Show Choreography How-Tos

[Shooter]

How do most display operators that put on shows for pay design their shoots? I understand that pyromusicals are scripted. But, whether it is with music or not, how do figure what to use within the budget restraints. How are effects, sizes and types of shells, # of shells, # of cakes and their different effects, and Articles of Pyrotechnics incorporated into the show. Of course, a 2000.00 budget is vastly different from a 15000.00 show. Is there some magical formula besides experience? I've seen some pretty bad displays over the years along with some outstanding ones. I want my shows to mesmerize my audience no matter the budget. There are still operators out there that shoot one or two shells at a time and that is it besides their quick final. I don't want to be one of them. Any suggestions from those of you that work with professional display companies?

[displayfireworks1]

From what I saw some display companies have a standard script ready to roll for each budget. If you think about it once you design a standard 10k display using fireone software to music and you are please with it. just keep selling that show over and over to multiple locations. I remember once being part of a pyro-musical that was the exact same thing we shot last year and no one knew the difference. Of course I sure a display company can custom design a 10k display to your music specification. But now it is a 15k display.
Speaking of pyro-musicals and software. If you think you have extraordinary chorography software skills and want to design display for a fireworks company you should know this. One of my sources told me (name withheld big display company) pays freelancers $20.00 and hour with a maximum of 10 hours to design a pyro-musical on a software program.

[Shooter]

Dave, what would be your best guess, budget wise, for a small community festival display?

[displayfireworks1]

For a small community festival you usually do not do a pyro-musical. Small festivals are drop and hand light to keep the cost down. That is why I was surprised to see Celebration Fireworks shoot that pyro-musical in my one video of them. That was a small festival. He told me how much they paid for that display. I do not want to say the amount, I will say the cost was high and appropriate. So while the festival was small that budget was high. That is more of an exception. Most of these small festival not on July 4th are $3500.00 to $5000.00 . Then they tell you to stretch it out for 30 minutes. LOL

[chriskrc]

For a small community festival you usually do not do a pyro-musical. Small festivals are drop and hand light to keep the cost down. That is why I was surprised to see Celebration Fireworks shoot that pyro-musical in my one video of them. That was a small festival. He told me how much they paid for that display. I do not want to say the amount, I will say the cost was high and appropriate. So while the festival was small that budget was high. That is more of an exception. Most of these small festival not on July 4th are $3500.00 to $5000.00 . Then they tell you to stretch it out for 30 minutes. LOL

So let me ask you this Dave, with a small festival and usually a lower budget, would you mix 1.4 in a show like that to give them a little more bang for their buck?

[PyroManiacs]

Yes, you can mix in 1.4. I have done it.

[chriskrc]

Yes, you can mix in 1.4. I have done it.

I've heard of many people doing that and when I get to that point I will most likely do the same. There is a lot of great effects in the 1.4 product.

[displayfireworks1]

So let me ask you this Dave, with a small festival and usually a lower budget, would you mix 1.4 in a show like that to give them a little more bang for their buck?

This may initially sound strange but adding Consumer fireworks to a professional display for profit is giving less bang for the buck. You are probably not going to see a professional display company use fireworks with consumer labels on them. When professional companies use a 1.4 item , it is a special 1.4 item that performs differently then a consumer item.
You see a mix of fireworks when someone like you and me put a show together on limited budget with donations of product from friends. I have the video posted here somewhere, lets use Phantom Fireworks as an example. When Phantom Fireworks does a professional display they do not use Phantom Consumer Fireworks. They use 1.3 products. Setting up racks and using professional shells in size from three inch on up is the best and least expensive way to shoot a display. This is one factor that separates us from them. As fireworks enthusiast we do not have a massive rack supply. While some can get the budgets up, we can only buy so many display shells because we do not have the racks. If you have an ATF license the best bang for the buck is 1.3 items. If you have limited funds and racks, use whatever fireworks you can get and put it together.

[chriskrc]

This may initially sound strange but adding Consumer fireworks to a professional display for profit is giving less bang for the buck. You are probably not going to see a professional display company use fireworks with consumer labels on them. When professional companies use a 1.4 item , it is a special 1.4 item that performs differently then a consumer item.
You see a mix of fireworks when someone like you and me put a show together on limited budget with donations of product from friends. I have the video posted here somewhere, lets use Phantom Fireworks as an example. When Phantom Fireworks does a professional display they do not use Phantom Consumer Fireworks. They use 1.3 products. Setting up racks and using professional shells in size from three inch on up is the best and least expensive way to shoot a display. This is one factor that separates us from them. As fireworks enthusiast we do not have a massive rack supply. While some can get the budgets up, we can only buy so many display shells because we do not have the racks. If you have an ATF license the best bang for the buck is 1.3 items. If you have limited funds and racks, use whatever fireworks you can get and put it together.

This I'm finding out to be more true. After I asked the question I did some more searching around. I see some people throw in some small amount of 1.4 but it truly seems 1.3 is the best bang for your buck.

[JoeR]

And on top of that, in Ohio for example, you can not just throw any 1.3 product into a commerce show. The product has to come from a registered shipper in the state of Ohio per the Fire Marshal and must show up on a truck bearing 1.3 placards.

The only time I would really use 1.4 in a show is if you get a killer deal on something, looking for a specific effect that you can not get in 1.3, or the 1.4 pro items like fan slices or single shot preloads.