World leading British directors and producers appointed to London 2012 Ceremonies team
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) announced today that four leading UK creatives will form a team of Executive Producers who will oversee the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
The team will be:
- Stephen Daldry, Oscar winning film and theatre director as Executive Producer, Creative
- Mark Fisher, concert, theatre and Beijing 2008 Games designer as Executive Producer, Design
- Hamish Hamilton, Grammy and BAFTA award nominated TV director as Executive Producer, Broadcast
- Catherine Ugwu, Producer for the 15th Asian Games in Doha in 2006, the XVII Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002 as Executive Producer, Production
Danny Boyle, Oscar winning British filmmaker and producer, will be the Artistic Director for the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. An Artistic Director for the Olympic Closing Ceremony and one for the Paralympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies will be appointed later this year.
Sebastian Coe, LOCOG Chair, said: ‘These Games are bringing together world-class British talent. Each one of these individuals would hold their own on the worldwide stage and they are joining names like children’s author Michael Morpurgo who has created the story behind our highly successful mascots. We are delighted with the team we have brought together to deliver our ceremonies in 2012.’
Danny Boyle said: ‘I’m honoured to have been invited to be the Artistic Director for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games. It’s a completely unique opportunity to contribute to what I’m sure are going to be a fantastic Games, I’m really excited to be involved.’
Stephen Daldry said: ‘Myself and my co-executive producers will ensure there is creative continuity across all four ceremonies, that the public have real engagement and that we continue to attract into key roles the best talent in the world. I’m delighted to be part of the team.’
Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, said: ‘The opening and closing ceremonies are the jewels in the crown of any Olympics and Paralympics and are one of the benchmarks against which all Games are judged.
‘I am very pleased that British directors and producers of such outstanding international calibre and acclaim have given their backing to London 2012. With their creativity and expertises on board, I’m sure that London’s showpiece events will make Britain proud.’
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: ‘This is a brilliant team bringing together some of the most imaginative people in the world. The work they have produced over the years has been quite extraordinary, with an impact not just in the UK, but also on the international stage.
‘They exemplify some of the greatest attributes we have – creativity, vision, and intelligence – which will be critical to ensuring shows that are as stunning as they are uniquely British.’
3 Mills Studios, East London’s centre for the creative industries and in the shadow of the Olympic Stadium itself, will be the production centre for the London 2012 Ceremonies Team, and a base from where the Victory Ceremonies and Torch Relays will be produced. The Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) is taking over ownership of the studio from the London Development Agency (LDA), with this deal will see LOCOG’s staff from the Culture, Ceremonies, Education and Lives Sites Team moving into offices at 3 Mills Studios in October 2010, and LOCOG expects to have around 450 full time staff plus hundreds of contractors and production volunteers in 2011. The OPLC will assume the obligations of the LDA under the Studio Use Agreement. Normal film, TV and rehearsal activity will continue at 3 Mills Studios at the same time as the Ceremonies team develop and rehearse the London 2012 Ceremonies in part of the 20 acre, 14 stage complex.
Andrew Altman, Chief Executive of the Olympic Park Legacy Company said: ’3 Mills Studios is among the hotbed of talent and emerging artists that surround the Olympic Park. The rich cultural heritage of the Studios, combined with its renowned production facilities, make it a natural fit for the creative powerhouse that is the Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies team.
‘Boosting London’s creative and media industries is a significant part of our vision for the Olympic Park. What could be a stronger signal of our commitment than the creation of hundreds of jobs at 3 Mills to produce a series of spectacular shows that will be watched by a world-wide audience of more than a billion.’
From the 1980’s the Studios in Bow East London, has been used as a film, television and West End production site. Notables who have made films here include Wes Anderson, Tim Burton, Mike Leigh, Michael Winterbottom and Danny Boyle. West End Theatre has included the rehearsals for Billy Elliot the Musical and Oliver! The Musical. There is evidence to suggest the original Mills here were listed in the Doomsday Book and date back to the 11th century. Over time the mills have produced flour, gun powder and until the Second World War was used primarily for the production of Gin.
LOCOG has joined forces with FiveCurrents and Unspun in association with Arcadis via their consortium entitled Flow Productions Limited, to create a standalone production company called London 2012 Ceremonies Ltd. This company will produce the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The appointment of FiveCurrents and Unspun and Arcadisfollows an exhaustive procurement process to find a delivery partner able to provide production services for these extraordinary and complex events.
Working alongside the LOCOG appointed Executive Producers and Artistic Directors to realise four innovative and visionary World Class Ceremonies, Flow productions will establish the company and oversee its financial, administrative and procurement processes.
Olympic Park contractors green boost for local communities
To mark London 2012 Sustainability Week, members of staff from the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), the Delivery Partner and contractors working on the construction of the Olympic Park have been visiting schools and community centres in east London to promote sustainable initiatives and help improve community facilities.
More than 400 schoolchildren in east London have also benefited from talks from members of the ODA this week about sustainability on the Olympic Park site including Normanhurst School in Waltham Forest, St Angela’s School in Newham and Crown Woods School, Greenwich.
The ODA worked with London Fields Primary School in Hackney and Holdbrook Primary School in Broxbourne to set up 10 pocket habitats which will remain at the schools for one year and be moved back into the Olympic Park in 2011 where they will remain during the Games.
In St Helen’s School in Waltham Forest, contractors from the Olympic Stadium and Aquatics Centre visited the school after donating planter boxes, seeds and compost so students can grow their own fruit and vegetables.
Contractors working on various Olympic Park venues and projects have helped community projects, including:
Carpenters Community Centre, Newham – contactors working on the construction of the Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Centre, Basketball Arena and the utilities project worked together to paint floors and doors, fix the ceiling of the centre as well as creating an improved outside play area.
Chandos Community Centre, Newham – contractors building the Media Centre, Basketball Arena and the bridges on the Park plus the waste contractor on the Park grouped together to carry out improvements works to the centre’s outside area, including clearing weeds and rubbish and donating compost, seeds and plants.
Dan Epstein, ODA’s Head of Sustainable Development, said: ‘We are cleaning a previously industrial and contaminated area and turning it into a new urban park with brand new sports venues, homes and infrastructure. This huge project is being delivered with sustainable principles at its heart and our contractors have helped raise the bar for future projects.
‘This week, our staff and contractors have given their time, resource and expertise to help local schoolchildren understand how important sustainability is and how we all can play our part.’
Eurostar to sponsor London 2012
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) announces that Eurostar has become a tier three sponsor of London 2012, the 30th domestic sponsor.
The high-speed rail company has become Official International Rail Services Provider and will be providing London 2012 with arrival and departure services at St Pancras International for those competing and working at the Games who are travelling to London on its trains. It will also provide international rail services for London 2012’s operational requirements. Outside of its sponsorship with LOCOG, Eurostar will naturally be carrying many spectators from main land Europe to and from the Games in 2012 itself.
The cross-Channel rail operator has also acquired rights in France and Belgium and become a partner of the French and Belgian National Olympic Committees. As part of these deals, the French and Belgian Olympic teams will travel to and from the Games using Eurostar services.
As part of its sponsorship of the London 2012 Games, Eurostar will be conducting a number of activations across the UK, France and Belgium to promote London 2012 as a truly sustainable Games.
The first main Eurostar activation is the Tri-City-Athlon planned for 14 September 2010 which takes places across the three capital cities that Eurostar serves. Over one day participants will do a swim in Paris, a cycle in Brussels and a run in London.
LOCOG Chair Sebastian Coe commented: “We are thrilled that Eurostar has come onboard as a London 2012 partner. They are an iconic brand with a strong emphasis on quality and I know they will ensure that everyone coming to London 2012 by rail, either as a competitor or spectator, has the best travel experience possible from the moment they start their journey.”
Nicolas Petrovic, Chief Executive of Eurostar, said: “We are proud to be partners with London 2012 and believe we will play a critical role in bringing people from all over Europe. As the high speed rail link between the UK and the continent we will be bringing over a million people to and from the UK during the Games and will help make London 2012 the most sustainable Games possible.
“The Tri-City-Athlon which will take place in Paris, Brussels and London will be a record-breaking way of demonstrating the proximity of the continental capitals we serve and reinforcing the closeness of the UK to Europe. It will be a great challenge for the participants and will be a key milestone in the run-up to 2012.”
London 2012 Sign Up campaign is just the ticket
Sebastian Coe, Chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and Debbie Jevans, Director of Sport will today update the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) on London 2012’s progress, highlighting the success of its ‘Sign Up’ programme. Since its launch in March, over one million people have registered their interest in London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic tickets via www.tickets.london2012.com.
96% of registrations have come from UK residents, with 32% of registrations coming from Greater London, 27% coming from the south east and 41% coming from the rest of the UK. There has been an even spread across all Olympic and Paralympic sports too, with over 400,000 people registering an interest in Paralympic sports and at least 100,000 expressions of interest for each of the 26 Olympic sport.
Sebastian Coe commented, “We are thrilled by the level of interest in our Sign Up programme. What has been really interesting is that there has been significant interest across all Olympic and Paralympic sports. It should come as no surprise that the British public is so enthused by the prospect of world class sport coming to these shores, but it is pleasing to see that some of the lesser-known Olympic and Paralympic sports are also set to be well supported. I would urge people to continue to sign up and ensure they are in the front row for information between now and 2012.”
Olympic tickets go on sale in spring 2011 via an application process. Those who sign up on www.tickets.london2012.com will receive ongoing newsletters about sport events between now and 2012 and crucially will be among the first to find out about when the process opens in 2011. LOCOG is developing a ‘Fans in Front’ programme aimed at ensuring enthusiastic and knowledgeable sports fans will be seated together at venues to help ensure Olympic and Paralympic events will have the best atmosphere possible in 2012.
London 2012 pledges more tickets for British fans
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) announced more details of its ticketing plans and invited sports fans all over the country to ‘sign up’ and register their interest.
By signing up to www.tickets.london2012.com, people will be able to indicate which sports they are interested in and receive updates on major sporting events, test events and London 2012 developments – plus they will be among the first to find out when tickets go on sale in 2011 and how to apply for them.
In its first major announcement on ticketing, LOCOG today confirmed:
- More tickets will go on sale for the Olympic Games than originally stated – increasing from 7.7m to 8m
- More tickets will also go on sale for the Paralympic Games – increasing from 1.5m to 2m
- 75% of tickets will be available directly to the public via a ballot process
- Tickets will go on sale from spring 2011
- There will be a fair application process through a ballot
- Prestige hospitality tickets will account for less than 1% of tickets on sale
- More information on pricing will be issued later this year
- The ticket ‘sign up’ registration scheme is now open at www.tickets.london2012.com or by calling 0844 847 2012
The ‘sign up’ process will allow the British fans to identify which Olympic and Paralympic sports and events they are interested in and make sure they are in the best position to learn about when tickets go on sale, how to apply for them and what events – including test events – will be taking place between now and 2012. People can sign up any time between now and when tickets go on sale from spring 2011. With 10 million tickets for both Olympic Games and Paralympic Games going on sale, signing up now will help the British public save time in 2011 when tickets go on sale and make the process easier.
By issuing more details around the allocation of tickets, LOCOG is reaffirming its commitment to making the Games accessible and affordable. Later this year when the competition schedules and all venues are confirmed, more information around pricing and availability will be released.
LOCOG CEO Paul Deighton explained the approach: “After the success of the Vancouver Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, which saw fantastic atmospheres at venues and around the city, we are now progressing with our plans. This is our first major announcement on ticketing and we commit to updating again later this year, with more information around pricing. Right now, we’re asking people to sign up on the ticketing website and make sure they’re in the front row for information. Ticket sales make up a significant part of our income, but at the same time we are completely committed to ensuring our events are accessible, that tickets are affordable and that our venues are packed to the rafters with sports fans.’
Tessa Jowell, Olympics Minister, said: “Watching an Olympic event in your home country is a once in a lifetime experience. That’s why it’s critical that as many tickets as possible end up in the hands of the general public. With 10 million tickets going on sale next year people will have even more of a chance to get the ticket that makes their dream come true. It’s great that people have the chance now to sign up for more information about Olympic tickets.”
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “With less than 900 days to go to the London Games excitement levels are starting to pick up pace and there is understandably huge interest in tickets. Today is another important stepping-stone on the journey to the 2012 Games, confirming that tickets will be on sale in Spring 2011. I want to encourage as many Londoners as possible to sign up for information so that they are kept fully up to date on progress and are poised to purchase tickets once they go on sale.”
London 2012 celebrates iconic London landmarks with launch of pin badges
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today revealed the designs of the ‘Landmark London’ pin badges which will go on sale later this month. Each of the landmarks has now been re-created into a metal pin badge incorporating the London 2012 logo. (Images of the pin badges can be downloaded here)
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) revealed the designs of the ‘Landmark London’ pin badges which will go on sale later this month. Each of the landmarks has now been re-created into a metal pin badge incorporating the London 2012 logo.
Sebastian Coe, Chairman of LOCOG presented each London Borough Leader with the first pin badge produced for their borough at a London Councils Leaders’ Committee earlier this morning.
In September 2009 LOCOG and London Councils launched the ‘Landmark London’ competition. Londoners were invited to vote for the most iconic landmark in their borough that they would most like to see featured in an individual pin badge. Winning landmarks range from visitor attractions, theatres and museums to windmills, clock towers and bridges.
Sebastian Coe, Chairman of LOCOG, said: “London is a fantastically diverse city and the variety of landmarks chosen by Londoners to represent their local areas highlights this perfectly. These pin badges are a fantastic way to showcase to the UK and the rest of the world what a wonderful city London is and I am delighted to see how proud people are of their city and specific borough. I hope they will wear their pin badges with pride.”
Councillor Merrick Cockell, Chairman of London Councils, said: “With the Winter Games over, the spotlight has truly turned on London. We are delighted to have worked so closely with LOCOG on a project that really demonstrates how important London 2012 will be for the whole capital. We cannot wait to show off our city in 2012, and these badges will be a fantastic introduction to just some of the many delights London has to offer.”
The Landmark London pin badges will be available for wider sale across London in the coming weeks from Runner’s Need, Crest of London, World Duty Free and the Museum of London.
The winning landmarks by borough are:
Barking and Dagenham: The Catch A gateway public artwork for Barking Town Centre reflecting the area’s Saxon heritage and involvement in the fishing industry.
Barnet: The Archer Statue Sculpted by Eric Aumonier and located outside East Finchley tube station, the archer points his arrow to the opening of a 17.3 mile tunnel running all the way to Morden.
Bexley: Hall Place A Grade I listed house built for the Lord Mayor of London during the reign of King Henry VIII, now houses the Bexley Museum Collection, a tourist information centre and riverside tearooms.
Brent: Neasden Mandir Temple Popularly known as ‘Neasden Temple’, The Mandir is a masterpiece of Indian craftsmanship and continues to attract over half a million visitors annually.
Bromley: Crystal Palace Transmitting Station and Park Crystal Palace Park hosted the great exhibition of 1851, showcasing the glasshouse with over a million feet of glass. It is the site of the BBC’s main broadcast tower in London, built in the 1950s. The Athletics Stadium within the grounds hosts international track and field competition.
Camden: St Pancras Station When it opened in 1868, St Pancras’s ironwork train shed was the largest enclosed space in the world. The Grade I listed building has recently been refurbished and is the jewel of the crown of the High Speed 1 railway.
City of London: Tower Bridge Designed by Sir Horace Jones and Sir John Wolfe-Barry, the Bridge was built over the Thames in 1894. It is one of the most recognisable landmarks in the world.
City of Westminster: Westminster Abbey Steeped in more than 1000 years of history, it has been the coronation church since 1066.
Croydon: Croydon Clock Tower Built in 1895 as the borough’s Town Hall, it now also houses the Croydon Museum and art galleries, a cinema and library.
Ealing: Ealing Studios One of the great names in British entertainment, Ealing Studios is famous around the world as the home to the great Ealing comedies of the 1940′s and 1950′s. It s the oldest film studio in the world still in production.
Enfield: Forty Hall Forty Hall was built in 1629. This Grade I listed building it provides a link with Enfield’s past while providing the borough with an outstanding venue for many arts and cultural events.
Greenwich: Old Royal Observatory A monument to navigational research, this is the home of Greenwich Mean Time and is famous as the source of the Prime Meridian line, dividing East from West (longitude 0° 0′ 0”). The Observatory galleries unravel time, space and astronomy; the Planetarium lets visitors explore the heavens.
Hackney: Hackney Empire Each Christmas a cosmopolitan, diverse audience visits for sensational shows. International opera companies, famous orchestras, leading touring productions, top comedians and musicians have all appeared.
Hammersmith and Fulham: Hammersmith Bridge Hammersmith Bridge was built in 1887 as a replacement for the original suspension bridge dating from 1827. The present bridge was designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette.
Haringey: Alexandra Palace ‘Ally Pally’ finally opened in 1875, two years after it was destroyed by fire. Damaged again by fire in 1980, it now has event halls, a public ice rink and parklands.
Harrow: St Mary’s on the Hill This beautiful church is visible for miles around; it has a history going back 900 years.
Havering: Upminster Windmill This Grade II listed building was built by local farmer James Noakes in 1803. The windmill continued to grind wheat and produce flour until 1934.
Hillingdon: Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Centre Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Centre will have the first new 50m indoor pool in London for 40 years.
Hounslow: Chiswick House Built in the mid-1700′s by Sir Edward Seymour, the house is considered to be the finest surviving example of Palladian architecture in Britain.
Islington: St John’s Gate, Clerkenwell The In the original Tudor Gate House to the Priory’s English headquarters, visitors can see the Priory church and 12th century crypt.
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea: Natural History Museum The building was designed in 1865 by Alfred Waterhouse to house Sir Hans Sloane’s extensive collection of natural curiosities.
Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames: Telephone Boxes sculpture (London Road) A sculpture by David Mach, commissioned in 1988 for the new relief road, these disused red telephone boxes have been tipped up to lean against one another in an arrangement resembling dominoes.
Lambeth: London Eye At 135 metres, The London Eye is the world’s largest cantilevered observation wheel, with 40 kilometre panoramic views on a clear day. It has welcomed over 30 million visitors to date.
Lewisham: Horniman Museum Victorian tea trader Frederick John Horniman began collecting specimens, musical instruments and artefacts from around the world in the 1860s, and the growing collection was moved to a bespoke museum in 1901.
Merton: Wimbledon Centre Court (AELTC) Centre Court has seen a number of changes since its first match in 1877. It is recognisable the world over and recent additions include a fully retractable roof.
Newham: Three Mills Three Mills and its surrounding waterways is a beautiful conservation area for industrial heritage and astonishingly abundant wildlife.
Redbridge: Churchill Statue On Woodford Green stands a statue of Sir Winston Churchill, Britain’s wartime leader who was MP for Wanstead and Woodford for 40 years.
Richmond upon Thames: Richmond Park London’s largest park with 2,500 acres of hills, woodlands, gardens and grassland with stunning views as far as St Paul’s Cathedral.
Southwark: Globe Theatre Performances and an education programme combine to create an international resource dedicated to the exploration of Shakespeare’s work and the playhouse for which he wrote.
Sutton: Honeywood Museum Located by Carshalton Ponds, Honeywood dates from the 17th century.
Tower Hamlets: Tower of London Founded by William the Conqueror in 1066-7, this is one of the world’s most famous fortresses, and one of Britain’s most visited historic sites.
Waltham Forest: Waltham Forest Town Hall The centrepiece of the impressive 1930s Civic Centre complex by P.D. Hepworth, completed during the early years of World War II.
Wandsworth: Battersea Power Station A Grade II listed building built in 1939. It was the first in a series of generators set up as part of the National Grid power distribution system, standardising the supply of electricity in England.