PYROTECHNICS

Professional Fireworks

As a Senior Firer, Matthew’s rigged hundreds of displays. He’s supervised dozens of crews and safely fired thousands of fireworks since 2004. Fully conversant with FireOne (including UltraFire) and COBRA firing systems, and specialising in pyro-musicals (both live performance and time-code synched), you can trust Matthew to supervise a safe spectacle. 

 

Not only is he a cool head under pressure, he’s an experienced Health and Safety adviser too. You can relax, knowing that Matthew takes his responsibilities seriously. And with supervision credits including Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, The Battle Proms tour and the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, you can be certain your audience, your crew, and your clients are in the hands of a consummate professional.

Stage Pyrotechnics

Putting your creative output into the world is a scary prospect. Whether you’re planning a one-time event or something you’ve done many times, you want the show to go smoothly. Add pyrotechnics into the mix? That’s another level of pressure.

 

Matthew works with you to understand your brief, your objective, and the impression you’d like to leave on the audience. Whether it’s a first dance at a wedding, a science show in a theatre, a conference, or a corporate event, Matthew will listen carefully to your plans.

 

One of his key skills as a stage pyrotechnician is actually knowing when not to fire! He’ll ensure that the pyrotechnics add embellishment rather than upstaging you or overwhelming the audience. After all, the aim is to enhance the audience’s enjoyment and experience. From beautiful fountains that go off for the happy couple’s first dance, to explosive eruptions at the end of a gig. Stage pyrotechnics with Matthew elevate the quality of your work –they don’t overshadow it.

TV & Film

Time is money, so the saying goes. And nowhere is this truer than in the world of television and film. If you don’t get the shot you need, when you need it, the whole schedule falls out of sync.

 

Having worked both in front of and behind the camera, Matthew is acutely aware of the need to capture the right shots. His experience with pyrotechnics sharpens his understanding that there’s only one opportunity to get it right with live television! And his background in presenting heightens his awareness of the relationship between the action and the lens. While so many people are ‘TV people’ or ‘pyrotechnicians’, Matthew is both.

 

Examples of successful projects include Aardman’s Early Man(all of the volcano eruptions were pyrotechnic effects by Matthew), The One Show, and Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway. Using his knowledge and experience, he helps clients realise their vision quickly ensuring they capture great footage, even under pressure

Event Planning Consultancy

So, you want to include fireworks or pyrotechnics as part of your event? Sounds fantastic. How will you know where to begin, what safety precautions to put in place, and if your firework company is doing a good job? 

 

For event planners looking to include fireworks or pyrotechnics, it can feel a little daunting. Matthew’s Event Planning Consultancy is designed to overcome that. By listening to your plans and hearing out your ideas, he’ll tell you what he thinks. The result is that you have a clearer idea and you’re one step closer to putting on a show your audience will remember. 

 

Health and Safety is one of Matthew’s passions and professional pursuits. He’s also a Senior Display Supervisor, so you can be sure the advice you receive is solid. In fact, he produces risk assessments for firework companies on a freelance basis. 

 

A particular career highlight was consulting on a firework display for a business client based close to the end of Bristol Airport’s runway. A total no-go, you may assume...Pulling all the levers of his experience, Matthew was able to coordinate with the CAA, Air Traffic Control, and the landowners to deliver a short display that was totally safe –and very memorable!