-
-
500.
-
-
$5,000
to $10,000. It can be generally
accompanied by music which is not truly choreographed.
-
-
-
- Start
preparation early. Have us as your company review in depth what,
when, where, why and how.
- Inspect
the venue to assess exactly what may be achieved safely.
- Detail
your responsibilities. Have a clear understanding of what is
expected of you. Follow through on those responsibilities.
- Fully
understand the timeline to setup, discharge and clean up the
display.
- Ask
plenty of questions. Discuss comprehensive insurance, and be
sure to know what it covers.
- Consider
providing resources that could be provided by Elite
Pyrotechnics. You could save large amount of money and get more
value for your investment by providing sand, barricades,
lodging, front-end loader, or cleanup.
- Listen
to our technician's advice. We will assist you with the
organization of your display and advise you on whatever
technical and legal requirements may apply.
- Request
a bid list with specifications of what you expect to receive.
Don't sign any contract that doesn't provide the product
description, quantity, and size you are buying. Expect a design
theme and see that an imaginative and creative variety is
offered.
- Arrange
to visit the site on the day prior to the show to do a quick
review.
As
for insurance, Elite Pyrotechnics, LLC is an A++15 rated company and
we carry a $5,000,000 policy to cover ourselves, the client, and the
venue, in the event of an accident directly involving a pyrotechnic
device. Elite Pyrotechnics also has a flawless safety record. We are
licensed, insured, and fully knowledgeable of the effects we offer.
You
also need to be on board when it comes to safety. You need to
partner with us to discuss safety issues and devise a safety plan;
making sure it's reviewed before the shoot. We have a 'don't shoot'
clause in all of our contracts, that states, effectively, that if
someone screws up anything safety wise, we don't fire the show until
it is safe.
As
an event planner, you need to make sure that there is adequate
security for the shoot. The planner is responsible for that security
to keep people out. Elite Pyrotechnics, the planner, security
leader and a venue representative need to discuss this area
specifically. There needs to be a line of communication with that
security (during the event), so if a guest breaches that area, they
are escorted out.
Offering display fireworks at your event can make the difference in
the success of your event.
1.
Plan early.
Some
pyrotechnic displays can be produced in a matter of weeks, from
initial contact to final cleanup. The design and setup of a smaller
show may take little time.
However,
the permitting process, which may involve numerous jurisdictions,
can be a very lengthy process. For instance, shows fired from
vessels or barges in navigable water require a Coast Guard permit
that takes four to five months to secure.
For
small shows that don't involve water, it is recommended that you
secure our services two to three months in advance.
2.
Determine your budget.
Fireworks
can be custom-designed for just about any kind of budget. The cost
of fireworks is closely tied to the way a show is fired. Hand-fired
shows, with fireworks launched by hand by trained technicians, are
the least expensive. Electronically fired shows allow more precise
design control - a good choice if you want complementary background
music. Digitally controlled shows, painstakingly choreographed with
music (also called Pyromusicals), are the most expensive.
3.
Select your location.
The
first question to consider is what type of venue you have available.
Space is always the primary concern. For outdoor displays, the National
Fire Protection Association
requires a clear area around the discharge site of at least 70 feet
in each direction for each inch in length of the largest product
fired. For instance, to fire 3-inch shells, you must have a clear
area with a radius of 210 feet. Distance twice the size may be
required in some jurisdictions, or near a medical facility, care
facility, jail or other facility sensitive to explosives.
Our
company representative should visit your proposed site, and discuss
with you the size of the space and whether there is a good vantage
point for spectators, and a way to keep the discharge location
secure.
Ever
since 9/11 federal regulations are more strict and insurance more
expensive for displays.
It may take some time for all the red-tape so plan early!
4.
Know your crowd size.
Traditional
aerial fireworks are designed for a large audience spread over a
wide viewing area. It's critical that we know your audience size and
the portion of your venue needed to hold them in order to determine
the clear space available for discharge. The event sponsor or the
staff at the venue - not the fireworks company
- must provide crowd control, so establish
early who will handle this and how.
5.
Consider what colors, sound, and effects you want.
You
can turn over the design aspect almost completely to us if you
prefer. We want at least a basic idea of the purpose of your event
and what you want your fireworks display to achieve. The options are
vast. Your venue ma
y limit your options. If you're near a hospital or horse stable,
some noise restrictions may apply. Elite Pyrotechnics custom-designs
every event.
6.
Choose your music.
Fireworks
are set off beautifully by music. Your choice of music is just as
important as your choice of fireworks. Choosing an obscure piece of
music that's hard to recognize will detract from the display. The
best solution is to choose a very well known piece, or a personal
favorite that the majority of your audience will be familiar with.
You can even give the display a theme or set it to a popular movie
soundtrack. Fireworks and music, when skillfully choreographed, have
always been seen as a perfect couple. When a soaring note is
complimented by a glittering arching comet, when staccato beats are
illustrated by a line of erupting mines, when a climactic finale is
plastered across the sky in vivid, pulsating colored fire, fading
only as the final note drifts away into the night…..That is when
the two arts seem to combine to create a new emotional dimension.
There is a special art to designing
and firing choreographed fireworks. The secrets is not just in
selecting fireworks which reflect the pace and intensity of the
music exactly, it’s also in the timing. Achieved with a
sophisticated electrical firing system which has proved it’s worth
on every occasion.
Themed events provide marketing opportunities. We have delighted in
putting together ideas as diverse as "Spirit In The Sky";
"An Evening of Movies and Fireworks!"; "Magic
and Sorcery"; "Music From Around the World";
"Wonderful Years of John Williams"; "Galaxy of
Fire"; "Warriors In Film" and many more. Our large music
library coupled with our digital
mixing and recording, give us the opportunity to create unique
evenings of spectacular entertainment for individual venues. We are
always happy to discuss ways that we can help to make your event
extra memorable.
Some
shows are digitally synchronized with music that's simulcast on the
radio, so listeners at home or in a car get a complete visual
experience. This requires countless hours of analysis of the musical
score and pyrotechnic effects. The choreography of that is of
considerable expense.
Background
music that's not synchronized is much less expensive. Elite
Pyrotechnics has a vast collection of more than 10,000 songs in
their library. Visit our partial music selection list here.
You also may provide your own music, coordinated with us, or have no
musical accompaniment.
7.
Select a turnkey operation.
8.
Get a detailed project description.
As
your display company we write a business agreement that specifies
the products you'll get in your show, lists all services we will
provide, exactly what's required from you, and the costs.
9.
Ask how you can save money.
For
tighter budgets, consider shooting smaller items and a shorter show.
A brief, quality show can emphasize excitement. It's really not how
long the fireworks lasts, or how many shells are in your show, but
about the quality of the display and creating excitement and
entertainment.
Depending
on the products and venue, you may be able to do the fireworks
cleanup yourself, rather than paying us to do it.
Which in turn could lead to more bang for your buck. You can save us
some money for extra additional labor and time, and we can include
more effects in your show in return.
10.
Have a contingency plan.
Nobody
has any control over the weather.
Experienced
pyrotechnicians can shoot fireworks in bad weather, but fewer
spectators are likely to watch, and strong winds will prohibit
firing at all. Wind can blow debris beyond the clear area, creating
a fire hazard. In very dry conditions, fire officials may cancel
your display at the last minute, wind or not. Discuss these
possibilities in advance with us, decide what you will do if the
show can't go on, and write any agreements into your contract. Make
sure to discuss an alternate date and time, if such occasion arises.
Avoid
mistakes by adhering to the following suggestions.
For Outdoor
Displays:
- Start
on time. If the event has been advertised for a specific time,
start it promptly!
- Use
the appeal of fireworks to attract attendees to an event. The
anticipation of a fireworks display at a festival, fair or other
public event, keeps attendees longer and has a positive impact
on concession and ticket sales.
- If
you can, customize the display to music. It has more impact on
attendees' emotions. A musical medley can be created that
climaxes at the finale, leaving attendees feeling that the
display was much longer due to the number of songs that were
used.
- For
a public event, use fireworks at the end. People have been
conditioned that when the fireworks go off, the event is over.
- Please
don't try to stretch a small budget with limited effects over a
long period of time! It leads to many dead spots and pauses and
looses its appeal. This is the most frequently repeated mistake
by organizers. When working with a small budget, use smaller
effects closer to the audience for impact.
- End
with a bang!
(Parts
of article courtesy of Northwest Meetings & Events)
