All you out there, get ready for the show

A grand fireworks display, scores of flying acrobats, hoards of dancing dragons and a cast of thousands - these are some of the things the world can expect to see at the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games.

Though rehearsals have already started, under director Zhang Yimou, only those involved know what exactly China's biggest gala would be like on Aug 8.

Zhang's mission is to condense 5,000 years of Chinese history into a 50-minute show. And given his razzle-dazzle oeuvre, the featured men and beasts are likely to be surrounded by brilliant colors and geometric shapes.