The fourth of July is just a few days away and that means fireworks, with displays from backyard amateurs to municipal city-backed gatherings to theme park extravaganzas.
Craig LaFleur is the owner of the Central Florida-based fireworks company Pyrospot.
He says behind every dazzling explosion in the sky, there’s both science and art – sometimes in the way fireworks can be choreographed to music, and sometimes packed within the individual explosion itself. He tells me about the artistry of fireworks, and how he fell in love with it.
Craig LaFleur:
One of my earliest memories is going with my dad for Fourth of July and New Year to the local firework stand, and him letting me pick out some things and the two of us doing fireworks together. And I always thought they were amazing. I was hooked.
Nicole Darden Creston:
Can you tell me a little bit about the evolution of the artistry of fireworks, how they started, how they're made.
Craig LaFleur:
China developed fireworks, and in the beginning, they were mostly gold and white. They have continued to become more extravagant and more beautiful, in my opinion, as they continued development. The colors in the fireworks are actually created by using different metal. And that's what gives the different colors in the firework - the golds and the blues and the greens, the reds, a lot of it is a closely guarded secret. That is why for instance, purple fireworks you do not see as often because apparently the metal that they use is more expensive. And gold is one of the cheapest metals that they use. We went from fireworks that were just basically large explosions in the sky to really complicated effects like 'brocade crown,' 'chrysanthemum,' 'coconuts'...some of these are very descriptive as to what they look like when they explode. For example, 'flying fish.' The flying fish effect is where it actually looks like there are little squiggles of light flying through the air after it explodes. 'Falling leaves' is a popular effect where it goes down, and they seem to slowly drift down through the air as they fall. And of course, brocade crown is one that's been around for a long time. It's a very popular one. It's the ones that you see where it's generally a giant explosion that comes down toward the ground very similar to a weeping willow.
Nicole Darden Creston:
Do you have favorites?
Craig LaFleur:
One of my favorite firework effects is called a 'mine shell.' That's where the color actually explodes from the ground skyward. So instead of shooting up a hundred feet in the air and blowing up, it actually goes upward from the ground. Another effect is 'comets.' Comets are the ones where it's like a giant ball of fire that as soon as it's fired out, you can see it all the way through the sky up into the air, it may not explode, it may not break into any effects. It just could be a giant powerful comet, and what they've done now with the combined effects like 'mine shells' and 'comets' and 'cressets' and 'crackle' to truly create artistry in the skies.
Nicole Darden Creston:
What about the role of computers and fireworks? Do you know much about that?
Craig LaFleur:
Now, almost all professional shows that you see are computer-controlled. The fireworks that are used in professional shows are made to be lit by an electronic igniter. And as soon as the electronic igniter sends a signal, it shoots off. The computer actually has a timer so it will know how long it will take for it to leave the tube, to reach whatever designated height it's supposed to go to, and explode. So they do choreograph it to music or to whatever other effects they want and have it almost perfect every time. So computers definitely brought firework artistry to the next level.
Nicole Darden Creston:
So it's mostly a timing thing?
Craig LaFleur:
It is, and if you look at the program that does it, it's almost like reading sheet music. You'll see the music in the computer screen. And then there's little points that are assigned to the different electronic firing system. And as the show progresses, just like sheet music when playing a piano, you can follow along and see as each piece is ignited and as the music peaks to match all the pieces in the sky.
Nicole Darden Creston:
Is there something new coming out that you're looking forward to?
Craig LaFleur:
There's a few new effects that have become more popular over the last couple of years. One effect is called 'time rain.' To describe it, it almost looks like "The Matrix" where the green letters are falling down the screen. That's become very popular. Some effects go in and out. There's an effect called 'jellyfish' which looks exactly like jellyfish floating through the sky - an effect that I really like. So now they can shape charges on fireworks to look like hearts, or letters, or, you know, smiley faces, things like that. So those are all fun to see.
Nicole Darden Creston:
How do they do that?
Craig LaFleur:
The colors and the effects are created by little beads inside of a ball. They could be anywhere from the size of BB up to the size of a marble. Of course, the larger they are the longer they burn. So these firework shells are custom-packed where the balls are put into a very specific arrangement with the filler in between to keep them from moving. So when the firework is launched and it ignites the filler, it ignites all of the balls in that specific shape and then they expand due to the brake charge. And hopefully they'll fill the sky with that same shape.
Nicole Darden Creston:
It must be fun to sell childlike wonder for a living. [laughter] Is it?
Craig LaFleur:
It is an absolute ball. [laughter] At my locations, we actually have videos of everything we sell so that people can see it before they buy it. Because different people have different tastes. There may be a certain effect that you love, or maybe you don't like loud crackle effects and you'd like to keep away from those. So you've been taking a look at whatever you're thinking about and decide if it's perfect for you.
Nicole Darden Creston:
Do you like to watch the commercial shows? Or would you rather be shooting off the fireworks yourself?
Craig LaFleur:
I would have to say I am a consumer fireworks fan. I love lighting the fireworks and discovering new and different effects. One of the best things about my job is each year I probably review 300 to 400 new fireworks. Sometimes the effects are repeats but they're in different combinations, different timing. Every now and then you get something new that comes along. Maybe they tweaked the color. Several years ago, they came out with a new metal for red. Previously all of the reds in fireworks looked a little orangish but now they truly have a bright red and that started maybe five or six years ago. I enjoy experimenting myself, seeing what's out there, the thrill of setting it all up, and then standing and watching the show. Amazing!
