GETTING STARTED IN THEATRICAL PYROTECHNICS
So, you want to add some pyrotechnic special effects to your concert, play, magic show, or other type of production, but are not quite sure where to start. Well this page is an overview of some of the easier ways to get going in the art of Theatrical Pyro.
Depending on how deep you plan to get, (and you often don't know at first) you may want to start off by learnig about the laws and regulations surrounding the field. As explained in the 'Laws' portion of the FAQs section of this site, local laws do vary from State to State, and City to City.
As far as the actual physical steps to take in order to get started, you first have to figure out what types of effects you are looking for. Lets take the example of starting a KISS Tribute band. At Z11 Pyro Supply, we get a few people looking to add some of the type of effects to their Rock show that you might see at a KISS concert, or similar type of Rock show. One of the more popular types of effects that can be seen in that type of show is an effect where a "pillar" of fire is seen to jet from the stage, going upwards several feet. This effect is seen to appear as a smoke free, natural colored flame, or as a red or green flame. This effect is also seen to be filled with bright white sparkles. If one or more of these effects were desired, you would want to look for the name of the hardware device capable of producing this effect. Since this is a "ground" effect (The effect is produced from the ground, up), the hardware device would be found with FLASH POTS. In reading the descriptions of each flash pot device, you would find that the Flame Projectors are the devices that would be used to produce this effect.
The next step would be to decide which of the above effects would be most desirable. You would then take a look at FLASH AND OTHER PYRO POWERS. The powder used in a flame projector is called AGD (Aliant Green Dot Smokeless Powder) Flame powder. This is a smokeless gun powder that is available at almost any gun shop (not currently available on this site). It burns at a slow speed in a Flame Projector, producing the "Pillar of Fire" effect. To create the color effects you would need a color additive which is also found with the Pyro Powders. To add sparkles, you would look for a sparkle additive also found with Pyro Powders (currently out of stock). The nice thing is that all of the items you purchase come with explicit instructions for use. There is no guess work once you have the items, but in the case of these items, there is room for experimentation.
One of the nice things about Z11 Pyro Systems is that they all run off of standard AC power cords. These are the cheapest, and easiest type of cords to obtain, and they are the easiest to hook up. Another nice thing is that Z11 Flash Pot devices use all DC power. All firing systems run off of either 2 or 4 standard AA batteries.
You would just need to find out how large of a control device you would need. Several cues in one show would require a large "Table-top Controller" that would be operated off-stage. One or two cues on a show may only require a foot controller, depending on the situation. All Z11 controllers have key switch lock-out for ultra safety.
At this point you are basically done. Directions for set-up and use are provided with all items that you purchase from Z11 Pyro Supply. The rest can be taken from there.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to send them to: Question@z11pyro.com
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