November 2008 QE2 Farewell, Southampton Pyrovision was honoured to send off the QE2 on her final voyage from Southampton with a spectacular fireworks display.
» BBC News coverage » YouTube clip
October 2008 QE2 Fireworks Farewell, Liverpool » YouTube clip (starts at 4.06 until 5.19 min)
September 2008 Music on Fire 2008 It was a great privilege to work for the Army Benevolent Fund on the Music on Fire 2008 series of shows.
» YouTube clip
August 2008 Bank of Scotland Firework Concert 2008 Challenge: The music for this year's concert proved to be very challenging as the there were rapid changes in the tempo and the mood of the pieces. It is difficult to establish a 'flow' to a fireworks show with such marked changes over short periods.
Show: The changing tempo meant that this year there were more cues than ever before, it also meant that there were more than 50 different firing sites all around the castle. It was possible to pick out the individual notes in the music with single shot effects such as mines and comets, with the rapid firing of shells over these effects it was possible to create giant walls of colour all around the castle. The large waterfall was as always one of the highlights of the display, but there were also 15 smaller waterfalls to create a cascade of silver all around the castle hill. A range of exiting new firework cakes were also used on this show such as 'China Silk', 'Arctic Storm' and 'White Horses', these helped to create a depth to the show.
"At times, the firework display aspired to pick out each individual note of Brahms Hungarian Dances, turning the skies above Edinburgh into a colourful, audacious and dynamic piece of sheet music. The dramatic Slavonic Dances by Dvorák began with a column of firework stars rising upwards through the night, and continued, to the delight of the watching crowd, with stunning sequences of Roman Candles rising up to 600 feet in the air in bursts of silver and gold. The Waterfall again drew gasps of appreciation from the audience as cascades of white fire tumbled down the Castle walls, while the climax of the display featured huge bursts of noise and light high above Princes Street Gardens that inspired enthusiastic applause from the assembled crowds." - edinburghfestivals.co.uk
July 2008 Music of the Night 2008 Challenge: To co-ordinate fireworks and effects to a live military band, as well as having a cast of 400 on stage with various effects.
Show: During the spoof recreation of a scene from 'Harry Potter', gerbs were fired on a vehicle as it drove on stage, small and large explosions were created as the magic wands were used. Most effects were close proximity stage effects such as comets, mines, concussion and fuel effects. As the show started during daylight hours in the opening sequences daylight effects such as maroons and titanium flash were used. The fireworks finale was set to 'Carmina Burana', '1812' and 'Britannic Salute', sweeping single shot mines were fired from the roof as well as crackling spider and white crackling palms from behind, left and right of the stage. Having three firing sites meant that the audience were treated to a wide frontage of fireworks.
June 2008 Independence Concert, Kiev, Ukraine Pyrotechnics for 'Live and Let Die'
Liverpool Sound 08 Challenge: To reproduce the pyrotechnic spectacle for 'Live and Let Die' that wowed the audience at the Brit Awards on a much larger stage without the loss of intensity.
Show: The larger frontage of the stage required a careful set up of effects as well as 200 extra larger effects such as mines and comets which were placed on the roof of the stage. There was also a fireworks finale at the end of the concert which was a colourful and intense display using a lot of 'special effects' shells such as crossettes and bees.
Territorial Army Centenary Celebrations at Horse Guard Parade Challenge: To incorporate special effects into a show with close proximity to the actors, audience and personnel.
Show: The mock battle sequences were staged as realistic as possible with the use of specifically made muzzle shot effects for the armoured vehicles, gerbs on infantry vehicles and giant flash pots to re-create artillery fire. Rapid firing during the battle scenes was re-created using flashes and bullet hits.
May 2008 Royal Windsor Horse Show Military Tattoo Challenge: To incorporate special effects into a show with close proximity to the actors, audience and personnel.
Show: The mock battle sequences were staged as realistic as possible with the use of specifically made muzzle shot effects for the armoured vehicles, gerbs on infantry vehicles and giant flash pots to re-create artillery fire. The finale also incorporated a waterfall and comets and mines for the roof of the stage.
Classical Brit Awards Challenge: To produce chilled fog on one of the hottest days of the summer.
Show: To achieve the illusion that Sarah Brightman together with a choir was walking on clouds, a hole was cut into the stage floor and dense, chilled fog released to cover the stage floor. For the finale streamers were fired over the audience, the angles were agreed on with camera crew in advance, to achieve the best camera shots.
April 2008 Ventura Naming Ceremony & Sail Away Pyrovision put on two spectacular firework displays in Southampton for the naming of the Ventura cruise ship and then as she set sail on her maiden cruise. YouTube coverage: Maiden Voyage
February 2008 Brit Awards 2008 Challenge: To fit a large amount of pyrotechnics into a very limited space and adapting to last minute changes for live performances and television crews.
Display: Our very experienced pyrotechnicians embraced a flexible approach to the set up - mounting effects on boards so that these could be moved quickly and liasing very closely with production to be able to react promptly.
Mika opened the evening with a 'wall' of Silver Jets, The Osbourne Family as presenters had a very dramatic entrance accompanied by nearly 50 Flame projectors on various levels as well as 80 Silver Jets and Concussion. During the performance of Kylie and her song 'Wow' atmosphere was added with two dry ice simulators, the 'wow' factor was enhanced with two Aerocannons distributing coloured Glitter over the stage and the audience. The aerocannons were also used for Leona Lewis' performance of 'Bleeding Love', this time purple leaves (the same colour as Leona's gown) were gentle blown over the performers, lending a magical feel to the finale of the song. Sir Paul McCartney received his well deserved Lifetime Achievement award and finished the event with an amazing set including 'Live and Let Die' during which 340 (yes, really) effects - Mines, Comets, Jets, Flash, Flame Projectors, Preloads, Airbursts and Concussion - were used in exact choreography to the music. In addition to the pyrotechnic effects, a coloured flame system was used again choreographed to the music. At the end of 'Hey Jude' the Aero Cannons were employed to cover the stage and the audience with multi coloured FlutterFetti as well as metallic silver and gold Fetti. A truly spectacular ending that had the audience in raptures.
January 2008 QE2 final world cruise/Queen Victoria 1st world cruise Challenge: To provide a fitting send off for both cruise liners.
Display: A barge based display including many colour and effect sequences featuring some of our new shell effects such as saturns, waterfall and falling leaves. The reaction immediately after the show proved we had more than accomplished our brief.
