Olympic Games title sequence to be produced by sixfootsix

A recently launched UK-based design production agency, sixfootsix, has been commissioned by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and the AOB (Athens Olympic Broadcasting) to produce the opening title sequence for this years Olympic Games in Athens.
The titles produced by sixfootsix will be broadcast across the world on the night of the Opening Ceremony on August 13 2004, on screens in the Olympic Stadium throughout the evening and internationally for the duration of the games.
The company teamed up with North One TV (formerly Chrysalis Sport) and pitched against 40 other international companies to the IOC and the AOB in Athens for this prestigious project. The three agencies invited back for the final pitch hailed from the UK, the US and Greece. Beating off international competition from the US and the host nation represents a major coup for fledgling company.
Designed by Mike Parry and directed by Daryl Goodrich of North One TV, the title sequence takes the idea of a timeline and retrospectively looks back over 2000 years of Greek sporting history; taking the viewer on a journey from ancient Greece into the modern age.
Mike Parry, Managing Director of sixfootsix, said: “We have a very close relationship with Daryl and have worked together on many sport related projects over the years. The Olympics, however, represented a real challenge and we felt we were colouring in for England. It took six months to win this job and two presentations over in Athens pitching against the very best worldwide. Winning this work has come at a great time for a small company and has greatly helped improve our profile. This piece of work for The Olympics represents everything our company can provide i.e. great ideas, hands-on creative and co-ordinated post production.”
The title sequence was shot at Panavision Studios and Greenford Studios in the UK and on location with Kino Films and TV Athens in Athens and on the Greek island of Santorini.
Creative Director at sixfootsix Jan Hallet and Managing Director Mike Parry built the 3D elements in 3D Studio Max and graphics were created in Flame, Henry and Combustion. The DOP was Dean Head (ASC) and was produced by Geraldine Geraghty (freelance).
To shoot the end frame a new time slicing technique called Timetrack was used.
Invented by Dayton Taylor of Swiss based company Digital Air, Timetrack is a flexible sixty lens camera that is linked to a PC. Timetrack visual effects cameras photograph a subject from different points-of-view. If the entire array of images are recorded simultaneously the camera appears to virtually move, relative to the subject which appears stopped in time.
(GB)