Pyrotechnician Answers Fireworks Questions From Twitter | Tech Support | WIRED
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- Опубликовано: 3 июл 2024
- Pyrotechnician Patrick Cyrana joins WIRED to answer your burning questions about fireworks. How are fireworks designed? How do they get their color? What is the most dangerous firework statistically? Who invented fireworks? How do you become a professional pyrotechnician. Patrick answers all of these questions and more-it’s Fireworks Support.
0:00 Firework Support
0:12 How do fireworks fly upward?
1:00 How are fireworks designed?
1:51 Why do fireworks smell so gross?
2:24 How do electric firing systems work for fireworks displays?
3:30 False finales and mini finales in fireworks shows
4:42 Where are most fireworks made?
5:00 Is it safe to fly above fireworks?
5:38 How do fireworks get their colors?
6:34 The San Diego incident
7:21 What was the last innovation in fireworks?
8:34 Who invented fireworks?
9:05 What is the most dangerous firework?
10:41 Why did they have to ban M-80s?
11:36 What kind of firework is your favorite?
12:30 How do pop idols stand on stage amidst pyrotechnics?
13:01 Do fireworks work in the rain?
13:36 Difference between consumer and professional fireworks
14:06 How do you become a pyrotechnician?
14:32 How do you know if a firework is going to do what you expect it to?
15:05 Safe firework disposal
15:29 Fireworks affect on the atmosphere
16:02 South Carolina loves fireworks!
Director: Lisandro Perez-Rey
Director of Photography: Constantine Economides
Editor: Richard Trammell
Expert: Patrick Cyrana
Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi
Associate Producer: Paul Gulyas; Brandon White
Production Manager: Peter Brunette
Casting Producer: Nicholas Sawyer
Camera Operator: Mar Alfonso
Sound Mixer: Rebecca ONeil
Production Assistant: Ryan Coppola
Post Production Supervisor: Christian Olguin
Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant
Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen
Additional Editor: Jason Malizia; JC Scruggs
Assistant Editor: Justin Symonds
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Развлечения
Was not prepared for the tattoo 💀
im not really prepared for anything anyone does or says, that's because I do not control other people. shrug
Yeah that’s a crazy flex for sure 😭💀
@@paddington1670 what does that even mean? You have to be in control of another person to have an idea of what they might be like? If you see a a garbage man pick up garbage, does that blow you away because you aren't in control of them? Must be a wild existence...
Maybe he was surprised by his dedication? I dunno though, the skull can mean so many things.
It was great, wasn't it? It's his creativeness and dedication to a theme that impressed me.
That tattoo was a FLEX
yeah it was pretty cool.
Where is there a clear view of the tattoo
Around 1:58
Nothing gets by you…
I enjoyed how he said "always have a sober adult in charge", because that's an important distinction. There's probably an adult in charge, but are they really capable of being in charge at that moment?
It just adds a little excitement to the show lol.
And he missed out on knowledgeable. It is not enough to be sober and adult, you need to know what you are doing.
Listening to people who love their job is so inspiring.
Some call it "competence pron".
@@sophiamarchildon3998 this!!!
@@sophiamarchildon3998 Being competent and loving your job are two distinct things.
The hesitation when he says "Dont set off a 200ft firework in your apartment.... Parking lot" Haha. There is a story to be told
Google bootleg firework on RUclips for the answer
shut up
I thought he was going to say "... balcony."
I remember the "Big Bay Bust" (I think they call the normal one the "Big Bay Boom")
I was in the hospital so I couldn't go.. but I saw videos, and it was spectacular lol
While I would have been a little bummed (if I'd went) that it was over so quickly, I'd have been thrilled to see it.
5 different fireworks barges, all with the timers set in seconds instead of milliseconds, went off all at the same time for about 15 seconds instead of 5-10 minutes..
I couldn't imagine how ashamed I'd be if I'd set that up.
... could be a short fuse story 😂
I trained as a Pyrotechnician back in the mid 90's (by the man who did the effects for the 1995 Judge Dredd movie with Stallone), I worked at some amazing places putting on not just a 'firework display' but combined fireworks, fire and people, 60 human fire eaters, dancers and flame throwers, human and mechanical, all with more explosions than allowed.
Best Ever was right under Sussex Police headquarters in the UK, they tried so hard to stop it BUT the local fire service gave us the thumbs up and enjoyed the show (as did the police on site).
you should see Illinois anti firework commercials under the banned Pyrotechnic Use Act signed in 1942, people have been trying to change it but if you pass through Illinois you can people firing off fireworks anyways
@@knightwolf3511 It's only really an issue in the cities. The sheriff's departments in the rural counties don't really care.
"if you fire at us, we'll fire back" looooool
My Dad's school friend broke into an outdoor Police locker in New Zealand back in the 60s, which contained confiscated fireworks and then subsequently blew his fingers off with one of them.
"Show me your hook-hands." -Dave Atell
Play stupid games win stupid prizes. Never light a firework in your hand
Karma wanted some fingers.😅
@@Neenerella333🎉
@@WyattWinters Good advice. Tho, I do like holding bottle rockets sometimes, it rarely burns you... much. My dad told stories of the bottle rocket wars he had when he was a kid, which sounds terrifying.
To help with the last question about SC being obsessed with fireworks, it’s because fireworks are illegal in NC so all of us go down to SC to get our fireworks. That’s why there’s so many firework stores near the SC line.
Do they still have the hundreds of "South of the border..." signs on southbound 95?
@@x--. yes, yes they do😂
Same thing with Maryland and PA.
Same in Illinois. We just go over the border to Missouri or Indiana.
@@benn454 As a resident of western Indiana, can confirm, there are more fireworks stores than Starbucks in the Terre Haute area.
3:53 “sky puke” what a term
There is a flaw in logic here, because there is no such thing as too many fireworks or “skypuke”. Fireworks should be finale all the way, all the time.
@@timz9862 depends entirely on your audience and the pyro.
@@timz9862Nah, there is such thing as too many. Sky puke can be kind of utilized as "filler" in a show but not in a finale and definitely not in sequences. If you put effort into choreographing a display then you want it to go as close to your vision as possible. Other people might not know the difference but you will... And they will miss out on the thing you had planned that was even better.
@@lucydog3376 But you’re assuming that everyone wants fireworks to be like a ballet, when many of us just want to watch a bunch of pretty explosions continuously.
Yup when there are too many fireworks too fast the smoke obscures the effect.
God, I love the smell of fireworks.
Same
Same
Same
It smells like....victory
Yaaaaas 😩🤌🏻
Not as crazy as San Diego... had a 60 shot cake malfunction near me and they all went off at once. That was a surprise! We prepped well though. Lots of open space around us, eye protection, fire extinguishers, a plan. Fireworks are fun but need to be treated with respect for the danger they could cause.
Cowabunga it is
Was at a show where fireworks fired into crowd. Fairly terrifying.
I remember a big smoke bomb that just detonated instead of smoking. It really got my attention because there were people present who were holding the very same smoke bomb in their hands while it burned. 😬
Lol I had one blow up in my hand once or twice learned my lesson 😆😆 but also had them blow up on the ground too
The bit about "false finales" makes perfect sense; it's like that rising/falling action graph that they show you in middle school English classes. You want to have multiple peaks over the course of the 'story', with valleys in between to give the audience time to process what just happened. It's just that in a fireworks display, the 'story' you're telling is told via explosions.
6:21 SO you're adding the Loudness ??? exactly how muted could the fireworks be ?
I'm sure you've noticed the dull "thud" sounds when some mortars explode, as well as a flare-burning sound akin to when bottle rockets go off. That's about as quiet as they can get. Everything else would be added either on purpose (such as the Salute or Report he mentioned), or as a byproduct of a visual effect.
Some effects like Horse Tails are pretty quiet. Just a light pop and the burning bits just fall out of the shell that’s launched into the sky
I mean there are people who just like the sound for some reason. Thats why sound bombs or whatever they are called exists, all they do is make a boom
@@MSusername69 “Salutes” are what they are called. Just flash powered that goes boom
Do fireworks have a small fan underneath 😂okay
Talk about a ridiculous question 😂😂😂
Being born on the 4th, I have been obsessed with fireworks my whole life.
That’s cool!
My dads Bday is 4th of July so he has a blast drinking and watching
Happi bdayyyy
Happy birthday!
@@JustnormalOofficial Thanks!
I see yall using the “GET THE WATER” video at 10:11 😂😂😂
It's going down! 😂
those mfing bootleg fireworks!
Spinning fireworks are my fav, love seeing a whirling ball of light whipping into the sky, then kaboom! A classic star burst.
I learned something today. Thank You.
I did not knw about embedding a microchip in the firework to time exactly when it will go off. Fascinating.
I didn't either, but I'm not at all surprised Disney is doing it... and the pneumatic launchers. With the amount of firework displays they put on in a year, anything that makes the productions cheaper, safer, and more reliable is going to pay massive dividends.
His knowledge is lit
😂
Interesting! I have questions about air quality FOR SURE and I also am curious how the new drone shows are impacting the fireworks industry.
For the last question about South Carolina, as a resident of a neighboring state, I believe the restrictions on fireworks and the taxes are lower in South Carolina than in neighboring states. So, I see more stores right when entering the border. ALSO, gas taxes used to be much less than in surrounding states, so there were lots of gas stations that also sold fireworks.
Yesterday there was an incident in my country where 1.000 kg of firework exploded in someone’s garage. Funny this video was uploaded the day after
Prob why ur country shouldn’t have fireworks
@@NateDawg5050 Not everyone is an idiot with fireworks.
Excuse me, that's a bomb at that weight
@@babecat2000 apparently whoever did it inside a garage in whatever country he said lol he’s obviously the idiotic moron who can’t handle a little gunpowder and magnesium lol 😂
@@gerber8915 grow up and grow a pair lol 😂
Really nice guy that loves what he does. Great guest.
Pyrotechnik ist doch kein Verbrechen! 🙌🙌
So the modeling software used was FWsim(really cool program) and to best explain cakes/shells is that if you know the physics of how weaponry(guns, cannons, mortor guns, and artillery pieces) a shell has the same physics. The fuse you light is the trigger(more literally if using a firing system) and the lift charge is what fires the shell(bullet) out of the gun(the tube shells are launched out of) firing systems do the same as you using a punk/lighter to shoot the show while allowing the techs to be at a safe distance especially with many shows that utilize 8, 10, and 12 inch shells
I stand corrected... finale 3D
7:52 the microchip shortage is making a lot of sense now...
When you wish upon a radio-activated detonator....
@@x--. Or radioACTIVE (strontium and barium coloring agents, lol)
They're launching and blowing them up in the sky!!!!!
For the last question- because of the different laws in different states, I have found that very often the first few miles past the border tend to have a LOT of fireworks stores, more than anywhere else in the state would. New York has more allowed fireworks now than in the past, and we can buy them here now as well, but I remember a time when we could not buy most fireworks in state, but *could* set off most fireworks in state. So everyone would drive to Pennsylvania where, a mile in or so just off the interstate you could find 2 or 3 stores to buy fireworks and then drive back up into New York.
1:03 That firework model looks yummy.
That person who commented about fireworks smelling so bad is nuts. I love the smell of fireworks! I suppose that person would probably try and tell me gasoline doesn't smell good either 🙄
Of all the fireworks I've lit in my life the only one that ever hurt me was a sparkler. I was lighting it for someone and not thinking about the direction of ignition so it burned a hole in my thumb in less than a second. Lesson learned the hard way.
"he who has smelt the smoke is never free again"
Wait. Somebody seriously asked if fireworks have a fan on the bottom that shoots them up? 😂💀
They say the only stupid question is the one you're too proud to ask but that one does make me wanna know the age of the submitter
There's nothing like hand lighting. I get the logistics and impracticality when doing a big show, but the rush of a bunch of dudes all scrambkjng and lighting em 1 at a time... ugh its cool
Pyrotechnik ist doch kein Verbrechen🇩🇪🎉🎆
11:36 you just know "gold drippy drippy" was the second name they had for it
Pyrotechnik ist doch kein Verbrechen🗣️
Very timely and always so interesting. Thanks!
Just in time for July 4th
Woah, almost like it was planned
You don't have to drive too far out of NJ to find roadside fireworks stands around this time of year...
And sometimes cops looking for NJ driver's licenses at those stands.
14:44 Part of the fun of fireworks is seeing whether the fire works 😂
Wow. The tech behind the show that could be is used. Crazy
Love your style, it's like a burst of creativity in every video!
This episode is a blast, not gonna lie
One of the cooler projects was making an E ignitor unit based on a DMX lighting controller for a pyro crew up in Wausau WI. They didnt have readily available e matches but estes rocket ignitors plus a little black powder worked well. That was way back in the 90's btw. Seeing how they got precise computer control and wireless is awsome ❤
That was amazing and I wasn’t expecting the answers. Thanks for sharing!
Totally fascinating, thanks very much!
Thanks. You explained a lot!
Watching this before my yearly all out firework battle
This was a great one! Can we have him on again but with more focus on stage-stuff?
I ❤ how Wired still calls it “Twitter”! 😂
fun and informative. thanks for sharing
Had no idea there as Chereographing software for Fireworks shows! that is so cool!
Very useful information! There is nothing superfluous❤❤
This is the most interesting video. I really never thought about fireworks in detail before. Happy (almost) 4th all!!
This one is fascinating. ❤
Great answers and fun guy!
Fascinating! Thank you!
This has got to be such an awesome job.
@11:50 "that lasting gold... impression in the air." i wonder what word he was avoiding lol
That software is crazy cool! I always wondered how they designed the shows and what thought processes goes into it.
:33 "when it reaches maximum altitude" though not because of any sensor/logic, just that the fuses have been timed so that it should explode after the amount of time it should take to get there.
2:00 The tatoo everyone talking about
Thank me later
That was excellent. Gr8 job!
The cut away looking like a happy face…thought he was trolling
we had a morter go off in the tube once, the tube was fine just surprised us a lot
This is such a cool job. I had goosebumps thinking about all the shows I watched with my dad while you described the process. I’ve wasted my life chasing quantum computing. 😩😩😩
I appreciate how detailed his answers were. Most of these give very simplified answers but not this one.
"He who smells the smoke is never free again" is so true. Can never get enough of the smell.
10/10 episode. Very interesting.
i looovvveeeee the smell of a fireworks show! signed a SC resident lololol
The other part of the answer to the question about South Carolina involves North Carolina. NC’s fireworks laws are much more restrictive than SC’s, and NC’s biggest city, Charlotte, is right on the border. Lots of people will take a quick nip across the border the week before July 4th and grab some technically illegal but impossible to meaningfully enforce fireworks.
I am an enthusiast of pyrotechnic displays. While my nation has implemented restrictions on the personal use of fireworks due to safety concerns, I had the opportunity to partake in such activities during my time in Indonesia.
Advancements in drone technology have provided a superior alternative for creating visual spectacles in the sky, which aligns with my personal preferences.
4th of July time for this guy to shine 🔥
Small correction, NOTAM was recently changed to meaning notice to all air missions
Good job on the video Patrick. 👍
Not a fireworks person at all, but as a kid, and now as an adult, when i do use them, i pretty much just get m80s, i never even knew they were banned.... like wtf?
They are just so simple and easy to use. Just a quick BANG
Unless you're making your fireworks with air conditioning refrigerant chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), they aren't impacting the ozone layer.
Iv'e alway wondered how this works. Thanks for taking me to school!
I'm gonna need some of those real m80's.
Best fireworks video I've seen. You told it straight.
So informative!
@6:00 The slower burning charge gives you "more fire"? Or is it just so you can accelerate the firework at the correct rate so you don't overpressurize and blow up the tube?
Exactly. Too fast of a powder in a lift charge will cause the mortar to fail (due to over pressure) and not lift the shell to the correct height or break the shell inside the mortar. Lift charges are calculated based on the mass of the shell. Higher mass == slower (and more) BP to build more pressure over time.
Yes to both.
In the same way, firearms cartridges are loaded with specific types and quantities of powder to provide the desired projectile velocity without overpressurizing the chamber and harming the user.
2:28 ✌🏻pick number 3 my lord ✌🏻
Patrick: "There is a myth that the ozone above Disney is totally charred, which means that's probably why most people are getting a little bit more tanned at Disney World than they are around the rest of the world, but there's no evidence to support that."
Me: "For now. Don't give Disney any ideas now."
Mickey Mouse: "Hold my Red Bull."
The biggest danger with mortars is people getting body parts over the muzzle. Having a mortar shell impact your noggin is a very good way to learn how to push daisies upwards. It happens pretty much every year, sadly. As you might guess, alcohol is usually involved.
We attended one of those one-minute fireworks shows, at an AF base, when I was a kid. The entire set of mortars went off at once just after the start of the show. It was fantastic! (Not particularly artistic, though, and too short for my liking.)
Black powder is not used in color compositions nor is it used in so called M-80, reports or salutes.
Exactly. I noted that as well. Has he really made coloured stars and salutes himself?
@@francisdec1615 The net is littered with info on how to make stars and other color comps. I think he should of at least done 5 minutes of research on the subject before saying utterly wrong things.
Oh I'm sure he has not@@francisdec1615
I love the fireworks that sizzle while they fall
The answer regarding coloring the fire went wrong by starting with black powder. The only common (and then only among amateurs, not the pros) color compositions based on black powder contain zinc. Strontium carbonate would give so little color to black powder, it would not be used; strontium carbonate does give a nice red with potassium chlorate or perchlorate, usually an additional chlorine donor, and a fuel other than the charcoal that fuels black powder. Charcoal makes too strong an orangish light for colors to show thru its flame. There are nitrate-oxidized color compositions, but with fuels that don't have that defect that black powder has.
I am curious about the whistling fireworks. (I call them "screamers.") Love them! How do they do that?
Those composition burn intermittently but very fast at a frequency we interpret as a whistle.
Thanks for the education on fireworks. Sparklers was my second guess. I thought “Bottle Rockets” probably caused the most damage. Cheap and available
You don't need to notify the FAA unless you are within the range of the airport or base... If you're more than 5 miles away the planes have gained enough altitude to be far above any fireworks and you aren't in ATC airspace...
Where I live in Canonsburg, PA, the consumer firework displays have grown exponentially in the last 30 years that they are far more entertaining than the "official" display at Canon-Mac stadium. We have the second largest parade in the whole state of PA...and this is our claim to fame. Parade in the morning...people blowing s**t up at night.
This was a good one. Though I’m curious now why “Thunder” would be a reason to cancel a show. I’m guessing it’s the associated lightning. But the way he said it made me wonder if the thunder crashes could accidentally trigger the fireworks
The rule of thumb with thunderstorms is "if you can hear thunder, you could be struck by lightning."
Aerial static electricity is inherently unpredictable.
My state finally removed the ban on all fireworks a few years ago. Snakes and sparklers are all that could be purchased before that. Kickin Wayne would have been in heaven.
The reason for the original ban was in the 1930s, a young boy had a lit sparkler next to a retail fireworks display. The sparkler was dropped on said display, and started a massive fire that burned half the town. It had been very hot and dry and this happened on a windy day. Noone died though. As a result of this legislators decided to ban everything but what started the fire. It has always baffled me why we give children sticks that burned at 2000 degrees and think it's safe.
Notam is "Notice To Air Mission" now, not airman.
PC police spotted.
@@stargazer7644 Crybaby spotted.
@@nercksrule That might make some sense if someone was actually crying about something.
that software looks like roller coaster tycoon 3 lol