Pyromania Event Suppliers
With the sky as its backdrop the pyrotechnics industry has an infinite canvas on which to show off its technology and creative experimentation. Event organisers increasingly turn to pyrotechnics to introduce “wow” to all manner of events, indoors and outdoors, winter and summer. We look at some of the pyro operators who work their magic throughout the year. (9 June '08)
Fantastic Fireworks
Fantastic Fireworks celebrated its 21st anniversary in 2006 and its history reads like a who’s who of
venues and events.
Philip Green’s 55th birthday in the Maldives (with J-Lo and George Michael as entertainment), the birthday of Britain’s richest man, Lakshmi Mittal, at Brocket Hall, Robbie Williams at Knebworth and Prince William`s graduation ball are just some of Fantastic Fireworks’ high points. And there’s more.
“Judges at Guinness World Records have
confirmed that our bid for the world record rocket launch, which took
place in Plymouth, has beaten the previous record of 39,210 rockets set
in the Channel Island of Jersey in 1997,” says Fantastic Fireworks
managing director Jon Culverhouse.
The company is also going to be kept busy by the city of Liverpool which has appointed Fantastic Fireworks as its fireworks contractor in its year as European Capital of Culture in 2008. This appointment also covered Liverpool’s 800th anniversary last year when the show was choreographed to a soundtrack reflecting Liverpool`s history and culture and the display was fired from four positions on land and water. Banks of coloured searchlights cut through the sky as massive shell bursts, including figure shells reading 800, lit up the river from a pontoon moored on the Mersey.
“This is the biggest achievement in our 21-year history,” notes Jon Culverhouse. “It`s also a tribute to everyone here who has worked so hard to establish the company as Britain`s leading firework firm. This contract puts us firmly at the top of the tree and we`re repaying Liverpool`s faith in us."
Its firing systems include FireOne, an American computerised system pitched at music choreography for shows demanding precision timing. PyroMate is a more traditional but equally effective manual electric firing system robust enough to withstand the British weather.
"Each firing point is hardwired into a field box with a multicore cable leading back to the central control panel," explains Culverhouse. "Here the senior firer listens to the soundtrack over headphones or via a foldback speaker and presses the appropriate firing button while reading from a second-by-second script. Wireless systems have now significantly improved and Fantastic Fireworks will be assessing them in the coming months to decide which give the best performance."
Pyrojunkies
Dartford-based Pyro-junkies was launched in March 2003 by Shane Caulfield and Richard Huffam and the company specialises in the concert touring market.
In October 2005 Pyrojunkies purchased Wells Fireworks Ltd, established in 1837, and now manufactures close proximity, stage-based pyrotechnics for the entertainment industry and supplies 80% of UK Firework companies. Pyrojunkies use the Wells product range for all its tour clients. “Our clients are all different and unique because they are all looking for something different and unique to highlight the event or show,” says co-founder Richard Huffam. “ Some clients have all the design input and others just leave it to us to design a good pyro show.”
Pyrojunkies supplied the Disney On Ice tour for the UK and 50 Cent for his European tour which involved a huge four-head propane gas system that projected fireballs to six metres. 2008 sees the company supply all the stage pyros, confetti and dry ice for Girls Aloud's Tangled Up tour and Westlife's Back Home tour.
Below - Muse show
“We don’t really get involved in any outdoor firework shows,” Richard Huffam says. “Because we specialise in stage-based pyrotechnics November 5th doesn’t get any busier for us. We do manufacture Portfires, Lances, Tapematch and Blinker flares for the firework boys at Wells so it does get busy from August - November for Wells."
Wells Fireworks manufacturers a 15-second indoor waterfall effect that is of world renown. The Waterfall is used on most of Pyrojunkies’ tours and on TV shows like X Factor and Ant and Dec.
“Because we do indoor concert touring shows so the business isn’t seasonal for us,” says Huffam. "We tour throughout the year and worldwide. In the summer we do the festivals and stadiums and in the winter we do the arenas. Each event is unique and we have to cost it the same way - but it's not cheap! We have worked with Fiat to launch the new Fiat Bravo as well as Woolworths, Lord of the Rings stage show (above) and Marks and Spencer.”
Not bad for a company that’s hit its fifth anniversary!
Merlin Fireworks
Stockbridge-based based Merlin Fireworks was founded in 1998 by three firework professionals committed to producing safe, spectacular and innovative entertainment. It also spearheaded the move to control all pyro displays electronically.
One year later the company was involved in London’s memorable Millennium Display, a significant milestone in Merlin’s history. "Since then we have presented hundreds of displays both throughout the UK and internationally, firing from iconic structures and landmarks such as the Canary Wharf Tower and Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium," says Merlin MD, Andrew Goodwin. "Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day ‘Skyfest’ sponsored by 7Up was breathtaking; 14,000 kilos of fireworks, computer controlled and fired along 600m of the Riverfront as well as three rooftop locations. We also presented major displays for the
City of Corks’ Opening and Closing celebrations for their year as
European Capital of Culture."
Below Cardiff Bay
Merlin uses the versatile "Smartfire" system, reputedly the most powerful technologically advanced digital firing system available. Designed to deliver complex firework displays synchronised to a musical soundtrack, it has a firing rate of up to 100 cues a second.
This year has brought Merlin nautical opportunities with Southampton water and on the River Mersey for Royal Caribbean’s luxurious new flagship "Independence of the Seas" and for cruise ships departing for international shores.
"We're also seeing a trend in wedding and private parties for ‘quiet’ fireworks," says Goodwin. "This is always a challenge but so far we have been successful in designing quieter and ‘atmospheric’ displays in some wonderful settings."
The recently launched “Merlin Flameworks” can launch synchronised sequences of fireballs or columns to accompany soundtracks or live performances - popular with venues needing more visual than audible spectacle.
"Fireworks are one of the oldest forms of entertainment yet they continue to stand the test of time," insists Goodwin. "It's because they are emotive and all-sensory, combining sight and sound with percussive feeling and even smell - and in terms of sheer size and scale what else can so spectacularly entertain large audiences for such a reasonable per head cost?"
While Merlin senses clients' fear of a downturn in the economy, its outlook remains buoyant. "The work is mostly still there," maintains Goodwin. "More problematic is the firework supply this year especially from China which produces 90% of the world's stock. There are price increases and product shortages but we hold quite high stock levels and will not run out."
Dragonfire 
Firework and special effects display company Dragonfire was founded in 1985 and operates from bases in Hampshire, the West Midlands and Glasgow.
“The work isn't all over on November 5th by a long way,” insists Dragonfire MD Andrew Fielder. “There is a peak season for the business from early summer through the New Year celebrations but even through the ‘quiet’ months ( January to May) we’re servicing sporting events, corporate events and private functions."
Dragonfire uses the state of the art Parente Firemaster radio control system and has successfully fired from five rooftops simultaneously across Birmingham at its New Year display (picture left).
Recently the company has provided special effects for The Wales GB rally finals in Cardiff, and worked on a string of barges participating in the Birmingham Canal Light Parade, using flame jets, CO2 jets and stage pyrotechnics. Dragonfire also created a display of pyrotechnic effects aboard HMS Diamond, the Royal Navy’s latest type 45 destroyer, at the ship’s launch in Glasgow.
“Prices for displays vary very widely,” says Andrew Fielder. “High profile work with a large public audience might have a budget of £25,000 as with a prestigious open air concert in the city centre for the Birmingham Artsfest event. We accompanied the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, in a 20-minute display fired from four sites, including the roof of the Hyatt Hotel. The display also featured a giant Catherine Wheel built around an RAF roundel as part of the cities observations for Veterans’ Day.”
On the corporate stage, Dragonfire supplies displays for corporate parties at Warwick castle. “A six-minute show fired from the castle battlements and featuring a company logo in coloured fire would cost around £3,000,” Fielder says. “Dragonfire provides displays for Warwick Castle throughout the year, and though they have to meet strict environmental limitations for noise, the formula has proved very successful.”
RK ______________________________________________________