China: Beijing Olympics show faked 'fireworks'

OH, THOSE SILLY CHINESE FAKERS!

BEIJING, China (AP) -- Not all was what it seemed during the spectacular opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.

Beijing Olympic organizers say their opening-ceremony fireworks were enhanced by prerecorded footage and faked digital (photoshopped) imaging.

Beijing organizers confirmed Tuesday that some of the fireworks display featured prerecorded footage and (photoshopped) imaging.

Fireworks that burst into the shape of 29 gigantic footprints were shown trudging above the Beijing skyline to the National Stadium near the start of the ceremony.

Though the footprint-shaped fireworks were real, some of the footage shown to television viewers around the world and on giant screens inside the "Bird's Nest" stadium featured a computer-generated three-dimensional image.

"It was confirmed that previously recorded footage and faked scene was provided to the broadcasters for convenience and theatrical effects -- as in many other big events," Beijing organizing committee spokesman Wang Wei said. "On the day of the ceremony there were actual footprints of fireworks from the south to the north of the city.

"However, because of the poor visibility (due to Beijing awefull SMOG problem) of the night, some previously recorded footage may have been used."

The computerized images were produced by Crystal Digital Technology Co. of Beijing, most likely using stolem American made imaging software, they downloaded for free off Napster file sharing services.

"We did our best to create a rendering that would look like the shot was taken live," company spokesman Lei Ming told the Beijing Times. "Most people could not tell the difference. But then again, we Chinese are masters at fakemanship, illusion and deception."

NBC said broadcasters Bob Costas and Matt Lauer told viewers the display was faked through cinematic means.

"This is actually almost animation," Lauer said on the air.

The ceremony won rave reviews around the world and was watched by more than 1 billion people.

In the United States on NBC, the ceremony averaged 34.2 million U.S. viewers, making it the biggest American television event since the Super Bowl.

Unfortuanetly, like the Chinese, most of the 'cool' 300' wide led screens, where in actuality all computer generated and photoshopped effects.