Here's the "En 5 minutes" page from Le Journal de Montréal that discussed fireworks:



Lets count the obvious mistakes:

1 - Titanium salutes are not "cannon shots" (but I understand that it may be an attempt to allow people not familiar with pyrotechnics to understand the concept)
2 - These salutes are not fired at once as the picture would suggest
3 - They do not count in the alloted 30 minutes
4 - The manual console has not been used for actual shows for the 2 last years (that I know of)
5 - The synchronisation is less problematic now that there is simulation software readily available
6 - The paragraph about the Celine Dion show is set in the past, yet the show will be fired in three weeks
7 - What is a "jonglerie", a "pyra-lynx", a "pyra-zénith" and a "ponctuation" (even though they define the term, I for one never seen it in pyrotechnic literature) ?
8 - Compact instead of gâteau or bombardo ? Seriously ?


Like I said earlier, maybe it's just me...

Simon, many thanks for this. Being a professor into a Department of Communication where future journalists are trained, I have to say that such pieces of journalism are wonderful warnings about the state of the profession. Obviously, the topic is highly complex, but in a such situation, the journalist should perform more fact-checking in order to be as accurate as possible.

But there's another problem: who is the journalist? On the left, La Ronde is stated as the source, and research and illustrations are related to "Idé"... Google links it to a French "agence de presse en infographie" based in Paris. Very strange.

Fred

But there's another problem: who is the journalist? On the left, La Ronde is stated as the source, and research and illustrations are related to "Idé"... Google links it to a French "agence de presse en infographie" based in Paris. Very strange.

Welcome to the Journal de Montréal, now with more lock-outs and errors than ever !

It's not the first time since January 2009 that they publish such blatant mistakes. At least, the real professionals may still be read on Rue Frontenac !

At least, it's not published under the QMI Press Agency moniker...

Nice to see that I'm not alone in thinking that it was ridden with errors !

As much as that article has errors in it, they're not so bad compared to what a lot of the print media put out. For example, look at this article: http://record-eagle.com/features/x433576668/Fireworks-celebrations-har m-the-world
which claims that fireworks are radioactive and contain dioxin!

At least the J de M article is positive towards fireworks - remember the anti-fireworks in La Presse a couple of years ago? The same La Presse that was the official media sponsor at the time!

One must remember that journalists are seldom experts in anything (some would even say they're not expert in journalism either) - so at least that article was positive towards fireworks, even if it had a few mistakes.

As for the use of visualization software for the displays in Montreal, almost no-one uses this as it takes too much time. Such software is good to demonstrate some short segments to a potential client, but is really too much effort for a display as complex and long as the typical Montreal displays.

By the way, the manual console is still used to launch the salutes and other bouquets in the pre-display ceremonies!

Paul.

As much as that article has errors in it, they're not so bad compared to what a lot of the print media put out. For example, look at this article: http://record-eagle.com/features/x433576668/Fireworks-celebrations-har m-the-world
which claims that fireworks are radioactive and contain dioxin!

In french, they say "C'est quand on se compare qu'on se console". Indeed, it could have been much worse ! Like you say, at least this article is positive about fireworks.


As for the use of visualization software for the displays in Montreal, almost no-one uses this as it takes too much time. Such software is good to demonstrate some short segments to a potential client, but is really too much effort for a display as complex and long as the typical Montreal displays.

I'm surprised to hear this, as it seems to me that a simulation software would help defining launch positions and assigning the cues, while providing a visual feedback. Like you said in the other thread, though, it appears to be faster to forego the simulation and script in the firing software directly.

By the way, the manual console is still used to launch the salutes and other bouquets in the pre-display ceremonies!

Yes, this is why I said that "The manual console has not been used for actual shows for the 2 last years", actual shows meaning the firing done after the countdown is over

Yes, this is why I said that "The manual console has not been used for actual shows for the 2 last years",

You're right .... well, the last show with manual firing was in 2006:
http://montreal-fireworks.com/cgi-bin/rep.cgi?head2006,argentina06,tai l2006

Paul.