Tech wizard casts spell
Special effects artist Wu Zhen was one of the core creative talents behind the visual feast of the Winter Paralympics’ ceremonies
The opening and closing ceremonies of both the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics provided a stunning visual feast for audiences worldwide, with an imaginative combination of advanced digital technology and beautiful, creative designs.
The galas, held at the National Stadium, or the Bird’s Nest, honored China’s ancient traditions, paid homage to athletes from around the world, and promoted the values and vision of the Olympics and Paralympics.
As one of the core members of the visual effects team for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Paralympics, visual artist Wu Zhen spent months working on creating computerized animations and special effects, and even longer on testing ideas and revising the plan many times over.
“It took lots of sleepless nights to discuss, and often discard, ideas, then come up with new ones before having plans finalized one after another,” recalled Wu, 40. “It was an unforgettable experience, and it was a great opportunity to showcase some of China’s newest technological innovations to the world.”
Wu joined the creative team in August after receiving an invite from Wang Zhigang, head of the Department of Information Art and Design at Tsinghua University’s School of Fine Arts, who was director of visual effects of the opening and closing ceremonies for the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics.
“After two years of preparation, we’ve had a rewarding experience beyond our expectations. It was a result of creativity and technology. What’s more important is that we’ve worked with many people with physical challenges, who inspired us,” said Wang in a previous interview.
One of the visual highlights during the Paralympics opening ceremony, which was held on March 4, was a performance titled Winter Paralympic Waltz. After a short video showing visually impaired children painting, the stage floor of the National Stadium was transformed into a large canvas with the image of a smiley face, illuminated by an LED display system. As the dancers performed, the colors under their feet changed randomly.
“It was a touching moment to showcase the talent of those children as they paint. Though they cannot see, they use beautiful colors to display their imagination,” said Wu. “The cutting-edge technology helped to realize their visions, in which real people performed to create those magical displays.”
During the closing ceremony of the Beijing Paralympics, held just over a week later on March 13, the stage of the National Stadium was dominated by a glittering disc, recounting memorable moments from the Games.
When the athletes and flag bearers entered the arena, it turned into a blue planet, symbolizing a united family on Earth. Before extinguishing the Paralympic cauldron, the glittering disc was transformed into a clock. With 13 percussionists and 60 dancers performing on it, photos of some of the great moments of the Games were displayed on the clock.
“The creativity and innovation of
the ceremonies were backed up by high technology, but high technology is not cold. Visual effects and such elements can be designed to evoke emotions, which bring warmth and unity,” Wu said.
Unlike his previous work, usually done at indoor venues, such as theaters, Wu said it was very challenging to apply ideas for visual effects at such a big outdoor venue like the National Stadium. Meanwhile, the design catered to audiences in front of TVs, computer screens and phones, so the ideas were quite different from other projects he has undertaken.
Wu said he was constantly inspired by other creative team members behind the ceremonies, who are top artists in their own fields, such as
Shen Chen, director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Paralympics, a well-established choreographer.
The experience of working with Zhang Yimou, who was the artistic director of opening and closing ceremonies of both the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and the Paralympics, also broadened Wu’s vision artistically.
“Zhang is an internationally acclaimed filmmaker. He is also a great cinematographer, so he has a unique approach to visual effects,” said Wu. “He always inspired us to think about things with new dimensions.”
Born and raised in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province, Wu learned to paint as a child and, in 2004, graduated
from Nanjing Normal University’s School of Fine Arts with a bachelor’s degree. In 2007, he obtained his master’s degree from the School of Animation and Digital Arts at Communication University of China. After graduation, he became a teacher at Beijing Dance Academy’s School of Creative Studies.
In collaboration with Beijing Normal University, Wu has a new project, Theater of Tomorrow, which is a performing arts platform.
“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, theaters closed and people had to enjoy theatrical productions through online platforms. We want to create a platform for both the artists and the audiences to communicate and interact,” said Wu, adding that the performances on the platform will be
provided both online and in person.
Technologies such as motion capture and game engines will be used to offer an immersive experience for the users.
“The combination of art and technology may offer a glimpse of where the industry is heading in the future,” said Wu. “This idea for the project is constantly evolving, especially after working on the Beijing 2022 Paralympic ceremonies.”