WinterCIty Prep

So it is definitely time to get back to work now. Out big WinterCity pyro show at Toronto City Hall is this coming Friday and there is loads to do still (like blog about it...?). Like most large-scale pyro shows, we get the contract a month or so in advance. We then work like crazy to create the soundtrack and then have that signed off on by the client. Next it is a day or two of solid scripting which involves sitting in front of the computer playing short sections of the soundtrack over and over while imagining colorful explosions in the sky. You would think that this would be a lot of fun and sometimes it is but then there are other times when it doesn’t come as easily. This design process is a very delicate balance between creativity, budget, safety and what is realistically possible for the site. Sure, it would be easy if there were infinite resources and I had a small army to implement these pyrotechnic dreams. That is rarely the case so I am forced to create the very best show that I can with what I have. I often draw out the entire show in storyboard and past all the frames on a sheet of cardboard to see how it all flows. I find this helps me a lot with the overall design.

The next trick is to continue to make aspects of the show new and exciting because for me, I need to be entertained as much as my audience in order to feel good about my job. When the script is near done I invite Bryce over and we go over it with a fine tooth comb looking for possible gaps or misplaced items. Keep in mind that it is all still just a database on the computer. The computer doesn’t know the layout of City Hall or anywhere else for that matter. It just places markers for virtual pyrotechnics at points on timecode. It helps a lot to have a second brain at this point as it is really easy to get tunnel vision looking at the fields of text on the screen scroll by as the music plays. There is no visualization aspect to the software so that part of the process takes place in our heads. I can get quite animated explaining a sequence to Bryce as it plays and often add my own sound effects and passionate gestures.

We then have our finalized show so we output a script. From that we create our orders that get faxed or emailed off to our various suppliers. They call back and tell us what they have and don’t have, we make changes and lock it all in for delivery. The next few days after that are spent on my favorite aspect of the show - the paperwork. I fill out all the forms, apply for the pyro permit, line up my crew and basically spend another 3-4 days sitting in front of my computer. Once all the pre production is done I promptly forget about the show and get on with other aspects of my work, other jobs, scuba diving and ice climbing etc. All the important stuff...

Well, that was all a couple of weeks ago. Now it is time to really jump back into show mode and focus. This week is the critical week where it all has to come together. I make certain all my paperwork is in order from insurance to permits etc. We carefully track the FedEX DG (dangerous goods) shipments and hope it all gets here on time. It usually does. I’ll double check with my crew and we will start work once all the shipments arrive.

I’ll write more on the rest of the process later in the week (in all my spare time...).