Ric Birch (born 1945) is an Australian producer and director. He was first known as a producer and interviewer on
GTK (TV series), a popular music TV series on
ABC Television.[8] He then founded and became director of Spectak International, an events production company specializing in global ceremonies production, television, film and theatre and themed entertainment. The company has produced opening and closing ceremonies for the Commonwealth, East Asian, and Olympic Games.[9] He is internationally known as the "Master of Ceremonies" due to his involvement in many globally seen ceremonies.[10]
Education and early event production
Birch studied a combined Arts and
Law degree at Melbourne University in 1962, with the aim of becoming a lawyer. But, through volunteering backstage at the Universities annual Arts Revue, he made the change to
theatrical production. He got his first job at ABC Television in Melbourne.[7] He became a freelance director in the late 1970s, before getting his start in event production as the executive director of the Opening and Closing ceremonies for the
Brisbane1982 Commonwealth Games.[11] He later went on to be Director of Entertainment at
World Expo 88 in Brisbane,
Queensland, Australia, during the
Australian Bicentenary year.[12]
Olympic Games involvement
Birch has been involved in the planning and execution of
Olympic Games Opening and Closing ceremonies for 5 different editions, making him regarded internationally as an expert these events.[12] His Olympic career includes:
He was also hired as Executive Producer for the Opening and Closing ceremonies for the
Rio 2016 Olympic Games,[14] but in 2016 it was found that he had left the project due the change of directors and planing of the event.[15]
In 2009, he worked as an Advisor on the
2009 Hong Kong East Asian Games Opening and Closing ceremonies. In 2010 he participated in the planning of
celebrations to commemorate 200th anniversary of the '
Grito de Dolores' –
Hidalgo's call for independence – and the beginning of the Mexican war for independence from Spain. The ceremony took place on 15 September 2010.[18] In the same year, he helped stage the
Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games Opening and Closing ceremonies, but the working relationship broke down between Birch (and other contractors) and the games organizers as he was not paid in full.[19]
^"AOK for GTK". The Canberra Times. Vol. 44, no. 12, 540. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 9 February 1970. p. 15. Retrieved 24 November 2016 – via National Library of Australia., ...The success of GTK is due...headed by 24-year-old producer Ric and his production assistant, Mike Carson 22...