The Greatest Show on Earth!

Olympic Ceremonies Forum, Brighton, March 2009

An opportunity to meet with Martin Green, Head of Ceremonies, London 2012 and Leon Campbell, Ceremonies Producer, befell Chris Slann and Frankie Goldspink from the Carnival Learning Centre in February. They were among just 10 invited guests from around the region given the opportunity to input their creative energies into a discussion about these unique and challenging events, prior to the appointment of the Ceremonies Creative Team later this year.

This was one of 20 meetings being held around the country, one in each English region, plus Scotland, Wales and N Ireland, and with sponsors, media and, of course, with young people too.  Each forum drawing together a mix of expertise from the outdoor sector, promoters, artists, producers and educators.  The brief: to determine what our ambitions should be for the Ceremonies and to identify founding principles about their form and content.

A most illuminating, interesting and thought provoking debate ensued. More questions were raised than answered and the challenge for the incoming team will no doubt be enormous.

What defines British-ness? Who is the show for? What message do we want to send to the world? Should there be a narrative and if so how do we narrate our own story without appearing apologetic or competitive? How do we avoid clichés and stereotypes (the Bejing bus scenario)? What role will technology play? And more and more….

There is no doubt that the creative culture of the British people and their willingness to embrace change will form the heart of the show. How it looks and feels is difficult to imagine at this stage, three years is a long time away and innovation marches on apace. Stadium-based or not, interactive and/or participative, there is a confidence that whatever London does with the ceremonies it will be inspiring, hugely creative and unforgettable.  We got the feeling that Martin already has a fairly clear idea of what goes into that Creative Brief – but he wasn’t telling. It was a thrill just to be there, to share ideas with diverse, talented and intelligent people and to have played a part in that complex creative process.