Filmmakers known for feelgood movies including Slumdog Millionaire and Billy Elliot put in charge of 2012 events Both are known for uplifting feelgood movies where the virtuous child gets what they deserve despite all the obstacles – whether it’s a chai wallah from the slums or a miner’s son who just wants to dance. So there was little surprise, but much cheer, when Danny Boyle and Stephen Daldry were today put in charge of London’s 2012 Olympic opening ceremony. Daldry, who directed Billy Elliot , will take overall creative charge of opening and closing ceremonies for both the Olympics and Paralympics while Boyle will be artistic director of the main Olympic opener. Boyle, an Oscar-winner for Slumdog Millionaire , called it “a fantastic responsibility.” He said: “When they offered me the job they said do you want to think about it overnight and I said ‘No, I want to do it and I’ll make tea if you want me to.’ “Just think about the games, where the four corners of the world come together and, yes, it’s very easy to be cynical about that, because there’s so much conflict in the world. But actually, it’s incredibly inspiring and you hope to capture some of that sense and also present a welcome, an open arms.” The budget for all four ceremonies is £40m, compared to the £70m China spent on its opening ceremony in 2008. “It’s a lot of money,” said Boyle. “It’s never enough money but it’s a lot of money and I hope we’ll spend it well.” Boyle said he would be thinking laterally. “We’ve got to acknowledge that it’s not going to be like Beijing where there was this overwhelming, intimidating scale. It will be more modest than that but our job is to make sure that, within our means, it is spectacular and that it delivers a thrilling welcome to the opening of the games.” Boyle was flanked by Daldry and Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London organising committee. All three insisted the economic climate would not affect the scale and ambition of the ceremony. “It is a welcome, a welcome to the athletes and a welcome to the world and the nature of that welcome needs to be as generous as we can be, both in spirit as well as cash,” said Daldry. Coe said the ceremonies budget had not been cut. “When we were bidding, we were bidding in probably the high water mark of the world economy but we were still doing so in a sustainable, responsible way. We haven’t suddenly reduced the scope of what we’re doing.” Boyle and Daldry will already have ideas, but they were revealing little yesterday. But Boyle – a local resident, having lived most of his adult life in Mile End – said possible themes were the joy of sport and pride in London. Also on his mind was that “in 2012 every single person in the stadium will probably have a camera phone, they’ll be filming their own versions of the ceremony”. Coe called the pair “the best of the best”, London mayor Boris Johnson hailed “a brilliant team” and Olympics secretary Jeremy Hunt predicted the events would “make Britain proud”. Others agreed. Paul Roseby, artistic director of the National Youth Theatre called them “an inspirational team”. He added: “It couldn’t be better. Let’s not forget it really is the greatest show on Earth and yes, comparisons will be made with China, but I think we have the opportunity now to surprise the world.” “Danny Boyle is a technician as well as an artist. Remember it’s a live ceremony but it’s also a film that will be seen on TV all over the world – it’s a big blockbuster movie, so you need someone like Danny.” Daldry said he had been looking back on previous Olympic ceremonies but would not reveal his favourites. It will be a surprise if pigeons are used, as they were in London’s last Olympic year – 1948. There have, though, been many memorable Olympic moments: the – at the time, astonishing – rocketman with jetpacks at Los Angeles in 1984 perhaps, or Kylie Minogue performing Dancing Queen at Sydney in 2000 . Best, perhaps, to not dwell too long on the 1936 opening ceremony in Berlin. The full creative team was unveiled at 3 Mills film studios, where 2012 production and rehearsals will take place. Daldry will be executive producer, creative, with three other executive producers. Mark Fisher, who has designed every Rolling Stones concert since 1989, will be in charge of design; Hamish Hamilton, an experienced director of live TV events, will be in charge of broadcast; and Catherine Ugwu, whose live events have included the Manchester commonwealth games closing ceremony and the Millennium Dome opening, will be executive producer, production. Before throwing himself full time into the Olympics, Boyle will finish editing his latest film, 127 Hours – which stars James Franco in the true story of mountaineer Aron Ralston who amputated his own arm when it became trapped under a boulder. This autumn, Boyle will make his debut at the National Theatre, directing a new version of Frankenstein. Until then he will work on the Olympics part-time. Olympic games 2012 Danny Boyle Stephen Daldry Sebastian Coe Olympics 2008 Mark Brown guardian.co.uk
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Boyle and Daldry, London’s Olympic double act
