How did a stunning light display made up of tiny beads appear above the Tokyo stadium during the closing ceremony? Well, they didn’t
The closing ceremony had more than the eye can see – both as an athlete there in Tokyo arena and a home viewer.
Dazzled by dancing beads
1,824 drones that formed the shape of the world 175m in the air stole the show at the opening ceremony.
However, Tokyo’s closing ceremony featured a stunning high-tech light show that topped off an olympics that many thought wouldn’t have gone ahead.
How did the light show come together?
Japan managed another “how did they do that” with the tech savvy light display.
However – if you were an athlete or lucky enough to be an attendee at Tokyo Stadium – you didn’t see anything.
TV v reality #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/AI2iEGQwch
— Kieran Pender (@KieranPender) August 8, 2021
Show created just for TV viewers around the globe
This spectacle was created especially for the TV audience.
A Montreal-based company used special effects like augmented reality just for us to have a magical moment at home.
Would organisers have gone with something else for the grand finalé had there been paying spectators in the stadium?
The message from the light show rang loud and clear though as the lights swirled together to create an image of the Olympic rings in the sky.
Towards the end of the closing ceremony, the stadium went black as the show transitioned into “the moving forward’ part of the show.
Particle of light joined to form the unmistakable Olympic Rings, a symbol that brought millions of people at home together in celebration of the world’s greatest athletes throughout the past two weeks.
“Together, these lights rise to form a luminous wave — representing the Olympic spirit that lives within us all. As these lights take flight across the stadium, we remember the many people whose contribution made the Olympics possible, both near and far, as well as those who could not be here today,” Olympic organisers said.
How did only TV viewers see this?
The light show was a production specific for television viewing.
The company behind the lights specialises in creating unique light and sound experiences using technologies such as augmented reality and mixed reality.
Other creations from Moment Factory can be remembered around the world:
All eyes were then on Paris as it took the torch from Tokyo
The hand over was literally out of this world, with the transition to Paris 2024 starting above earth at the International Space Station.
For the first time ever, the closing ceremony featured live events from the next host city
The live broadcast took viewers straight into the handover celebration in the streets of Paris.
Hundreds of spectators and French athletes gathered by the Eiffel Tower as part of the handover ceremony.
Special effects used to fly flag as Paris faced bad weather
The home viewer saw the Paris 2024 Olympic flag fly high from the Eiffel Tower.
This (virtually) set a world record as the largest flag ever flown — Almost the size of a football field, but hours before the ceremony organisers decided it would not be safe to go ahead.
“Sadly, the weather conditions today mean that we will not be able to proceed with our plan to raise the flag on the Eiffel Tower safely,” Paris 2024 said.
“For all those watching on screen, they will enjoy a spectacular experience in the heart of Paris, as it prepares to offer an extraordinary playground for the athletes, sport and the Games,” Paris 2024 organisers said.
There was secret drone show we didn’t see?
The official Twitter account of the Tokyo Olympics Organising Committee has shared a drone light show video that shows where the Olympic Games are headed next.
#Tokyo2020 から #Paris2024 へ…✨#オリンピック #JPN → #FRA #ドローン pic.twitter.com/O4QSSoI4R3
— Tokyo 2020 (@Tokyo2020jp) August 8, 2021
LED-equipped drones transformed into the flag of France as well as the Paris 2024 logo that combines three separate symbol.
