15 replies to this topic

[Frozentech]

Finally, after doing small stuff for a pro display operator for a couple months ( inventory, pulling shows, assembling cake boards ) I get to work a shoot tonight It's the display to mark the start of the Iditarod Dog Sled race here in Alaska, I will try to get some video (gonna set the cam on a tripod and hope for the best ) as it will be a hand-fired show ( electronics doesn't like the Alaska weather much )

Wish me luck !

[sizzle]

Good luck Frozentech, enjoy it, make sure you get some snaps too

Edited by sizzle, 05 March 2006 - 12:02 AM.

[Frozentech]

Good luck Frozentech, enjoy it, make sure you get some snaps too

It was AWESOME. I handfired for 25 minutes, but it seemed longer.! I had an experienced shooter coaching me.... he shot like 3 shells, and handed me the fusee ( road flare, like a fat portfire ) and from then on, it was a shell every 5-7 seconds. I gotta say that 8 and 12 inchers make 'ya blink ( ok, flinch ) I was one of the suckers in between the rows of mortars, so I was freakin *surrounded* by shells going off.

4 hours of set up, the cleanup was pretty quick, we were shooting on a frozen lake.

One shell was a low break.. and it was a biggie.. 8 incher, but I was wearing firefighter turn-out gear, with my nomex parka ( I work in the petroleum industry and get issued fire retardant clothing ). The only way I even knew was Chuck ( my 'coach' ) said "low break low break" so I ducked my head, and next thing I saw was beautiful emerald green stars.. landing around me. LOL... I still reek of BP

I thought I was hooked before, but it was like beer and now I did tequila shots.... speaking of, the city chamber of commerce bought us drinks until midnight ! So, if my spelling sucks... blame them LOL...

I have to look at my pics, I set my camera up in the dash of my truck, aimed at the shooting site, so I hope I got some good video. I have still pics of the set up and stuff, will post later. G'nite all... stay green !
4 more shows and I can test for the license.

[Spyrotechnics]

sounds like you had a blast - although I'm not sure you would get me hand lighting a 12inch shell!!

[sizzle]

That sounds like you had an excellent experience, but i'm slightly worried: you were firing on top of a frozen lake!?!?!

[chris17]

We do that all the time. Winter is such a great time for fireworks. The dark comes sooner, you don't have worry about forest fires and frozen water(lakes, coastline etc) gives more space for firing.


Sounds like you had much fun, Frozentech.

[The_Djinn]

Nice one Frozentech,

You are now addicted to the most powerful drug.. you only have to smell the powder once on a hand fired show and you are addicted for life.

Mark

[Frozentech]

That sounds like you had an excellent experience, but i'm slightly worried: you were firing on top of a frozen lake!?!?!

Sizzle, Lake Lucille, in Wasilla, Alaska, is currently frozen, with ice over a meter thick. We drove out on the ice, in fact when I arrived, part of the festivities was a car race with spike-studded tires and cool looking mini drag racers... I got pics of that too that I will post.

Beside the audience on the shorline towards town, there must have been over a hundred other cars parked on the ice, about 200 meters upwind of the shoot, they were honking thier horns as applause after especially good shots and at the finale.

I'm in the process of uploading about 15 megs of video, the last 5 minutes or so of the show. It came out OK, considering the camera was on the dashboard of my truck parked a couple hundred feet perpendicular to the wind direction. I need to figure where to post the still pics.

Update: I have the video uploaded to Google Video, but they must 'verify' it ( for non-porn or copyright presumably ? ) As soon as that comes through I will post the link to the video.

Still pics being uploaded to Flikr, will post links for those also.

[Frozentech]

Here are pics of the frozen lake, and some of the setup for the display :

Photo's

Still waiting for my video upload to be 'verified' on Googlevideo

[Frozentech]

Some video of that hand-fired show last night. This is the last few minutes of the show, the finale is shot from off-screen unfortunately. I wish I'd have had another person who could operated the camera for me, this was all done with the camera sitting on the dashboard.

http://www.apcforum.....wmv]hand-fired show[/url]

[zookeeper]

Congrats on your first shoot!!!

Looking at your photos of the setup...

Just a concern...

Your racks seem to have only one "slat" or piece of "cribbing" for support on the top rail. I prefer to use TWO or even THREE "slats" (one on the top and one on the bottom) for the best support and least danger of racks tipping over or having the bottom "kick out", from a recoil. I also use a "stand" for each of the "end" racks in a firing line, like the one shown in your photos.

I'm certainly not trying to piss on your picnic, but I'd really hate to see any accidents.


...but, if you're OK with it

Have you tried to "fan" your 3" finale? With a flight of larger shells over the top?

[Frozentech]

Congrats on your first shoot!!!

Looking at your photos of the setup...

Just a concern...

Your racks seem to have only one "slat" or piece of "cribbing" for support on the top rail. I prefer to use TWO or even THREE "slats" (one on the top and one on the bottom) for the best support and least danger of racks tipping over or having the bottom "kick out", from a recoil. I also use a "stand" for each of the "end" racks in a firing line, like the one shown in your photos.

I'm certainly not trying to piss on your picnic, but I'd really hate to see any accidents.
...but, if you're OK with it

Have you tried to "fan" your 3" finale? With a flight of larger shells over the top?

It wasn't "my" shoot, I should have clarified that... it was my first time shooting for a display operator. I think I agree that there should have been more slats between racks. I would also drive a re-bar spike at the ends, easier than a stand, and probably more secure on ice as we were.

I'd don't know yet all the setups that the owner uses, he has done many of the same venues year in and year out for the past 25 years or more, and has each site and show pretty much dialed in the way he wants them. He called this one a 'tiny' show, maybe the St. Patricks Day show in Kenai will be bigger ><

[zookeeper]

It wasn't "my" shoot, I should have clarified that... it was my first time shooting for a display operator.

Sorry for being a nervous nellie, but I hate it when some lead shooters get lazy or careless with their setups. You seem to have a good eye for safety, and it's great to do professional shows (nothing beats getting paid, for something you love)

What was the temperature? I got shivers just looking at the movie/pictures


P.S. Taking movie footage of the show, that's the job for the wife/girlfriend

[Frozentech]

Sorry for being a nervous nellie, but I hate it when some lead shooters get lazy or careless with their setups. You seem to have a good eye for safety, and it's great to do professional shows (nothing beats getting paid, for something you love)

What was the temperature? I got shivers just looking at the movie/pictures
P.S. Taking movie footage of the show, that's the job for the wife/girlfriend

It was 25 degrees F, with a breeze that might have been about 7-10 mph. I forgot about being cold once we started shooting though

[halen]

It was 25 degrees F, with a breeze that might have been about 7-10 mph. I forgot about being cold once we started shooting though

25F = -4C... and you call it cold?
In this winter i shooted show in -30C = -22 degrees Fahrenheit. and it was electrically fired.