{"id":966,"date":"2016-06-20T13:30:01","date_gmt":"2016-06-20T17:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.superiorfireworks.com\/blog\/?p=966"},"modified":"2017-12-09T15:24:25","modified_gmt":"2017-12-09T20:24:25","slug":"making-fireworks-shows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.superiorfireworks.com\/blog\/2016\/06\/making-fireworks-shows\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips for Making Your Own Fireworks Show"},"content":{"rendered":"

Note: Today’s post\u00a0includes ideas for\u00a0shooting multiple fireworks together. However, we never advise hand-lighting\u00a0multiple fuses in a row. Always connect items in advance and only light one fuse, or use a firing system.<\/em><\/p>\n

There\u2019s nothing quite like the thrill and satisfaction of shooting your own backyard fireworks show.<\/p>\n

Your friends and family skip the town fireworks display knowing that you\u2019ll give them a show they won\u2019t forget. It\u2019s the culmination of hours of careful planning, tedious preparation and years of experience, and the result is a few precious minutes of pyrotechnic glory.<\/p>\n

Creating the perfect fireworks show at your own family gathering might seem like an impossible task. However, there are some fundamental concepts that can help you succeed regardless of your experience level or your budget.<\/p>\n

We reach out to our customers after every season to get their feedback about our products, and we often get detailed notes about how they are used. What follows is not just our opinion, but insight from other pyros who use these products every year to build their own amazing shows.<\/p>\n

A successful fireworks show balances several key factors, and we want to walk through them one at a time.<\/p>\n

Pacing Your Show<\/h2>\n

You don\u2019t have a fireworks show just because you are lighting off 10 items at once. That\u2019s certainly impressive as a grand finale, but there should be a journey along the way to that conclusion.<\/p>\n

The start of your show needs to grab your audience\u2019s attention. Several customers have mentioned that they really like the Amazing fountain<\/a> for a show starter, and one even said he used a full case of 6 all at once! The effect on this one is huge for a fountain, so it\u2019s no wonder that this would work well here.<\/p>\n

Tips from a Superior Fireworks Customer<\/h3>\n

Matt Medley shared on Facebook<\/a> that he likes to start his shows with either Peacock<\/a> or mines. Either option is excellent, and Peacock in particular has an awesome impact, launching a wall of fire into the sky!<\/p>\n

Here’s an example of what the Peacock does:<\/p>\n

Scuba Diver + Get Some (500-gram repeaters)<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"get-some-scuba-diver-cutting-edge-fireworks\"<\/p>\n

“We tried [Get Some<\/a>]\u00a0with Scuba Diver<\/a> for a nice brocade show, but you can also support it with a few brocade shots from the AR15 canister series<\/a>. Either way the crowd will love it.” – Scott; Madison, Wisc.<\/p>\n

We’ve included videos of Get Some and Scuba Diver to give you an idea of how this combination would look.\u00a0Just remember that Scuba Diver lasts a little longer than Get Some, so you’ll want to light it first unless it’s fine to overlap into the next part of your show.<\/p>\n

Extreme Machine + Grave Digger + Fighting Rooster (500-gram repeaters)<\/h3>\n

\"world-class-fireworks\"<\/p>\n

“[Extreme Machine<\/a>]\u00a0has become my favorite since I first got it last 4th of July 2013. Although it makes a great finale on its own I use it with Fighting Rooster<\/a>\u00a0and Grave Digger<\/a> to light up the whole block. Especially if you get 4 of each. This one will always be first on my list.” \u00a0– Hector; Cocoa, Fla.<\/p>\n

Survival of the Fittest + Absolute Evil<\/h3>\n

\"Survival<\/p>\n

“Mix [Survival of the Fittest<\/a>]\u00a0with a couple 200-gram cakes to fill the sky with color.\u00a0Mixes perfect with ‘Absolute Evil<\/a>‘.\u00a0If you like loud breaks this is the cake for you!” – David; Naples, Fla.<\/p>\n

Nailing the Finale<\/h2>\n

This is the part where you finally get to unleash chaos and light up the sky with everything left in your arsenal. But even in your finale, you can take steps to ensure that it\u2019s more than just an indiscernible mashup of light and sound. The same principles of pacing and complementary effects still apply.<\/p>\n

Quick note:<\/strong> Finale racks<\/a> tend to have the biggest and loudest effects because they’ve got 500 grams of material in nine shots, giving maximum impact\u00a0per shot. Most\u00a0500-gram repeaters<\/a>\u00a0spread that powder out over more shots or a bigger variety of effects, and the compromise is that each effect is slightly smaller or less powerful. As a result, you’ll see a pretty big price difference between finale racks and most 500-gram repeaters.<\/p>\n

Here’s a video of SFX’s Majestic Brocades<\/a>…it’s a great example of the power and altitude these finale racks can add to your show:<\/p>\n

Fill Up the Sky<\/h3>\n

For starters, you\u2019ll want to use as much of the sky as possible. This fills your audience\u2019s field of vision, spreads out the smoke and gives more definition to each product. Place your products wide across your shoot site, and include cakes with angled firing patterns.<\/p>\n

Use products of different sizes to put breaks at different altitudes, and be sure to include mines for low-level action. Your finale racks and artillery shells<\/a> will go the highest and break the hardest, so mix these in throughout your finale. A barrage of shells also puts a nice exclamation point at the very end of your show.<\/p>\n

Timing<\/h3>\n

The hardest part of the finale is timing everything to end at the same time. Get the best information you can about each item\u2019s duration and try to stagger lighting products so that they end together. You\u2019ll probably have stragglers, but even professional shows need to shoot off a few unused shells after the finale.<\/p>\n

Duration<\/h3>\n

Keep the finale short and sweet. You\u2019ll probably end up around a minute, which is a good amount. You might be surprised at how many fireworks it takes to pull that off, so don\u2019t get carried away on total duration until you get some experience with a few shows first.<\/p>\n

Study Up on How the Pros Do It<\/h2>\n

A great way\u00a0to understand how pacing, product combinations and finales work is to watch videos of fireworks shows.<\/p>\n

One of our favorite places to go for show ideas and to learn about new equipment and product is Pyro Talk, an online fireworks community with a fantastic “Backyard Fireworks Show” section<\/a>. The page has dozens of videos of fireworks enthusiasts setting up small and big fireworks shows.<\/p>\n

Also, YouTube is home to an endless collection of show videos from celebrations all around the world. Although some professional-grade fireworks effects and shell designs are not available for consumers, you can still get great ideas for pacing, color combinations, and pairing effects.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

The whole point of putting on your own fireworks show is to have a good time, to put smiles on the faces of your friends and family and to enjoy an evening together.<\/p>\n

So be creative with your shows, find your favorite products and don’t be afraid to try new arrivals. Always review a product’s performance video before buying it. Remember, creating your own show is as much an art as it is a science.<\/p>\n