Ben Winston is known for producing live events that deliver amazing spectacle and surprise. Winston is about to take on the biggest assignment of his career, now that he has been tapped to serve as executive producer and creative director of the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Winston will direct key television moments for the Summer Games as well as the Paralympic Games, which will also be held in Los Angeles. He will cooperate with Olympics veteran Scott Givenswho will serve as executive producer for production on both events. Winston’s Fulwell Entertainment and Given’s FiveCurrents banner have created a joint venture called FulFive which is already working on planning the events for LA28the unit tasked with producing the Summer Games and Paralympics.
Peter Rice, the film and television veteran who was hired in July as LA28’s director of ceremonies and content, said the combination of Winston and Givens sets the stage for an epic live television production that will kick off the Summer Games on July 14, 2028. Both opening ceremonies are a massive four-hour live television commitment. Rice acknowledges the pressure is on for the Los Angeles Games to reflect the deep well of creativity and innovation found in Hollywood’s hometown.
“The Olympics are a unifying force in the world, where people always come together and put national differences aside,” Rice said Amount. “And you have these incredible athletes who compete their whole lives, most of whom compete for very little financial gain. But the amount of energy and time they have to train to become Olympians, and then the ceremonies, I just love the unifying feel of the ceremonies.”
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LA28 leaders took a long time to consider the best options to tackle the production challenge. The bar is high because the Paris Summer Games received so much praise for the execution of the opening and closing ceremonies.
“There is no event of this magnitude in the world. We’re also putting it on in Hollywood, which has a unique opportunity to tap into the world of entertainment that no other city anywhere can,” Rice said. “So we were really looking at, how do we combine those two things? And with Ben and Scott, it really combines the ability for us to feel really confident about the logistics of the ceremonies, and to give it a unique kind of LA-based entertainment perspective, which Ben will bring. And they’re both California companies, which is also something we love about this arrangement.”
Winston had something of an audition for the job last year when he helped pull off the tricky handover from Paris to LA during the closing of the 2024 Summer Games in the City of Light. Winston worked with Tom Cruise to pull off an elaborate television stunt that saw Tom Cruise ride out of the Paris arena on a motorcycle – only to emerge into the Hollywood hills, parachuting out of a plane at the iconic Hollywood sign with the Olympic flag in tow. That broadcast also featured musical performances from artists with deep Los Angeles roots: Billie Eilish, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Snoop Dogg.
“The Olympic and Paralympic Games represent 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 be,” Winston said. “I couldn’t be more honored, grateful and excited to take on this role and to work alongside Peter, Scott and the entire LA28 team to create unforgettable ceremonies
which will truly inspire and entertain, while celebrating the Olympic and Paralympic spirit and creative energy of this city.”
Winston is known for producing several Grammy Awards broadcasts as well as concert specials such as CBS’s “Adele: One Night Only” and Disney+’s “Elton John: A Farewell From Dodger Stadium.”
Givens has produced more than 400 live events and held roles with 15 Olympic Games and produced 63 global ceremonies. He has earned the prestigious Olympic Order, one of the highest honors bestowed by the International Olympic Committee.
“These ceremonies represent the ultimate challenge in live production – bringing together global headliners, thousands of artists, best-in-class technology and split-second timing on the world
biggest stage,” said Givens. “I am proud to partner with the incredibly talented LA28 team along with Ben and Peter to execute a vision that honors the athletes and creates a unifying memory for Los Angeles, California, our nation and a global broadcast audience of billions.”
The opening ceremony for the 2028 Summer Games will be held on July 14, 2028, primarily at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium, which will be called the “2028 Stadium” for the Games. The closing ceremony will take place on July 30. The Paralympic Games follow on August 15 and end on August 27. Los Angeles previously hosted the 1984 and 1932 Olympic Games.
Rice stressed that Given’s deep institutional knowledge of the Olympics and Winston’s entertainment instincts will make a potent mix.
“It feels like a dream team,” Rice said.
