephen Daldry is also in the list.
London has Beijing ceremonies to measure up to and the organisers have already started to not let expectations rise too high. “I am not sure how many countries would have either the resources or indeed the controlled resources to put on an event like that. I doubt we will have 20,000 people doing things in unison in our opening ceremony. That’s just fine. That’s the beauty of the contrast,” Paul Deighton, chief executive of the organising committee said.
Boyle, who is famous for cult classics like Trainspotting and Beach, did not confirm whether he is in talks to be the creative director for the two ceremonies.