A minor accomplishment

[DaFace]

For those of you who don't know (most of you, probably), I shoot fireworks professionally as a kind of summer hobby. In a way, I grew up around fireworks, as my dad started doing it for fun back when I was just a kid (maybe 10 or so). It was always a kind of bonding activity that both my dad and I could get into once a year. We (he) often shot shows that were too far away to do in a day, so it would often turn into a brief road trip with just me and my dad. I have fond memories of staying in crappy hotels in Topeka as we prepped for the Lake Shawnee and Perry shows each year.

I got my license pretty much immediately after turning 21 in 2003. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and my dad hurt his foot pretty badly in 2004 and, therefore, decided to give up fireworks. It's a shit-ton of work for one, 15-minute rush, so it didn't make sense for him to be on his feet all day. However, I kept going with another guy we'd met through the Topeka show until 2006. It turned from a fun summer tradition with my dad to a fun summer tradition with some friends of mine, and so I kept going year after year.

In 2006, it was a pretty rough year for fireworks. The two Topeka shows were back-to-back, and to make a long story short, I got about 4 hours of sleep in 72 hours. Couple that with the fact that I graduated and moved to Colorado at the end of that year, I decided to hang it up.

Three years later - 4th of July, 2009. I'm sitting at Dick's Sporting Goods park after a Rapids game, ready to watch the "biggest fireworks show in Colorado." The game ends, the lights go down, and...nothing. The crew had some sort of major malfunction, and they couldn't shoot the show. At that moment, I thought to myself, "I wish I knew what was going on so that I could try to help." After that, I decided I had to get back into it, and fast.

I quickly got in contact with a company I found out here and asked them if I could help. Unfortunately, Colorado law states that you have to have helped on five shows in the past three years to get your license. None of the 26 shows I'd done previously counted for anything. So, over the past 9 months, I've somehow managed to find five offseason fireworks shows to work on, taken two safety classes, and submitted a crap ton of applications. Today, I passed my certification test, so I can finally say I'm done. I'll be able to shoot a show this 4th of July.

It's really not THAT big of a deal, but it was a lot of work, and I'm excited to get back into it. Plus, it's fun to be able to say again that I get paid to blow shit up. :)

[RedNFeisty]

That is more then a minor accomplishment, being able to do what you love, is an enormous accomplishment! Congrats!

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Right on dude. Congrats.

[Rain Man]

That is more then a minor accomplishment, being able to do what you love, is an enormous accomplishment! Congrats!

And then after work he gets to shoot fireworks!

[LetsSignRussell]

you god damn manimal

[cdcox]

.

[luv]

And then after work he gets to shoot fireworks!

LMAO

[DaFace]

.

I prefer to think of them like this:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_jpVutNBrChA/SlVggv9vYsI/AAAAAAAAAN4/KWP-e_miOwQ/pose.jpg

(No, that's not me. It's a guy I worked with.)

[cdcox]

Have you ever made your own pyrotechnics? I used to lurk on their usenet board. Some of that was pretty interesting, especially the experts.

[Dave Lane]

Good job. Now I've got a gross of m80s I've had for years that needs to be blown up so get over here :)


For those of you who don't know (most of you, probably), I shoot fireworks professionally as a kind of summer hobby. In a way, I grew up around fireworks, as my dad started doing it for fun back when I was just a kid (maybe 10 or so). It was always a kind of bonding activity that both my dad and I could get into once a year. We (he) often shot shows that were too far away to do in a day, so it would often turn into a brief road trip with just me and my dad. I have fond memories of staying in crappy hotels in Topeka as we prepped for the Lake Shawnee and Perry shows each year.

I got my license pretty much immediately after turning 21 in 2003. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and my dad hurt his foot pretty badly in 2004 and, therefore, decided to give up fireworks. It's a shit-ton of work for one, 15-minute rush, so it didn't make sense for him to be on his feet all day. However, I kept going with another guy we'd met through the Topeka show until 2006. It turned from a fun summer tradition with my dad to a fun summer tradition with some friends of mine, and so I kept going year after year.

In 2006, it was a pretty rough year for fireworks. The two Topeka shows were back-to-back, and to make a long story short, I got about 4 hours of sleep in 72 hours. Couple that with the fact that I graduated and moved to Colorado at the end of that year, I decided to hang it up.

Three years later - 4th of July, 2009. I'm sitting at Dick's Sporting Goods park after a Rapids game, ready to watch the "biggest fireworks show in Colorado." The game ends, the lights go down, and...nothing. The crew had some sort of major malfunction, and they couldn't shoot the show. At that moment, I thought to myself, "I wish I knew what was going on so that I could try to help." After that, I decided I had to get back into it, and fast.

I quickly got in contact with a company I found out here and asked them if I could help. Unfortunately, Colorado law states that you have to have helped on five shows in the past three years to get your license. None of the 26 shows I'd done previously counted for anything. So, over the past 9 months, I've somehow managed to find five offseason fireworks shows to work on, taken two safety classes, and submitted a crap ton of applications. Today, I passed my certification test, so I can finally say I'm done. I'll be able to shoot a show this 4th of July.

It's really not THAT big of a deal, but it was a lot of work, and I'm excited to get back into it. Plus, it's fun to be able to say again that I get paid to blow shit up. :)

[DaFace]

Have you ever made your own pyrotechnics? I used to lurk on their usenet board. Some of that was pretty interesting, especially the experts.

Nope. I know a couple guys who have gotten into it, but I've always had a lot more fun doing the shows themselves than making the shells. Maybe someday.

[CrazyPhuD]

Sooooo...when this 4th the denver fireworks show goes awry and manages to burn down invesco, we know it's just a terrible accident right? ;)

[CrazyPhuD]

By the way how much money would it cost to get a fireworks chiefs logo displayed in denver's 4th show?

[|Zach|]

That is more then a minor accomplishment, being able to do what you love, is an enormous accomplishment! Congrats!

Exactly, love it when people engage their passions.

[btlook1]

By the way how much money would it cost to get a fireworks chiefs logo displayed in denver's 4th show?

very good question...I'm awaiting an answer...if it could be done I might even chip in for that one!

[Coach]

Just do not attempt this by any means....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v39/SwedeCarlson/Official%20Game%20Thread/x2m51i.gif

[Fritz88]

Congrats deface. Getting it done in nine months isn't an easy thing. Keep at it and free yourself from RM :evil:

[Fritz88]

And then after work he gets to shoot fireworks!

ROFL

[Pushead2]

Congrats, doing what you love is the best kept secret in life...

[bevischief]

Sooooo...when this 4th the denver fireworks show goes awry and manages to burn down invesco, we know it's just a terrible accident right? ;)

ROFL

[wutamess]

How much can one show bring in?

[BigRedChief]

Congrats, doing what you love is the best kept secret in life...Life is too damn short to do otherwise.

[seclark]

you need to change your avatar to kicking wing, daface.
sec

[Dartgod]

That's an awful lot of hassle just to be able to shoot off bottle rockets in Rainman's backyard.

[Jenson71]

How do you keep yourself safe from those big fireballs that you can feel the heat from half a mile away?

[DaFace]

How do you keep yourself safe from those big fireballs that you can feel the heat from half a mile away?

Well, there's a reason that you have to have a license to mess with the stuff - there's definitely a danger factor involved. That said, things a relatively safe these days. Most shows are fired electrically, so you're at least 75 feet away when things are being set off. That makes a huge difference.

[Simply Red]

badass, good.

[DaFace]

How much can one show bring in?

I think a rule of thumb is that the shooting crew gets about 10% of the show in total, so your typical $10k show would have about $1,000 allocated to us. For the operator specifically (me), a mid-size town's show is probably worth maybe $500. Crew members typically get $100 or so. Bigger shows have bigger budgets, of course, but then you have to have a bigger crew.

For me, it's much more for the fun than the money, that's for sure. I'm sure you can find a way to make a living shooting fireworks, but it'd be a tough life.

[Simply Red]

DaFace,

Have you and Joe ever got together, gotten drunk and talked firework technology, honestly?

[DaFace]

DaFace,

Have you and Joe ever got together, gotten drunk and talked firework technology, honestly?

I've never made it to a bash, so no. That said, I'm pretty sure Joe deals with consumer fireworks, where I deal with public displays. There's actually not a whole lot in common between the two.

[aturnis]

Shoot any WWE yet?

[Gracie Dean]

awesome. Hubby wants to do this

[DaFace]

Shoot any WWE yet?

That's actually a different license. Never really had much of a desire to get into that, but it could be fun.

awesome. Hubby wants to do this

It's a lot more work than people expect, but it's a lot of fun. Unfortunately, it's a little tough to get into since you basically just have to find someone to let you help on their crew (which is a bit of a risk since they are responsible for your safety). If he really wants to get into it, I recommend going through a company that puts on shows to get in contact with a shooter. You can probably get info about some of them from your state fire marshall.

["Bob" Dobbs]

Awesome, DaFace! Coincidentally, on Saturday I went to shooter school. Haven't taken the test yet, but plan on going to Topeka in the next week or two for that. I've helped shoot our local community 7/4 show for the past 5 years.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

cool. A buddy I went to college with does pyro out of Topeka. He's done the show here and also stuff at the T-Bones, etc.

[Gadzooks]

Congrats DaFace!
Try to avoid working Great White's club dates.

[DaFace]

Awesome, DaFace! Coincidentally, on Saturday I went to shooter school. Haven't taken the test yet, but plan on going to Topeka in the next week or two for that. I've helped shoot our local community 7/4 show for the past 5 years.

Nice! Unless they've changed it, the Kansas test is cake if you have a clue what you're doing. When I took it 7 years ago or so, it was open-book. You have to look a lot of stuff, but just know the structure and the index, and you'll be fine.

It's a hell of a hobby, that's for sure!

[DaFace]

cool. A buddy I went to college with does pyro out of Topeka. He's done the show here and also stuff at the T-Bones, etc.

Mind if I ask the guy's first name? I don't know anyone who's done any T-Bones games to my knowledge, but my main crew I worked with has shot the Shawnee Lake show for almost the past 10 years. Not sure if that's the show you're referring to or if there's another one somewhere.

[Gonzo]

You may think it's A Minor Accomplishment, but I think it B Major!!!ELEVENTY
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Thank you, thank you....

I'll be here all week.