Historians believe fireworks first exploded onto the scene in seventh century China and reached widespread use during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). A new dynasty began in 1889 when Constantino Vitale founded his fireworks company in Pietramelara, Italy. In 1920, he moved his firm and family to New Castle, PA, whose official slogan would become “The Fireworks Capital of America.” In its first century, the business that would emerge as Pyrotecnico grew to become one of the country’s largest fireworks companies. It now creates many of the world’s most dazzling displays.
The Dynasty Continues
Now, with the fifth generation continuing the business, the family fireworks dynasty is singing a new song with the addition of Pyrotecnico FX, its dedicated special effects division. With its continually growing inventory of more than 60 lasers, custom light effects, corporate logos, custom graphics and choreographed, shows are limited only by imagination. Fog and cryogenic effects have effortlessly brought mood and mystery to events big and small, including theatrical productions, corporate events, concerts and pageants. Customizable flame effects include everything from showers of sparks and walls of flame to rainbow bursts of fire. Confetti and streamer cannons make any occasion spectacular, from sporting events to parades to weddings.
“About 10 years ago, we began to expand into special effects for the live entertainment market,” explains creative director Rocco Vitale. “Just like our great-grandfather, grandfather and father, our goal is to create ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ and ‘wow’ moments for audiences. The lasers and synchronized pyro amplify the excitement and the emotional connection that the audience feels at a show. Lasers are an amazing form of entertainment. When they click on, there’s that collective gasp from the audience that’s always a rewarding feeling.”
On New Year’s Eve 2014, Pyrotecnico FX’s diverse special effects capabilities came together for the “Lights All Night” event in Dallas. Pyrotecnico FX provided an immersive, multisensory experience, including lasers, cryogenics, confetti, and fire effects while the huge crowd danced to the sounds of DJs Major Lazer, Kaskade, Krewella, Deadmau5, and Above and Beyond. Lasers fanned out across the room, immersing the room in bright colors synchronized to the beat of the music, while cryojets filled the stage with fog from every direction. Flames blazed out from the DJ booth and confetti and balls poured from the ceiling among the beams of light.
Pyrotecnico FX is one of only a few production companies in the world that can legally use audience-scanning lasers in the U.S. “Not only do we want to provide spectacular productions for the shows, they also have to be the safest they can possibly be,” explains Vitale. “Our company has a full-time laser safety officer to ensure that we comply with all regulations. Our technicians are professionally trained and we are continually adding certified laser safety officers to our performance staff.”
The company, with its nationwide network of 15 design offices, distribution centers and shipping locations, handles about 2,600 shows a year all over the U.S. This network is available to clients every day of the year, for every size event, in any venue using any combination of products. It has recently provided visual effects for the Skrillex Mothership Tour, Armin van Buuren’s “Armin Intense” North American tour and OutKast’s 2014 tour, as well as festivals like Mysteryland, TomorrowWorld, Electric Zoo, Electric Daisy Carnival, Nocturnal Wonderland and Lollapalooza. If you’d like to add to your fantasy league database, the company also does work for the Houston Texans, Washington Redskins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins and the Philadelphia Eagles, as well as the NBA, the Orange Bowl, theme parks and movie productions.
Pushing the Envelope
In planning the world tour in support of his 20/20 Experience album, Justin Timberlake pushed his designers and production team to create a show unlike anything ever experienced in a touring event. Every element, from lighting and video to sound, staging and lasers had to be revolutionary — and repeatable, night after night. For the laser effects, Timberlake envisioned hundreds of full-color beams that would follow him across the stage and swoop deep into the audience. This was not a small order. Such immersive effects had never been used at this scale in the U.S. His creative producer and lighting designer Nick Whitehouse and equipment vendor Solotech turned to Pyrotecnico FX to rethink and redefine the way lasers could be used.
The result was a rig unlike any other, with 16 Pyrotecnico FX Series AS full-color, audience-scanning lasers and six Pyrotecnico FX Series full-color beam lasers. All 22 are solid state and hyper-efficient, with exceptional brightness. “That was a vast challenge when you have that many lasers in a single rig,” said Vitale.
The touring rig is driven by a DMX control system that networks all of the lasers for quick and easy programming. All audience-scanning lasers include a built-in safety system by Pangolin Laser Systems, a multi-layer framework of hardware and software protection that watches the lasers so the audience can watch the show safely.
Pyrotecnico FX developed a particularly innovative solution for the jam band String Cheese Incident’s New Year’s Eve show in Broomfield, CO. “The band had seen an automated, moving fireworks piece that’s very popular in Europe,” Vitale recalls. “They asked if the same effect could be achieved with lights and we did it. It was this crazy piece in which an automated wheel of interwoven, moving LED lights is lowered from the rafters.”
For prospective customers trying to decide on a pyro, special effects and laser company, Vitale has some recommendations. “First, from a nuts-and-bolts standpoint, look for good equipment, good insurance and good technicians. From a creative standpoint, look for someone who can dream big and be able to present unique and innovative solutions to their requests and also make those requests happen within a budget.”
One Call Does it All
When Pyrotecnico FX gets a call from someone who needs effects for a show or special event, “we discuss what their show is about, what they’re trying to do, what moments in the show might be enhanced by something we offer,” Rocco Vitale says. “We’ll then produce diagrams of what the stage may look like, where the gear would be placed and what aspects of our creative palette we might apply. We get ideas bouncing around until we get to something that’s exactly right for this client and this occasion. It’s a cohesive effort between our laser and effects designers, their lighting designer, the video people, the creative people and if it’s a musical program, the artist, who are all communicating their ideas on creating those magical ‘wow’ moments throughout the show. We map out those moments song by song and program them in. Then, in the days leading up to the show or tour, we rehearse with the artist or the venue to get all the timing and looks down and to make sure all the programming is 100 percent glitch-free. To ensure a flawless show, even our backups have backups. From concept to clean-up, Pyrotecnico FX takes care of everything and leaves nothing to chance.”
The company’s special effects business continues to grow as it reaches out to new clients and does more work all over the U.S. Concludes Vitale, “As a service-based business, we insist on sterling customer service. If a customer needs lasers, CO2 jets, proximate pyro and a fireworks show, we can accomplish all of those with one call. It makes their lives a lot easier, at a time when they’re very busy managing the rest of their event, to be able to use a single vendor who can fulfill all of their effects needs. Producing good work ultimately trumps all.”
Pyrotecnico FX
Founder: Constantino Vitale brought his fireworks company, founded in Italy in 1889, to New Castle, PA in 1920. Now a fifth-generation business still run by the Vitale family, its special-effects division operates as Pyrotecnico FX.
Services Offered: Pyro/flame effects, cryo/atmospheric effects, lasers, confetti/streamers
Contact: 800-854-4705; info@pyrotecnicofx.com; www.pyrotecnicofx.com.
