My tribute to Tony, by a London 2012 Olympic Games volunteer

(Previously posted on the Tony Scott board, the day after he died)

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This summer, I was lucky to be a volunteer on the 2012 Olympic Games in London. I was one of the 70,000 guys in the purple-ish T-shirts and beige trousers...you can't have missed us really! My team worked near Buckingham Palace on the road events. Marathon, cycling, triathlon etc...all took place on public roads and we were based around the start and finish lines.

What does this have to do with Tony Scott? The answer is the opening track to Days of Thunder. You know how the music builds in the opening scene, showing the crowds gather at the start of a sporting event, as excitement grows and the buzz from everyone intensifies around you? It was like that where I worked. I kept imagining that music when I arrived for work early in the mornings, seeing the place become more and more crowded as the start of the Olympic race (whether on foot or wheels) grew ever closer.

I even started listening to that music on my iPod whilst travelling the Underground on my way to those shifts. It seemed to fit in with the mood, even though I'm normally in a different mood for appreciating art/film/music than I am when appreciating sport.

So, Thank You Tony for that opening scene, and what it added to my summer memories. It's not your best film, you knew it, your fans know it...but that first scene means a whole lot more to me now :)

xx