Talk:2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony/Archive 1

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Archive 1 Archive 2

Time

Resolved

What time is the ceremony supposed to start? The article neglects to mention it.Tad Lincoln (talk) 02:55, 20 July 2012 (UTC)

 Done. It was 9 pm and has been added. Martinevans123 (talk) 20:52, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

#JustOneMinute

Resolved

Why there's no mention of the controversy regarding the Israeli request for a minute of silence to remember the Israeli athletes and the German police officer killed in Munich to take place at the opening ceremony? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 189.135.223.117 (talk) 18:18, 24 July 2012 (UTC)

Because no one has yet added that information citing a reliable source.--Shantavira|feed me 13:32, 27 July 2012 (UTC)

paul

Resolved

Paul McCartney also sang the end of 'The End' by the Beatles, this is missed off the article. And it was also where he should have ended his performance! — Preceding unsigned comment added by Jacknunn (talk • contribs) 00:27, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

 Done. It's now been added. Martinevans123 (talk) 14:11, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Emeli Sandé

Resolved

Surely, some mention should be made of Emeli Sandé's performance of Abide with Me, given that all other solo performers get a mention. Skinsmoke (talk) 02:23, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

 Done. Has been added. Martinevans123 (talk) 21:03, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Reception?

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With other events there are normally quotes on what critics or dignitaries felt about the event as a whole. Has anyone found any solid sources or quotes that can be attributed? Mwheatley1990 (talk) 04:57, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

There are loads from all around the world. The vast majority hail the ceremony as a great success, both press and reviews worldwide.

Here is reviews from around the world.what the world thought in each country.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/london-2012/9434319/London-2012-What-the-world-thought-of-the-opening-ceremony.html

Most watched ceremony ever in the US http://www.forbes.com/sites/dorothypomerantz/2012/07/28/olympics-opening-most-watched-non-u-s-ceremony-ever-and-pretty-good/

review http://www.thedrum.co.uk/opinion/2012/07/28/london-2012-opening-ceremony-review-take-bow-danny-boyle

review http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/olympic-games-opening-ceremony-london-danny-boyle-355545

Theres loads,can post them all day. Theres also a review out there showing that the vast majority of twitter uses liked the ceremony. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 188.29.1.11 (talk) 18:24, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Venue - Olympic Stadium

Resolved

Article does not mention where the event took place: Olympic Stadium http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Stadium_%28London%29 — Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.33.118.116 (talk) 05:05, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

 Done. Has been added. Martinevans123 (talk) 21:05, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

The Queen's introduction and national anthem

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While the paragraph is correct, to me it reads like the Queen in the Buckingham Palace piece may have been an actress, although it does not actually say that I wonder if it might be better worded with the following addition; "Bond escorted Queen Elizabeth (who played herself) out of the building"? We already have; "James Bond (played by current Bond actor Daniel Craig)", so it would seem to fit. --wintonian talk 07:50, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

In the absence of any comments I have changed it to "(who played herself)" although I'm not sure if"(played by herself)" would be better, either way if anyone has any comments or issues with this then obviously these can be discussed. --wintonian talk 04:51, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Bean or not Bean?

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There is nothing saying that Atkinson was portraying Bean. I thought it was a reference to his famous concert pianist routine... — Preceding unsigned comment added by Robbyduffy (talk • contribs) 09:59, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

 Done. Beanz Meanz Rowanz. Martinevans123 (talk) 21:07, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Broadcast

Resolved

How many people were estimated to have watched the event worldwide? I would like the page to mention that this opening ceremony was also broadcast in 3D. TurboForce (talk) 10:57, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Current estimate, with a WP:RS, is 1 billion. Martinevans123 (talk) 21:08, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Negative coverage that might possibly be included in the article?

Resolved

How about this one - London Olympics: The Most Embarrassing Opening Ceremony? http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonykosner/2012/07/27/london-olympics-the-most-embarrasing-opening-ceremony/ — Preceding unsigned comment added by 124.189.200.75 (talk) 13:28, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Yes, a vile and worthless red-top if ever I saw one. But "positively cringe-inducing" does indeed seem a worthy quote. Martinevans123 (talk) 13:34, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Just read the comments to see how many people feel the exact same as I do. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 124.189.200.75 (talk) 13:43, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Not in dispute. But 77 reader comments against a Forbes column do not constituteWP:RS. Even the columnist, Anthony Wing Kosner, is not entirely negative. Martinevans123 (talk) 13:53, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

The day we use the comment section of an opinion site as a judge of world opinion is a day we can no longer call ourselves civilised Mwheatley1990 (talk) 13:55, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

[1] [2]. Obviously just a racist or a troll...or both. Best to ignore. --Τασουλα (talk) 15:39, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Olympic flag

Resolved

Where's the Olympic Flag, together with it's rather notable bearers, including Ban Ki Moon. Martinevans123 (talk) 15:33, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Should be added.I was totally shocked that he was carrying it! --Τασουλα (talk) 15:45, 28 July 2012 (UTC)
Someone else seems to be missing? Martinevans123 (talk) 15:54, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

edit semi-protected

Resolved

{{edit semi-protected}}​

Here is a really cool list with lots of facts and figures about the games.

I noticed on the main article you say an estimated 1 billion viewers,it was 4 billion.

"4bn Estimated global audience for the opening ceremony on 27 July 2012"

http://www.londontown.com/London/Olympic-Facts--Figures

[snip]

Apparent copyright violation removed. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 21:24, 28 July 2012 (UTC)
"4 bn" is not supported any independent source in that list. Not sure the source can be considered WP:RS? Martinevans123 (talk) 21:33, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

David Beckham handing over the torch

Resolved

From watching the event, he didn't hand over the torch to Steve Redgrave (which is what is currently stated in the article). Whoever the girl was on the boat in the torchbearer outfit was the one carrying the torch, and then Beckham adjusted the gas control on Redgrave's torch. At no point did he hand the torch over, it should be stated that the girl handed to to Redgrave - Beckham just drove the boat. But from what I can find the sources all say that Beckham handed it to Redgrave - so what do we do when the reliable sources are wrong? Miyagawa (talk) 21:16, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Found out the girl was Jade Bailey, a youth player for Arsenal F.C. Sadly Heat here seems to be the first source I've found which describes the event as how it actually occurred. Miyagawa (talk) 21:20, 28 July 2012 (UTC)
No need to be sad - surely Heat is quite an appropriate source for a torch detail? Martinevans123 (talk)
There was no handover; the torch on the boat was used to ignite Redgrave's torch. I clearly recall watching Beckham turn on the gas on the latter. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 21:26, 28 July 2012 (UTC)
Heat says this: "A girl at the front of the boat Jade Bailey, who plays football for Arsenal and the England Under 17 women's team, held on to the torch throughout the boat's journey. When it got to a pier near the stadium, David helped British Olympic champion Steven Redgrave light his torch." Martinevans123 (talk) 21:29, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

"NBC was credited for their cinematography"

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did NBC use their own cameras, or did they take the (Olympic, aka BBC) feed, in which case it should be the latter being congratulated. --AlisonW (talk) 23:11, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

having now seen both NBCs and BBC-One's coverage, they took the BBC/Official feed the whole time, with the only cut-away being the Phelps interview in place of the 7/7 memorial, and 'highlights' of the parade when coming back from commercial breaks (which they do every year). Now, that doesn't mean that NBC didn't contribute camera operators and mixers to the 'cause'. It could be that the official feed took in camera inputs from a variety of live sources as it was mixed for broadcast. However, we'd need some citation for that.— Preceding unsigned comment added by Acroyear (talk • contribs) 23:16, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Are you sure that NBC used BBC footage or just used the standard feed from OBS? Frediculous biggs (talk) 01:22, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure that the BBC is providing the footage. They are the Official Broadcasters. Lots of technical info here: [3]. Stronach (talk) 09:25, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Danny Boyle's SNUB of the United States

Resolved

If you watched the very beginning of the Ceremony, you will see that Danny Boyle SNUBBED the United States. At the beginning there was a video that played about the River Thames (From source to London), that led right into the start of the countdown, to begin the Opening Ceremony. Toward the end of this video all of the previous Summer Olympic Games posters were shown. Well; Almost all of them. It appears Danny Boyle seems to believe that Moscow (1980) was followed by Seoul (1988) Because he left out Los Angeles (1984). Now I figured this to be an oversight, they happen. However Mr Boyle also seems to think that Barcelona (1992) was followed by Sydney (2000), skipping by Atlanta (1996). Two oversights so close together how could that happen? Well he also left a third one out. He left out Berlin (1936). I can understand to removal of the (Nazi Olympics), but the two U.S. games?

I am posting this as I believe there is some merit in including this Oversight/Snub in the article. It is clear Boyle was trying to send some sort of message. What that message is, I do not know!--Subman758 (talk) 03:45, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Could it be that Boyle's artistic judgement was that the posters were chosen solely for their visual appearance, juxtaposed in a pair, for about 500 ms, and not for their actual information content or "to be fair to all previous Games"? Martinevans123 (talk) 10:50, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
Clearly not a snub as otherwise he wouldnt have shown the 1904 and 1932 posters, I suspect as Martinevans123 says down to not enough time to show them all. MilborneOne (talk) 12:03, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
That makes no sense. There was time to show every other single poster. They did not have two seconds to show Los Angeles, and Atlanta? No there is something more to it. Berlin is understandable, everybody hates Hitler, even though those games gave us the Torch Relay, and Jessie Owens. This issue needs to be asked about, was it a mistake, or was it intentional?--Subman758 (talk) 16:32, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
I think it is much more likely that some had to be cut for time, and they cut ones that would leave the nation in question still represented. Formerip (talk) 16:39, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

List of heads of state and dignitaries attending the ceremony

Do we plan one? Hektor (talk) 07:21, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony certainly has one, in a hide-away list. Martinevans123 (talk) 10:53, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
Are they actually notable as individuals to the opening ceremony, I would have thought single line that says "Heads of state and leaders of 94 countries attended the ceremony." is all that is needed. MilborneOne (talk) 12:09, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
Why were they notable in 2008? Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 12:37, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Underworld

Resolved

Underworld have been dsecribed twice in the article as a 'DJ electronica duo' - they aren't a DJ outfit, they are a band, known mainly for electronic music. They aren't a duo either - yes they've had two core members throughtout their 30-year history but have had lots of other members too. They've currently got three members (Karl Hyde, Rick Smith, Darren Price). It may seem pedantic but it winds me up when ignorant people use 'DJ' and 'electronic band' interchangeably. And yes Underworld have done DJing gigs, and Darren Price himself used to be known as a DJ, but when someone says 'Underworld' you think of their massive back catalogue of music, their film scores, their gigs, and their hit singles. You don't primarily think of them playing other people's music. And the work they did at the Olympic ceremony clearly involved re-workings of their own recorda as well as playing other people's. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Roxoid (talk • contribs) 12:17, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Done. Stronach (talk) 12:22, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Section on cut material?

Should there be a section on material planned for the ceremony but cut for time? For example, the BBC's brand manager for Doctor Who (it's a big enough franchise now that they need one) has confirmed that a segment paying tribute to the 50-year-old series was planned but was part of the cut material (except for the TARDIS sound being heard).[4] 70.72.215.252 (talk) 15:19, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Songs and Music

Resolved

I remember hearing Eclipse during the fire ceremony. Libido (talk) 01:50, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

 Done. Has been added. Martinevans123 (talk) 21:01, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Jadailykc (talk) 02:14, 28 July 2012 (UTC)Staying Alive, by the Bee Gees;West End Girls, by pet shop boys;Uprising, by Muse;A Message to you, Rudy, performed by The Specials; Bohemian Rhapsody, by Queen Jadailykc (talk) 02:14, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

The Daily Mail have published the full playlist - including four songs that weren't played, so presumably were part of the half hour cut from the ceremony. Mittfh (talk) 14:10, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

The half hour cut might be worthy of mention in its own right - which half hour? and why? Martinevans123 (talk) 21:02, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Some of the music used was Irish, as opposed to being British. For example, some of U2's music was used, and they are from Dublin. This should be noted. Laggan Boy (talk) 10:56, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

And some was Australian, etc. ? Martinevans123 (talk) 11:03, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
And My Boy Lollipop by Jamaican, Millie--Egghead06 (talk) 11:11, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
Millie Small was born in Jamaica but became British later on, so she can be considered a British singer — Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.195.178.211 (talk) 11:47, 30 July 2012 (UTC)

Some photos are from rehearsal, not ceremony ...

Resolved

NB 'SaveTheSurprise' on the big screens is a giveaway. Metadata says 25th not 27th, so no intention to deceive. The one photo from the 27th - young athletes lapping with the torch (incorrectly described as "entering the stadium") - is nominated for deletion. --195.137.93.171 (talk) 10:12, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

So should the caption for that image be something like "The rehearsal for the ceremony, 25 July 2012"? Martinevans123 (talk) 10:42, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

TARDIS

Resolved

I have been told that the sound of the TARDIS landing was heard during the musical segment. Is there a source for that? 2.5.48.168 (talk) 14:26, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Yes I did heard that, but it was a very brief sample. The music section was made up from a great many tiny samples. I think the use of the longer extract from Pink Floyd's Eclipse might be notable. Martinevans123 (talk) 14:43, 28 July 2012 (UTC)
Rumor mill is that there was supposed to be a filmed Dr. Who montage segment somewhere after the parade, but the parade went too long so it got cut. Now, I've only heard that from pro-Doctor Who sources and not from any independent source. In any case, it probably doesn't belong in the main article. Acroyear (talk) 23:13, 28 July 2012 (UTC)
That seems to fit with the "cut half hour" suggestion (above). Martinevans123 (talk) 10:44, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Inclusion of Map of the Problematic

Resolved

I think it'd be worth noting the use of Map of the Problematic (song by Muse) that was used as the closing song to Danny Boyle's short film opening the Isles of Wonder event. The countdown is mentioned, as well as other songs in the montage, but no mention of the aforementioned most prominently used? I mean, it shouldn't be that much of a problem adding it, the song was a single as well so the links are all there ready to be made (alas, I can't). — Preceding unsigned comment added by 94.5.233.22 (talk) 23:23, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

  • "Map of the Problematique", to be pedantic about it. I don't think we can mention every single song used in the ceremony (although I'd really like to mention "Surf Solar" by Fuck Buttons), mind you I'm sure an article doing just that will appear fairly soon. Black Kite (talk) 23:29, 28 July 2012 (UTC)


Music

Resolved

It says "most of the music was British or Irish." Which parts were Irish, and what are the refs for this? Stronach (talk) 11:20, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Or maybe we should have "most music was British, Irish, Australian or Jamaican"?! Martinevans123 (talk) 11:25, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
I don't understand why Irish has been singled out for special mention - the music was, for obvious reasons, overwhelmingly British. I put a 'cite needed' tag by the Irish bit but it has been removed. It seems like OR/is being given undue weight if it is true. Stronach (talk) 11:32, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
I quite agree that U2 are Irish. But it wasn't the only "non-British" music sampled. Are we using length of sample as a criterion? And, of course, Danny Boy certainly isn't Irish. Martinevans123 (talk) 11:36, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
Danny Boy has English lyrics set to an Irish tune. Sionk (talk) 11:49, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
A Northern Irish tune, and so part of the United Kingdom. I meant Irish as in Eire. Stronach (talk) 11:54, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
Maybe the sentence should say 'Northern Irish', to satisfy all points of view. It's a sensitive political subject. Though personally I am content with 'Irish' because it originates from the island of Ireland. Sionk (talk) 12:03, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

The point I'm getting at is 'British' includes Northern Irish, so there's no need to specify NI unless you are also going to mention Welsh and Scottish music. As 'Irish' can be taken to mean Eire, and Irish/Eirean music isn't featured any more prominently that Jamaican, American etc, why is it mentioned at all? It doesn't deserve a special mention, IMHO. So why not just have the sentence as "overwhelmingly/predominantly British music?". That's the whole point - they were showcasing British music.

Just out of interest, can we make a list of 'non-British' music featured?

  • "My Boy Lollipop" music and words by an American, performed by by Millie (Jamaican)
  • by U2 (Irish)
  • "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" (American)
  • "Nimma Nimma" by AR Rahman (Indian)
  • "Theme to the South Bank Show" Paganini (Italian), arr Lloyd Webber

Stronach (talk) 12:09, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Not to be pedantic, but Millie Small probably counts as Jamaican-born British. According to her article, she hasn't lived in Jamaica for 50 years. Formerip (talk) 15:30, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

I see the sentence has been amended to "mainly British music", which is fair enough. However, Northern Ireland is not part of Britain, though their athletes are part of "Team GB". The word "Irish" has already been added back in once in the last hour. The sentence is only cited to a list of music, therefore it is bordering on WP:OR to analyse the list. Maybe someone can find a reliable source that describes the music content? Sionk (talk) 17:06, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Is "British including NI music" any better? I don't see how this is supported by the source given. Is "Chariots of Fire" actually "Greek music" !? Martinevans123 (talk) 17:29, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
How about "music mainly from the UK"? I don't think NI should get a separate mention, because then so should Scotland, Wales and England. Stronach (talk) 17:31, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
Sources that say the ceremony celebrated British pop music are legion. Here's one: [5] Stronach (talk) 17:34, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
Is there any source, from anywhere at all, that says "British and .." anything? Surely, it's just mainly British, simple as that. Martinevans123 (talk) 17:43, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
That's what I've been getting at all along (clearly not very concisely)! The 'Irish/Northern Irish' thing crept in, whereas all I'd seen in all the sources was British, though obviously there was a smattering of 'foreign' music. I'm all for it reading 'British', plain and simple. Stronach (talk) 17:52, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
I've changed this to read "mainly British". You'll see at British People that "British people... are citizens or natives of the United Kingdom..." Therefore, by extension, I think its fine to use 'British music' as a term encompassing music from all parts of the UK. As only a very small fraction of the songs were not 'British' by this definition, I think the phrase, "mainly British music" covers it well. Thom2002 (talk) 17:57, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

I've moved the official music credits webpage to External links, because it (1) doesn't list nationalities so doesn't verify much (2) would require WP:OR to draw any conclusions from it. Sionk (talk) 18:02, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Does "Irish music", such as that of U2, require any special mention? and if so why? Would the average reader think of U2's music as "Irish"? Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 22:18, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
All this bother over mentioning Irish music is giving it undue weight. The percentage of the hundreds of tunes used and sampled that were non-British is very small. No surprise there as this was a British celebration. So to mention non-British music is to give it undue weight. That's why I keep hoicking it out of the text. If you are going to mention Irish music, you have to mention American, Jamaican, Italian etc music that was used - all of which were in a tiny minority, so small as to be insignificant. And as established above, Northern Ireland music comes under the catch-all descriptor of British music - just like we don't make a special mention of English, Welsh or Scottish music. Stronach (talk) 22:47, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
For some reason, Irish music, particularly that by U2, keeps getting added back in as a notable feature - I wonder could we examine the reasons for this and see if we can agree as to why it should be mentioned as "Irish music"? Is it perhaps something to do with Danny Boyle's perfectly legitmate Irish roots? Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 22:24, 30 July 2012 (UTC)


Background music in Happy and Glorious

Resolved

I really want to know what the music was played in Happy and Glorious. Does anyone know? --Coekon (talk) 22:46, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Other music in this section: ‘Arrival of the Queen of Sheba’ (Handel), ‘Music for the Royal Fireworks IV: La Rejouissance’ (Handel), and ‘Sundowner’ (Blanck Mass).[6] -- [[ axg ◉ talk ]] 23:21, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
Thans alot--Coekon (talk) 23:58, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Alleged Nazi salute

Resolved

Dude, this totalitarian website won't even explain that a man did Nazi salutes during the ceremony, despite it being seen by millions of people on live television broadcasts. You are urinating against a wall by trying to get this website to recognise facts, its no longer a project for the sharing of information, it has simply become an endorsement for the elitist education systems it used to pride itself in replacing. Wikipedia does not equal freedom of information and education, it represents a totalitarian state whereby one must find information sourced by elitist organisations or flawed media outlets. So what if there are no academic journals prepared to acknowledge an uncomfortable fact? Even if millions of people know something, or are aware that something is factually accurate, Wikipedia will only accept it if some boffin in Oxford writes a paper about it. I didn't elect that boffin at Oxford, fair enough, that is a loose criticism, but I didn't scrutinise their academic credentials either, and I think this site needs to learn that academia is actually often a load of bollocks, and that sometimes perceived wisdom is correct. So to hell with the 'official' sources, what is this, a state of total war? why not just allow intelligent individuals to vouch for what they have witnessed, instead of allowing a bunch of anaemic, busybody losers to run around saying 'oooh oooh, that hasn't been printed in a state endorsed academic journal of suitable repute!!! You can't say that, Jimmy Wales, Jimmy Wales, I'm your little suck-up tell them, tell them they can't say that!!!' Get a grip Wikipedia, or you will alienate the very people you aimed to get onboard; the intelligent layman who wants to share knowledge without boundaries. Stop letting establishment propaganda get between humanity and factuality, and if it means telling a bunch of virgins to sod off and stop construing online authority as a cause for self-esteem then so be it. Just allow knowledge to be shared, rather than policed, edited and censored! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.41.185.174 (talk • contribs) 00:21, 30 July 2012‎

I think you mean "into the wind". Martinevans123 (talk) 08:48, 30 July 2012 (UTC)
You say it was a nazi salute, he says it wasn't. [7] So who do we believe? The man who knew why he did what he did with his left arm, and what he meant by it (if anything), or the man who doesn't? Why is your truth better than his truth? You don't understand how Wikipedia works. We need facts and a neutral point of view, not people's impressions of things. 86.133.210.193 (talk) 08:23, 30 July 2012 (UTC)
".. he mentioned "Jimmy Wales" once, but I think he got away with it!" Martinevans123 (talk) 08:52, 30 July 2012 (UTC)
People have been raising their arms to wave or signal or salute since the beginning of time. If that arm-raising is accompanied by a cry of "Heil Hitler!", then it is a Nazi salute. If the arm-raiser doesn't yell "Heil Hitler", then they are merely raising their arm. Amandajm (talk) 09:35, 30 July 2012 (UTC)


Giving due weight to the events and credit where its due

Resolved

If this :

Speeches by Lord Coe and Count Rogge followed, and The Queen officially opened the Games.[22] Seated near The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh was The Most Rev. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury. Also seated near The Queen were other senior members of the British Royal Family, including The Prince of Wales and his wife, The Duchess of Cornwall. As soon as The Queen declared the Games officially open, a fireworks display began.

is the best that you British editors of Wikipedia can come up with, then all this Australian can say is "No wonder David Beckham doesn't know which side to hang his medal on!

Aaaaargh!

Amandajm (talk) 08:07, 30 July 2012 (UTC)

So don't just bellyache about it, fix it! 86.133.210.193 (talk) 08:18, 30 July 2012 (UTC)
It's done, naturally. Because I don't just bellyache. But if you have ever tried to improve and add balance to the article on Elizabeth II, you would also be bellyaching first and acting with caution.
Indeed. This article (like all other Wikipedia articles) is not limited to being edited by British editors, so please do contribute to improve the article with appropriate referenced information. --Demiurge1000 (talk) 08:18, 30 July 2012 (UTC)
Maybe we could include a transcript of the Queen's entire speech to bulk it out a bit, haha. Martinevans123 (talk) 08:44, 30 July 2012 (UTC)
I think that would be an extra nine words, would it not? Amandajm (talk) 09:24, 30 July 2012 (UTC)
Yes, but they were nine really good words - we could even add an Ozzy translation! Martinevans123 (talk) 09:36, 30 July 2012 (UTC)
You mean the same nine words but slurred? Formerip (talk) 23:19, 30 July 2012 (UTC)
Yes exactly. With a few controversial background comments from The Duke. Martinevans123 (talk) 07:18, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

Separate articles on Underworld's tracks

Resolved

Is it worth me making separate pages about the two specially-commissioned Underworld tracks, "And I Will Kiss" and "Caliban's Dream"? I don't want to go to the trouble if they are going to be AFDed - does being used at the Opening ceremony make them notable enough to have their own pages? The rationale for pages for individual album tracks isn't clear - it seems some album tracks that haven't been released as singles can have their own pages (eg all the tracks on The Dark Side of the Moon have separate pages).Stronach (talk) 12:53, 30 July 2012 (UTC)

Sod it, I'm going to do one for "Caliban's Dream" at least as it's at No 5 in the downloads chart for individual tracks. 86.133.210.193 (talk) 13:26, 30 July 2012 (UTC)
Done. "Caliban's Dream".
Done. "And I Will Kiss". Stronach (talk) 10:08, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

frank turner at opening ceremony

i was wondering if it would be possible to put a mention to frank turner performing at the mosh pit end of the ceremony, he is one of the hardest working artists in british music, and is a perfect example of, if you work hard enough you will achieve. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/olympics/article-2179821/London-2012-Olympics-Opening-Ceremony-LIVE.html scroll down to 20:44 — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2.26.16.117 (talk) 20:28, 27 July 2012 (UTC)

Frank Turner seems to be perfectly notable. But his participation at the ceremony needs a stronger reference than just one line in a Daily Mail live commentary blog? Martinevans123 (talk) 20:57, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Cost

What is the cost of the opening ceremonies? Apparently Beijing cost 100 million. I heard London spent much less.21:17, 27 July 2012 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by TurtleMelody (talk • contribs)

£27 million ($US 42 million) according to this source, although I'm not sure I would treat it as gospel. Formerip (talk) 01:30, 28 July 2012 (UTC)
Not sure why the word "cost" does not yet appear in this article. Martinevans123 (talk) 20:59, 28 July 2012 (UTC)
The budget figure is given - my guess is it'll be some time before they know the final actual cost, and I guess a little longer before it is revealed IanB2

Split into sections?

I think the article should be further split into sections: Pandemonium/Industrial Revolution, Happy and Glorious (James Bond escorting the Queen), NHS/Great Ormond Street Hospital/Peter Pan/Kid Dream, Chariots of Fire, British Entertainment/Pop Culture, Sun Dance, and Lighting of the Torch. Think this is feasible with appropriate references.--293.xx.xxx.xx (talk) 03:36, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Are there official names for all the sections? I've gleaned some from here. Might have to watch it again ...

--195.137.93.171 (talk) 05:31, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

This implies 4 parts. Some tracks were cut/changed for the final version ? Might help someone. --195.137.93.171 (talk) 07:21, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

This implies 3 parts ! Is it worth explaining the links to The Tempest ? --195.137.93.171 (talk) 08:53, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Obviously we'll need reliable sources to expand on the sections / section names before adding to the main article, but there was a quiet bit in Pandemonium which was apparently a memorial to those who'd died in WWI and WWII; the winged cyclists part was probably symbolism for the release of doves of peace - originally real doves, it's now symbolism; and the mosh pits didn't really feature (perhaps they were supposed to be part of the 30 minutes that was cut from the ceremony at the last minute? That could also explain why the TARDIS materialisation sound effect during the "social revolution" segment wasn't followed up with an appearance of the blue box or Matt Smith.) Again, we'll need to hunt down reliable sources before adding to the main article though. Mittfh (talk) 09:03, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

i really need to get a copy of the australian broadcast of the olympics uploaded to youtube as i actually had segment by segment descriptions of each item but with the winged cyclyst it was indeed a symbol of the releasing of the doves. broadcaster for Australian viewing stated that real doves have not been used in the olympics since 1992 (btw even with footage does a broadcaster count as a source?). — Preceding unsigned comment added by 152.91.9.153 (talk) 03:26, 30 July 2012 (UTC)

These are the official sections as per the programme:

  • Countdown
  • Green and Pleasant Land
  • Pandemonium
  • Happy & Glorious
  • Second to the right, and straight on till morning
  • Interlude
  • frankie & june say... Thanks Tim
  • Abide With Me
  • Welcome
  • Bike a.m.
  • Let the Games Begin
  • There is a Light That Never Goes Out
  • And in the end...

I've now been through and sub-divided the article accordinglyIanB2

Including Burley's 'leftie multicultural' tweet

Hello. Venturing a personal opinion here, but given that Aidan Burley's tweet smacks of attention-seeking, rather than a considered review of the ceremony, should it be included here? I think highlighting the opinion of one MP is very much WP:UNDUE. -- IxK85 (talk) 08:33, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

WP:UNDUE talks about the need for balance. Don't believe the comments by Burley have been given disproportionate coverage. His is just one of several comments available - good and bad. To remove it gives undue emphasis on favourable only reviews.--Egghead06 (talk) 08:43, 28 July 2012 (UTC)
It's not about emphasising positive reviews, it's about preferring a more articulate criticism than Burley tweeting 'crap'. Also, Burley's quotations are currently disproportionately long, at 29 words, compared with 8 words from The Times and The Daily Telegraph. A reasonable balance, per UNDUE, would be trimming Burley down to something like:
'British MP, Aidan Burley denounced the content of the ceremony on the social networking site Twitter as "leftie multicultural crap. Bring back Red Arrows, Shakespeare and the Stones."'
and dropping the second quote entirely, as his perception of leftishness is already expressed in the first quote. -- IxK85 (talk) 09:12, 28 July 2012 (UTC)
Done!--Egghead06 (talk) 09:18, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

This MP's tweet is not notable, there are 650 MPs.. would we include all of their views on the ceremony? If it would have been a member of the government, it would be notable... .but not an mp. BritishWatcher (talk) 09:34, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Notable in Wiki terms for verifiable and reliable sources such as major British newspapers, The BBC, Downing Street and Huffington Post all to report it.--Egghead06 (talk) 09:40, 28 July 2012 (UTC)
(This topic seems to overlap somewhat with the Neagtive Comments section below). Martinevans123 (talk) 14:13, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

The presenters

Who were the English and French presenters respectively? I think they should be mentioned in this article. Anyone knows them?--Coekon (talk) 11:21, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

I think they were Jake Humphrey and Mishal Husain - according to iPlayer Coolcool2012(talk to me) 17:46, 28 July 2012 (UTC)
Should certainly be added to article. Did Humphrey's RP English names detract from his otherwise excellent French delivery, or merely enhance? Martinevans123 (talk) 21:14, 28 July 2012 (UTC)
Erm, the stadium announces were Layla Anna-Lee and Marc Edwards. -- [[ axg ◉ talk ]] 22:17, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Request edit

{{Request edit}} The London ceremony was the most watched opening ceremony in America and the world. Should be added.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=oly&id=8209044

Also reviews around the world say it was a huge success and really good.

Why single out America? Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 21:28, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Because it is history and a cool little fact,so why not? =I — Preceding unsigned comment added by 188.29.19.70 (talk) 01:15, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Section titles

Each section of the event had a title, as were tweeted by @London2012 - for example, "Happy and Glorious" [8], "Second to the right, and straight on till morning" [9], "Frankie and June say...Thanks Tim" [10], and "Bike a.m" [11]. We should list these and, probably, use them as our section titles. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 21:15, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Sounds sensible. Martinevans123 (talk) 21:22, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Queen's acting

We'll need to find a source, but the queen taking part in something like this was a first; and that's worthy of mention. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 22:07, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

The BBC have released details of when the filming took place, at Buckingham Palace, and that the corgis featured were indeed belonging to HRH. Martinevans123 (talk)
Also, about the corgis: "They even starred her own dogs – including 13-year-old Monty, previously owned by the Queen Mother, nine-year-old Holly, and a third corgi, Willow." Source: London 2012: Queen delighted with James Bond role in opening ceremony [12], Telegraph, 28 Jul 2012. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 0zero9nine (talk • contribs) 17:20, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

i agree we do need to link this and i will check aussie media for a source as win news australia on the night did admit it was the queen's first ever acting role. I also would not be suprissed if this is the only acting role of a current monarch in TV history.152.91.9.153 (talk) 03:17, 30 July 2012 (UTC)

in the official programme it says "probably", so even they aren't too sure!

Change '"Variations'" to '"The South Bank Show theme tune"?

I don't know if this is a good idea, but you may want to change this:

...The soundtrack included clips from various pieces of music, notably Lord Lloyd-Webber's Variations, the EastEnders theme tune...

to this:

...The soundtrack included clips from various pieces of music, notably The South Bank Show theme tune, the EastEnders theme tune...

The term "South Bank" in this context is a synecdoche for the arts: the South Bank of the Thames is the location of the Royal Festival Hall. Variations is the The South Bank Show theme tune and was played as the camera focussed on the South Bank.

Regards, Anameofmyveryown (talk) 22:14, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Tend to agree. But what about: ".. notably The South Bank Show theme (Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Variations)".. "? Martinevans123 (talk) 22:24, 28 July 2012 (UTC)
 Done. Has been added. Regards, Anameofmyveryown (talk) 10:39, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
They call it the "Theme to The South Bank Show" on this official list of the music used [13]. (Doesn't look like the list includes all the music used during the Parade of Nations for some reason). Stronach (talk) 22:26, 28 July 2012 (UTC)
Notably according to... [who?]? - Basement12 (T.C) 22:30, 28 July 2012 (UTC)
Maybe just "including" then? Martinevans123 (talk) 22:37, 28 July 2012 (UTC)
 Done. "Notably" has been changed to "included". Regards, Anameofmyveryown (talk) 10:39, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
Let's split the difference? How about change this:
The soundtrack included clips from various pieces of music, notably Lord Lloyd-Webber's Variations, the EastEnders theme tune
to this:
The soundtrack featured clips from various pieces of music, including "Variations" (The South Bank Show theme), the EastEnders theme tune
Regards, Anameofmyveryown (talk) 22:40, 28 July 2012 (UTC)
As it happens, I bought the LP (ahuh!) of Variations *before* I knew it was being used for the SBS. The record cover makes no mention of the tv program and, as such, post-dates the music (sfaiaa). --AlisonW (talk) 23:06, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Note that the official site credits the SBS theme to Paganini. It's more like the classical version of an Andrew Lloyd Webber remix. Formerip (talk) 23:10, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Specifically, the official site refers to the clip as "Theme to The South Bank Show, Written by Paganini, arranged by Lloyd Webber". So the site calls it "Theme to the South Bank Show" and the camera was passing over the South Bank when the clip kicked in (it's on the iPlayer link here between 0:02:25 and 0:02:29 +/- 1 second). Regards, Anameofmyveryown (talk) 23:26, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

List of heads of state and dignitaries attending the ceremony

Do we plan one? Hektor (talk) 07:21, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony certainly has one, in a hide-away list. Martinevans123 (talk) 10:53, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
Are they actually notable as individuals to the opening ceremony, I would have thought single line that says "Heads of state and leaders of 94 countries attended the ceremony." is all that is needed. MilborneOne (talk) 12:09, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
Why were they notable in 2008? Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 12:37, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
They were not notable then either, which is probably why the list is hidden from view, really needs to be deleted. MilborneOne (talk) 20:14, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
Good luck. Martinevans123 (talk) 20:49, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Section on cut material?

Should there be a section on material planned for the ceremony but cut for time? For example, the BBC's brand manager for Doctor Who (it's a big enough franchise now that they need one) has confirmed that a segment paying tribute to the 50-year-old series was planned but was part of the cut material (except for the TARDIS sound being heard).[14] 70.72.215.252 (talk) 15:19, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Yes, I think there should be. I guess the decision must have been quite late in the day, as it seems they didn't have time to edit out the Tardis sound (or maybe that was kept in as a token Who gesture?) But I think reliable sources on what was cut out and why might be rather hard to come by. Martinevans123 (talk) 17:07, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
I read in an article by a volunteer (think it was in the Guardian, perhaps the Telegraph) that the bmx bike section was cut with only a fortnight to go. Gutting for the poor BMXers. Stronach (talk) 17:29, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
Can't find that article but this one mentions the BMX bit being cut: [15]. Stronach (talk) 18:11, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Criticism of NBC's TV coverage

This section is too detailed. Am I right? Formerip (talk) 15:47, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

I think you are. But if NBC's coverage was so controversial and BBC's was not, then I suppose that might help to explain the apparent imbalance. Martinevans123 (talk) 17:02, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Ask for help expanding Jade Bailey (footballer)

I am the creator of the article Jade Bailey (footballer) I came here hoping to ask for help in expanding it because of her role in the ceremony. I don't know enough to do a good article here. I need 1500 characters to get it past http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Did_you_know_nominations/Jade_Bailey_(footballer) . I don't think we're quite there yest but I have expanded the article further. I may not be able to contribute much this week, so if you can help or suggest someone else who can help, then that would help an enormous lot. Regards, Anameofmyveryown (talk) 16:37, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

I've looked for more material online, and found none. We may need to wait for her local news outlets to profile her, during the coming week. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 18:09, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
They'd better hurry up: there's a discussion on whether to delete Jade Bailey. I've asked for 7 days: a pause seems reasonable given the current kerfuffle.
If you (or anyone else) wants to say whether the Jade Bailey (footballer) article should or should not be deleted, please make your way to here and register your view, either for or against. Regards, Anameofmyveryown (talk) 19:19, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

Technical aspects

I'd like to see a section on the staging of the ceremony. There must have been one of the biggest collections of DMX universes ever. Not to mention the pyrotechnic synchronisation. Danensis (talk) 09:37, 30 July 2012 (UTC)

You must means these: DMX512? I added a single line about the sound system, but I quite agree a section would be ideal. Martinevans123 (talk) 09:43, 30 July 2012 (UTC)
I found this about the LCDs [16] Stronach (talk) 11:56, 30 July 2012 (UTC)

I've found a few articles: from the Daily Mail [17], and the telegraph [18], a few snippets by Nick Jones, Technical Manager Lighting,Video, Power and Broadcast Vision in [19] and a mention of some of the firms involved in [20] I've expanded the list of key team members to include the technical team - should this be a separate list? See also [21] Danensis (talk) 12:17, 30 July 2012 (UTC)

Image sizes

I have returned the images to their default sizes (which users can override in their own browser, or user settings). There are a number of reasons why editors should not try to impose their own personally-preferred larger sizes on others; including but not only how they appear on small screens; and file download sizes. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 12:46, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

Furthermore, the larger original image file is always available by means of only one or two clics, is it not? Martinevans123 (talk) 12:53, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

YLE

YLE was originally the broadcaster responsible for the opening ceremony, however The Independent: "It hasn't been easy. It emerged last week that Boyle had fought with Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), the International Olympic Committee's television arm, over the right to direct the neutral TV coverage of the event. OBS always recruits YLE, Finland's public service broadcaster and athletics specialists, to film opening ceremonies. But Boyle and his team won the fight, leaving YLE to direct the athlete's parade and the speeches." -- [[ axg ◉ talk ]] 23:05, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

NBC notability

Obviously issues with a major broadcasters coverage are important to cover, but is it really notable enough from a global perspective to warrant an entire subheading? It is not, fundamentally, an American event so failures of American TV coverage are somewhat secondary. It would seem preferable to put a reference with link to the issue in the "Reviews" section and leave most of the content there. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.249.186.136 (talk) 22:35, 1 August 2012 (UTC)

Photo gallery

a) There are way too many photos in the gallery and

b) the last photo in the ceremony set, of the five forged rings, is clearly taken from a television coverage view, and therefore presumably is not allowable because of copyright issues. Stronach (talk) 22:27, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

What is the guideline or general rule of thumb re: galleries? I don't often see them for Good or Featured articles. --Another Believer (Talk) 22:31, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
 Done. The Gallery has now gone. Martinevans123 (talk) 18:12, 3 August 2012 (UTC)

Muhammad Ali

He had, in fact, made at least one public appearance between 2009 and the ceremony. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DL2D9AKAxM) The source cited for this statement does not state this, either. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 173.70.141.231 (talk) 06:12, 30 July 2012 (UTC)

 Done. That sentence has now been changed. Martinevans123 (talk) 18:10, 3 August 2012 (UTC)

Drop down music list section

This is sort of in the order listed in the official music credits - the two columns have been switched. Would it be more useful to order it according to the order of use in the ceremony? Neither the official credits or the drop-down list do this, and it seems the most likely way someone would search the list. Also, not all the music used during the ceremony is listed - there were an awful lot of short samples which haven't been credited. And as far as I can see, none of the music used during the Parade of Nations (one and a half hours' worth) is listed either. Stronach (talk) 14:45, 30 July 2012 (UTC)

I've found some sources so am working on re-jigging it. Stronach (talk) 15:12, 30 July 2012 (UTC)
Please do - the order was simply taken from the referenced source but seems to be almost in reverse order! Needs to be re-ordered. Wikidwitch (talk) 16:49, 30 July 2012 (UTC)
Having just sat through the whole thing on iPlayer, my effort at putting the playlist in order is still a work in progress. Please feel free to chip in. All the songs after "Eclipse" by Pink Floyd at the end of the table are 'huhs?' - I have no idea where they featured (or indeed if they did). There were several bits of music that aren't on the list - I've added a couple that I knew (eg the Brian Eno track) but some I don't know, such as the music with The Who's Baba O'Riley sample at the countdown; the jolly music when James Bond waves at the taxi driver; the music the NHS nurses were lindyhopping to; the music when the monsters were coming out of the beds and Voldemort appeared; the music to the Olympic Torch tour section; and the music when the Olympic flag was being carried.
Also, I wonder whether it is worth putting the names of the various sections, as given in the official guide [22] into the text. I've used some of them in the playlist. Stronach (talk) 18:10, 30 July 2012 (UTC)
That's quite a task. (Adding minutes in might help other editors locate the missing pieces?) Could we agree whether or not the list should be alphabetically sortable? Thanks. maybe I should have done all my linking in your sandbox version! Martinevans123 (talk) 18:15, 30 July 2012 (UTC)
Oh sorry about your links - I did think about putting an 'in construction' tag on the table in the live article and work on it there, but as I knew I had a massive job I could see that going tits up for various reasons. I was going to look through all the edits made to the live table and add them to my version before replacing the live one with mine. Sortable columns sound good, but I haven't a clue how to do that. If I can spare another four or five hours I'll put timings on the start of each piece of music in the 'notes' column. Stronach (talk) 19:21, 30 July 2012 (UTC)
thanks everyone for your contributions. Here's the source [23]. If you want to improve the table see H:TABLE Wikidwitch (talk) 20:31, 30 July 2012 (UTC)

I won't put sortable columns in 'til I've added the timings, because if we sort before then we'll lose the order I spent five hours putting together! Stronach (talk) 08:29, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

  • I've done as much as I can with my effort at putting the playlist in order. There are six tracks at the bottom that were listed on the official music credits list but which I can't place. I have the feeling that Frank Turner's songs were sung during the prelude, but I only started watching on the box just before the official start and the iPlayer version starts at around the same time, so I don't know if he did sing them or not.
  • All tracks with bold comments and ? are unidentified music tracks. Have a listen and see if you can work them out! The timings of the starts of all tracks are in the right hand column.
  • I've not tried making it sortable yet - not sure you could with the timings column anyhow, as there are some with two or three timings, when a piece was used more than once in the ceremony.
  • I also wonder whether this should be a standalone page, called List of music played during the Olympic opening ceremony or something like that, or whether people feel it is more useful as a drop-down in the main body of the article. Its size might make editing the main page a pain in the arse.
  • Right, I'm off for a beer. Stronach (talk) 17:10, 1 August 2012 (UTC)
I've copied it across to mainspace now. Stronach (talk) 08:06, 2 August 2012 (UTC)
What ever happened here [24] has lost alot of info and reintroduced inaccuracies and disambiguations. I fixed alot of them earlier - they have come back!--Egghead06 (talk) 09:39, 2 August 2012 (UTC)
I have already received an apology for all of the dab links and tweaks I made being trashed. But that's the cost f progress, I guess - it's better to have a complete table in a fit state on which to build, greater common good etc., etc. But not sure I will do them all again - I now have a bad case of "table dab seebs"! We just should have all co-ordinated better. Martinevans123 (talk) 10:03, 2 August 2012 (UTC)
Me neither. Have always taken the view that my time on Wiki should be fun (for me anyway). Replacing a load of links and fixing disambigs because someone has trashed them - def not fun!--Egghead06 (talk) 10:25, 2 August 2012 (UTC)
Can the dab link bot be used on request? Might make it a bit easier. Not that the automatic mode ever works for me - I still have to go and do each one manually. Martinevans123 (talk) 10:37, 2 August 2012 (UTC)

Guys I'm sorry - as Martin said, I should have communicated better, perhaps put a note on the mainpage editing section to let people know I was working on an expanded version in my userspace. I guess I assumed people would read about it here. My mistake and I am really sorry for the cock-up. What inaccuracies did I introduce Egghead? I hope the amount of new info I added (tracking down missing tracks, adding composers, adding timings and descriptions of where in the ceremony the pieces came) have outweighed them. I watched the whole thing twice so was feeling pretty jaded by the end of it, and probably acted too precipitously in copying it over. (I did leave a message above and no-one commented, so I assumed no-one was too bothered and moved it the next morning.) Anyway, any trashing was not deliberate, I can assure you. Sorry again. Stronach (talk) 17:38, 3 August 2012 (UTC)

No worries. I'll re-tweak where I can. Martinevans123 (talk) 18:01, 3 August 2012 (UTC)

The song played during the "jitterbugging nurses bit" sounds like a modified version version of Tubular Bells, but I can't find any sources to confirm it.

Half-hour that was cut

There's no mention of the fact the ceremony was originally going to be half an hour longer, but the IOC told Boyle to cut it at a relatively advanced stage in planning. From what I've read, the extra half-hour was trimmed from various parts of the show, and a longer show would have contained, among others, a BMX bike sequence, a tribute to the 1948 Olympics, and some Doctor Who references. However, getting reliable sources for this is a bit tricky. ProhibitOnions (T) 12:06, 1 August 2012 (UTC)

(Yes, see Section on cut material? above.) Martinevans123 (talk) 12:34, 1 August 2012 (UTC)
Hah, I've been awake too long. Dunno how I missed that! ProhibitOnions (T) 13:59, 1 August 2012 (UTC)

Tribute section

From articles I have read, the tribute section was not solely about the 7/7 victims, but about a general memorial to "all those lost". The montage of faces shown were certainly not all victims of 7/7. Is there an definitive statement from Boyle about the meaning of that section? MrMarmite (talk) 13:21, 1 August 2012 (UTC)

I don't think he has done any media since, but the words used to introduce it were "Please pause to respect our memorial wall, for friends and family of those in the stadium who cannot be here tonight." I think this included, but was not restricted to, 7/7 victims. According to one report, Danny Boyle's father was among the faces shown. Formerip (talk) 16:38, 1 August 2012 (UTC)

Level of Detail in article

FWIW, there's quite a bit more detail we could add to the article, but I think it's already approaching WP:GA, except for stability, of course. Keep it up. ProhibitOnions (T) 11:07, 3 August 2012 (UTC)

You're right there's a danger of weighing the article down with lots of semi-relevant facts and figures, of which the programme and the explorer website contains hundreds. I've tried to select only the key ones since the programme and website are available as a links from the bottom. I agree we don't want to add much more! .IanB2

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