Primary Pictures Lenses Olympic Spirit Primary Pictures Lenses Olympic Spirit Primary Picture's Rod Paul recently returned home from Nagano, Japan, where he filmed the Winter Olympics for the second in a series of four "Olympic Spirit" films. The films include wide screen footage of Olympic events and athlete point-of-view footage. The footage was shot using specially designed rigs. In Atlanta, Paul shot a similar 70mm film at the Summer Olympics in 1996. The films were produced by Showscan Entertainment of LA, a company Paul had worked with previously on "Stock Car Showdown" and "Night Race." The Olympic films headline "Olympic Spirit" Entertainment Centers, which combine the unique Showscan 70mm process, "motion simulator" seats, and 12-channel surround sound. These centers are located in London, Munich, Tokyo, and Sydney. Viewers can "ride the Games" through the eyes of the athlete in events such as Ski Jumping and Bobsledding.

Nagano's conditions, including blowing snow and extreme cold, demanded careful planning for filming. The snow obstructing the lens, rough rides for the cameras filming athlete point-of-view footage, and sharing space with camera crews from all over the world, were a few obstacles the crew faced. Camera Assistant Jordan McMonagle, Grip Marshall Millard, and Paul claim the month in Japan was very exciting, but they were glad to be back in Atlanta once Spring hit.