Search Begins for Executive Producer for Vancouver 2010 Games Ceremonies

With just over three years to the start of the 2010 Winter Games, the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) today begins its search for an executive producer for the Games’ Opening and Closing Ceremonies. The official Request for Expressions of Interest and Statements of Qualifications is now posted at vancouver2010.com.

“The ceremonies are an extraordinary opportunity to communicate the Olympic and Paralympic dream worldwide,” said VANOC CEO John Furlong. “They are critical to the success of the Games, as they reach out to the hearts of spectators and fuel the dreams of athletes. The Ceremonies will require the participation and tireless efforts of countless individuals and we are thrilled today to be commencing the search for our executive producer.”

Viewed by a worldwide audience of up to three billion spectators, the Games Ceremonies are mandated by the International Olympic and Paralympic Committees to promote international peace and understanding by honouring the world’s greatest athletes and celebrating humanity.

The executive producer will play a critical role in developing the Ceremonies vision and managing the team of producers, artists, designers and craftspeople who will bring the Ceremonies to life through imagination and the magic of state-of the-art lighting, projection, sound and special effects. The Ceremonies will reflect the region, the people and the culture of Canada by highlighting the country’s creativity, linguistic duality, cultural diversity and Aboriginal heritage.

“With just three years to go until the Opening Ceremony, this search is a welcome and exciting milestone in our steady march toward the Games,” said Terry Wright, VANOC executive vice president of service operations and ceremonies. “Every aspect of the Ceremonies is potentially iconic. Who can forget the young aspiring figure skater lighting the torch at the Calgary 1988 Games or, in Torino last year, pyrotechnic Olympic rings and Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan accepting the Olympic flag on behalf of all Canadians?” he asked.

The 2010 Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony will take place in Vancouver’s 55,000 seat BC Place Stadium on February 12, 2010. The Closing Ceremony on February 28, 2010 will also be held at BC Place Stadium. This will be the first time in Olympic Games history that the Ceremonies will be staged in the comfort of an indoor venue. The Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony is on March 12, 2010 at BC Place Stadium, followed by the Closing Ceremony on March 21, 2010 in Whistler.

Advertisements that highlight the three-year countdown to the Games on February 12th and the Executive Producer search will appear in French and English national newspapers tomorrow.

VANOC is responsible for planning, organizing, financing and staging XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010.

VANOC Communications
mediarelations@vancouver2010.com