Thomas Jolly, who masterminded the distinctive Olympic opening ceremony in Paris, has been reflecting on how the dangerous climate on that day final July felt apt.
Diving deep into the ceremony six months on, Jolly informed a Collection Mania viewers that the rain “acted as a throughline in a means” to what the group, which included Name My Agent! creator Fanny Herrero, had been making an attempt to do with the ceremony.
“The rain that fell on Woman Gaga additionally falls on the viewers watching from the riverbanks,” he mentioned. “It put us all on an equal footing and that was the important thing message we wished to share via the dwell occasion – sharing.”
The much-discussed dangerous climate struck a splashy ceremony that for the primary time didn’t happen in an enviornment however was performed with a whole lot of boats alongside the River Seine. Woman Gaga was considered one of numerous high-profile performers together with Celine Dion and Aya Nakamura, and there have been many different performances all through, a few of which courted controversy.
“We had management of every thing however we aren’t god-like ultimately and couldn’t do something in regards to the climate,” added Jolly. “However we didn’t quit, we had Olympic spirit and Parisian spirit, so we didn’t drown within the rain and we gathered our energy.”
“A geographic enviornment”
Talking alongside Jolly this morning, Herrero mentioned she handled the ceremony as a “geographic enviornment.”
“There was the thought of motion and this pure set that was given to us,” she added. “That is what we wished to inform – a rustic that by no means stops and an identification not set ceaselessly. It has parts from right here and there, from the underground, from the bar. It was as if France was a personality. The wonder, the delight, the ache and sorrow, that was the best way I checked out it.”
Jolly detailed how the River Seine “gave us a rhythm” with the once-in-a-lifetime ceremony.
“The Seine gave us for the primary time the chance to alter every thing,” he added. “We may take into consideration one other construction of the ceremony.”
The town of Paris, he went on to say, acted as “characters,” showcasing Paris in all its range.
The group subsequently “tried to intersect” a wealth of various “inventive tastes” together with opera, metallic, city music and conventional. “We wished to verify others may see these eclectic tastes,” he added. “It caused unity. Everybody was represented on display screen. My job was to signify individuals by way of narrative, by way of character.”
Jolly was not requested, nevertheless, in regards to the police grievance he filed on July 31 that mentioned he was the goal of loss of life threats, insults and defamation. He got here beneath specific assault for a controversial scene entitled “festivity” that includes drag queens sitting round a desk. Earlier this month, seven individuals stood trial on prices of creating loss of life threats and cyberbullying towards Jolly.
Jolly and Herrero had been talking at Collection Mania in Lille, which ends Thursday. Different high-profile audio system embrace Charlie Brooker, James Norton and Sally Wainwright.
