Alternatives to pyros

[nmeth]

Its pantomime season again, which for our theatre (JR Theatre in York - a small volunteer run theatre) means its our main time to use pyros.

 

However we also have more people on stage than usual, less room available and in general its not a good time to go pyro mad! Add to this that pyros are expensive, need a lot of care, require us to isolate large chunks of our fire system and since all our Stage Managers are volunteers who have not had the luxury of professional pyro courses; this all together means that I would really like to find some good alternatives to pyros with the same sort of impact on the audience but with fewer complications.

 

We use pyros for 2 main effects:-

• Entrances - concealing and dramatising the entrance of the goodie/baddie - so a flash/bang effect
  
• Emphasis - the big finish on a dance number (the firector wanted Silver Jet - I vetoed due to height and fallout)
  

 

I'd appreciate any suggestions for alternatives to pyros - especially if they are relatively cheap and portable. I'm really looking for things that can give the same audience impact rather than duplications of how a pyro looks (and maybe if we cause fewer small children to burst into tears that may (or may not) be a plus).

 

Obviously this is not for this year (we are half way through the performance run now), but to get in good and early to do things differently next year.

 

 

Nigel.

[back_ache]

[*]Entrances - concealing and dramatising the entrance of the goodie/baddie - so a flash/bang effect

[*]Emphasis - the big finish on a dance number (the firector wanted Silver Jet - I vetoed due to height and fallout)

 

so a flash/bang effect - CO2 jet?

 

http://www.blue-room.org.uk/index.php?show...rt=#entry236654

 

Emphasis - confetti blower?

 

http://www.blue-room.org.uk/index.php?showtopic=14284

[paulears]

A mini-mist is a simple way of doing a short puff of smoke for those kind of entrances. How about a snow bag with glitter strips for the ending - much slower than a flash/bang, and messy afterwards?

[Brian]

Entrances - smoke machine under the stage firing upwards through a hole cut in the stage floor. Use a bit of kitchen waste pipe to duct it and turn 90 degrees upwards.

 

Emphasis - CO2 fired confetti/streamers. White flutter fetti is always a nice cheesy effect this time of year. Fire from the back of the stage forwards over the cast (and front rows!).

[Proprod Matt]

Hi Nigel, We have just added 2 LeMaitre Air Cannons to our hire stock if these are of interest to you next year. PM me for rates of hire etc. Matt

[mrjammy83]

HI Chap

 

I saw an effect used for a little tour of jungle Book

 

When Shear Khan entered they used KAM vertical smoke machines.

 

the bonus with these as apposed to normal fogger was that they sent a blast of smoke into the air with a satisfying swoosh sound. at the click of the remote button. operated from about 25 meters away. The remote had 4 buttons on them and the receivers on the machine had 4 dips. meaning they could be operated on separate channels from the same remote. (they were also DMX compatible) very clever effect. and when used with quick disperse fluid. acted a lot like CO2 jets. and a lot cheaper.

 

 

For another effect. handheld CO2 confettis cannons were used from the wings. fantastic effect. for very little cost

 

 

hope this helps.

 

james

[Don Allen]

I did a lighting tour of Britney Spears Circus in Perth, Western Australia, recently. Most of their pyro effects are now done with CO2 jets because of the number of dancers on stage which gives limited clearances. The stage had a ring of CO2 jets around it and they were very effective as they were DMX controlled and synced with the lighting. Looked a lot more effective than just the white jet of CO2.

[lightsource]

Most simple pyro effects have 3 main elements,

 

Flash,

Bang,

Smoke.......Pretty much all at the same time.

 

The flash can be done with a well placed strobe

The bang can be an audio effect

The smoke can come from a smoke machine.

 

Sort the timings, and you'll get a pretty convincing effect.

 

That may help sort some of your entrances out, but there's no easy (non-pyro) substitute for the Silver Jet, so I think a different design / approach may be needed there.

[aidso]

A mini-mist is a simple way of doing a short puff of smoke for those kind of entrances. How about a snow bag with glitter strips for the ending - much slower than a flash/bang, and messy afterwards?

 

HMMMM where have I seen this before ** laughs out loud **

[pyromonkey]

The flash can be done with a well placed strobe

The bang can be an audio effect

The smoke can come from a smoke machine.

.

 

Long Live real Pyro! :P

Don't go killing my industry!

 

Ps:In my mind Co2 is just as expensive by the time you get the bottle,jet & testing!

[lightsource]

Long Live real Pyro! :P

Don't go killing my industry!

 

Agreed :)

[scjb]

<nods in agreement>

[Jivemaster]

Panto without pyro is like panto without the Dame or without the principal boy.

[nmeth]

Many thanks for the replies and sorry for not responding earlier - I've now got just a little free time having had the final night and get-out yesterday (well this morning!).

 

I'll go and look into some of the suggested alternatives - as we start planning for next year (the problem with just having done a show that has been acclaimed as really raising our game, is next time we have to top it).

 

Although I have a gut feeling that agrees with the final few posters that panto means pyro, we do have the problem that we are a volunteer based amateur run venue. Our licensing restrictions are getting ever tighter. Our stage managers do not, at present, have professional pyro training and although we are careful maybe we may miss something which is dangerous in such a risk-averse environment as we now operate in. Coupled with that we have very little space to operate in since we have to stuff a band into the pit so finding space for pyros which does not incinerate either cast or band is difficult.

 

However if we use a confetti canon effect it restricts us to the end of the show due to the remains left (I have dreams of getting stuff aimed to fill the pit with confetti - after the last week it was knee deep in sweet wrappers!).

 

Nigel.

[Jivemaster]

OK

For training watch the pinned topic above and send some of your crew on the ASP course. If is the defacto industry standard.

For economy use your venue, host a course (the tutors travel to you!) put all your people through the course and sell the remaining places to cover costs. You will need several coffee/tea each and a lunch facility for which several things would do inc a local pub lunch or a Pizza/curry (etc) sent in.

 

There is great value in doing effects without pyro BUT some effects fall very short if they are not pyro. I understand the issues with limited space, but I think some effects NEED to be pyro.