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Footprint Fireworks Were Faked into Olympics Opening TV Show
Posted by Kit Eaton at 7:04 PM on August 11, 2008
A local Beijing paper has revealed that some of the amazing fireworks in the Olympics opening show were digitally-crafted fakes, inserted into the live TV feed. The Beijing Times quotes the head of visual effects, who says that the 28 giant footprints that stomped through the air above the city, ending at the stadium, were advanced CGI. Though the pyrotechnics really were set off, the airborne camera view that the rest of the world watched was fake. Why go to these lengths? Apparently the Olympic committee decided that to follow the real trail of firework footprints was too dangerous for a helicopter camera. Instead a team spent almost a year crafting the fake segment, paying attention to even get the smog lighting effects correct. [The Telegraph]
Before we completely bid adieu to our nation's birthday, we here at Gizmodo would like to give one more shout out to the fourth of July. Seems like even the stars in the sky can't resist putting up a display for good ol' American freedom. These red-white-and-blue pictures of Supernova remnant SN 1006 are what's left over from a star explosion first observed by humans in year 1006.
Well, we hope you've had a good day off, a great BBQ and plenty of watermelon. Also, we hope that you didn't blow up your face. We'll leave you with one last Consumer Product Safety Commission clip that proves, once and for all, that it is NOT okay to point fireworks at friends and family members. They may end up in a storm of smoke and fire. Happy 4th everybody! [
If you're anything like us, you're probably deep into your 12th beer by now. You may think that now's the perfect time to test some of those firecrackers in your kitchen. Well, don't, or you may end up like this guy and his house, both blasted to smithereens by some lousy M-1000s. Take it from us and the Consumer Product Safety Commission and have a happy 4th everybody! [
Hey everyone, just checking in again to make sure your day is going well. And you haven't blown your face off with some giant aerial fireworks. Because believe me, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission: If you act like the mannequin (manikin?) in the clip above, the last place you'll end up is in a hospital emergency room. Happy 4th everybody! [
If you think you are going to see some cool fireworks today, just wait three more days. Because we just checked the 
Hey, we here at Gizmodo, together with Nancy Nord of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, want to remind you to have a safe 4th of July. Don't use illegal fireworks for anything dangerous. Like blowing up an M-1000 inside of a watermelon. In slow motion. Happy 4th weekend everybody. [
This incredible photo was taken two minutes after midnight in Oslo, Norway. While some cities might set off fireworks from one location to celebrate the ringing in of 2008, the people in Oslo went crazy, setting off fireworks pretty much everywhere. But hey, when you're a city where spending over $10 on a beer is pretty normal, I guess you can probably afford to go a little crazy on New Year's. Hit the jump for a bigger version. And a local's explanation of the display.
Any of you itching to let off fireworks over the holiday season should watch this safety film that comes with love from us to you—because, no matter 
