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Pyrotek at Bet Hip Hop Awards
One could not help but notice Pyrotek Special Effects at the 2007 Bet Hip Hop Awards. Televised from the Civic Center in Atlanta, Georgia; the effects presented played a significant role in accenting the number of set designs throughout the award show.
Effects designer Lorenzo Cornacchia collaborated with Jesse Collins (show producer), Brian Stonestreet (production designer) and Alana Billingsley (art director) as well as Marc Lucas (executive in charge of production) and John Cossette (executive producer) of Cossette Productions. The industrial set created by Stonestreet allowed for a number of versatile positions to mount the pyrotechnic equipment. In applying the pyrotechnic effects into the set designs Pyrotek’s crew chief Bob Ross was accompanied by gas specialists and pyrotechnicians Keith Maxwell, Kevin Hughes and Gary Bishop in assembling the special effects into each act.
Lil Wayne’s performance of ‘Gossip’ was one of the more prolific acts which demonstrated the strategic planning of customized gas effects. The opening sequence of the act included a barrage of red tracer comets fired upstage off the upper level railing in an asymmetrical fashion. The opening led into numerous customized gas flame effects which included a microphone stand that was customized to combust in flames. This was cued as Lil Wayne took hold of the mic and proceeded downstage. The complete microphone stand was ignited into flames for the remainder of the performance. The set also included four flaming barrels, two seven-foot long dragon tails positioned upstage behind the barrels to create a continuous burning flame wall, and four dragon heads. Both the dragon heads and dragon tails were in sync with specific beats as the flames accentuated precise cues throughout the performance.
The design of effects for Souljah Boy’s number one single ‘Crank That’, commenced with a white flash and bang effect in an asymmetrical fashion. Each chorus held eight major accents in which two of 12 cryo jet heads were fired asymmetrically. The downbeat of each chorus led to an all fire cue from twelve cryo jet heads.
Cornacchia explained: “The equipment worked well with the set as it blended in to the industrial set presence.” The song concluded with a burst of green mines which fired in various directions off boards positioned upstage.
The complete List of Effects Included: 36 1x25 Silver Gerbs, 18 10x20 Silver Gerbs, 36 1x20 Silver Gerbs, 18 White Flash With Bang, 24 Red Tracer Comets with Tails, 18 Silver Tracer Comets with Tails, 12 Red Mines, 18 Yellow Comets with Tails, 12 Orange Mines, 8 LSG G300’s, 14 High Pressure Cryo Jet Heads and 7 Double Headed Dragons
Upon completion of an awards show jam-packed with effects, Stonestreet commented: “The effects supplied by Pyrotek were amazing on the show this year! I always have liked the stuff they have done, but this show in particular was great. The pyro stood out as well conceived, designed, and integrated into each number, and it actually became a scenic statement. That’s not to say it hasn't been so in the past, but maybe it was because the set was smaller in the performance area, or the style this year was more industrial, I'm not sure, but it all blended together perfectly.”
28th November 2007
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