Slog - Comments on Those Footprint Fireworks? Faked. http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked I'm probably not supposed to be stodgy about truthiness in the year 2008 at the opening ceremonies of the Olympics in a totalitarian country. But this story, posted by MSNBC.com about an hour ago, still creeps me out. Basically, the footprint fireworks—the ones that made it look like giant feet were walking across the city toward the Olympic Stadium, taped by someone in a helicopter—never happened. They existed only digitally, created in 3-D computer graphics. Even the people inside the stadium thought they were real—because they watched the same fake footage that we did. Outside the stadium, people on the... Copyright 2008 Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:55:53 -0800 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:10:25 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by seattle mike The footprints were still pretty cool, even if faked. Think of them as a David Sedaris story.

]]> seattle mike http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098040 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098040 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:11:53 -0800 Comment by chops did they at some point claim this was a "real" effect?

i thought the NBC announcer even said "this is a visual effect..."

i think the other parts creeped me out a little more. when they all jumped out of the boxes, i was ready for them to be waving walmart t-shirts and nike sneakers before running for the exits to escape their sweat-boxes.

]]> chops http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098053 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098053 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:21:04 -0800 Comment by Balt-O-Matt Bummer.

]]> Balt-O-Matt http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098054 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098054 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:21:19 -0800 Comment by Dougsf This is a perfect metaphor for, um... something probably. Are people watching the Olympics?

]]> Dougsf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098065 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098065 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:29:36 -0800 Comment by Jen Graves chops: Did you read the story? Of course they claimed it was real. No, nobody made any reference to it as a "visual effect."

]]> Jen Graves http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098080 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098080 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:40:57 -0800 Comment by ReverendZ Actually, Ms Graves, Chops @ 2 is right. Matt Lauer admitted during NBC's broadcast that "this is a bit of a cheat" (exact words may be different) - acknowledging that the city flyover highlighting the effects was metaphorical.

]]> ReverendZ http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098084 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098084 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:49:00 -0800 Comment by meggers The fireworks real; it was the TV footage shown that was not.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/2534499/Beijing-Olympic-2008-opening-ceremony-giant-firework-footprints-faked.html

A view from the ground:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbZrI8onelg


]]> meggers http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098085 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098085 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:49:08 -0800 Comment by meggers That's, "were real."

]]> meggers http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098087 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098087 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:50:29 -0800 Comment by chops yeah, jen. i followed your link, read the story, and then played the video where the announcers states that it's an "effect."

i will admit, however, that it's unclear if the adjacent video w/announcer was the live broadcast, but it appears it is. so it looks like some folks were in the know, while perhaps others were not.

]]> chops http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098118 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098118 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:11:24 -0800 Comment by You_Gotta_Be_Kidding_Me Ah... No. Jen. Chops & ReverendZ are correct. Go back and check the tape.

]]> You_Gotta_Be_Kidding_Me http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098123 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098123 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:13:25 -0800 Comment by chops all right. last post about this and i'm willing to eat crow on it.

matt lauer says "you're looking at a cinematic device...virtual animation..."

i took that to be referring to the CGI.

but i see that he could be simply referring to the "animation" of the footsteps towards the stadium even as fireworks, the cinematic device being the sybolism of the two-dozen-plus games, etc.

knowing the trickery and looking back, the comment took on new meaning.

anyway. nice feet.

]]> chops http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098136 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098136 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:20:34 -0800 Comment by Joe M In Torino, Luciano Pavarotti turned out to be lip-synching, but any hack producing a superbowl halftime show or Macy's parade can accomplish that.

Beijing has even raised the bar for fakery.

]]> Joe M http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098154 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098154 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:29:46 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle I feel cheated.

Good thing I watched Juno at SLU Cinema on the Lawn instead.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098162 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098162 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:33:24 -0800 Comment by Fnarf Yeah, I don't think "faked" is the word we're looking for here. Do these same people complain that their TV shows are "faked" because Stephen Colbert isn't actually in their living room?

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098171 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098171 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:38:25 -0800 Comment by Jen Graves I have to admit, you guys had me thinking I was crazy. I'm relieved I wasn't.

I *do* actually think "faked" is the word, Fnarf. There were no fireworks. Ever. At all. It's as though Stephen Colbert didn't exist, not as if he didn't show up in your living room. (Unless I've gotten something wrong, which I hope I haven't, about the fact that there were no fireworks ever, at all--and if I have, we will have to adjust our metaphors accordingly.)

]]> Jen Graves http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098194 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098194 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:48:57 -0800 Comment by infrequent @14 isn't there a difference? fireworks are impressive mostly because they are really happening. how'd they get footprints like that?!?!

then again, i don't really like fireworks.

]]> infrequent http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098200 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098200 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:52:00 -0800 Comment by Jen Graves Just one more thing, for the record. Part of the reason MSNBC was on this story so fast was that NBC itself had been tricked. (Matt Lauer, in other words.) I remember now the comment you're talking about, but yeah, it was in reference to Zhang Yimou's usual profession, as a film director.

Phew. Glad we got that settled.

]]> Jen Graves http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098201 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098201 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:52:19 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle So, does this mean the explosions in Georgia are fake as well?

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098233 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098233 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:06:41 -0800 Comment by krab apple those weren't footprints. they were south americas and africas.

]]> krab apple http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098312 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098312 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:18:13 -0800 Comment by Andy They didn't look real from where I was sitting anyway.

]]> Andy http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098472 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098472 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:31:49 -0800 Comment by eustaceia I think the boxes, when revealed to be people, enhanced the amazement I felt rather than detracted from it.
I don't feel the same way about the footprints, though.

]]> eustaceia http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098557 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098557 Visual Art Mon, 11 Aug 2008 20:39:07 -0800 Comment by samu The fireworks did go off. This was taken from Tiananmen:

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=wbZrI8onelg

The TV footage was faked, however, as they felt that there was too much that could go wrong with live shooting.

]]> samu http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098700 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1098700 Visual Art Tue, 12 Aug 2008 07:09:14 -0800 Comment by Jake Please read the news story carefully. The footprint fireworks did go off, but the one displayed on TV was CGI. You're not gonna fool a city of 15 million people that footprint fireworks were set off across the city. Regardless, I think it was because the Chinese cared too much about the image and it backfired.

]]> Jake http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1100295 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/08/those_footprint_fireworks_faked#c1100295 Visual Art Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:10:25 -0800