In 1981, Ric Birch was asked to produce and direct the 'Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the XII Commonwealth Games' held in Brisbane, Australia in October 1982. These ceremonies involved among other things, a cast of over seven thousand performers and a ten meter tall mechanical kangaroo named Matilda that disgorged 'joeys' aged eight years old who jumped up and down on trampolines. Australia had not seen anything like it and the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremonies became the highest rating television program in Australian history and also received rave reviews from television audiences around the world.
The success of the Commonwealth Games ceremonies led to Ric's appointment as Director of Production for the 'Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games'. He moved to Los Angeles a year before the opening and started planning the spectacle that contained among other memorable moments the 'rocket man' and 84 grand pianos. The opening ceremony of the LA Olympics was a fitting celebration for the home of show business and is still talked about as a turning point for theatricality in major events.
Following the LA Olympics, Spectak Productions was formed in partnership with News Limited to produce special events on an international scale. In 1985, Spectak produced the 1985 Australian Television Awards (the 'Logies') for the TEN Network and produced the television coverage of 1987 Grand Prix Sailing for Michael Edgley International.
Birch and his company Spectak were also responsible for the opening of the Sydney Harbour Casino in 1995, the opening of the Melbourne Crown Casino in 1997, executive producer of the opening and closing ceremonies for the Barcelona Olympics, Director of entertaiment for Expo 88 and he produced the Millennium Celebrations on Sydney Harbour which has been hailed the best in the world by international press and TV commentators.
As Director of Ceremonies at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Ric Birch was integral in delivery to the world, in the words of Juan Antonio Samaranch, “The Best Olympics Ever.”
Related Categories
[Celebrity Speakers]
[Business Speakers]
Related Speakers
|
Enquire about
Ric Birch
for your next event |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
