I've looked today for the methodology used to make the Olympic "iron rings" but I find little. In any event, there is a confusion of terminology, which is typical of non-metal people. Bob Costas of NBC said they were forging the iron rings (probably scripted) and indeed, there was a group of "strikers" which appeared to be striking the floor while surrounding the ring. The rings themselves, were shown to have been "founded" and all done I suppose, by clever pyrotechnics. One link said that the pour came from a "kiln."

Although the terminology may have been fuzzy, the overall effect was good.

Frank, I agree. It was a good show but I just couldn't imagine that much molten iron pouring that freely for so long. And that must have been one heck of a smelting pot. The strikers looked to be striking the floor or air. To the uneducated eye it was cool (hot) looking.
Looking forward to the games.

You can skip through the pictures on this link to see the rings, looks like the rings you can find being rolled on youtube videos, Im guessing they had some type forge to heat them up with no actual forging done on site, it is funny to hear non metal people talk about this stuff, I didn't watch it though.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/27/worldsport/gallery/olympic-opening-ceremony/index.html?iid=article_sidebar

I very much doubt they were made of metal, I think they were some sort of plastic illuminated from inside. The iron pour effect was pretty good I thought though :D

did you mean melted rather than smelted? Smelting starts with ore, melting starts with metal.

from a theatre stand point it looks like it was done with lights and the fire works set off on all the rings very cool effect