18 replies to this topic

[digger]

OK then chaps

We have been in touch with Event Horizon Pyrotechnics to organise a "Special Effects" course for a group from the pyro society.

The course is a three day residential course, all food and board is provided for a total cost of £425. This represents excellent value given what you will learn and experience during the course.

There will be places for between 8 and 12 people to attended on a first come first served basis.

We would like this course to form part of our program of events for next year. The provisional date for this will be the first week of June 2010 during the school holidays, so as not to clash with other planned events.

Why not have a look at the information below to see if you would like to attend with a group of like minded individuals. Please add your name to the list below to let us know you are interested.

When we have enough people to get the course booked we will ask for a £100 cheque made payable to Event Horizon Pyrotechnics as a deposit and ask you to complete a form declaring that you are not a "Prohibited person" as defined at the bottom of this post.

Anyway to get a feel for what you will learn if you choose to do this course why not have a browse of their website or have a look at the information below taken directly from their website

Link to course details

The course is intended to educate Special Effects (SFX) personnel in the safe use of explosives in the SFX industry. It provides training to a level appropriate for a sufficiently experienced Trainee (Pyrotechnic SFX) to apply for an upgrade to Technician (Pyrotechnic SFX) through the Joint Industry Grading Scheme (JIGS)..The Course is taught by Malcolm Ingry MIExpE, He is a veteran of many films including Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, Tomb Raider,The World is not Enough, Die Another Day, And Johnny English.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

1. To train sfx personnel in accordance with the Regulations in the Approved Code of Practice
2. To introduce new products, techniques and ideas now available.
3. To examine environmental aspects of the "effect" in order to reduce disturbance.
4. Carry out Risk Assessments on each effect.

COURSE SYLLABUS:
1. Historical development of explosives
2. Explosives characteristics
3. Explosives types
4. Firing accessories
5. Initiation methods
6. Special effects planning
7. Risk assessment
8. Practical training
9. Security and storage
10. Transport of explosives
11. Environmental disturbance

‘Prohibited Person’ means, subject to regulation 9(3), a person, other than a person in
respect of whom an order has been made under regulation 6(4), who-
- has been convicted of any offence under the Explosive Substances Act 1883, or
- has been sentenced to imprisonment or custody of life; or to imprisonment, detention in a young offenders institution, youth custody or corrective training for a term exceeding thirty months; or to preventive detention, or to detention during Her Majesty’s pleasure or for life, or under section 205(2) or (3) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975; or for a term exceeding thirty months passed under section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (young offenders convicted of grave crimes) or under section 206 of the said act of 1975 (detention of children convicted on indictment), or
- has been sentenced to imprisonment, or youth custody, or detention in a young offenders institution, or corrective training for a term exceeding six months, but not exceeding thirty months, and less than ten years have passed since the conviction for the crime for which sentenced, or less than five years for those under seventeen at the time of conviction, or
- has been sentenced to imprisonment or youth custody or detention in a young offenders institution for a term not exceeding six months, and less than seven years have passed since the conviction for the crime for which sentenced, or less than three and a half years for those under seventeen at the time of conviction.

If you wish to attend add your name to the list below in a new post

1) Digger
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[phildunford]

1) Digger
2) Phil D
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[Spyrotechnics]

quick question, knowing very little about the special effects industry, but wanting to know more....

t provides training to a level appropriate for a sufficiently experienced Trainee (Pyrotechnic SFX) to apply for an upgrade to Technician (Pyrotechnic SFX) through the Joint Industry Grading Scheme (JIGS)

What does the course do for those that are not classed as a Trainee in the SFX world, what would we need to do to get onto what appears to be the first rung of that ladder?


Cheers

Stuart

[johndee]

1) Digger
2) Phil D
3) Johndee
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[portfire]

1) Digger
2) Phil D
3) Johndee
4) portfire (pencil me in)
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Edited by portfire, 27 November 2009 - 10:35 AM.

[scoobie]

1) Digger
2) Phil D
3) Johndee
4) portfire (pencil me in)
5) scoobie
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[BrightStar]

1) Digger
2) Phil D
3) Johndee
4) portfire (pencil me in)
5) scoobie
6) BrightStar
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(subject to work permitting, but should be OK)

Edited by BrightStar, 27 November 2009 - 01:03 PM.

[portfire]

) Digger
2) Phil D
3) Johndee
4) portfire
5) scoobie
6) BrightStar
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Confirm

[digger]

Great start chaps. Another 3 - 4 people (to allow for drop outs) and we can get it booked!

quick question, knowing very little about the special effects industry, but wanting to know more....



What does the course do for those that are not classed as a Trainee in the SFX world, what would we need to do to get onto what appears to be the first rung of that ladder?


Cheers

Stuart

Stuart

Sorry for the slow reply (stupid busy as usual). When I spoke to Event Horizon I asked what this course would allow people to do. As a stand alone it would allow you to gain insurance to acquire and use HE for the purpose of special effects. I guess as you are already an experienced professional using pyrotechnics this would allow add another string to your companies portfolio.

I will talk to them further to clarify this position.

[Spyrotechnics]

) Digger
2) Phil D
3) Johndee
4) portfire
5) scoobie
6) BrightStar
7) Starsky72
8)

[Arthur Brown]

Well I've just come back from a course there!

The introductory course is basic -a few bits of theory and some noisy outdoor practical.

It is a basic introduction to HE for use in SFX etc, I was with a group of film folk, all of whom were discussing the shoots they had worked on.

[Spyrotechnics]

worth doing, or better to get some practical experience first?

[Arthur Brown]

Depends what you want to do with the knowledge!

If you want to do movie SFX then you will likely have to join the profession at the bottom and be prepared to do the donkey work on sets and on sites til you move up the grades to senior SFX specialist.

If you want to add some effects from that genre into your business then there are lots of ways that fireworks and SFX could overlap.

You could need a 1.1 store which for HE would need full planning permission and good security and alarms. You and all your full time and casual staff would need COER clearance from the Police.

[Spyrotechnics]

I doubt casual employees and high explosives would be a combination you would put together

[scjb]

Actually, if the certificate is in the name of a corporate body, then anyone employed is covered by the certificate. It is the responsibility of the proprietor to ensure no-one with access to COER explosives is a prohibited person.