Planning to Enter the Dominator Virtual Choreography Contest?

Here is a useful resource guide to designing a Fireworks Pyromusical.  See example videos at the end of the article!

Dominator’s choreography Contest is a once in a lifetime opportunity.   This contest gives you the chance to design a true world class Pyro-Musical.   All you need to do is supply the show simulation and we will take care of all the rest, including all the cost of the product, crew, and set-up.  

You will be given recognition as the show designer and you are welcome to attend the actual event and participate in setting up and shooting your masterpiece.   Who knows, perhaps the notoriety may further your pyrotechnic career if you are already in the business, or if you are dreaming of a life in fireworks, this just might be the calling card you need to break into the business!

After the public ratings are completed, the top  rated shows will  be reviewed by a panel of fireworks professionals who will choose the winning show.  Team Dominator will then bring your show to life.  (we may need to make slight changes based on actual site conditions). 

There are basically two styles of pyro-musical.   First is the “commercial approach”.   Generally, large pyro-musicals must appeal to a wide range of audience members and therefore will try to have a large variety of popular music to appeal to many different people, however they must take budget into consideration and the show must be profitable.  These displays can be a huge commercial success, but sometimes are not considered truly artistic by fireworks professionals.  The second style is the all out competition show.  L'International des Feux Loto-Québec (The Montréal International Fireworks Competition) is the world’s premier fireworks competition.   Here the best fireworks companies in each country are invited to represent their country and the winner is presented with the coveted Gold Jupiter. 

Scripting Software:

To make the musical track, we suggest several different software packages.  The non-professional versions of some should be available for download for free.  For example,  Audacity or Cool Edit.   Roxio is also good but not free.

For the Fireworks, there are several scripting tools available.    We will start with the lowest cost tools and work our way up.

1.)  Free! -  Excel is available to almost everyone and before  Simulation Software even professionals used Excel to build scripts.    A basic script is nothing more then a timeline of cues.   A "fire file" is usually a CSV file showing a fire time in seconds and a module number and  Que Number.   Here is an example of an excel file  you might use for this contest.  Dominator Sample Excel Script.   If you send us your Excel file using this template, we will create a video of your show for you.  

2.) FWSim - FREE 3 Day Contest License!  The folks at FWsim have been kind enough to offer a free 3 day license.   And at just €24.95, this is one of the lowest cost fireworks simulation tools on the market.   It allows video simulation download and has over 1,000 effects available.   Dominator Contest Simulations are available!

3.) Cobra Show Creator -  At $62.99 this is another budget friendly scripting tool.  The only downside of this tool is that it has no visual simulation.   So you have to picture everything in your head just like Excel.  If you send us your Show Creator file, we will create a video of your show for you. 

4.)  ShowSim - The Backyard addition at $89.00 offers powerful visual simulation with a 300 cue limit.  They also  offer Lite,  Pro, and 3D for every more powerful features.

5.) Finale 3D - At $1,000 USD this software is designed for the professional.   If you still have Finale Pro or Finale Business, the follow these instructions:

Download this File Dominator Finale Template & VDL   This is an .hbs  made with the position layout (please do not alter those) and VDL created sims of the product available.

If you have Finale Business, download the Dominator Finale Inventory File You should upload and then you can track inventory as you script.   These work in Finale Business.

6.) There are several other scripting tools available from FireOne, Pyro Digital, and other professional companies.   If you want your script software included in this list or would like to support this contest, please contact Dominator by e-mail.

Here are a few tips that the judging panel suggests to help you produce a winning entry:

Show Length and Pace:

- Variety is important, but variety for the sake of variety is not good.   If you have several good effects that work well with your style, use them.  Don’t mediocre routines just for the sake of a longer show or more variety.

- Fireworks, like theater, require drama.  Drama is created by contrasts between extremes.  Even fireworks can become boring if the same intensity is maintained for too long.  Therefore, fireworks must have periods of silence to offset noise, must have soft sections to offset bright sections, slow sections to offset fast sections, etc.

- Think of a fireworks display as a rollercoaster.  The traditional anticipation of the long climb offset by the thrill of the drop is identical to a soft slow section building up to an intense finale.  The show should have several rises and dips, but not too many as even a rollercoaster would get boring if it were too long.   For our contest, we are setting the time limit to 4 minutes.  Do not feel you need a full 4 minutes.  Shorter shows can still be the winner.

Music Selection and Music Track Creation:

- There are two choices for the music score.  One is to use the full duration of only one or two songs.  This is a workable approach if the right music is chosen.  A good example might be “Circle of Life” from the Lion King.  This song provides plenty of its own ups and downs.  Another option is to use only 1-2 minutes from several different songs. This makes matching the music to the fireworks easier, but you must be very careful to transition from one tune to the other effectively.

- To make the musical track, we suggest several different software packages.  The non-professional versions of some should be available for download for free.  One such program is Cool Edit.   Roxio is also good but not free.

-  Sound systems vary in quality; audience can be in many locations, ect.  Therefore, we recommend that you choose music that is not too dependent on vocals. With the best fireworks,  music you can see the music if you close your eyes.

- These are general themes that work well with fireworks:

• Patriotic songs such as I'm Proud to be an American, the National Anthem etc.  Here you would use Red/White/Blue fireworks, fountains, waterfalls, etc.
• Fun Songs such as Ghostbusters, Pink Panther, Limbo Song, Hot, Hot, Hot, etc.  Here you can use some special motion effects such as go-getters, fish, serpents, etc.
• Slow Dramatic Songs such as Phantom of the Opera, 2001 Space Oddesy, etc.  Large, long duration shells work well with these sections.
• Fast High Energy Songs such as those by Queen , Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath, or other hard rock.  Fast zipper cakes, mines, salutes.
• Theme Songs such as Purple Rain (purple falling leaves), Yellow by Coldpaly (yellow effects), Somewhere Over the Rainbow (rainbow shells), Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (strobe shells).
• Songs that feature timing to the beat, such as a slow drum beat or individual piano notes.  This is great for computerized firing of comets, mines and other short duration effects.   An example is Wizards of Winter by Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

With over 500 ques and 17 firing positions, we encourage you to make the best use of tight timing with the music.  Mines and comets can be timed to the second and therefore can really make a deep impression of matching the music very well.
 

Closing suggestions & Wrap-up:

• Consider smoke when designing the show.  Often evening brings high humidity and low winds, the worst combination for smoke. Therefore, do not carpet bomb or shoot many low level effects at once.  Design your show with enough slow spots to allow smoke to clear out.

• Consider a dramatic start for your show.  Your audience will be most attentive at the beginning and end of the show, so use tightly synchronized zero lift time effects (e.g. comets, mines, and indoor fountains and airbursts.).

• Use lots of angled mortars.  Try creative effects like several mine cakes mounted into a V shape stand.   Wagon Wheel style racks that make a curving fan of shots, etc. 

• Perhaps the most important rule is avoid “stepping on” shells with long duration – let them develop fully and let your audience appreciate he effect.  The use of Finale Simulation software allows easy avoidance of this common mistake.

• Use different effects to lead the audiences eyes to where you want them. For example, use waterfall shells to take their eyes to the ground.  Then use ground effects.

• Slow and silent are the secrets to a good display. Only when you have silence, can noise be appreciated.  Do not saturate with prolonged intensity.  To much of anything and it becomes boring. 

Here are some examples of some really well choreographed displays:

Pyro-Musical Montreal_Spain_02.mpg

Pyro-Musical Montreal_Spain_04.mpg

Pyro-Musical 2003_Italy_rainbow.mpg

Use this form to officially enter the contest.  Multiple entries encouraged.   You can also enter and send questions by e-mail to contest@dominatorfireworks.com 

Members of APA, NFA, PGII, and many regional clubs (WPA, WPAG, etc.)