nikk75

Feel free to fire your questions to me direct...martin.spfx@gmail.com

Hi martin,

sorry for the long ( yes over a year) delay, not been here for ages.
thanks for the info i will definately fire some questions your way i like to get a varied style of info from all around.

cheers

have a look at this doco http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

shows you how to make miniature explosions that look real , and besides its a jolly good doco on Richard Hammond presents Bloody Omaha (The Graphics)

phil

man thats impressive, but then you need the know how with the software

it depends how good at editing you are, there Is a way frequently employed a bit like misdirection, where you could set off a charge on site, and have the effect fill the screen, then cut to another location where it IS ok to make a crater and set off another device there.
during the "Explosion" cut from one site to the other and let the crater site film play out, leaving it`s large hole effect.

because the explosion is so chaotic no one will notice the change over that you`re at a different location.
another way that works only if you don`t do it TOO often is to have something fly at the screen and block it for a second, that also gives another good editing place.

for long shots you can use shading techniques with black and gray powder paints to make it Look like craters when in actual fact it`s really quite flat and just an illusion.
the paint will wash away harmlessly the next time it rains.

You could always cheat the shot using a compressed air mortar system, i recently built one and it works great.

The sums seem to be;

Competent pyrotechnician £500 a day inc insurance and consumables.
Competent solicitor and barrister £2000 a day, plus legal costs and fines.

Suit yourself!

Do you want to do porridge knowing that by an improvised explosive device you injured someone AND will be barred from licensed pyro for ever.

Man, have i been under charging!!!!! but i do agree with what you said, if you haven't the training, then get someone who has, I've been doing body hits for 10 years and i still get nervous.....even with all the padding and safety plating, there is always an unknown factor that can change the way the fx is executed. It's like a stunt performer once told me "when you get comfortable, because you have do it before, then it gets dangerous"