your finale

[HMNPG]

Take a bit of time and think about this and provide some feedback.

Percentage wise, how much of your show is the finale. I am considering all aspects of a show including length, cost, and # of shots.

Here is an example with nice round #'s to work with.

$500
1500 shots contained in 200g-500g cakes and a variety of reloadables.
20 minutes long

Now the above example may not be realistic based on single shells running anywhere from 35 cents to $1 a piece, 200's in the $3-$7 range and 500's at $15 plus, but just work with me and lets see where this goes. No need to get nit picky on exact product, or effects, lets just work with basic numbers. You 1.3 guys can chime in too if you care to with a new set of #'s

How many bursts in the sky would be in the finale?
How long would the finale last?
what would the value of the finale be?
And just for kicks, if you decided to have a false finale, at what point in the 20 minute show would it be?

[Deweycoon]

I use around 35% of the show budget in the finale.

[davidhoutz]

For me, 20 minutes isn't a finale...its still part of the show. I try to keep the finale around 2-3 minutes. I also like to do a false finale but I call it "Slop". I put around 30-60 200gram cakes in a line and light 'em up. After a good 20 minute display your average audience member doesn't know when the show is actually over so when they see a lot of fireworks at once they think that's it and get all excited. When that's done, give 'em about 10 seconds and let the real finale go...take there breath away. I think the whole point of a finale is to say, "Hey, if you liked that then your going to love this!"

As far as cost and shots... its more art than anything. When you look at a painting you look at size, detail and color. Make the finale big, pay attention to what your putting in the sky, and make it bright. I just redid my finale the other day 'cause it just wasn't "Doing it" for me. Now I'm ending with 20 NOAB's all brocades all at once. May not be a lot of shots but it sure as hell will look good...IMO.

[pyrodale22]

wow 20 noab's, that will cost you a little, but oh what a sight that will be

[ScottT]

HMNPG,

The show I'm planning for July 4th is much "smaller" and may be more typical of your average joe just starting out.

Breakout for entire show:
$483 wholesale
1,013 shots including 200g, 500g, and shells
15 1/2 minutes
Show broken into boards of 2-3 minute length

May seem like a long duration for the cost, but my audience thinks it's a lot if 2 things are going off at once so I keep it mainly to 1 500G or 2 200g's at a time during the body of the show.

My false finale will be just prior to the actual finale and builds up the pace culminating with 2 500G's and 3 200G's going off at once. After a pause, I'll start off with Brothers Neutron Bomb which begins with nice slow comets to slow the rhythm back down before launching into "real" finale.

Finale length: 2 minutes with 204 shots, weighted more to the final minute. Finale will be 33% ($162) of the show cost and will include 8 200g, 4 500G, two NOABs, and 40 shells. Using NOABs and shells will give the finale more large breaks than the rest of the show.

I know that for many of you my finale is what the body of your show consists of, but knowing my audience they'll love it and it will give me something to build on in future years.

Scott

[LIGHTUMUP]

Originally Posted by ScottT

HMNPG,

The show I'm planning for July 4th is much "smaller" and may be more typical of your average joe just starting out.

I know that for many of you my finale is what the body of your show consists of, but knowing my audience they'll love it and it will give me something to build on in future years.

Scott

Yep, when you're the biggest pyro your audience knows you can do no wrong

[RPS]

This thread inspired me a bit, so I wrote too much and put up a couple videos on my blog:

http://amnt.vox.com/library/post/a-f...n-finales.html

[missinglink]

Originally Posted by RPS

This thread inspired me a bit, so I wrote too much and put up a couple videos on my blog:

http://amnt.vox.com/library/post/a-f...n-finales.html

Nice!! I will review this again when I am doing my next show.

I did a little NYE show.. One cake board, with a NOAB and two twenty-shot racks. I didn't want to crack open any of my shell cases and instead grabbed up all the random shells I had left over from the 4th and the last shoot I was at. I had a mix of PPS7, Excals, Max Blast/Shell Shocked, Rambos and Shotgun shells. I loaded the racks trying to stagger the high-end shells every 3rd of 4th shot. You know what... I liked it better than a full rack of premium shells! Really nice multi-level saturation. If I had included a parallel rack of Critical Acclaims it would have been even better. I did not use any shells with tails but would have been nice!! I shot 18 200gm, two 500gms, one Noab, and two twenty-shot racks in 1.5 minutes. It was a little show but when fired quickly with cakes and racks angled it was pretty dang intense and it was not all the expensive.... which makes me realize yet again that you don't need to go broke to do a good show... you just need to use your pyro strategically to maximize effect....

[Shizzster]

For my display this year, im spending a little over a quarter of my budget on the finale.

[Rangerdoc]

I spend about 20% on the finale, then work backwards from there.
This years will have 50) 3" Crackling Nishiki Kamuros & 6) 5" golden kamuro mines, spread wide. Then 20) 3" salutes shot simultaneously. I'm thinking of handing out sunblock to the audience.
The false finale will be a few hundred 2-1/2" shells w/several fast fan cakes.

[UnkleSAM]

My finale is usually about 20% of the budget, and lasts in the 2 minute range. The whole show should be just under 20 minutes total. As far as shot-count goes, that depends greatly on the kind a finale. All shell finale's don't have nearly as many shots as one filled with SMBs and small 200g cakes.

[pyro pete 33]

i was thinking a couple of creamora fireballs then into the grand finale. but havent figured out the right mix for the fireballs always have to lift not enough burn any suggestions

[HMNPG]

Pete, cremoras are considered manufacturing pyrotechnics, which is prohibited on the forum. Check your PM.

[apopple]

Originally Posted by RPS

This thread inspired me a bit, so I wrote too much and put up a couple videos on my blog:

http://amnt.vox.com/library/post/a-f...n-finales.html

Awesome finale videos on your site!!

[Rikerz]

400 - 500 Excalibers with WC fast visco! So far anyway..

[navyfighter04]

I wont be in the us for the 4th anymore. But my finale i had planned for this year was. 24-#300 Reaper Shells. 160-Critical Acclaims. 96-Excals. 12- 200 Gram Cakes. 25-500 Gram Cakes.

[Rikerz]

Originally Posted by navyfighter04

I wont be in the us for the 4th anymore. But my finale i had planned for this year was. 24-#300 Reaper Shells. 160-Critical Acclaims. 96-Excals. 12- 200 Gram Cakes. 25-500 Gram Cakes.

Hold on to that lineup because it sounds AWESOME! So, if you have already bought that stuff and can't use it right away, you have my address

[navyfighter04]

Originally Posted by Rikerz

Hold on to that lineup because it sounds AWESOME! So, if you have already bought that stuff and can't use it right away, you have my address

Sry jeff but my bro is going to fire it off for me. Im going to have him videotape it so we can all see it. But maybe ill come down there sometime and we'll put up some works.

[Rikerz]

Originally Posted by navyfighter04

Sry jeff but my bro is going to fire it off for me. Im going to have him videotape it so we can all see it. But maybe ill come down there sometime and we'll put up some works.

Just let me know the date....

[navyfighter04]

Originally Posted by Rikerz

Just let me know the date....

I'll let you no as soon as I get back. Maybe we can have some kind of challenge shoot off. Your show against mine back to back.

I no you have your type 54 so we would have to limit it to 1.4 only. What do ya say?

[Rikerz]

Originally Posted by navyfighter04

I'll let you no as soon as I get back. Maybe we can have some kind of challenge shoot off. Your show against mine back to back.

I no you have your type 54 so we would have to limit it to 1.4 only. What do ya say?

Oh yeah... Bring it on Navy Boy!

[navyfighter04]

Originally Posted by Rikerz

Oh yeah... Bring it on Navy Boy!

Oh its on you old retired army boy. Oh its definately on.

[RudyG]

This sounds like the making of a Pay Per View event.

[navyfighter04]

Originally Posted by RudyG

This sounds like the making of a Pay Per View event.

We should make it a PPV. That would be sweet. Active Military against Retired Military. I like your thinking Rudy. You wanna be my manager.