1. Chamberlink July Aug 1-30.qxp_Chamberlink 29/06/2021 11:53 Page 20
Business News
Chamberlink special: 12 months until the Games
The Griffin Report The man who went to Buckingham Palace on a mission to persuade the Queen to ‘leap’ out of a helicopter on film for the 2012 London Olympics has now turned his attention to Birmingham. Martin Green is chief creative officer of Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and Chamberlink’s Jon Griffin talked to him about his outstanding record and how he will show the world what a ‘great creative city this is’.
Counting the days: Martin Green with the digital clock in Brindleyplace that is counting down to the opening ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
t’s a glorious image that came to define one of the UK’s most memorable sporting and cultural events – when the Queen ‘jumped’ out of a helicopter to launch the London Olympics. Nearly nine years later, Martin Green, head of ceremonies at the 2012 global spectacular, recalls one of the truly great Royal moments, the day Her Majesty left an entire nation open-mouthed... “I got Danny Boyle to be the artistic director for the opening ceremony and it was his idea that
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‘I got Danny Boyle to be the artistic director for the opening ceremony and it was his idea that the Queen should arrive by being collected by James Bond’ the Queen should arrive by being collected by James Bond (Daniel Craig) at Buckingham Palace, jump out of a helicopter and release a great big Union Jack parachute. “I went to the Palace with Danny – she was the one who was going to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’... no-one said
yes or no for her. We went to her staff, they took it to her and she said she would do it. The film was in the can before the opening ceremony and my jaw dropped to the floor when I saw it. “I met her on the night just before the ceremony was due to
start and said: “Thank you for doing this”... she was very pleased with it. It endeared her to the nation. A lot of young people said: “She is really cool, how cool is that?” Today the man who, with the help of the director of ‘Trainspotting’, managed to land a truly authentic Royal world exclusive, has turned his attention away from the capital and is concentrating on Birmingham – as chief creative officer of Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
