How do I simulate fireworks on stage?

[BoogieBear]

Hi there

 

I have a question that is outside my knowledge base of sound!

 

The local amdram group that uses the venue where I help out needs to simulate fireworks going off behind a wooden fence (stage prop) and I have been asked how to make them look realistic - they have used video projection in a previous performance but it wasn't too good!

 

I thought of a confetti cannon and lighting effects but I don't know how to go about it - any suggestions would be gratefully received

 

Cheers

Anton

[maxjones2000]

Hi there

 

I have a question that is outside my knowledge base of sound!

 

The local amdram group that uses the venue where I help out needs to simulate fireworks going off behind a wooden fence (stage prop) and I have been asked how to make them look realistic - they have used video projection in a previous performance but it wasn't too good!

 

I thought of a confetti cannon and lighting effects but I don't know how to go about it - any suggestions would be gratefully received

 

Cheers

Anton

 

I have no idea what this would look like, but it might be worth trying. You could use a confetti cannon and I'm sure you can buy shiny confetti from somewhere. Then, you could light this using a few PAR64's concealed behind a border in the flies or concealed behind the wooden fence prop to light the shiny confetti up when it shoots out, making it look like lots of glittery sparks from fireworks. Also, to enhance this, say have 3 confetti cannons and fire them slightly staggered, to make it look more realistic, as you dont often get 3 fireworks going off at exactly the same time in real life!!

 

It might look a bit cheap, but it may look good!

Hope this helps

 

Thanks,

Max J

[andrewg112]

To me, a projector would be the obvious way to do it, but then again there can be many reasons not to use a projector, such as the venue. I think Max' ideas are good, and this would probly be the best if you didn't want to use a projector. In addition to that maybe you could hire one of the lasers that have a firework effect, I think Kam do these but ive never seen them work.

 

Best Of Luck,

Andrew

[pyromonkey]

Not that you can beat real pyro/fireworks, but ..........

Firework Projector

[Ynot]

Not that you can beat real pyro/fireworks, but ..........

Firework Projector

Awwwww.!

That's cute!!

 

The other alternative could be using some of Rosco's stock fireworks gobos and some colour...

[maxjones2000]

Just done a bit of research, and what would look quite good following my idea would be to use a mixture of the following:

 

http://www.stage-electrics.co.uk/product.aspx?code=705-8279

and

http://www.stage-electrics.co.uk/product.aspx?code=705-8303

 

If you mixed packets of these (if thats possible), then you would get a slightly multicoloured and sparkly effect when they are fired and lit by the PAR64's. Maybe use colours like Lee 152 Light Gold, Lee 019 Fire and Lee 172 in the PARcans, to make the fireworks look multicoloured (as these are quite common colours - goldy yellow, flame red and purpley).

 

If you wanted to be REALLY flash (no pun intended), you could set up a cuestack on the LX desk so that the first confetti explosion/firework is one colour, then the next is another and then the next is another. However, this would require good timing and a pretty good SM to cue it all perfectly! Just a thought that might look good! :P

[Grum]

Do you have access to moving head spots? preferably with an iris?

 

If so, put all of your spots in a different colour up on the back wall.

Next put them all in a suitable break up gobo.

Now reduce the iris right down and close the shutter. (you should now have a dark back wall)

Now record a chase with a step for each mover.

 

After you've done this go back and edit each step to open the shutter and iris of one fixture per step (or more if you have lots of movers).

 

You'll need to experiment with the chase timing to get it right for your fixtures but you should end up with the gobos appearing to grow from nowhere just like fireworks. The cool thing is that because you've programmed each step with all the fixtures captured it means that you can then set the chase to random (subject to the desk having this feature) to make things even more interesting.

 

If you want to go one step further, you can even program another cue stack with different positions and/or colours giving you even more places for your fireworks to "appear" from and more looks for your firework display.

 

Hope this helps.

 

e2a

 

Sorry, just re-read your post. Obviously this will only give you the effect of fireworks in the sky rather than them being launched from the ground.

[Jivemaster]

Are you trying to simulate a home display in the next garden or a professional shells display? What is the context that the play needs you to create?

[the kid]

I think people are taking this just a tad too far.

 

There is no reason why you could not get away with a few (3/4 maybe) 56's and have them aimed towards the fence the collective bounce would be enough, and using RGBA gels you could easily get away with making all manner of colours.

[nickb12345]

An idea I saw on one of the special features on the Phantom DVD a few years ago, was to use a couple of strobes with different pink/purple gels in. Position them above, but to one side, of the stage focused down onto the acting area. Firing off single flashes at random times, along with some SFX and lots of ooh's and aah's from the cast, and maybe you can get a decent effect.

 

Like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7P-vzNk4BE

 

Nick

[mac.calder]

A series of strobes in the wings with Gel is how I would do it (either DMX strobes or even pea strobes if money is an issue), combined with scrollers on the front wash and sound FX

[BoogieBear]

Thank you so much folks!

 

I can't believe so many good and helpful replies - good old blue room! :up:

 

I'm going to troll through all of the ideas and see what if any budget they can come up with if any and I'll post back and let you know how it goes

 

Thanks again

Cheers

Anton

[LXbydesign]

Do you have access to moving head spots? preferably with an iris?

 

If so, put all of your spots in a different colour up on the back wall.

Next put them all in a suitable break up gobo.

Now reduce the iris right down and close the shutter. (you should now have a dark back wall)

Now record a chase with a step for each mover.

 

After you've done this go back and edit each step to open the shutter and iris of one fixture per step (or more if you have lots of movers).

 

You'll need to experiment with the chase timing to get it right for your fixtures but you should end up with the gobos appearing to grow from nowhere just like fireworks. The cool thing is that because you've programmed each step with all the fixtures captured it means that you can then set the chase to random (subject to the desk having this feature) to make things even more interesting.

 

If you want to go one step further, you can even program another cue stack with different positions and/or colours giving you even more places for your fireworks to "appear" from and more looks for your firework display.

 

Hope this helps.

 

e2a

 

Sorry, just re-read your post. Obviously this will only give you the effect of fireworks in the sky rather than them being launched from the ground.

 

Sorry to copy all this - but as a reply, if you are able to watch back episodes of 'Bruce Forsyths Price is Right', you can see this effect when they win the showcase-showdown!! Its actually quite good.

[Don Allen]

I use at least twelve profiles with fireworks gobos on a chase to get the animation of fireworks. Basically the more you can use, the less repetiton and the more realistic it looks. You can buy gobos of fireworks in expanding shapes and you can also easily make up your own. If you superimpose the paired fireworks they start small, get large, then stay off for a while. Use different gels for a more dynamic effect. I have used a mix of 50w gobo projectors for small (distant) fireworks and 500w profiles for larger fireworks. Use an open white for the big christanthemum finale.

 

You can have several different area profiles on one channel. I used six channels as a compromise between channel useage versus repetition in the last show I used this method in, which was The Darling Buds Of May, where the fireworks only ran for about 30 seconds.

 

Look at videos of fireworks to see how repetitious they can be.

[Stuart Basson]

The cost-conscious local amdram group might like to try this: Big sound effect of rocket going up. Actors quickly turn their heads is unison up to the grid. Big sound effect of rockets going bang. A bit of colour on and then off, overhead, only to colour the actors' faces. Actors all go Oooh! and Aah!! Job done. Acting is the key, mainly because any attempt that I've seen at doing fireworks on stage has never been more than what you might politely call "representational."