Ben Winston is known for producing live events that deliver great spectacle and surprises. Winston is about to embark on the biggest assignment of his career, being selected as executive producer and creative director for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Winston will be directing major television moments not only at the Summer Olympics, but also at the Paralympics, which will also be held in Los Angeles. He will partner with Olympic veteran Scott Givens, who will serve as executive producer for both events. Winston’s Fulwell Entertainment and Given’s FiveCurrent banners have formed a joint venture called FullFive and are already working on event planning for LA28, which will be tasked with producing the Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
Peter Rice, a film and television veteran who was named LA28’s Head of Ceremonies and Content in July, said the pairing of Winston and Givens will set the stage for an epic live show that will open the Summer Olympics on July 14, 2028. Both opening ceremonies are large-scale live broadcasts lasting four hours. Rice acknowledges the pressure is on for the Los Angeles Games to reflect the deep wells of creativity and innovation in his Hollywood hometown.
“The Olympics are a unifying force in the world, where people always come together and put aside their national differences,” Rice told Variety. “And there are amazing athletes who spend their whole lives competing, most of them for very little financial gain. But I love the energy and the time and the sense of unity in the ceremony that they have to train to become Olympians.”
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LA28 leaders spent a long time considering the best options to address the production challenges. The bar is high, as the opening and closing ceremonies of the Paris Summer Games were widely praised.
“There’s no other event of this scale in the world, and we’re bringing it to Hollywood, too. Hollywood has a unique opportunity to tap into the world of entertainment that no other city can,” Rice said. “So, what we were really looking for was how do we combine the two? And with Ben and Scott, it really came together with the confidence we have in running the ceremony and the ability that Ben brings to infuse the ceremony with a unique Los Angeles-based entertainment perspective. And they’re both California companies, which is also what we love about this arrangement.”
Winston auditioned for the job last year, helping with the tricky handover from Paris to Los Angeles at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Summer Games in the City of Lights. Winston worked with Tom Cruise to pull off an elaborate television stunt in which Tom Cruise rode out of a Paris venue on a motorcycle. He then appeared in the Hollywood Hills and parachuted out of a plane next to the iconic Hollywood sign holding the Olympic flag. The telecast also featured musical performances by artists with deep Los Angeles roots, including Billie Eilish, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Snoop Dogg.
“The Olympics and Paralympics are the pinnacle of human achievement, and Los Angeles, the home of storytelling, offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine what these ceremonies can look like,” Winston said. “I couldn’t be more honored, grateful and pleased to take on this role and work with Peter, Scott and the entire LA28 team to create an unforgettable ceremony.”
It will be truly inspirational and fun, celebrating the Olympic and Paralympic spirit and the creative energy of this city. ”
Winston is known for executive producing numerous Grammy Awards telecasts as well as concert specials such as CBS’ “Adele: One Night Only” and Disney+’s “Elton John: Farewell from Dodger Stadium.”
Givens has produced more than 400 live events, played a role in 15 Olympic Games, and produced 63 global ceremonies. He earned the prestigious Olympic Medal, one of the highest honors awarded by the International Olympic Committee.
“These ceremonies represent the ultimate challenge in live production, bringing together headliners from around the world, thousands of performers, best-in-class technology and split-second timing on a global scale.”
“Along with Ben and Peter, I’m excited to partner with the incredibly talented LA28 team to execute on our vision to honor our athletes and create a unifying memory for Los Angeles, California, our country, and a global broadcast audience of billions,” said Givens.
The 2028 Summer Games Opening Ceremony will be held on July 14, 2028, primarily at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, which will be named “2028 Stadium” for the Games. The closing ceremony will be held on July 30th. The Paralympics will close on August 15th and conclude on August 27th. Los Angeles previously hosted the Olympics in 1984 and 1932.
Rice emphasized that Givens’ deep organizational knowledge of the Olympics and Winston’s entertainment instincts will make a powerful combination.
“It feels like a dream team,” Rice said.
