Planning Show Opening

[FireworkNewbie]

So I've been planning my show for the 4th. I've got 200gs, 500gs, NOABs, and shells. Equipment is multiple straight and fanned racks and 4 Cobra modules. I am not at the pyromusical level yet.

I have most of the show planned except I'm drawing a blank when it comes to my opener. I've got ideas but none are jumping out at me as "the one." Any of you have an opener you use or have seen a good one that I can do with the above mentioned. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

[joed2323]

Do you have any fast firing cakes? Any proline 5 second-8second cakes? Could start balls out in the beginning then dial it back

Are you firing from one position only I take it?

Just remember roller coaster effect through out the show if possible

It would help to know what you have for product so we can make better suggestions.

A case of humming snakes??

You do not have to start balls out, you can always ease into it

[FireworkNewbie]

I am only firing from one position. I do have a case of humming snakes. I do not have the fast proline items, I know the ones you are referring to. I do respect the rollercoaster effect and try to keep that in mind for design.

Not sure to just shoot off a fast fused 18 shot fan rack as a quick opener or strung together 200gs for a little while, then pop with a rack of shells or a couple NOABs to contrast. Those are my ideas thus far.

[Icooclast]

if i ever get the chance to do my own show, i am thinking of doing it the way our town's fireworks crew does it: start off lighting 1 shell at a time for like 2 min. then up to 2 shells, then up to 3 and then they go into cakes and shells a bunch at a time.

[DavidthePyro]

What town? If you don't mind me asking

[Rick_In_Tampa]

So I'm a big fan of easing the crowd into the show. Since you're not using music it's a tad more challenging, but what first comes to mind is this.

Start out with a case of fountains like Flame of Thrones. While they're going start up some multi-colored 30 second flame pots. That should settle the audience eyeballs into what's going on. Then send up a Super Sweep slice, immediately followed by your first cakes.

Seems to me like that would draw some "ohhh's and ahhhhh's" from your audience.

[FireworkNewbie]

I like that Rick, I am leaning towards easing them into it. I didn't consider the fountains... nice touch as it adds yet another layer to work with.

[Mattp]

i like ricks idea alot..but doesnt sound like you have any of those items..lol.. unless you go to get some more stuff... we also dont know how much of each item you have.. but from the description you gave... i would start out with 1 or 2 or 5 of the 200g cakes(really depends how many you have)....let them fizzle out. then go into the next barrage with more/bigger.. and so on...good luck!! ... and definitely remember to secure those 200g

[Icooclast]

What town? If you don't mind me asking

Toronto, Ohio

[PYRODAN]

This year I'm going for a fireworks Bitch slap to the head for my opening! If it works like I see it in my head, It will be pretty cool. If not, well that is what next year is for! And a shout out to my fellow Buckeye pyro's! Edinburg Ohio here.

[Jay_]

So I'm a big fan of easing the crowd into the show.

100% me too. I like to start with strobes, comets, and gerbs. Just when they think the show is going to suck, the slices and big shells start to hit.

It’s all about the afore mentioned “rollercoaster effect”.

[Icooclast]

logically i think going slow to start out with is the logical step to most things in life, after all start big and the rest may not live up to the beginning. like some movies that are hyped to no end before they come out and you go to see it and it SUCKS. so the movie couldn't live up to those expectations. same with a fireworks show, by starting big you kinda give the audience room to hype it up in their mind. "oh, iif the opening is this intense, imagine how good the rest will be" starting hot and heavy could increase expectations to the point that the rest of the show can't live up to it. of course as stated depends on what you got.

[Big Worm]

I'm with PYRODAN on this one. In the past I've started slow and speed the show up from there, then slow, and then quick again leading to the finale. This year I want to bring the heat right out of the gate. I'm thinking about firing some cakes backwards to get the finale shots first, then adding a lot of girandolas, strobes, more cakes, and then ease it down.

[tmwjr]

For me it depends on the amount of product and how big of a product that I can use. I shoot between a 120 acre farm and my 3.25 acre property.

On the farm I use some fans and shell barrages that are timed decently and get a startle response and some ooooos. Then I slow down and put a lot of noabs and fun pairings near the last third.

On my property I use a lot of comets to start. Then move to 200 gram cakes and higher shot 500 gram cakes.

Both I alternate between slow and fast throughout. If I have to use less product or less intense product I try to do some fun things with comets in the beginning. If I can use large items, I love starting harder.

[displayfireworks1]

Over the years on the professional displays , the shoot sheet will list a 20 to 40 shot as they call it finale opener. On a 1.3 display its always nice to start with something fast and a little loud. On a backyard display if you are using a firing system I would say try to light 2 things at once to start with. They always say the only thing the audience ever remembers is the opener and the finale.

[BMoore]

I always start with a mini finale loud and fast to get their attention. Then I slow it down and pace it out until a false finale. Now that I have their attention again I fire a few of the best shells/cakes and then the real finale. Like Dave said everyone remembers the beginning and the end. Like it or not the rest is just filler.

[chriskrc]

I think starting fast to get the crowds attention is the way to go but hey maybe starting with 2 cakes in the beginning instead of hammering a big opener may work too. You just may have to try something different and see what works.

[Pyro Paul]

Last year, I went with the MGM fanfare music for my starter with a couple racks of shells and 200g cakes for layers and sweeping comets with the music. It seemed to work pretty well to get peoples attention before starting into the display. This year I am going with sprach Zarathustra (theme music to space odyssey 2001) with lots of white comets and white strobing shells for my starter which starts slow and builds. It's all a matter of personal preference, just consider your audience and try to shoot to their interests. Some like 1 shot at a time... some like it all up in your face, some like the soft effects and some like the big breaks. I feel like the starter should be a small sample to wet the appetite. Just my 2 cents.

[pfm1700]

This year I'm opening with a case of Sky Patriot (RWB), which is a 25 shot, 20 second cake followed by a case of 49 shot, 30sec RWB Go Getters with some M25's sprinkled in there for some pop. I 'think' that will be a good opener, but like most people I continue going back and forth and moving things around in my show. I really want to stick with the RWB theme though, and seeing how these are the only RWB items I have, I think I'm set.

[morrison2951]

I'm going to hit them hard right out of the gate with Brothers Everest shells, some of the highest and hardest hitting on the market this year, slow it down with 500g long duration, multiple effects cakes and then hit them hard again to close out with a case of Whacky Tobacky.

For a backyard show shot with my 76 Pro Line firing system it should be fun! :cool:

[Kooooou]

Anything either fast and furious, or just unusual works for the same old crowd I see every 4th. It's nice to test different things and see their reactions. Last year's mix of 12 BeeDazzled cakes with 4 consumer TK cakes worked really well, in fact it drew more oohs and ahhs than my past shell barrages or salute intros. This year, 6 Walloping Warhead Premiers will fire with 2 consumer TK cakes to start. Next year, I may go back to a shell barrage, salute intro, or a quiet case of brocade comet cakes. Just some ideas there, but done right they all announce the start of a great show to follow.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

This year I'm going for a fireworks Bitch slap to the head for my opening!

Lol... I love the way you think!!

[MontanaMike]

For the past few years we've started off relatively quiet with some fountains that are fairly close to the crowd, then a sudden jump in to the bigger stuff.

This year I'm changing it up a little, I'm starting with something I hope they'll think is the big stuff but will be followed by the even bigger stuff later. I moved the song I was originally planning to use for an opener (which has a quiet beginning), to the middle of the show.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

I think music makes all the difference in the world. Without tunes, it's a lot more difficult to set a tone with your show. Or maybe I'm just not that creative. Who knows. But I think adding music was the best thing I ever did.