The opening and closing ceremonies: every minute counts

Zhang Yimou

(BEIJING, August 9) -- Ever since Zhang Yimou accepted his appointment as Chief Director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games, he has not had a moment of downtime.

Zhang admitted from the beginning that spearheading the ceremonies would be a task that carried a lot of pressure with it. It is now a year and a half later, and he and his team have completed the creative blueprint for the ceremonies. However, Zhang does not feel that the pressure has subsided one bit.

With four billion people around the world watching, Zhang said, "We cannot overlook even one minute of the programs."

Many people might assume that the directors are only responsible for the performance portion of the opening and closing ceremonies. In actuality, Zhang and his team are the "steering wheel" for every aspect of the ceremonies including the parade of the participants, the lighting of the Olympic cauldron, and the artistic program.

Zhang says that he and his team must consider the way every detail of Chinese culture is presented in terms of performances, process, ceremony, etc during every minute of the three-and-a-half hour opening ceremony.

Zhang will oversee the direction of all four ceremonies while assistant director Zhang Jigang will mainly be involved with the Paralympic Games opening and closing ceremonies, and assistant director Chen Weiya will handle the Olympic closing ceremony. Both assistant directors will lend a hand in directing the opening ceremony for the Games.