"The training of the anti-terrorist special force is very interesting because no one has covered that before," she said.

Now Gu is doing the final edit of the documentary, which will be screened at domestic theaters in June.

Thanks to her excellent communication skills, gentle manner, fluent English and especially the valuable experience she gained from the Dream Making 2008, Gu was finally picked by the IOC to helm the official movie of the Beijing Games.

"Production involves years of preparation, innumerable resources, tons of coordination and ample knowledge of Olympic sports," she said.

"Famous directors may not have as much access to these resources so they cannot put their ideas into practice, no matter how creative they are.

"You also have to deal with a lot of local and international organizations, which is never easy."

World Party

"My film will be different from its precursors because my understanding of the Olympics is very simple: It is one giant party for the whole world to join in on."

She said she will not just concentrate on the torch relay and key ceremonies, but also the city of Beijing and the residents who give it its special color.

"It is, after all, a People's Olympics," she said.

Fortunately, she has Bud Greenspan in her corner to give advice if things go awry. Greenspan has directed eight Olympic documentaries.

"Before him, directors focused on expressing the beauty of sports. He likes to tell human stories," she said, adding that she will combine the two styles.