I just sent my entry to the PGI Dominator fireworks contest, in collaboration with Finale Fireworks.

To participate, we had to create a 10 minutes max. pyromusical display using nothing but Dominator products (we even had inventories to respect).

The winning display will be shot for real at the next PGI convention in Appleton, Wisconsin. Therefore, the firing site, the launch positions and the firing modules were imposed by Dominator.

In a special "tips for scripting a pyromusical" section of Dominator, they referred to l'International and suggested that we do a show that would be worthy of a Gold Jupiter.

They will evaluate the winning shows with a professional jury, so to see what to expect, I'd really like you to turn the tables on me this time and evaluate the critic's display ! Don't refrain from calling my show mediocre if you have to.

There is a 10 seconds of black sky before the show starts, so just imagine Michel Lacroix counting down to 10 (or something).

The Four Seasons

Hey congrats on this show It's quite well done I like the color themes for each of the seasons. The synchronization was nice although in just a very few parts, it wasnt so recognizable. The only problem i see in this is the fireworks drowning the music in some parts. An example would be in the Amelie segment. I like your one shot sequences

Here's the evaluation for me. (without the effects ofcourse since you will all have the same )
Synchronization: 8.5/10
Music: 8/10
Technical Design: 10/10
Pyrotechnical Design: 8/10
overall: 34.5/40 (86%)

I would love to see this show being shot in real life

Vander

Hi STL,

Unfortunately, I am unable to see the video - I see the screen, but it just remains black. Perhaps I need to install something? I'd love to see what your display has to offer as it really appeals to me.

I personally love your choice for the theme - in fact, it is a little similar to an idea that I had brought up in a thread nearly two and a half years ago, which is pretty neat. Check this out:

http://www.montreal-fireworks.com/forum/index.php?action=vthread&topic =728&forum=5&page=-1

It would be wonderful if a competitor in Montreal would center their display on this sort of approach in the upcoming years.

I just graduated last night (the 21st of June), and apart from the convocation being very interesting and entertaining, I take great pride in receiving my degree on the first day of Summer. The weather was certainly beautiful for the occasion with a few clouds, low humidity and temperatures hovering into the mid 20s C. It was a little windy, but certainly nothing that would detract from an otherwise gorgeous Summer's evening.

Trav.

Hi Trav,

You can download the video straight from my website instead :
The Four Seasons (50 MB download)

It's a MPEG4 video that you can watch with VLC if nothing else works. Hell, VLC even works with Bob Burch's videos !

I read your description of a seasons-themed display and it's really a coincidence, as I did just what you said without even knowing your idea beforehand ! For starters, I thought about my theme when returning from work and remembering that Dominator had a falling leaves cake (used for the autumn, obviously).

Just don't get too excited though, because I didn't have the effects you refer to (photoflash salutes to simulate thunder, etc.) Also, you don't have much time in 10 minutes (or 9 in my case) to develop a storyline, unfortunately.

Like you may have seen, I also used nature-themed sounds for the transitions, except for the summer part, where I felt that children playing would set the fun and upbeat mood for the finale.

I should have guessed that a nature theme would appeal to a meteorologist !

Also, thanks Vander for the good grade, and especially the fact that you took the time to view the show ! The fireworks drowning music thing is due to Finale Fireworks, as the bursting sounds sometimes feel disproportionate to the effect size (a fan of 2" comets being as loud as a 3" aerial shell ? Come on !) Yet, I take good note of your comment for future displays !

STL

Well you deserve this grade i do hope that my short comments will be able to help you in some way BTW, if you like fireworks simulators like this you should try afterglow!

Vander

BTW, if you like fireworks simulators like this you should try afterglow!

I'd like to, but I've bought the Pro version of Finale, so I think that my wallet would prefer me to wait a bit before buying another simulation software

Do they have a demo available ?

yeah! they have a demo in their website http://www.afterglow-fireworks.com/ One off my works are also in their show gallery hehe the kung fu panda one xD

Vander

What ! 50$ ! That's a steal, considering that it's much more advanced that Finale (at least for now).

It looks more complicated, though. I like Finale for the fact that it's really easy and fast to put what's in your mind on the screen.

Well, now I'm seriously thinking, I though that it would be more expensive than that (my fault for not checking their website )

i think finale's expensive because it can be used to fire real shows but afterglow is solely just for fun I'm not sure how to make shows with finale though

Vander

I'm not sure how to make shows with finale though

What do you mean ?

Finale is able to export firing scripts for the most popular firing systems out there (Pro and Business version only), so as long as you set up correctly your launch positions with the correct firing modules, you'll be able to design and shoot your show in no time. At least, that is what some people that tried it to fire real shows said on Finale's forum.

You may want to have a look at this video:

Finale and Real comparison

A team prepared the show using Finale and simulated Dominator products (yes, they sure like Dominator there ), then filmed the real thing and made a comparison video. I for one have been really surprised at how the simulation and the real show are alike !

The guy in charge said that it was so easy, even a caveman could do it

If you need help, the huge (and I mean huge) user guide is available on their website (you need to have an account to access it though).

Even if you may get started by reading 10 pages or so (or even figure it out yourself, it's really that easy), the manual covers in detail how the shell editor works and describes each option that is available depending on the type of shell (this is where the page count gets high very fast).


Sorry for the sales pitch, but I'm a convinced customer, though Afterglow visual quality really is incredible ! (Looks for spare change around the house )

STL

I meant that i didnt know how to choreograph using the finale software, haven't tried (maybe i should) xD For real shows i use microsoft excel and use after glow just for visuals haha xD I've made a video that's something like that for after glow but i have lost it as you can see im also quite a convinced customer anyway if you would like to see you can compare the shows
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-VUWC3eLGg after glow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX-Jxt7ZIzY real

Im sorry i have turned this thread completely off topic

Vander

For real shows i use microsoft excel and use after glow just for visuals

Excel ? What is your workflow, exactly ?

I'll check your videos when I get home.

Im sorry i have turned this thread completely off topic

No problem at all ! Maybe we should move the discussion to the "Simulation software" topic, though.

its like working with excel and the the music and writing every times i want to put pyro in xD

haha i guess it still fits the pyromusical design topic

Vander

Good job! Nice choice of colours for the different seasons. For the synchronization, though, in many places you were sync-ed to the wrong beat in music - this detracted from the overall feeling in a few places I felt. It's OK to not sync to the principal beat, but it should be consistent within a given segment otherwise it seems somewhat random. Also, too many cakes for my taste, but that's probably the nature of the inventory you had to work with.

As for sim programs, I was involved with "PyroCreator" a few years ago - this was the "game" version of VisualShowDirector that sells with PyroDigital systems. I know that Afterglow was being developed around the same time (as the pro program ShowSim).

We had a demo of Finale at the recent Canadian Fireworks Association convention - I made many requests for enhancement that will make it much easier to script real shows. Hopefully the developers will implement some of them.

For my upcoming Canada Day show, we just scripted it in ShowDirector, without using any visualization - it's much faster that way. In either case, you need to have a good conceptual grasp of what you're trying to achieve. I have a good teacher though: Yanick Roy - and I tried to follow his example of not using the same effect twice within the display.

Paul.

Also, too many cakes for my taste, but that's probably the nature of the inventory you had to work with.

I would have liked to have more aerial shells too, but I had three 2" peonies (green, red and "variegated" - red and green ) and 1 pattern shell (the red and blue one). Dominator seems more specialized in cakes than in shells, unfortunately.

They had cakes of shells (see the Autumn and the Winter seasons for examples of such cakes), so I used them as a compromise for the lack of other, real, aerial shells.

Also, the biggest size in this show is 3". Therefore, I wonder how my display would cost to do, as the pyrotechnic effects are all small.

For the synchronization, though, in many places you were sync-ed to the wrong beat in music - this detracted from the overall feeling in a few places I felt. It's OK to not sync to the principal beat, but it should be consistent within a given segment otherwise it seems somewhat random.

Do you have examples (ideally with the approximative time) so I can correct this in future shows (simulations, that is) ?

For my upcoming Canada Day show, we just scripted it in ShowDirector, without using any visualization - it's much faster that way. In either case, you need to have a good conceptual grasp of what you're trying to achieve. I have a good teacher though: Yanick Roy - and I tried to follow his example of not using the same effect twice within the display.

Not everyone can have Yanick Roy as a teacher, obviously ! Yet, he seemed indeed a good teacher on Dec. 19th, as it was my first display and I had made minor beginner mistakes that he helped me to fix.

Good luck for your Canada Day show !

i think i know what paul is talking about. Here is an example, in the first song: your red strobes (not sure if these are cakes or just single shot shells) can be timed to the part where in the singer says "Stay with me awhile" (1:08) Then next red strobes shells can be timed at (1:15.50) not sure what he says there xD then next ones at (1:23). Then at the very beginning, you could have timed the fans right after the music starts. Then at (00:34) the red peonies are a bit out of place. Anyway those are the examples, i think it's better to over do it then reduce rather than having no fireworks

Vander

The strobes were placed to simulate leaves on the ground, therefore they are timed to the end of the burn of each volley of falling leaves. I might have pushed the metaphor too much on that one

At the beginning, I started the fan cake (with shells) before the music started so the first burst is timed with the start of the music. I took inspiration from the International, when aerial shells are fired during the countdown so that they explode at the very beginning of the display.

If I have to explain what I meant, this just means that I'll have to work harder the next time ! I already see progress in my technique when I compare to previous shows I made (you may check As Seen on TV for my second attempt at scripting a pyromusical with a mixed soundtrack - in my opinion, The Four Seasons is a clear evolution).

Unfortunately, I can't modify this show, as I've submitted it to the contest organizers already. I'll use the points you suggested me to improve for my next shows (hopefully they will start new contests soon !)

STL, you mention (on the Finale page) that you're going to put up a show for Jean Baptiste ... have you completed that yet?

My comments about the sync are more detailed than just when certain pieces start - it's the actual beats in each bar where you tie the effects to that seem to move around rather than following the lead of the music. I'll try and find the exact times of some examples later.

Paul.

I'll upload the St-Jean Baptiste show later today (or tomorrow). It's around 6-7 minutes in length. I would have liked it to be around 10 or even 15 minutes instead, but the Dominator contest took all my time. In fact, we had 3 weeks from the start of the contest to the end (all entries must be sent before June 27th 00:01).

Just to tease you a bit, here's the soundtrack:

[Tentative intro, not done yet] Gilles Vigneault - Gens du Pays
Malajube - Les Collemboles
Jean Leloup - Printemps Été
Daniel Bélanger - Jamais content
Robert Charlebois - Je reviendrai à Montréal

I would have liked to add Ginette (Beau Dommage) and La Petite Vie theme, but like I said, I didn't have much time with the contest.

Note that even though I criticize kamuro finales, I did just that with Je reviendrai à Montréal

Keep in mind that this show is a more a creative exercise, as I would not fire a show on such songs for a more "family-oriented" display (the Jean Leloup song is slightly vulgar and Malajube is not known for being family friendly).

I'll keep you updated when done.

Thank you for providing the file download, STL. I just viewed the display and I must say that it was well done, especially considering that everything was squeezed into a 10-minute timeframe. The choice of colors was excellent from one segment to the next as were the effects. Transitions in pace were apparent and I personally liked the way slower pieces gave way to the more active parts. The sky was nicely occupied from low to high level (nice lower level support with the cakes) and symmetry was never lost. The music selection was appropriate, but one or two tracks highlighting some of the natural elements (with lyrics) of a couple of seasons would have been neat (such as Rains Down in Africa heh) in between. The effects were also, as I had stated previously, excellent, but I personally found that the cakes were a little too common throughout the display.

Other than that, nicely done! I sincerely hope to see a full 30-minute performance dedicated to this sort of theme in Montreal one of these fine years!

Trav.

Trav, glad you liked it !

My St-Jean display is online : Bonne St-Jean

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to add Gens du Pays at the beginning.

The show is not really as good as I would have liked. Keep in mind that it was done before The Four Seasons.

STL

I WON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Fine print : finally, they'll use only the "Winter" segment, as they "are aiming at nothing short of a world class display that will make a mark on the industry", so they called their own team to fill in with their ideas and make a complete show.

Yet, having one of my segments on such a "world-class display" is quite an honor in itself !

I compare this to Mélanie Cagnon's segment in "And the winner is..." (Portugal 2008) - my name (and concept) will be associated with one of the most prestigious events in the pyrotechnic world (the International in her case, the PGI convention in mine), even though the show will be principally made by more experienced people. That's still quite good, for someone who still has an apprentice level !

As this segment was my personal favorite, I'm really glad that they chose it !


Keeping you posted !

STL

Hi STL,

Congratulations on your achievement, my friend. I'm very glad to hear that your display was a success, and I'm equally most delighted that the honor was awarded to a seasonally-oriented approach. Once again, I am anxiously awaiting a Montreal-style display dedicating its general design to this sort of thematic premise.

"And the winner is..." (Portugal 2008)"

Always a pity that this display was not awarded with a Jupiter.

Trav.

As this segment was my personal favorite, I'm really glad that they chose it !

Wow, congratulations indeed! Are you going to go to the PGI convention to watch it in real life? I haven't been to one yet but would love to go some day - I hear it's quite the experience!

Cheers,

Paul

Are you going to go to the PGI convention to watch it in real life?

I'm going to Appleton, but my level of participation now depends on the Dominator team.

In fact, I'm on my own for the travel and the expenses, including the whopping 170 $US to subscribe to the convention (required for firing ramps access).

The Dominator guy told me he'd see what he can do to help me with that (like getting me a discount or something), because I'm really going there for a single day and I won't attend the conferences and workshops. I just want to help setting up the show I designed (or part of it, that is).

As the show is almost exclusively composed of consumer products, I'd be legally allowed to help them, but I need to have a valid PGI convention subscription to even get on the firing ramps.

Let's see how it turns out !

STL

The Dominator guy told me he'd see what he can do to help me with that (like getting me a discount or something), because I'm really going there for a single day and I won't attend the conferences and workshops. I just want to help setting up the show I designed (or part of it, that is).

If you're going to the PGI Convention, you better stay for the whole week. There's pyros who would love to go who can't (myself included) for various reasons. Enjoy the whole experience. Join one of the shell building workshops and make and shoot one of your own shells. Watch some of the fabulous displays they have there. Hang out with the rocket guys. Simply, have a blast. If you're going all that way, stay for more than a day. Take lots of photos and report back for those who'd love to be there!

Paul.

If you're going to the PGI Convention, you better stay for the whole week. There's pyros who would love to go who can't (myself included) for various reasons. Enjoy the whole experience. Join one of the shell building workshops and make and shoot one of your own shells. Watch some of the fabulous displays they have there. Hang out with the rocket guys. Simply, have a blast. If you're going all that way, stay for more than a day. Take lots of photos and report back for those who'd love to be there!

I'd like to, really, but I have both budget and time constraints that prevent me from going there a full week this time.

Just going there two days will cost me more than 1000 $ (which I don't quite have, but that's another story); I guess that staying the full week and participate to a lot of activities would incur a higher cost than that, which I cannot afford at all right now.

I will really go for the whole week some day, that is when I'll graduate and have a job.

My short trip will be a teaser for the PGI convention experience, which is better than nothing ! I'll of course take pictures and a movie of my show, and write a report.

I know that PGI must be a very nice experience and I understand that you'd like to go, but you've been at various Pyro Symphosiums yourself, so I guess that was still something quite nice to witness ! I for one would have liked to see that 24" shell being launched too !

STL

Just an update to this - the final show simulation is available here: http://www.usfireworks.biz/Contest/uploads/Ed_12345_PGI5.9mp4.mp4

and there's a discussion thread about it on the pyrouniverse forums here: http://www.pyrouniverse.com/forum/showthread.php?28514-Dominator-Final e-PGI-Choreography-contest-launches!&highlight=STL+dominator

Hopefully STL will send us a report about his experience at the PGI convention next week!

Paul.

Hey, I wasn't even aware that this contest (and associated forum thread) was posted to PyroUniverse ! I've only been aware of Dominator's post on Finale website.

As for the amazing story he refers to, I don't quite know in what context he means it. We'll see for sure next week !

I'm quite curious to see how the whole display will turn out with 'real' products ! There is a 30% risk of t-storm for Appleton on Wednesday, though. Maybe can Travis prepare a special forecast for the occasion ?

Hopefully STL will send us a report about his experience at the PGI convention next week!


Of course I'll post a detailed report of my experience You'll have to read it in French for the bulk of it, though, but I'll provide a detailed summary here nonetheless.

I'll just have to fit this between my next display review, my 2010 season wrap-up, my Grand Feu Bleu 2010 technical report and evaluation (the display is Sunday), a surprise interview with a professional pyrotechnician (I'll keep his name secret for now, as I have yet to conduct the interview in the next couple of days), the 2010 Winners and closing display review though !

Let the Fireworks Week begin !

Maybe can Travis prepare a special forecast for the occasion ?

It would be my pleasure. Just let me know which specific location you require.

Trav.